Darren Shaw Breaks Down the 2026 Ranking Factors - AI Search, Reviews, and the Future of Local SEO

Darren Shaw of Whitespark joins Mike, David, and Greg to unpack the 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report. They dive into how AI-driven interfaces like Gemini, ChatGPT, and Web Guide are reshaping discovery — and why reviews and behavioral signals are still the heartbeat of local visibility. Hear about Google’s hidden-address quirks, the decline of link signals, and how to prepare your content for both robots and humans.

Topics:
• AI-driven local search visibility
• The rise (and plateau) of behavioral signals
• Why reviews remain the #1 ranking factor
• Google Business Profiles, Web Guide, and the new AI landscape
• Darren’s Reddit AMA and what it teaches about SEO + Reddit strategy

Watch to stay ahead of the next wave in local search.

00:00 – Intro & Darren Shaw joins the show
01:15 – Methodology: How the Local Search Ranking Factors survey works
07:24 – Key findings: What’s new in 2026
09:03 – AI mode and AI overview results replace local packs
11:16 – Web Guide vs Gemini: Google’s evolving interfaces
16:04 – Reviews as engagement and behavioral signals
17:42 – Review fraud & the limits of enforcement
21:00 – Hidden addresses and ranking quirks
25:00 – The decline of link signals
28:15 – Behavioral signals flatline
33:00 – Expert-curated “Best Of” lists and Yelp data
37:48 – What really matters for local visibility
40:35 – New content optimization strategies for LLMs
42:09 – Darren’s Reddit AMA & closing thoughts