Ep 141: Google Guarantee LSA Scam & Honest Businesses, Did Google Create a Shitty Internet? Generative AI & its Impact on Google

How the Google Guarantee Scam Impacts Honest Businesses? Did Google’s Dominance Result in a Shitty Internet? New Generative AI developments and the Future of Consumer Preferences and its Impact on Search

Part 1 starts 00:13 - How the Google Guarantee Scam Impacts Honest Businesses?

The Google Guarantee Scam is frequently perpetrated by groups of foreign nationals working in relative anonymity and looking for a quick profit. While some blame goes to these actors, the ultimate fault and responsibility lies with Google. Honest businesses have been negatively impacted by the Google Guarantee LSA scam. Some businesses have reported losing up to 70% of their business due to the scam. This is because potential customers are being lured away by fake reviews, fake business listings, and bait-and-switch tactics. The scam can damage the reputation of honest businesses and make it difficult for them to attract new customers. Meanwhile the people responsible for the scam are invisible or undocumented making it difficult for authorities to track them down and prosecute them.

Segment Reference Article: How the LSA Scam Affects Local Businesses

Part 2 starts 13:30 - Did Google’s Dominance Result in a Shitty Internet?

A recent Verge article asserts that Google's dominance in the online information ecosystem has led to a homogenization of the web, with all websites looking and feeling the same and that Google's search engine algorithms reward websites that follow certain formatting and content guidelines, which discourages creativity and originality. The reality is more complex. New mediums of delivery require adopting to user needs and whether that is Google or Tik-Tok. Business content creators should focus on producing content that will perform well with their audience.

Segment Reference Article: How the internet reshaped itself around Google’s search algorithms

Part 3 starts 26:20 - Generative AI, the Future of Consumer AI Preferences and its Impact on Search

The recent emergence of new generative AI devices and interfaces, like the Rabbit virtual assistant and the GPT store raises the question of what AI interface consumers will ultimately prefer and raises the question of AIs impact on Google search. Will they choose software, hardware, app integration or a stand alone ChatGPT like interface? With Google search growth stalling even small losses of users to new ways to search might have an outsize impact on Google’s path forward. 

Segment Reference Article: New AI Developments & the Future of Search