Playbook FAQ
18 answers, attributedThe questions members actually asked on the calls, with the answer attributed to whoever gave it and the call it came from.
Where exactly do my social posts link to?
Each social post points to ONE property. The chain is: social post links to the GMB post, and the GMB post links to the full blog article. Never stack multiple outbound links into a single social post. Mike called out on the 2025-01-23 call that members were overcomplicating this more than any other step.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2025-01-23 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Jan 23 2025 - Summary.txt
How often should I run a GMB blast?
Not more than once a week. Over-blasting damages the listing. General GMB posting is a separate thing and runs 2 to 3 times a week.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2025-01-23 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Jan 23 2025 - Summary.txt
How do I create Gmail accounts in bulk for clients without hitting the limit?
Keep social accounts and SEO accounts separate. Use longer Gmail names to get more available combinations. Create the accounts from a mobile device, Google trusts those more. Public Wi-Fi was mentioned as a way around the per-connection creation cap.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2025-01-23 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Jan 23 2025 - Summary.txt
How do I structure service pages for a business with multiple locations?
Homepage is the business card. One location page per GMB, and that is what the GMB links to. Then a separate service page for EACH service at EACH location. Sharing one service page across locations creates entity confusion. Internal-link the PAA content to the matching service page and GMB with exact-match anchor text.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-11-21 call. Source: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2025-07-08_ggg-monthly-call-11-21.md
Google Analytics shows traffic falling but my client's leads are up. Which is right?
The leads. The free tier of Google Analytics samples roughly 25 to 30 percent of the data, which is enough to mislead a business decision. Lean on Search Console, local analytics, and call tracking. Set the expectation with the client up front that Analytics is directional, not truth. Monique Rice brought the exact case that prompted this.
Answered by Clint Butler and Shaun Mitchell, endorsed by Mike on the 2025-01-23 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Jan 23 2025 - Summary.txt
Which podcast platform should I use, Buzzsprout or Podbean?
Both work and both have free tiers. Use Podbean if you want a MAP EMBED inside the episode page, Buzzsprout cannot do that and an embed is a backlink. Note Buzzsprout deletes episodes after 90 days unless you upgrade (roughly $12/month per podcast). Mike uses Podbean because Buzzsprout banned him multiple times. Use one account per client to be safe. The syndication is the point: iHeartRadio, Player FM, Podchaser, Boomplay, iTunes.
Answered by Mike Merlino, with Roger K supplying the Buzzsprout deletion detail on the 2024-11-21 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Nov 21 2024 - Full Transcript.txt
How long should the audio be on SoundCloud and Podbean?
Short. Sometimes only a couple of minutes. Take the blog post, generate the audio, cut anything negative or off-topic, publish. You can also rip the audio off a YouTube upload of the same video.
Answered by Mike Merlino, question from John Quackenbush on the 2025-02-20 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Feb 20 2025 - Full Transcript.txt
Do I need reviews to rank a GMB?
No, and Mike ranked without reviews for over a year. His stated order is GMB name with the target keyword first, reviews second, engagement third. He demonstrated listings ranking in five different states with zero reviews. He is also openly against buying reviews because of the exposure it creates.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-12-19 call. Source: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2025-07-08_green-grid-goblins-12-19-call-recording.md
Corroborated on 2024-10-31: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Oct 31 2024 - Summary.txt
Which PAA question do I pick?
Start at the fourth question, not the first. Skip anything buried deep in the accordion. Confirm the query returns map results before you target it for a local business. One service per PAA.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-12-19 call. Source: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2025-07-08_green-grid-goblins-12-19-call-recording.md
I got a snippet and then it dropped off. What did I do wrong?
Nothing necessarily. Google tests things, that is what impressions in Search Console are. When you land a snippet on something that is worth money, immediately reinforce it: build links to it or to the tier one that links to it, drive engagement, and fire a press release at it. Getting the snippet means Google thought your answer was good enough, holding it is the SEO work.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2025-02-20 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Feb 20 2025 - Full Transcript.txt
Is a rich snippet the same thing as being the answer under the PAA?
No. They are different placements. Not every PAA you target is the exact keyword that pulls a featured snippet, but that does not stop you ranking for the featured snippet. A rich snippet also covers many keywords at once, LowFruits will show you roughly how many are attached to it.
Answered by Mike Merlino and Blair Witkowski, question raised on Richard Morrison's result on the 2025-02-20 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Feb 20 2025 - Full Transcript.txt
Do I actually need LowFruits or a paid PAA tool?
No. Mike is explicit: you do not need LowFruits, you can pull PAAs manually from the SERP or with a Chrome extension like SEO Minion. LowFruits is nicer for clustering and for spotting weak competition, and he buys credits rather than a monthly plan. Franklin Nwangene asked this directly.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-11-21 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Nov 21 2024 - Full Transcript.txt
GMB posts stopped showing in search results. What do I do?
Keep posting to the GMB backend and link directly to the website or blog post instead of to the GMB asset itself, until it resolves. The removal was regional: posts were still visible from overseas servers (South America, Philippines) while gone from US and UK.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2025-04 call. Source: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2025-07-08_april-bonus-call.md
My client ranks in the map pack and just lost their organic ranking for the same URL. What happened?
A Google change where the map-pack URL stops also appearing organically. The fix is to stop pointing both at the same URL: use the homepage or a dedicated GMB landing page for the listing, and build separate location pages to carry organic. Verify per client, the rollout was not everywhere at once. Shaun Mitchell's Calgary dentist was the trigger case; Matthew's deck builder client was tracked as a second test.
Answered by Mike Merlino with Clint Butler and Allen Levings on the 2025-02-20 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Feb 20 2025 - Full Transcript.txt
What is the first thing I do with a new client?
Check how many of their pages and posts are actually indexed. Resubmit the unindexed ones through Search Console (Omega Indexer for volume). Then pull anything sitting on page two in Search Console and optimize those first, that is the fastest traffic gain available.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-12-19 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Dec 19 2024 - Monthly Call Transcript.txt
Should I chase a low-volume keyword?
Not if it has no map ranking. Mike's rule is to protect your time: skip low-volume keywords that do not return maps. Instead read the intent, terms like 'how much should I budget for a metal roof' are informational, so answer them to pre-sell rather than treating them as a service query.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-10-31 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Oct 31 2024 - Summary.txt
How do I get a new GMB in a geo I want to rank in?
Have the client actually lease a location. Shaun Mitchell's garage door client has 8 Dallas locations with a DBA and a signed lease for every single GMB, no fake listings. LoopNet was the recommended way to find suitable commercial property. The sales angle is getting the business owner bought in on expanding, at roughly $1,500 to $2,000 a month per location.
Answered by Shaun Mitchell and Mike Merlino on the 2025-02-20 call. Source: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Feb 20 2025 - Full Transcript.txt
Corroborated on 2024-11-21: main/master-folder/_Transcripts/Nov 21 2024 - Summary.txt
Am I better off with 1 GMB getting 100 calls or 100 GMBs getting 1 call each?
100 GMBs with 1 call each. The proximity-based strategy is about geographic scaling and coverage, not concentrating volume in one pin. By the 2026-05-27 call this was the standing recommendation for competitive metros like Miami and Chicago: multi-GMB or physical office expansion, backed by real local leases and partnerships.
Answered by Mike Merlino on the 2024-11-21 call. Source: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2025-07-08_ggg-monthly-call-11-21.md
Corroborated on 2026-05-27: _ingest/fireflies/calls/2026-05-28_zoom-2026-05-27-1852-green-grid-goblins-mastermind-monthly-call-cdcd50.md