AI Is Not Killing Google Search, In Fact It's Powering It
The numbers make it clear, SEO isn't going anywhere
Like you, I’ve been curious as to what AI is going to do to search and specifically to SEO.
Recently, Google released its Q2 earnings, and there’s reason to believe that AI is actually powering a new era of search as opposed to killing search altogether.
It’s a bit more nuanced than that, but the numbers are striking.
Today, I’ll show you why SEO is alive and well.
LFG. 🔥
Google’s Q2 Results
You can pull these numbers directly from the earnings report. Here are the numbers that matter.
Total Revenue: $96.43 billion, up 14% YoY
Net Income: $28.20 billion, up 19% YoY; Earnings Per Share (EPS): $2.31, up 22%
Operating Income: $31.27 billion, up 14% YoY; Operating Margin: 32.4%
Free Cash Flow: $5.3 billion in Q2, and $66.7 billion on a trailing twelve-month basis
In the call, CEO Sundar Pichai reported that search grew in revenue by 12%, and he also claimed that AI Overviews and the new Google feature called AI Mode boosted engagement significantly.
Incredible numbers. Google is the most successful company in the history of the world.
How Google Is Incorporating Ads And Search Results Into AI Mode
I’ve always known this was coming. In fact, a few weeks ago, I wrote an article about how my Google rep (who specializes in ads) told me that her team was growing while other teams were being offered voluntary payouts.
Now, we have some proof in the numbers.
Google is now allowing businesses to advertise directly inside AI Mode. For example, let’s say you go to Google and search “what’s the best running shoe for trail terrain?” AI Mode serves you a list of running shoes.
In this particular example, it doesn’t look like these are ads, but you can easily imagine shoe companies being perfectly willing to advertise in that section. It’s only a matter of time until Google creates specific advertising products inside AI Overviews and directly within AI Mode.
I’ve Learned Not To Fear The Future
In 2014 (ish), Facebook made some big changes to how the algorithm served content to the followers of your page. At the time, I had about 40,000 followers on Sober Nation. Every time I posted an article on the page, I would watch the live analytics and see the traffic instantly skyrocket.
One day, without warning, Facebook changed how the platform worked and made it so that when you posted something on your page, only about 2% of your followers would see the content on their timeline.
I remember being so angry. I spent years building that audience, and then overnight, Facebook wrecked me. In fact, that was one of the biggest contributing factors to me expanding toward SEO, building an email list, and owning my audience.
But that experience taught me a valuable lesson. And that is “nothing is ever as good or as bad as you think it is.”
I feel the same way about AI.
I’ve had countless people ask me if directories are still worth building, or if SEO agencies will even exist in a few years, or if AI is completely killing Google Search.
I always tell them “I don’t know, but I promise if you continue to do amazing work and slowly pivot into the new emerging markets, you will be just fine.”
Is SEO going to be the same as it was 5 years ago? No, of course not. But then what is?
I am just as bullish as ever on lead generation and SEO. There’s no reason to think that people won’t continue to go to Google to solve their problems, because Google and ChatGPT serve different functions.
I could be wrong, of course. But if I am, then I will make adjustments and continue to thrive.
Life is like floating down a river. You can fight the current, or you can relax. Either way, you’re going to get where you’re going.
Love you guys. Talk to you tomorrow.
Tim
I Hit A Back Squat PR of 240 Pounds
I’m having so much fun with this new phase of fitness. I’m sort of mixing powerlifting with body building lifting. I did really slow / time under tension reps and climbed the ladder. This will get me jacked. But I still wanted to hit my PR.
I have more left in the tank, but I’ll take the W.
I’m feeling really happy about this one.
Sales Cure All Ails: How to Get Your First Clients (Launchpad Members Only)
In this lesson, I want to hammer home one idea: sales cure all ails. If you’re struggling in your business (whether it's money, momentum, or confidence) getting a client and generating revenue will solve most of it.
Click here to watch the lesson.
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