Email?? I must be doing something completely wrong. Ninety percent of my email is junk. Every morning, I go on a deleting frenzy and wonder how many important emails I deleted after the dust settles. It takes so much time to wade through the junk that I don't even care. I've gotten to a point where I can tell within the first few words if someone is trying to sell me something, and I smash the delete button.
When I first started building websites years ago competition was minimal, today my niche is oversaturated. How long till RUclips becomes over saturated?
I talk about marketing, (way oversaturated) and I get lots of views. Different people will watch different creators in the same niche. Sure your videos have to be good, with good info, but the problem isnt that other ppl got there first.
Yes, but what about the dreaded Google promotions folder? I have an email list but my emails are definitely not ending up in a lot of my subscribers inbox. We’re getting a lot fewer leads via email these days, and - even when we do - the quote or information they requested often lands in that promotions folder too.
I always appreciate your content. Although I don't disagree, I do think people are getting too drastic about "SEO is dying". A tad click baitey. It is not in Googles best interest for SEO to disappear. It will transform. Google like all the platforms, want us to spend more time on their search giving them more data. This means you have to think of them as a platform vs a Search Engine. Use their tools such as Google Merchant to stay relevant. Bloggers who don't sell a product may have an issue but small businesses with a viable product can do just fine. Email has always been good but as email companies combat spam it is tougher and tougher to reach inboxes with sales messages. In the end, transform with Google and keep doing email. A multiplatform approach is the trend for 2025 in my opinion.
Did I say SEO is dying? Dont think I did... but is SEO the BEST way to get clients in 2025? SEO providers still think so, but the rest of us aren't so sure.
@ disappearing….dying it’s a purposeful headline that I think leads the audience to believe something drastic. It’s not that drastic. It gets people to click though so bravo there!
@ oh I don’t disagree the landscape is changing and a multi platform approach is necessary but I think it would be a mistake to think one of the most advanced companies out there with the most access to data won’t already know that. The key here is not move away from SEO, it is watch carefully where it goes and stay up with it. And I am sure you will.
Why? I don't have that problem at all, I have about twenty companies that | gave my email too because I wanted to be on their lists, but don't get any others......
What about service-based websites- like, for example, medical spas, dentists, or attorneys- websites where people need the service of a localized business? Do you foresee them also experiencing this dip? If so, where / how will the public be deciding which of these people to choose for the service they need?
Yes! This question needs to be answered. I specialize in digital marketing for builders and contractors. The answers here have me scratching my head as to how to move forward with my clients…
Maybe for faqs but not to choose a service . Don't see how ai can help although chatgpt can compare prices in a table of different providers which is quite impressive
Excellent information. I thoroughly enjoy your videos and try not to miss any of them. Thanks so much for what you do to help us grow our small businesses.
Hey Wes, great video! How does this relate to local service business sites (plumbers, roofers etc.)? Is optimizing the google business profile still the best shot for ranking locally?
Have you found that posting a link in the first line of your description can hurt video performance? I have always been hesitent to immediately direct viewers off of the platform as view and session duration is so critical.
None of this is new, though. Since Google added rich results, featured snippets, voice search, people also ask, knowledge graphs, etc., people have been saying it's the death of all website traffic. Of course Google is adding more native features, but this opens an opportunity to think creatively about the type of content you create and questions you need to target. I don't have to read a web page to know when George Washington was born, what temperature to cook chicken breast to safely, or even what the score of the Red Sox - Yankees game is. But I do need to/want to read more in-depth, expert-led content that solves a very specific problem. What's more concerning is the fact that the internet is flooded with AI-generated drivel. The "dead internet theory" is quickly becoming a reality. Of course, that makes real, human-generated content with actual insights a premium product rather than a commodity.
@@3minuteisland372 that's pretty much how I try to approach marketing/content for my clients! It's just a matter of selecting the right questions to answer that actually require content rather than a simple search snippet.
Am i wrong to think that certain types of businesses would be less affected by the google shift, for example technical and information based services that educate? How to, etc.
It's a pity we can't get every website to block the Google search engine. Leave them with nothing to show and we drive our own traffic from social media.
