GBP support using gig workers, SGE while browsing rolls out, AI Generated review summaries roll out

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Google Ambassadors (ie Gig Workers) now staffing GBP support poorly:
Google Business Profile support has added a new layer of first level support using what they call Google Ambassadors. These are “passionate brand advocates” working as gig workers. While it provides a comforting, warm body to the chat support experience, it is likely to just waste your time. So be prepared to take a winding path to your answer and expect to be passed along without a conclusive solution.

New Google feature: Search Generative Experience while browsing:
This new generative AI search feature, adds automatic article summaries to a web page to quickly find the web page’s key points and jump directly to the relevant section to learn more. It works reasonably well on the desktop but is problematic on mobile devices. Google is attempting to insert themselves into your website and to direct users to other searches.

Are AI Generated review summaries the future of platform reviews?
Newegg, Amazon and others have started to use AI to create summaries of the typical user review. It will expedite purchases because people will get the information they need from the review summary without having to read the underlying reviews. It is an idea that possibly will make shopping more efficient and sets a trend that Google will surely follow.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
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