Google Reviews Crackdown, Meta vs Google, and the AI Search Shift (What Marketers Are Missing)

Google Reviews Crackdown, Meta vs Google, and the AI Search Shift (What Marketers Are Missing)

From The Near Memo by Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm

April 16, 2026 · 39 min · Season 4 · Episode 14

About this episode

The episode discusses Google's new review enforcement, Meta's ad revenue projections, and the shift towards AI-driven search.

Send us Fan Mail Google just changed the rules on reviews—and businesses may already be getting penalized. Meanwhile, Meta is projected to overtake Google in ad revenue, despite ongoing legal battles and ethical concerns. In this episode, Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling break down: • Google’s new review enforcement signals • Why marketers are frustrated with rising ad costs and unclear ROI • The surprising shift toward AI-driven search (ChatGPT, Ask Maps) • Who actually wins the AI race—a...

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike Blumenthal, Greg Sterling

Topics covered

  • Google reviews
  • ad revenue
  • AI-driven search
  • marketing challenges
  • business penalties

Keywords

  • Google reviews
  • Meta
  • ad revenue
  • AI search
  • marketing
  • ChatGPT
  • Ask Maps

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Google, Meta

Products: ChatGPT, Ask Maps

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