The SEO Juice: AI-Powered Search, Review Bugs & Customer Choice

Industry Updates: Fresh Squeezed Insights

A Robocall You’ll Actually Want to Answer

Google is testing a new feature called Ask for Me, which uses AI to call businesses on behalf of customers. Imagine someone searching for an oil change—Google calls the shop, asks for pricing and availability, and delivers the info back to the user—all within 30 minutes.

✅ What to Do: Stay on top of your Google Business Profile (GBP) details! Accurate business info and service descriptions help Google provide better answers—and drive more leads your way.

The Truth About Google’s “Disappearing” Reviews

Many businesses panicked when they noticed review counts dropping, but Google confirmed it’s just a bug. Reviews weren’t deleted—Google simply miscounted them. While they work on a fix, businesses using platforms like SOCi can still see the correct review totals.

✅ What to Do: If you saw a drop in reviews, don’t worry—they’re still there! Keep encouraging customer feedback, and monitor updates from Google as they work on a fix.

Optimizing for Customer Choice: Ranking Isn’t Enough

Ranking high in search is great, but it means nothing if customers don’t click. The factors that drive customer choice are evolving and businesses need to optimize for conversion, ensuring their GBP and search presence provide clear, compelling reasons for customers to choose them.

✅ What to Do: Audit your GBP for engaging images, well-crafted descriptions, fresh posts, and review responses. Making your business the obvious choice.

SOCi can run a free audit for you. Click here to request yours.

Maximize Your SEO Strategy with These Updates

Menu Listings Impact Search Rankings

Yes, even your menu matters! One restaurant wasn’t ranking for Caesar Salad—until they changed the dish name from something quirky to “Caesar Salad.” Suddenly, they started appearing in local searches.

👉 Pro Tip: Use clear, searchable names for products and services. If customers search for it, your listing should match it.

Google Posts Are Back (And More Visible Than Ever!)

Think Google Posts are dead? Think again. Google has started displaying Posts more prominently next to reviews and photos. This is prime real estate to showcase deals, events, and updates.

👉 Pro Tip: Post regularly! Promotions, announcements, and local updates will now get even more visibility in search.

Caught in the Wild: Fun New Features

Here’s what we spotted this month:

Google’s Nearby Offers Carousel – A new desktop feature showcasing local deals and promotions. Time to start posting those offers!

Updated GBP Attributes – New details available for businesses, from service area updates to expanded messaging options. Make sure your profile reflects these changes!

The Resources You Need

This month’s session was full of insights you can apply today:

📺 Watch the February 2025 SEO Juice Webinar Recording
🔍 Claim Your Free SEO Audit – See how your business is performing in search!

That’s it for this month—check back next time for more fresh insights! Until then, keep squeezing the most out of your SEO strategy. 🍊🚀