Does Google care if you're successful?

Here the single most important fact why relying on Google for your inbound revenue engine can be your costliest mistake ever.

30 May, over 2,569 documents were leaked about Google Search.

Michael King from searchengineland went through the documents and compared it with other information.

He said that: ‘it is impacting the livelihood of small businesses’.

There is a clear trend that the top 170 companies are pulling more traffic, more eyeballs to them.

While this isn't proof that Google is purposely killing small companies, the truth is smaller companies get fewer traffic.

If you rely on customer journeys, Google Search engine optimisation or ads, then you could be in for an unpleasant surprise.

Cédric, but you exaggerate.

Do I?

There is more traffic than ever, more advertising dollars spent on google, and here you have the proof that regardless of this, the traffic to the long tail is decreasing.

In a 12 month period time, a full 3.1% of all Google Search traffic shifted to the top 170 companies.

If you are not a top 170 site, then I am right.

The number of companies starting with SEO and SEA is still growing,

The budgets for SEO and SEA are still growing,

There are more marketeers building customer journeys (relying on inbound)

There are more marketeers building funnels (relying on inbound)

But fewer eyeballs will see them.

I know what you are thinking: "Cédric, Google has 91.5% of the search traffic, we cannot just ignore this."

I agree. While you cannot ignore it, you can face the fact and optimise,

and control what you can control.

Here are 4 things you can do:

1. Spend even more money on Google ads (how long can you maintain a 15% per year increase?)

I used to work at Indeed.

Indeed uses the same price per click mechanism as Google.

And while I can't tell you the exact number,

I have seen first hand what bigger demand on clicks has on the cost of a click.

The price-per-click grows when the demand for eyeballs increases.

Now combine this with fewer eyeballs, and a bigger demand.

The price skyrockets -exponentially.

2. Spend more money on Google SEO.

In short, spend more money on Google.

Or their certified agents within their ecosystem.

Can you pay better agencies than the top 170?

Can you run more efficient campaigns than the top 170 or your competitors?

Can you outbid the top 170?

Can you consistently be on the first pages?

3. Find alternative media to create inbound traffic.

G2, Bing, Yahoo, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, …

They are all big tech, but even the social media here are decreasing organic reach.

What can you do?

There is 1 thing you can, and should, do:

4. Take matters in own hands and focus on outbound.

For many reasons:

1. the above showed that Google is not your friend. You have little to no control. The control you have is decreasing further
2. inbound leads are usually lower quality check your conversion rates

Yes, it does cost money. After all there is no such thing as a free lunch.

But…

You maintain control

About messaging.

About visibility.

A wise man once said to me… control the controllables.

Well, you can't control big tech. Big tech controls you.

You can control your own motions, actions and strategy.

What do you think about this evolution?

Is outbound the only viable alternative to you?