Is Google’s grip on search slipping?

This newsletter comes from the hosts of The Marketing Architects, a research-first show answering your biggest marketing questions. Find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

This week, we’re exploring seismic shifts in search marketing, from Google’s monopoly ruling to the uncertain future of third-party cookies. Plus, how AI tools might just take over search’s future. 

—Elena  

95% of iOS users opt out of ad tracking.   

When given a choice, most consumers prefer not to be tracked online. This means marketers relying on third-party data will eventually need to look for new ways to reach their audience.          

The search landscape will never be the same.    

New developments mean search today looks very different than it did even five years ago.  

1. Google’s cookie conundrum. Despite plans to phase out third-party cookies, Google has now backtracked. This indecision leaves marketers in limbo, but it's clear the industry is moving away from reliance on third-party data. 
2. Google was labeled a monopoly. A federal judge ruled that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in online search. This could lead to increased competition and new opportunities for marketers to diversify search strategies.
3. The rise of AI-powered search. Platforms like ChatGPT are changing how people search for information. Marketers need to start thinking about how to optimize for highly engaging and customized AI-driven search experiences.
4. How effective is third-party targeting, anyway? Many marketers are finding that first-party data and contextual targeting outperform traditional third-party cookie-based approaches. 
   
5. The “Google Tax” on marketing budgets. Rising costs in paid search have led many brands to explore alternative marketing channels to reduce their dependency on Google and lower overall costs. 

While some of these changes have led to a scramble to define best practices for the future, change can be a good thing. In fact, it could help us make search experiences actually optimized for the user experience—and make our marketing efforts that much more effective. 

Listen in on our discussion.

“Google’s Latest Decision Keeps Cookies Around—for Now”   

This article from Boston Consulting Group explores the implications of Google's recent news and offers advice for marketers planning for an uncertain future.  

Read the article. 

Search is now about a lot more than Google rankings.                   

“It’s no longer enough to rank for the ten blue links.” 

— Brian Harnish, Lead SEO at iLoveSEO