In October 2020, the Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that the multinational corporation uses anti-competitive tactics to monopolize search engines and online advertisement.
The case was left on the backburner for years, with Google continuing to dominate the search engine market. That is until August 2024, when the lawsuit finally reached a conclusion.
Surprisingly—or perhaps unsurprisingly, considering the hundreds of evidence stacked against the corporation—Google lost the antitrust case.
“No company is above the law, no matter how large or influential,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “This victory against Google is a historic win for the American people.”
Overall, the victory against Google promises a better experience for internet users. But how does it affect the current state of online SEO? Would it finally level the playing field for smaller websites, or will it make online visibility even more difficult to achieve?
Table of Contents
What Is the Antitrust Case Against Google About? A Brief Explanation
According to the Department of Justice, Google has been abusing its dominant position in the search engine market to stifle competition.
Basically, it manipulates search results to favor its own services rather than those of competitors.
Google has also allegedly paid billions of dollars to phone manufacturers and internet service providers to make Google the default search engine, locking out any potential competitors in the field.
The case was issued because Google’s manipulative behavior not only limits consumer choice but also hampers innovation within the industry.
What Does It Mean for the Marketing Industry?
Average internet users wouldn’t be as affected by the antitrust loss as business owners. At most, they’ll see a wider variety of search engines to use.
For example, instead of automatically being directed to Google, they may be directed to use privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo or Bing.
Users will also see more advertising options. Instead of just Google Flights or Google Hotels above the fold when searching for travel options, they’ll begin to see other companies like Yelp, Kayak, or Trip Advisor.
For marketers, Google’s loss is a lot more impactful. Here’s what it could potentially mean for businesses:
Increase or Decrease of Advertising Costs
On one hand, the ruling might lead to fewer prominent ad spaces on Google if the company is forced to change how it displays ads or limit its own ad placements. Businesses might therefore have to compete more fiercely for the remaining spots, which could drive up advertising costs.
On the other, it could also mean lower advertising costs due to increased competition among ad platforms as they vie for advertisers.
At present, it’s unclear which direction costs will ultimately go, but increased competition among ad platforms seems more likely to drive prices down in the long run.
Reinvention of SEO Strategy
At the moment, most companies focus on optimizing for Google. But with Google’s antitrust case loss, businesses can no longer rely solely on Google for organic traffic. They’ll have to reinvest their SEO strategy and invest in SEO for platforms like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others.
This can be a disadvantage because adjusting SEO tactics requires significantly more time, resources, and expertise to manage campaigns across multiple platforms.
Potential to Increase Visibility for Smaller Businesses
On the bright side, smaller domains will finally have the opportunity to compete on a more level playing field.
With Google’s dominance potentially challenged, smaller search engines could gain traction and give small businesses a better chance to rank higher in search results and reach a wider audience.
