Marketing Brief: How The Times They Are A-Changin’ with Google

NOTE: Stay tuned for an upcoming podcast where we’ll dive into the potential upside of all the changes happening at Google—and what it might mean for marketers and business owners.

I recently watched the biopic on Bob Dylan called “A Complete Unknown” and it reminded me of the words of his classic song “The Times They Are A-Changin”.

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.

The sentiment behind those lyrics is timeless—and it resonates across many aspects of life. Today, I want to explore how it connects to marketing and building a successful business.

As a marketer and business owner, this sentiment has always been top of mind for me. It’s definitely a fact that if you’re not “ok” with change, you probably shouldn’t be a business leader or marketer. After almost 30-plus years in the business, I can’t remember a time when I felt these words so deeply.

The important takeaway for me is that we can’t move forward effectively if we’re holding on to the past.

In many ways, we have to believe that change will create exciting new opportunities for all of us. We need to be willing to evolve with the times. Just like Bob said, we have to accept that the waters are always rising and that we all need to keep swimming.

One clear example from the marketing perspective is the growing number of forces chipping away at Google’s long-standing dominance in search—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion. While there’s been plenty of doom and gloom about the future of digital marketing and the human place in it, I think the reality should be more hopeful.

For years, visibility online primarily meant focusing on Google and playing by one company’s rules. But now, discovery is happening across so many different and amazing websites, platforms, and apps like TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, Substack, ChatGPT, and many more. These platforms are powerful search engines in their own right, where people are actively seeking answers, insights, and inspiration.

The good news is that this shift frees marketers and business owners from relying solely on the Google SEO lottery. Now, we have the chance to evolve—meeting and connecting with people where they are with a diverse mix of content, delivered across a wide range of platforms, formats, and tactics. We have an opportunity to do what real humans do best—connect, communicate, share knowledge, and human experiences that truly resonate with real people in meaningful ways. We have to believe that we’re still the best at telling our own story.

I really don’t think we’re witnessing the death of Google or digital marketing as many predict—we’re witnessing an evolution, diversification, and expansion. The marketers and leaders who show up consistently, deliver value in multiple formats, and build real human connections across platforms will win.

Bob said, “Please heed the call. Don’t stand in the doorway. Don’t block up the hall. For he that gets hurt, will be he who has stalled.”

For me, this means that we have to continually let go of the old ways and welcome the new if we want to grow and thrive.

So my takeaway today is don’t panic—but definitely don’t stand still. We have to move forward and move forward with positivity. We have to embrace change. The times they are a-changin’. But we have to acknowledge that they always will. The future of marketing and discovery is wide open. I think it’s an exciting time to be in the game.

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