Reader, I go on vacation for one week and come back to Google being declared a monopoly!

Yesterday, some massive search-related news dropped. I'm not one to hype up stories, but this will definitely impact anyone in the search industry---heck, anyone who uses search. So... everyone?

If you need a refresher on this case, here's the LinkedIn post I made about it a few months ago.

And the verdict is in. From the judge's mouth:

Wowza. That's been a common thought in the SEO industry for some time now, but it is very strange to read about it in the New York Times.

Whenever big news like this drops, I see opportunities for myself and my clients.

As an SEO specialist, it's my job to act as a voice of reason and a guiding hand for clients, especially when there's turmoil.

That's key for any SEO freelancer who wants long-term, high-paying clients.

Below are some of the perspectives I'll bring to my clients this week.

Feel free to steal these talking points and make them your own. Or if you disagree, reply to this email and tell me! I love hearing your opinions.

Ok, hot takes incoming:

🧘‍♂️ Do not panic. There will be a slew of posts about how SEO is definitely dead this time, or Google is about to go belly up. Ignore the hype. We do not and cannot know what happens next. Patience pays off.

⚖️ Verdict ≠ Outcome. There is no word on what Google will have to do as a result of this verdict. It could be fines, changes to some of Google's practices (like making themselves the default search). Or maybe Google will have to break apart its business in some way. A man can dream.

☀️ This signals opportunity. For those of us working in SEO, breaking up Google's monopoly would mean more opportunities for new search platforms to finally get a piece of the pie. This means we can help our clients shine on more than one platform. More opportunities for clients means more opportunities for us freelancers.

🤖 AI is definitely next. There are ongoing plagiarism cases between publishers and AI platforms that are shaking out now. The NYT has a case against OpenAI. After accusations from Forbes, Wordpress, and a whole boatload of other publishers, Perplexity.AI (one of my fave tools, tbh) overhauled its revenue-sharing scheme. (No word yet on whether this will trickle down to content creators --- more on that in an upcoming email). And of course, Elon Musk revived his lawsuit against OpenAI (which he co-founded) on the same day this Google verdict came out. Can we have a second to breathe? 😅

🔥 More to come. The Biden/Harris administration has been focused on anti-trust cases like this, to protect consumers and workers from monopolistic behavior. This first case is a warning signal for companies like Apple, Meta, and Amazon. Personally, I hope it makes some billionaires in the tech industry squirm. If you are a US citizen, make sure you are registered to vote, and vote in local elections. Our jobs very well may depend on it!

It's a bit of a rat race, no? 🐀 🧀
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The US Government going after big tech...

Old-School Big Tech going after New-School AI...

And we creators out here are just watching the fireworks.

In my experience, being a bit outside the fray is a good place to be. (See: Freelancers and the +1 Energy✨)

What do you think of this news? Any lingering questions? I'd love to hear them. Just reply to this email.

And if you know someone who might find this information useful, mind forwarding it on to them? 📨

You're the best.

- Liam