Hi ,

The only constant during the first half of 2026 has been change - lots and lots of change! I think Google, Meta, AI platforms, and pretty much every software or SaaS provider out there has decided that if some change is good, more (much more!) must be better. 

It's been exhausting keeping up with it all! But that's what we're here for 😀. We make it our mission to stay on top of the latest developments that could affect your visibility with potential customers and your ability to generate qualified leads to help grow your business.

In this email, I'm giving you a quick update some of the latest changes that directly affect your online visibility and lead generation, including changes to:

• how Google is showing local business listings in a way that could decrease the number of people who see your Google Business Profile (GBP)

• where and how GBP data/analytics are shown, and why those results are never the same as what you'll see in Google Search Console

• what information now gets shown in your Local Services Ads - you'll want to make sure your website is fully up-to-date for this one!

• the contact number on your GBP. It may now be a WhatConverts number - and it may not even work.

• the number of paid ads appearing at the top of the search results, which is pushing local and organic listings down the page

• which photos are shown on your GBP (hint: you'll definitely want to upload photos more regularly!)

I've also described what we're doing to help you with these changes to minimize losses and continue generating leads.

Keep reading for details!

If you're no longer interested in receiving the GROWth Report, please use this link to unsubscribe - no hard feelings 😊. NOTE: Clients will continue to receive update emails.

Google Changed How Searchers Browse Business Listings

Google recently removed the "next page" button from its expanded local business listings and replaced it with endless scrolling; users must now scroll continuously through results rather than navigate to the next page. Removing pagination could reduce how far users browse local results, potentially concentrating clicks on top-listed businesses and reducing visibility for lower-ranked listings. 

This means ranking near the top of your local area matters even more than before (but remember, proximity to your physical location still plays a large role in your listing's visibility in local search).

👉 We're watching your visibility numbers in the Local Finder closely for any changes in impressions and click volume to see if this update has a noticeable impact. Most of our clients rank in the top 3 so I don't expect a huge effect but it's something to be aware of and we'll let you know if anything changes significantly.

Better Reporting: GBP Data Now in Google Analytics

Google now lets us connect your Business Profile directly to Google Analytics (finally!), so we can show calls and website clicks driven by your GBP listing right alongside your regular site traffic. Now, you won't need to look at two different reports to figure out what your overall visibility looks like

👉 We're rolling this connection out this month for eligible clients and will fold it into your monthly reporting.

CLIENT QUESTION OF THE WEEK

GBP vs GSC Reports Show Different Numbers. Why?

Many clients notice that their Google Search Console and Google Business Profile reports show vastly different impression and click numbers, and top searches.

 That's not a glitch or an incorrect report. The two platforms measure very different things so the results will never match. 

• GSC tracks website impressions and clicks from organic search (which can include bots and tracking tools)
  

• GBP reports interactions with your profile (calls, direction requests, and website clicks) 

👉 We're updating our report templates to better explain the differences and your CSM will be happy to go over it with you during your next meeting. We use both data sources to judge your results, relying on the most relevant data source for specific analyses to give you a clear picture of how customers are actually finding you.

When Storms Hit, Do You Contact Your Customers?

INTRODUCING a Better Way to Show You're There For Them

Severe weather puts your customers on alert, whether it's a major storm forecasted to arrive tomorrow or an unexpected tornado that touched down last night.

Our new Storm Response Customer Care email campaigns help you send timely, personalized emails to existing customers:

• before or after a storm,

• localized by ZIP code or city/town,

• customized by weather type,

• written in your voice , and

• with your branded email signature.

These aren't intended to be a sales pitch or "marketing emails", just helpful outreach when it really matters. A quick email to show you care can go a long way in building customer trust and loyalty.

⭐️ No set-up fee, send on your schedule (when time is of the essence, you need total control), and unlimited sends to as many (or as few) of your customers as you want.

Your Website Content Now Shows Up in Your Local Services Ads

If you run Local Services Ads, Google now automatically pulls content like service descriptions, photos, and offers straight from your website to "enrich" your ad listing. You have no control over what Google does and does not add to your ads. 

This change means your website's service pages now directly shape what shows up in your paid ads and how well they work. It's one of the reasons we write thorough, informative content for your site; no one wants thin or outdated website content to automatically appear in paid ads!

👉 As part of our monthly website reviews, we check for content or images that we believe should be updated. However, you're the person in the best position to know if something no longer reflects your company or services. We're asking all clients running Local Services Ad to make sure your main website pages are accurate, thorough, and up-to-date.

More Paid Ads Are Appearing Above Local Search Results

Google has sharply increased how often paid ads show up at the very top of local search results - from under 3% of searches to over 20% in just a couple of months. This pushes organic listings (for websites) further down the page. 

It also increases competition for the limited number of LSA slots available, driving up the cost per charged lead. Overall, we've seen a 6% increase in cost per lead in 2026 vs 2025, but our clients in larger metro regions and more competitive areas have seen increases of as much as 30%.

👉 Expect LSA costs to continue rising as organic search visibility declines. If we see the increased number of ads in search results affecting your visibility, we may recommend adding Local Services Ads to help you stay near the top. Conversely, if we see your cost per lead from LSAs climbing outside the range in which it's profitable to run them, we'll recommend looking at other options, like increasing your Google Search Ads budget or running YouTube Ads.

Google May Have Added an Incorrect Contact Number to Your GBP Listing

Google recently added WhatsApp contact numbers to a large number of business listings automatically, and in many cases the number was wrong or couldn't actually receive WhatsApp messages. Talk about a major mess!

👉 We're checking every client's listing this week to make sure nothing incorrect was added and that your real contact information is unaffected. But it's worth taking a look at it yourself too; you should see your lead tracking number from TCMS as the primary number and your office phone as the secondary number.

Your Newest Google Photo Now Shows Up First

Google Business Profile now shows your most recently uploaded photo first, pushing older images further back in the gallery. That means whatever you uploaded most recently is the first thing a potential customer sees. And if nothing has been added recently, it may not convey the right message to prospects (winter pruning in July??).

👉 As always, we recommend you upload fresh, seasonal job-site and crew photos regularly (at least monthly - weekly is even better) so your listing's first impression is always a current one. Your Client Success Manager will be reminding you about this every month! All you need to do is drop new photos or short videos in the Dropbox link we've shared with you (ask us if you need it resent) and we'll take it from there!