Google has been declared a monopoly by a federal judge. Any brands that are heavily dependent on Google traffic should act now to start diversifying marketing and advertising efforts across platforms, to be less dependent on both organic and paid traffic and revenue from Google.

What You Should Know So Far

A federal judge ruled on Aug. 5 that Google has illegally held a monopoly in search and text advertising. The decision can be dug into via the 277-page ruling, but is summed up by this quote from the U.S. District Judge in charge of the case, Amit Mehta: “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly.” Since the decision was made, the case has developed further, as the DOJ is currently reported to be considering breaking up Google.

The crux of the argument from the DOJ and a coalition of states is that Google has engaged in anticompetitive practices that have harmed consumers, advertisers and competitors.

A leading example of this is Google’s agreement with Apple to have Google as the default search engine on Apple devices. The argument presented claims that these types of deals make it near impossible for rival search engines to gain market share, limiting industry opportunity and innovation.

What You Should Do About It

The question then becomes: what does this mean for your business and how do you keep a competitive edge as the search landscape evolves?

We see there being three major implications for every business:

  • SEO efforts focused on Google will become less effective, requiring a shift to search experience optimization
  • Diversification of campaigns and platforms will become increasingly necessary
  • The upcoming Google Ad Tech antitrust trial in September could bring greater transparency for the advertising industry, but that will take time

Now, let’s break down the specific implications and reasons for each of these predictions.

Google SEO becomes less effective; SXO takes the lead

Rocket55 has been evangelizing a new philosophy of search engine optimization — and we see this being a validation of that philosophy. This ruling will result in Google-focused SEO efforts becoming less effective overall, requiring a shift from traditional search engine optimization to search experience optimization (SXO).

“One of two things will happen,” says David Lovett, Rocket55’s VP of Content and SXO, “Either Google will lose this case in the Supreme Court and their monopoly will fall apart that way or the market will correct itself in the form of other search engines catching steam — Bing, SearchGPT, Perplexity and others. Either option means that your brand can no longer rely as much on organic traffic from Google for revenue or brand awareness.”

SXO still incorporates the foundational elements of good SEO, only without ignoring the other platforms your audience turns to when they need help, inspiration or a solution. That’s why SXO includes Artificial Intelligence Optimization (AIO), Social Search Optimization (SSO), Marketplace SEO and more.

“We’re already seeing the ‘search market’ evolve,” says Joe Kerlin, Director of Search Experience Optimization for Rocket55. “Google knows people are going to other platforms such as specialized vertical providers (SVPs) like TikTok, for answers, opinions and inspiration. This is only going to ramp up once ChatGPT is in everyone’s iPhones.”

Campaigns and platforms will need to become more diverse and dynamic

While this news is significant, recognizing the full impact of the ruling will take time to unfold as Google appeals. Google will continue to hold substantial market share in search — that said, this is likely temporary as they go through appeals, lending other platforms opportunity for growth.

In the meantime, we must continue to reach our audiences where they are — and for many, that will still be Google.

However, this ruling highlights the exciting time unfolding in the search landscape. New generations are increasingly turning to platforms like ChatGPT, TikTok and Reddit for research and information gathering. Monitoring these shifts — and adapting strategies to ensure that marketing investments remain maximized — will be essential for any brand seeking sustained relevance.

Nick Goetsch, Rocket55’s VP of Paid Digital & eCommerce, has a reminder to accompany this prediction, “I want to emphasize that this transitional period should be an exciting prospect for marketers in that we are potentially moving toward a space where we are gaining more control over our placements within the new suite of search engines that are emerging.”

What does that mean? More targeted campaigns designed for specific platforms and the users who engage with these platforms.

In the direct-to-consumer space, it could lead to marketing mixes that prioritize engagement and creative content over standard Google search ads. In the B2B space, it could mean an emphasis on boosting credibility through community building and LLM optimization.

No matter the market, the prospect of more equity for search engines and the end of Google’s stranglehold on the industry is an indicator of a desire to give more control to users themselves. And that  — with the right partners to help navigate the change — is definitely a good thing.

The upcoming Google Ad Tech antitrust trial will bring greater transparency

While the Aug. 5 ruling is significant, it’s not the only court case currently putting Google in the hot seat.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Google Ad Tech antitrust trial in September holds the potential for even more change. This case, focusing on Google’s dominance in digital advertising technology, could lead to industry reforms.

The trial is part of a broader investigation into whether Google has engaged in anticompetitive practices by favoring its own advertising products, manipulating auction systems and actively putting rivals at an unfair, unreasonable disadvantage.

As Nick Goetsch says: “We have been critical of Google’s gradual move over the years to more automated, opaque, black box’ solutions for advertisers. We hope this ruling and the September trial push toward greater transparency, benefiting advertisers by providing clearer insights and more competitive options in the digital advertising space.”

This could ultimately mean cost-per-click could go down while transparency goes up — but the impact of this trial will take years to fully develop. What we can — and should — do now to stay ahead of these changes is to make sure our strategies stay agile, flexible and forward-thinking.

So… what should you be doing to make the most of your marketing budget?

Our answer boils down to one simple recommendation: diversify your efforts. Don’t lean too heavily on Google in the short- or long-term. In digital marketing, what worked yesterday often won’t work today and there are many signs that what works today won’t work tomorrow.

Agility and flexibility are the name of the game here. You’ll need to think ahead, strategize creatively and be willing to make moves now that protect and promote brand growth tomorrow.

Consider the following:

  • Have you paid any attention to the shifts in search optimization from being engine-focused to experience-focused? If not, understanding search experience optimization will allow you to get ahead on using your marketing budgets as effectively as possible.
  • How well do you know your audience? Strategy comes down to demographics and demographics come down to paying attention. If you’re not already talking to clients and customers 1×1, it’s time to start. Use tools that offer analytics insights. Analyze what your competition is doing. Take a deep look at your brand goals and how they align with your audience’s needs. Look for gaps and disconnects and then make moves to fill them.
  • It will be hard to predict exactly how the Google ruling will impact organic search, but there’s one thing we do know: you need to be making the most of the traffic you’re already capturing. Now is a good time to evaluate user experience across your site, your social profiles and everywhere you’re connecting with customers.

The changes ahead are likely to be big, but the opportunity to use that change to gain competitive advantage for your brand is even bigger. If you want to talk about how big the opportunity waiting for you could be, get in touch with our team.