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10 Major Review Changes Shaping Local SEO and Reputation Management in 2026

72
Roundup

TLDR

GatherUp rounds up 10 major review and local SEO developments from 2025—from Google's trust report to AI integration—that local marketers must prepare for in 2026.

GatherUp surveys the year's biggest changes in online reviews and local search, including Google's removal of 245 million reviews, new AI-powered features in Google Maps, expanded review prompts for granular feedback, and the elimination of school reviews. The roundup emphasizes that review management is becoming increasingly strategic as AI tools scrape review content and Google surfaces more detailed review data in search results.
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