Google Business Profiles launches "What's Happening" to highlight local business news; AI redefines relevance in SEO

GBP's New Feature Seeks to Boost Immediate Engagement for Restaurants and Bars. Experts Warn That Relevance, Not Just Ranking, Is Key in the Age of AI-Powered Search. Google Faces Antitrust Lawsuits in Europe.

Mountain View, California / Various Agencies – The dynamic world of digital marketing dawns on May 13, 2025, with important developments that directly impact online visibility strategies for local businesses and search engine optimization (SEO) in general.

Google has begun rolling out a new feature in Google Business Profiles (GBP) called "What's Happening," designed to allow restaurants and bars to prominently highlight their events, offers, and daily specials. Meanwhile, the conversation in the SEO industry is intensifying around how artificial intelligence is redefining the concept of "relevance" as a key ranking signal.

Google describes the new "What's Happening" feature as a way to put "your timely updates, like 'Today's Special' or 'Live Music Saturday,' front and center, driving immediate engagement." This feature offers food and beverage businesses a valuable new showcase at the top of their Google Business profiles.

* For updates to appear in this new space, businesses must actively share what's happening at their establishment through Google Posts or by connecting their Facebook, Instagram, and/or X (formerly Twitter) profiles to their Google Business Profile for automatic syncing.

*The initial launch of “What's Happening” is targeted at single-location Food & Beverage businesses in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

For digital marketers and restaurant and bar owners, this is a significant opportunity to capture the attention of potential customers directly from Google search results and, potentially, Google Maps. The ability to highlight offers and events in real time can decisively influence consumer choice.

SEO in the Age of AI: Relevance Surpasses Traditional Ranking

As Google innovates its local products, the SEO community is actively debating the impact of artificial intelligence on optimization strategies. An emerging consensus, highlighted by experts like Carolyn Shelby at Search Engine Land, is that relevance is becoming the new primary ranking signal, surpassing even traditional metrics.

In AI-powered search, information retrieval takes precedence over ranking. This means that content clarity, a well-defined structure, and precise alignment of language with the user's search intent are now decisive factors for content to be seen and considered useful by AI algorithms. SEO professionals must therefore focus on creating content that not only contains keywords, but also comprehensively and directly answers queries, anticipating how large language models (LLMs) will interpret and present that information.

This perspective aligns with reports suggesting that traffic from LLMs may not be as engaged as traditional organic traffic, forcing marketers to think not just about attracting clicks, but about the quality and intent behind those clicks.

* Value-Based Bidding in Google Ads: Experts like Sarah Stemen emphasize the importance of value-based bidding strategies to optimize Google Ads campaigns toward the most profitable actions, and not just toward the volume of clicks or conversions.

* Meta Ads and AI: Rémi Kerhoas warns that while Meta Ads AI promises hands-free advertising, not everything works best on autopilot. Human insight remains crucial for optimal results, especially in audience definition and ad creative.

* RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation): It stands out as a fundamental AI tool for marketers, since without RAG, even the best prompt engineering cannot unlock the full potential of generative AI to create truly relevant and personalized content.

* Google and Legal Challenges: Google faces $13 billion in civil claims in the European Union following an antitrust fine related to Google Shopping. These lawsuits could force significant changes to the visibility of its shopping queries and ads. Additionally, Google faces a new $3.3 billion antitrust lawsuit in Italy and has reached a $1.4 billion privacy settlement in Texas.

"In AI-powered search, retrieval trumps ranking. Clarity, structure, and language alignment now determine whether your content is seen." – Carolyn Shelby, SEO expert.

AI isn't just another tool, but a paradigm shift that affects everything from how local businesses market themselves to how content relevance is conceived on a large scale. Industry professionals must remain agile, informed, and willing to continually adapt their strategies.

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