Good advice. We started a website recently and got very little traffic and only one signup to our email list, as newbies to all this there is a lot to learn. We are now brainstorming some lead magnet ideas and planning to use RUclips rather than Facebook or Instagram which have been slow going. My only concern is will AI content eventually swamp RUclips too?
No, I am saying email marketing has slowed down (4-5 years) when other channels was trending and also because of fatigue (people receiving tons of email) and spam protection. But I agree that email cross marketing is still good (and yes better YT+email than SEO+email)
Great video lesson as always. So, what you are saying is that don't focus on the website anymore and focus on RUclips. A website can just act as a landing page or a place where the audience can learn more about you or even a place that you can send your audience to rather than Google sending. Is that correct?
Hey Saro, you still need to have a good website that guides ppl toward a conversion. Thats not changed, but now we just need to think of better ways of getting ppl there than from search and paid ads. Content is the best way to do that these days, esp video.
@@WesMcDowellInc Thank you. I will and I am planning to change my content in the New Year. Your content is definitely helping me and I am so glad to know you to keep me updated regarding the topics that you share. Keep up the great work that you do. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for this Wes, I needed this today. So frustrated with digital ads for my clients not producing any results. I totally forgot about email. I’m going to implement this today in my agency. 🎉😊
Nice job Wes! You laid out that reality clearly. Isn't it interesting that the further we get down the road of technology that personal relationships become more powerful. The old style of marketing is now becoming the new opportunity. I am also seeing this with direct mail marketing too (except during the elections season :). Thanks for the great share of information!
Sure, but YT accelerates 'know like & trust' better. I'm not telling anyone they have to do YT, this is just my own experience and recommendation if you really want to outrun your competition.
Hi Wes, Thanks a lot for making this video. We really need to stay updated on all those changes, and indeed my website traffic has dropped compared to last year! Thankfully I have my lead magnet and autoresponder set-up. I'm getting more active on FB but watching your video makes me think that I should add RUclips to my strategies! Thanks 😊
Yea, sorry to hear that Diana, its a pretty common story unfortunately. But yea, I really beleive that RUclips's the most effective way around this. You can do it!
I not agree. I am totally pissed of the senseless marketing e-mails after signing up to a download. 90% are grab only getting attention of course. I think people are totally overhelmed by digital stuff in general. It is funny, that if you want to show your ads only at desktop you have to pay a higher price ;) With my tracking tools I take a look what people does by looking websites via smartphone. It is ridiculous. The attention is nightmare. Scroll, scroll, scroll - no attention for one second to read a text carefully. For every business with higher attention rate - no chance. If you are looking for a product, ok. But for personal driven services - smartphone usage is totally weird.
To clarify - Will AI results change a search such as 'plumber in london' ? Will a hyper localised website create the information for an AI generated result in this case?
So far I havent seen too much in the way of AI answers to direct purchase-intent searches like that. But I do think that's coming down the line soon enough.
I’m in luxury rentals / web design ..Do you see a return towards increased human created video content being seen more with the increase in ai answers… like will ppl want to watch more video content from the apartments as a result / authority figure???
Wes, this topic, lost traffic and where does a local business go now, made my list of 2025 predictions. Like you said, e-mail ain’t sexy…but it works. I’ve seen our email open rates continue to climb…clients now are averaging 50% or higher…and my BBQ cleaning client is only using email to grow his business. You nailed it when you said--building the list is the key. We are constantly experimenting….as always, you nailed it..thanks Wes.
That’s not true, I know plenty of business owners who don’t even use RUclips or social media, you only believe this because you follow others who push this idea. Just because you are not aware of other options doesn’t make it true.
Email is no longer an option in Latinamerica, openrates are dead. Email Marketing providers are expensive too. And gmail and others block or mark as Spam most of the letters .
Excellent analysis and great suggestion for how to adapt using email campaigning. I just wonder if AI isn't going to mess that up too by creating tons of important looking email. The AI companies have coopted the sum knowledge of humanity and they're using it to undermine the value of getting an education, getting real world experience, etc. Companies are going to need very few people with any depth to their own knowledge base.
Create a valuable lead magnet, collect e-mails via ads, and then You can reach your audience directly, without having to worry about being a RUclipsr, or having to compete with Google's algorithm.
