Over the years, as Google continually tweaked its algorithms and transformed its search results pages, I’ve seen Condé Nast adjust its strategies considerably. Now, we’re designing our business around the notion that search traffic barely impacts us anymore.
In a recent conversation featured on TBPN—the tech media network that’s been likened to “technology’s daily show”—CEO Roger Lynch shared that we’ve stopped regarding Google search as a dependable traffic source.
Here’s what Lynch explained. While Google traffic isn’t expected to vanish completely, we’re intentionally planning as if it’s on the decline:
“Last year, I instructed our teams: plan as if there is no search—consider search as non-existent.”
“We’re not saying it will be gone entirely… but we anticipate it will comprise only single digits of our overall traffic—very minimal.”
The background. Throughout the past few years, Lynch has observed a recurring trend: Google’s adjustments consistently exceeded our expectations in reducing our visibility.
“For each of the last three years, we predicted some search traffic declines in our budgets, but it fell even more than anticipated,” he noted.
Why has our search traffic dwindled? Lynch attributes this decline not only to algorithm changes but also to AI Overviews and Google’s increasingly commercial-centric results.
“Seven or eight years ago, search results had a few ads, followed by ’10 blue links.’”
Currently, users first encounter AI Overviews, then a slew of commerce links, pushing organic results further down the page.
“It’s worked out well for Google,” Lynch commented.
A shifting landscape. The alterations made by Google have disrupted the model that other digital entities, like BuzzFeed, used to convert social media and search traffic into revenue.
“That era has ended,” he declared.
Lynch mentioned that brands in the intermediary stages are having the most trouble adapting to changes in AI and search frameworks.
“In today’s world, having a specified niche with a dedicated audience is crucial. Relying solely on advertising to support significant journalism investments is a challenging position,” he stated.
Shifting priorities at Condé Nast. We are now emphasizing brands that excel in these areas:
Dedicated direct audiences.
Potential for subscriptions.
Undeniable expertise in a given niche or category.
Lynch also hinted at a potential advantage for premium publishers against AI-generated content:
“Our audience expects and desires human-generated content. Creating AI-generated content doesn’t play to our strengths. Identifying and building on your competitive advantages is vital.”
Why this matters. Lynch emphasized that the practice of turning search and social media traffic into lucrative businesses is outdated. Publishers lacking a strong brand or dedicated readership might face challenges, as platforms can revise their methods at any moment.
The full interview. You can watch Lynch’s discussion, where he elaborates why human journalism remains crucial in the AI era, starting at 30:28 here.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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