Google’s dominance in online search and advertising has shaped digital marketing for years, but as we look to 2025, the landscape could be on the brink of transformation. With a historic antitrust case ruling against Google in 2024, the company’s control over paid search - and Big Tech’s influence overall - face scrutiny.
For marketers, it’s clear that sticking to a single paid media platform is no longer enough. Diversifying your approach and staying ahead of industry shifts will be critical for reaching new audiences and maximizing impact. Here’s what you need to know about Google’s antitrust case, cookie-cutting decision, what’s to come, and how it might reshape marketing strategies in 2025.
Google’s Antitrust Case
Google’s antitrust case, one of the most notable antitrust cases in decades, was brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and ruled in early August 2024. In this landmark case, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly on online search and advertising, blocking competitors from gaining market share. This signifies the first antitrust win against Big Tech since Microsoft’s antitrust settlement in 2001. This could lead to a shift in internet search engines and consumer choices. Marketers may want to consider leveraging other platforms, such as Meta, LinkedIn, Bing, Hulu, etc.
The DOJ Cracking Down on Google
As one remedy following Google’s antitrust case, the DOJ is pushing for Google to sell its Chrome internet browser in hopes that it will help even the playing field with Google’s competitors. Chrome is the most widely used web browser and provides Google with valuable user data that helps it target ads. Chrome is estimated to hold about two-thirds of the global browser market which would diminish as a standalone browser.
The DOJ proposes a ban on Google offering incentives for giving its search engine preferential treatment. This would include Google’s profitable partnership with Apple, which pays Apple billions of dollars annually to make Google Search the default on iPhones. The DOJ also demands that Google licenses search results at a small cost and share the user data with competitors for free.
The Outcome?
Google has said it will appeal the monopoly ruling, which would draw out any final remedies. However, according to many legal experts, the most likely outcome is that the court will ask Google to get rid of certain exclusive agreements, like with Apple. Or the court may ask Google to make it easier for users to access other search engines. We will just have to wait and see what comes of this historic case.
Cookie Cutting
Third-party cookies are attached by websites other than the one a user is currently on, tracking browsing information and personal data to deliver targeted ads. Many browsers are removing third-party cookies due to digital privacy concerns. Unfortunately, there is no one option available to fill the void. Third-party cookies are a tool that works for nearly all advertisers. In fact, cookies were used for over 78% of programmatic ad buys across industries in Q3 2023. Without the use of third-party cookies, advertisers will have to get used to using multiple systems and sources of data.
The Way the Cookie Crumbled
For years, Google threatened to cut third-party cookies, but that has finally been put to rest. They first announced their plan to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome in 2020 but have postponed the move multiple times since.
In July 2024, Google started down its planned path and removed cookies for 1% (approximately 30 million) of Chrome users. But they quickly decided to discontinue this endeavor. Instead, they will give users an option to opt out of third-party cookies. With their initial plan of removing third-party cookies taking a U-turn, many critics are disappointed, leaving billions of Chrome users vulnerable.
Many experts say that cookie tracking technology is dead, meaning advertisers will have to find other ways to monetize users. However, the looming death of third-party cookies won’t matter much to Google, as they have tons of data from multiple services and can target users without cookies. It will be interesting to see what comes next and how the advertising industry will support a thriving marketplace and encourage privacy-enhancing technologies.
Diversifying Your Paid Media
This antitrust case just proves that not all your advertising dollars should be allocated to one platform. You never know if companies will face legal troubles, make significant changes to their platforms, or when user behaviors start to shift. This is why diversification is seen as a best practice when it comes to paid media. It helps establish a portfolio of lead sources, reach net-new audiences, touch existing audiences in a new way, and helps mitigate the impact one platform has on your business.
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