Here is today’s roundup of news related to local marketing and advertising, local media, technology, local commerce, consumer behavior and more.

Massive Analysis of Local SERPs: It’s Mostly about GMB and Yelp (June 26, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Social-local directory site FreshChalk just published an analysis of 150,000 local business websites and SERPs (with more installments to come). It maps multiple variables to ranking (caveat: correlation doesn’t equal causation). Many insights aren’t a surprise but a number of them are.”

Amazon’s new “Counter” service lets customers pick up packages in staffed retail locations (June 27, 2019)
Marketing Land: “Amazon announced on Thursday the launch of Counter, a new network of staffed pickup points at which customers can retrieve their Amazon packages.”

Consumers Welcome Some Automated Business Messaging, But Humans Must Tag Along to Help (June 27, 2019)
Street Fight: “More than half of consumers are frustrated by customer-service situations in which they can only interact with automated agents, and nearly one in five even reporting feeling angry in those situations. That’s per a new survey of U.S. consumers conducted by The Harris Poll and commissioned by call tracking and analytics firm Invoca.”

Google aims to make it easier for SMBs to start using its products (June 27, 2019)
Search Engine Land: “Google announced a new website Thursday with resources aimed at helping small businesses get started with Google products. The launch coincides with International Small Business day.”

40% Of Consumers Say Remarketing Annoys, Distracts Them (June 26, 2019)
MediaPost: “Roughly 40% of shoppers dislike seeing the same advertisement repeatedly, according to research released Wednesday. And if the campaign is carried out incorrectly, remarketing could have a negative impact on how consumers perceive the brand.”