Happy Sunday. Today's all about the oft-overlooked listing description, which I think you'll need to spend more time on if you want to sell more homes faster. Thanks for reading. I appreciate you. The Lead This week's must-read. You've heard me talk about E-O-V -- effort, originality, and value. Google says content that lacks those is low-quality content. So, don't miss Cyrus Shepard's explainer on how Google defines "effort". (He's someone who would know, too - Cyrus used to be in Google's...
15 days ago • 10 min read
Saw The Fixx in concert. Went to Disneyland. Then attended Success Summit. You get a full recap of the last one, but email me if you want to chat about the others. 😊 The Lead GBP woes. Seeing less engagement on your Google Business Profile? You're not alone. In the U.S., calls and website clicks are both down about 12% this year, according to the folks at GMB API. Bing's still ahead. The generative AI report in Google Search Console has now rolled out much more widely. I have it in all my GSC...
29 days ago • 12 min read
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...
about 1 month 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 2 months 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....
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...
3 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...
4 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