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  • Newsletter #17 - Google Nuked SEO: The $2.7 Trillion AI Earthquake

Newsletter #17 - Google Nuked SEO: The $2.7 Trillion AI Earthquake

Google just threw a $2.7 trillion AI wrench into the economy.

I don’t want to sound like the sky is falling, but millions of companies will shut down because of this, and SEO will never be the same.

In fact, it’s already happening.

But fear not, young padawan, your (self-proclaimed) master is here to help break down what this new update is and how you can get ahead of it.

If your business depends on organic traffic to drive revenue at all, this newsletter is for you. I’ll also fill you in on:

  • What you missed on Nikonomics this week.

BUT FIRST, let me know what your biggest goal is over the next 12 months so I can make sure you’re getting the content you want!

What is Your Goal For The Next 12 Months?

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The $2.7 Trillion SEO Shift: How Google's AI Changes Everything

Why You Need to Adapt Now Before Your Competitors Beat You to The Punch

The AI revolution is HERE, and it’s about to change the way every business operates online.

This year, $6.9 trillion will be spent online, and nearly 43% of those dollars come from organic search. That's nearly $3 trillion in revenue that flows through Google's search results to SMBs.

For decades, small businesses have relied on Google’s search results to bring in customers searching for:

  • “What is the best pizza recipe?”

  • “What car should I buy?”

  • “How do I lose weight?”

These kinds of searches drive INSANE revenue, often directly to small businesses.

At least it did…

Here’s the problem: Google’s AI is now cutting to the front of the line and answering these questions. So instead of users clicking to your perfectly curated landing page to figure out the answer, it is right at the top of Google’s page.

Sounds convenient, right?

WRONG

This might save users a few seconds of scrolling time. But for businesses, it's a seismic shift because what happens when the serendipity of honed, tested, and tailored search results, for specific kinds of questions, is replaced with an AI-generated answer?

Why This is a Big Deal:

You may be thinking, “Whatever Nik, why should I care if Google AI is answering my question?”

Great question!

There are two reasons this is concerning for businesses.

  1. Google has effectively taken away the Awareness and Discovery stages of the sales funnel, and trust is the basis for everything. So, without the first two stages, the funnel collapses.

  1. Your data is being used against you. Google’s AI is trained on the very SEO content your business worked so hard to create.

The result: Google benefits with more time spent on its platform and greater advertising revenue from businesses like yours because less organic traffic to your website means lower sales. It's a genius business move for Google, but for everyone else, it's a forced adaptation.

Three Strategies to Stay Ahead:

Businesses that fail to adapt will get left behind, but those who prepare now can turn this disruption into an opportunity.

Do you remember when online shopping first came out? Brick and mortar businesses thought their heads would explode. But how many companies were created during the shift to mobile in 2008? Going back a step further, look at the companies that emerged from the dot-com boom in the 90s.

You will get past this if you adapt NOW, here’s how:

  1. Get educated: Things are changing rapidly, and you cannot afford to outsource your understanding of lead generation. Set aside time each week to read, listen, watch, study, talk, or do whatever it is you do to get EDUCATED. The winners of tomorrow are made today

  2. Own your platform: If a simple algorithm change at Facebook or Google can disrupt your "business" overnight, you don't have a business… you have a ticking time bomb. You need to get your customers OFF their platform:

    • Collect emails

    • Collect phone numbers

    • Get addresses

  1. Invest in content: Google still needs high-quality sources to train its AI models. The businesses creating the best, most comprehensive content will still get prioritized.

This Week on Nikonomics:

Every week, I dive deep with entrepreneurs who've cracked the code on building real businesses. Here's what you might have missed:

How Anyone Can Make $10k in 30 Days With Brand Deals

Guest: Justin Moore

Justin Moore has closed $5M+ in brand deals, built a $600K coaching business, and helped thousands of entrepreneurs turn content into cash. This episode breaks down:

  • How to use the R.O.P.E. Method

  • How data = dollars

  • Why sponsorships aren’t side income, they’re leverage

Listen Here → Apple / Spotify / YouTube

He Sold $150k of Mattresses Through Twitter DMs

Guest: Nick Hancock

From startup costs to acquisition strategy, this episode shows how to turn a simple retail product into a seven-figure business. We break down:

  • How competing with Mattress Firm is easy, if you’re fast

  • Why CAC is local, not digital

  • How to use X as a new storefront

Listen Here → Apple / Spotify / YouTube

This Airbnb Strategy Got Him Out of His Day Job

Guest: Taylor Jones

Taylor Jones went from sales rep to overseeing $120M in STR investments, and he did it by treating short-term rentals like businesses, not real estate plays. This episode breaks down:

  • The real economics behind Airbnbs

  • Why pickleball courts print money

  • How STRs can legally offset your income taxes.

Listen Here → Apple / Spotify / YouTube

Ask Me Anything

Every week, I answer questions sent to me via Twitter, Speakpipe or [email protected].

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Nik Hulewsky