Mike’s Bio

Mike has been involved with offering web services since 1995. Prior to specializing in web design and search consulting in 2001, Mike was a principal in a family-owned & operated retail business for over 30 years. That business was very successful until it wasn’t and was crushed by the new reality of retail. Like all small business owners attempting to market to a fragmented clientele, he was continually frustrated by the barriers & costs imposed by the advertising options available. Shortly after Google Maps was released in 2004 he threw out his 9 Yellow Page books and started focusing on Local Search.

Mike helped co-found LocalU in 2009 (acquired by SterlingSky in 2019) and co-founded GatherUp.com in 2012 (acquired by ByTraject in 2019).

During the week, you can find him at LocalU.org where he does a weekly podcast, and at Near Media where he writes about local search and its impact on the business community.

Resources:Near Media– https://www.nearmedia.co/

Mike’s Posts at Near Media – https://www.nearmedia.co/author/mike/

Local U – https://localu.org/

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

Twitter – https://twitter.com/mblumenthal

Blumenthals – https://blumenthals.com/blog/Questions I ask Mike

  1. Could you talk about how you first started in the local industry 20 years ago, and what drove your passion to help businesses compete in their local markets?
  2. Can you talk about some of the challenges you had with your agency and with Google’s local environment changing?
  3. Can you tell us some of the aha moments and breakthroughs you have had as you researched local search?
  4. Can you talk about co-founding Local U, and helping business owners understand the local landscape?
  5. Can you explain what GatherUp is, and how you helped start it?
  6. Could you explain how Near Media can help businesses?
  7. If you had the ability to change something in the local ecosystem, what would it be
  8. What is on the horizon in 2023 for Near Media and Blumenthals?

Check out the full episode at: https://emjpodcast.com/mike-blumenthal-talks-about-his-journey-with-local-seo

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