The trap works like this:
1. You need Google for visibility (market reality)
2. Google needs your content for AI training (their business model)
3. Google's success means your failure (fewer clicks for you)
4. But you can't leave (no alternative distribution at scale)
5. So you optimize for your own obsolescence (creating content that trains the system that replaces you)
This mirrors 19th-century sharecropping → an economic system designed to keep people dependent while extracting maximum value from their labor.
In other words, Google captures the economic value (user attention, ad revenue, data collection) while the value creators (publishers, SEOs, marketers) bear the costs without receiving proportional benefits.
If you run a content-led brand (like me), you're probably in this already
How to fight back? ⚔️
✅ Create content that sparks demand
Stop being reactive. Introduce new concepts, surface new problems + solutions. Get disruptive with ideas. Original thinking⬆️
✅ Develop platform-agnostic distribution
Build email lists, newsletters, communities, and owned media channels. Create recurring touchpoints that bypass algorithmic gatekeepers. Establish direct relationships that don't depend on search visibility.
✅ Optimize for large language model citations
Structure content to appear in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI overviews. Track your content appearances in LLM responses using tools like ZipTie, Profound or any latest one.
✅ Build multi-platform presence
Maintain consistent messaging across Reddit, LinkedIn, industry forums, etc. Participate authentically in conversations where your audience asks questions. Multiple touchpoints = stronger semantic signals
✅ Invest in proprietary research and original data
Conduct studies, surveys, and industry analysis that become citation sources. Publish unique insights that position you as the authoritative reference.
✅ Establish recurring revenue models
Move beyond traffic-dependent monetization to subscriptions and memberships. Create premium content tiers that value direct relationships > search volume.
Your survival = semantic ownership + direct relationships + platform diversification
Welcome to the new economy.
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