Industry news
Short takes on the stories shaping local search, listings and reputation — with a link to the original.
August 2026
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Reviews Missing After GBP Reinstatement? Google Aware, Fix Pending
Had a suspended Google Business Profile reinstated recently? You might notice the profile's live again, but reviews are gone. Per Amy Toman on LinkedIn, Google confirms it's aware and working on a fix—no ETA yet. If you have an open support ticket, reply directly to that email thread to flag the missing reviews. Keeps it documented against your case. Worried about review continuity on your GBP? Social Places' Reputation tools help you monitor and protect what matters. Get in touch.
Search Engine Round Table -
Google Testing "People Viewed" Counts on GBP Posts
Google may be reviving Posts Insights. Muhammad Hussain spotted view counts- labeled "people viewed" - appearing on some Google Posts, a feature Google sunset back in 2023. It's not showing for everyone yet, so likely a limited test. This follows Google's recent rollout of view counts on photos and videos too. No clicks data back yet, but it's a promising sign for GBP visibility metrics.
Search Engine Round Table -
Google Search Console can now track your social content
Google's expanding Search Console Insights to include your social channels — not just your website. You can now see clicks, impressions, top content, and search queries driving traffic to channels like YouTube, alongside your site data. It's rolling out to a limited set of sites for now.
Google
July 2026
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Facebook Launches Free "Verified" Badge for Real People
Meta is rolling out Facebook Verified — a free badge confirming a real person is behind a profile, via a quick selfie video check. It'll show up first on Marketplace, Dating, Groups, and Profiles, with Feed posts coming later. Note: it's for personal profiles only (18+), not Pages or ProMode accounts, and it's not an endorsement — just proof there's a human on the other end. Rolling out in phases, starting in select markets. As AI-generated content grows, signals like this matter more. Want help building trust across your business's online presence? Social Places can help.
Meta Technologies -
Why Your Business Needs a Meta Business Portfolio
If your Facebook Page has ever run ads, it's likely already sitting inside a Meta Business Portfolio — whether you set it up or not. This is Meta's central hub for managing Pages, Instagram, WhatsApp, and ad accounts securely. Skip it, and you risk losing control: a former employee or agency admin can end up owning your assets. Set it up properly, and your business — not an individual — holds the keys. Want to keep your online presence secure and consistent across platforms? Social Places can help, get in touch.
Meta Technologies -
Google Bug: "You Have No Reviews Yet"
A new GBP glitch shows zero reviews while live Profiles still display all related reviews. Reports call it random, unrelated to reinstatements, and separate from last week's vanishing-reviews issue. No fix confirmed yet, but Google is aware of the issue.
Search Engine Round Table -
Google Will Soon Let You See and Delete What It's Collected About Your Business
Google's automated verification calls - where automated calls to your business confirm details like parking or walk ins now come with a management layer. A new "Collected Info" tab in your GBP dashboard shows everything gathered from those calls, and you can delete any entry you don't want appearing on Search or Maps. A small but useful update, putting a bit more control back in the hands of the business owner.
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The Return of Business Profile Messages: With AI Built In?
Early reports suggest Google is reviving native GBP Messaging - and it's come back with an AI agent attached. The chatbot fields customer questions around the clock using your GBP data and website, handing off to a human when needed. Conversations split into "Needs your attention" and "Handled by your AI agent," with a Promote tab that lets you run ads where customers can message the agent straight from Search. For multi-location brands, the governance question is worth sitting with — an agent running across dozens of locations will get things wrong and needs monitoring. But as a tool for keeping profiles active outside business hours, it's a meaningful upgrade. Make sure your GBP data and rich content are in good shape before this lands — that's what the agent draws from.
Launchcodex
June 2026
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Google Brings Business Profile Data Directly Into Gemini
Google's handing Gemini direct access to your Business Profile data, and it's a genuinely useful upgrade. Tag @Google Business Profile in a prompt and it'll dig through your reviews, surface what customers actually love, and even update your opening hours on the fly, no dashboard hopping required. Pair that with the new "business notebooks," which hoover up your documents, spreadsheets and brand voice into one space, and Gemini stops being a generic chatbot and starts acting like someone who's actually worked at your business for a year.
Business Profile Community -
Facebook's Channels: One-Way Broadcasting for Pages
Facebook's Channels (the rebrand of broadcast channels) is a one-to-many messaging tool for Pages and pro-mode profiles with over 10,000 followers, built for announcements, exclusive content and branded posts in a chat-style format. Only the Page admin or pro-mode profile owner can post; followers can read, react and vote in polls, but they can't talk back. And because Channels are public by design, anyone on Facebook or Messenger can find one, preview it via a link, and join in, so don't mistake this for a private chat with your closest followers. It's a megaphone, not a group chat.
Meta Technologies -
Introducing Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console
Exciting news that Google will release a way to see your impressions and clicks from AI sources in GSC. Only live for select few websites, before rolling out if you don't see it yet.
AI sources in GSC