Hello, hello! If you're at the Tom Ferry Summit this week, please hit reply and let me know. I'd love to meet in person. And I promise I don't bite. 😅 The Lead Get your docs in order. If you ever need to appeal a Google Business Profile suspension, Google will expect to see a number of legal documents to prove that you're legit and worthy of reinstatement. Ben Fisher recently shared a great guide to the proof you'll need. Bookmark this. Is it just me? I said "ugh" when I saw the news that...
23 days ago • 10 min read
Who you got today? I'm Team Spain. But it sure is a privilege to watch a one-of-a-kind talent like Messi, isn't it? Thanks for reading, let's get to it. The Lead Hope you don't need this. Google just made a small-but-welcome change to the appeals process for a GBP suspension. As Stefan Somboroc discovered, the old two-step process with a 60-minute window to submit evidence is gone. It's now just a single step without a ticking clock. Good news, but I hope you never need it. Get fresh. You...
about 1 month ago • 11 min read
Good morning! If you're in the U.S. like me, I hope your July 4th celebrations were fun and safe. I also hope your Q3 is off to a strong start and your goals are well within reach. You got this. The Lead That was fast. Google's June 2026 Spam Update launched and finished in just two days last week. If you're checking analytics, it ended on June 26. But I trust that you, an esteemed Marketing Unlocked reader, won't be negatively affected by a spam update. 😊 It depends. On the model, that is....
about 2 months ago • 10 min read
Real estate is awesome, but today's the day that reminds me every year how being a dad is the best job of all. If you're a dad, Happy Father's Day to you! The Lead Must-watch. Ex-Googler and now local SEO guy Brad Wetherall did this terrific 10-minute video that walks you through the video verification process for your Google Business Profile. If you struggle with this, don't miss it. The latest game-changer? I'm sure you heard that Google is now rolling out its "homes for sale" ads across...
2 months ago • 10 min read
Loving all these Facebook Business Manager partner requests I keep getting. Really flattering. Quite an honor. 😉 BIG newsletter today, let's get to it. The Lead "Everything works until it doesn't." I said that on stage last week at Signal while talking about sites with 100% AI-written content losing their Google rankings and traffic. Some of the charts I showed came from this excellent Lily Ray article on AI strategies that have backfired. GBP 🤝 GA. You'll soon be able to connect your Google...
3 months ago • 11 min read
Thanks for spending a few minutes with me over Memorial Day weekend. If you're remembering loved ones who served, I'm thinking of you today. The Lead Here we go again. Two months after the last one, Google just launched another core update. It's still SEO to me, and I like it. Google just posted its first set of AI SEO recommendations, which includes the note that AEO, GEO, etc. are "still SEO." (Where's the "AI bros in tears" emoji?) The document is very good, if a bit aspirational in a few...
3 months ago • 9 min read
Happy Mother's Day! If you're a mom reading Marketing Unlocked on your special day, thanks so much. I hope this is the start of a terrific day. The Lead A pretty big deal. Google just announced five ways it's showing more links and expert sources in AI answers. They've been criticized widely for not citing sources enough, so this is a welcome move. I bet it's also a precursor to some bigger changes to be revealed next week at their annual developer conference. Stay tuned.... How fresh is...
4 months ago • 10 min read
If you've been focused on when AI will recommend you to buyers and sellers, you're missing half the story. That's the subject of today's Deep Dive for VIP readers. Thanks for being here. Let's get to it. The Lead It's over. Google's first core update of 2026 wrapped up a couple weeks ago. I always say these big updates shouldn't impact you if you've been doing SEO the right way, but truth is there's always the risk of collateral damage and unintended consequences. I wrote this blog post a...
4 months ago • 10 min read
Hello and happy Q2 to you - hope it's a good one. I know this is a busy time of year. Thanks for reading. The Lead Not so "suite." If your business address has a suite number (or other modifier), make sure it's in the "Address 2" field of your Google Business Profile. Claudia Tomina explains that a suite # in "Address 1" can keep Google from understanding where you're located, which can tank your ability to show up in the local pack and Google Maps. Profiles in AI. Brands that win in AI...
5 months ago • 8 min read