752 | DMA and Google's Self-Preference: What Local Businesses Need to Know

The EDGE untangles the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) with SEO veterans Mike Blumenthal, Greg Sterling, and David Mihm. This episode reveals how Google’s strategic maneuvers in Europe are reshaping the SERP landscape and challenging the status quo in local search.

With a strong research effort of the last two years, our guests dissect Google's attempts to comply with the DMA, such as the introduction of the Places Sites Tab, Carousel and the decoupling of the Local Pack from Google Maps. Despite these efforts, user behavior tells a different story—one where Google's new features are largely ignored. It seems the Local Pack is still the go-to destination for users, regardless of these new additions.

Meanwhile, the episode exposes an intriguing juxtaposition in the hotels vertical, where booking.com emerges as a formidable player through ad dominance, highlighting a complex dance between market giants. This scenario sparks a discussion on whether Google's self-preferencing tendencies are truly being curtailed or simply rebranded.

Join us as we explore how Google's “play nice” strategies may just be a façade amidst ongoing DOJ antitrust pressure. Could this pave a path for diversified regional strategies and fresh opportunities in the digital marketing sphere?

Let us know your thoughts of the show at https://ratethispodcast.com/EDGE 

Key Segments:

[00:02:01] SEO News from the EDGE Highlig

[00:04:40] Introducing NearMedia: Mike Bluementhal, Greg Sterling, and David Mihm

[00:08:03]  What is the Digital Marketing Act?

[00:08:59] Article 65 of the DMA Applies to the Regulation of Search

[00:11:37] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:13:34]  What has Google Done to Comply with the DMA?

[00:16:21]  Google Rewriting History with Multiple Local Packs

[00:18:13]  Was This Done to Address American Antitrust Concerns?

[00:20:06]  Will the Election Change the Antitrust Enforcement?

[00:24:23]  EDGE of The Web Sponsor: InLinks

[00:26:31]  The DMA is not Prescriptive, But Setting Operational Parameters

[00:28:10]  Major Research Since 2023 on User Behavior

[00:30:23]   Google has a Self-Interest to Show You the Last Click

[00:32:42]  EDGE of The Web Sponsor: Wix Studio

[00:35:14]  What was the Most Surprising Findings? Guess....

 [00:38:15]  In Summary: A Bad Faith Argument on Google's Part

 

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Site Strategics: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site

InLinks: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks 

Wix: https://edgeofthewebradio.com/wixstudio 

Follow Our Guests:

Mike Bluementhal: 

X: @mblumenthal

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mblumenthal/

BlueSky: @mikeblumenthal.bsky.social

Greg Sterling:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregsterling/ 

David Mihm: 

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/davidmihm 

Resources

https://www.nearmedia.co/dma/google-preliminary-non-compliance-6-5/ 

https://www.nearmedia.co/dma/google-dma-compliance-2025-03/ 

https://www.nearmedia.co/dma/eu-home-services-search-behavior/ 

https://www.nearmedia.co/googles-2nd-local-pack-in-the-eu/

https://www.nearmedia.co/eu-home-services-search-behavior/