Its scary. Not saying you have to do it, its jsut my best recommendation for right now. Ppl fight me on it all the time, but honestly the fact that not everyone will do it is WHY its so powerful for the ppl who do.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Excellent video.
It's crazy my wife was just commenting on how because of AI, web traffic will probably decrease and then this video pops up.
Don't think it's that crazy, it's the same as all the ads you "happen" to see on all the socials about what you were just talking about recently
Yep. Our traffic went down 75% - and we had a #1 placement for our search term. They are no longer a search engine.
So google uses the websites to smarten its AI and then keeps users from the sties?
Somewhere out there a laywer is coming up with some idea.
IDK since AI "recycles" content, but it will kill Google ad revenue so how does that make any business sense?
I've been preparing our clients with this exact information for the last year. The writing is definitely on the wall. Good stuff Wes!
Email?? I must be doing something completely wrong. Ninety percent of my email is junk. Every morning, I go on a deleting frenzy and wonder how many important emails I deleted after the dust settles. It takes so much time to wade through the junk that I don't even care. I've gotten to a point where I can tell within the first few words if someone is trying to sell me something, and I smash the delete button.
This is very true. Website traffic is diminishing...
When I first started building websites years ago competition was minimal, today my niche is oversaturated.
How long till RUclips becomes over saturated?
It's what works now. When it becomes oversaturated, there will be an alternative to pivot to
I talk about marketing, (way oversaturated) and I get lots of views. Different people will watch different creators in the same niche. Sure your videos have to be good, with good info, but the problem isnt that other ppl got there first.
Yes, but what about the dreaded Google promotions folder? I have an email list but my emails are definitely not ending up in a lot of my subscribers inbox. We’re getting a lot fewer leads via email these days, and - even when we do - the quote or information they requested often lands in that promotions folder too.
I always appreciate your content. Although I don't disagree, I do think people are getting too drastic about "SEO is dying". A tad click baitey. It is not in Googles best interest for SEO to disappear. It will transform. Google like all the platforms, want us to spend more time on their search giving them more data. This means you have to think of them as a platform vs a Search Engine. Use their tools such as Google Merchant to stay relevant. Bloggers who don't sell a product may have an issue but small businesses with a viable product can do just fine. Email has always been good but as email companies combat spam it is tougher and tougher to reach inboxes with sales messages. In the end, transform with Google and keep doing email. A multiplatform approach is the trend for 2025 in my opinion.
Did I say SEO is dying? Dont think I did... but is SEO the BEST way to get clients in 2025? SEO providers still think so, but the rest of us aren't so sure.
@ disappearing….dying it’s a purposeful headline that I think leads the audience to believe something drastic. It’s not that drastic. It gets people to click though so bravo there!
Read up on it. Ppl are turning to perplexity, ChatGPT even TikTok more and more over google. It’s only gonna get worse.
@ oh I don’t disagree the landscape is changing and a multi platform approach is necessary but I think it would be a mistake to think one of the most advanced companies out there with the most access to data won’t already know that. The key here is not move away from SEO, it is watch carefully where it goes and stay up with it. And I am sure you will.
Email? I can't unsubscribe to all the emails I get flooding my email fast enough, and they just keep coming.
Facts trump anecdotes
Why? I don't have that problem at all, I have about twenty companies that | gave my email too because I wanted to be on their lists, but don't get any others......
What about service-based websites- like, for example, medical spas, dentists, or attorneys- websites where people need the service of a localized business? Do you foresee them also experiencing this dip? If so, where / how will the public be deciding which of these people to choose for the service they need?
Yes! This question needs to be answered. I specialize in digital marketing for builders and contractors. The answers here have me scratching my head as to how to move forward with my clients…
Maybe for faqs but not to choose a service . Don't see how ai can help although chatgpt can compare prices in a table of different providers which is quite impressive
Excellent information. I thoroughly enjoy your videos and try not to miss any of them. Thanks so much for what you do to help us grow our small businesses.
Happy to Bobbie! Thx for watching :)
Like a website, youtube is now a necessity for businesses. The trick is producing content relative to your business without sounding like a long ad.
It’s not too much of a trick, just make happy content. Then a percentage of viewers will naturally reach out to you.
Wes your videos always rock!
I appreciate that!
Hey Wes, great video! How does this relate to local service business sites (plumbers, roofers etc.)? Is optimizing the google business profile still the best shot for ranking locally?
Thanks so much for this, Wes! So, is it worth it to have a website at all?
Yes you definitely still need one. The difference now is just how you'll get people to it.
Good question
Have you found that posting a link in the first line of your description can hurt video performance? I have always been hesitent to immediately direct viewers off of the platform as view and session duration is so critical.
None of this is new, though. Since Google added rich results, featured snippets, voice search, people also ask, knowledge graphs, etc., people have been saying it's the death of all website traffic.
Of course Google is adding more native features, but this opens an opportunity to think creatively about the type of content you create and questions you need to target. I don't have to read a web page to know when George Washington was born, what temperature to cook chicken breast to safely, or even what the score of the Red Sox - Yankees game is. But I do need to/want to read more in-depth, expert-led content that solves a very specific problem.
What's more concerning is the fact that the internet is flooded with AI-generated drivel. The "dead internet theory" is quickly becoming a reality. Of course, that makes real, human-generated content with actual insights a premium product rather than a commodity.
Seems like an opportunity for a new, organic only search service, if that is possible.
@@3minuteisland372 that's pretty much how I try to approach marketing/content for my clients! It's just a matter of selecting the right questions to answer that actually require content rather than a simple search snippet.
Am i wrong to think that certain types of businesses would be less affected by the google shift, for example technical and information based services that educate? How to, etc.
thanks Wes, so do you think having a website is no longer a vital business resource?
Thanks for your invaluable content!
It's a pity we can't get every website to block the Google search engine.
Leave them with nothing to show and we drive our own traffic from social media.
Good advice. We started a website recently and got very little traffic and only one signup to our email list, as newbies to all this there is a lot to learn. We are now brainstorming some lead magnet ideas and planning to use RUclips rather than Facebook or Instagram which have been slow going.
My only concern is will AI content eventually swamp RUclips too?
I completely agree... but are you suggesting that what worked 10 years ago (and eventually slowed down due to other channels) is the future?
Youre saying YT has slowed down?
No, I am saying email marketing has slowed down (4-5 years) when other channels was trending and also because of fatigue (people receiving tons of email) and spam protection. But I agree that email cross marketing is still good (and yes better YT+email than SEO+email)
Always great content Wes
Appreciate it!
Great video lesson as always. So, what you are saying is that don't focus on the website anymore and focus on RUclips. A website can just act as a landing page or a place where the audience can learn more about you or even a place that you can send your audience to rather than Google sending. Is that correct?
Hey Saro, you still need to have a good website that guides ppl toward a conversion. Thats not changed, but now we just need to think of better ways of getting ppl there than from search and paid ads. Content is the best way to do that these days, esp video.
@@WesMcDowellInc Thank you. I will and I am planning to change my content in the New Year. Your content is definitely helping me and I am so glad to know you to keep me updated regarding the topics that you share. Keep up the great work that you do. Happy Holidays!
You too saro!
holy crap! we're the media now!
How do we make this work for local service based?
Unless I need local businesses listed, I don't bother to open Google any more. I go to reddit for actual, tangible information.
Thank you for this Wes, I needed this today. So frustrated with digital ads for my clients not producing any results. I totally forgot about email. I’m going to implement this today in my agency. 🎉😊
Glad it was helpful!
AI training can potentially violate copyright laws if the data used for training includes copyrighted material that was obtained without permission
Excellent point
What if I add a FAQ section on every page?
Thoughts on doing a guide for email marketing?
Another outstanding video! Thank you, Wes, for all of your great insights and guidance.
You got it! Glad it was helpful!
Nice job Wes! You laid out that reality clearly. Isn't it interesting that the further we get down the road of technology that personal relationships become more powerful. The old style of marketing is now becoming the new opportunity. I am also seeing this with direct mail marketing too (except during the elections season :). Thanks for the great share of information!
You're totally right Steven. The future is personal. Keep it up :)
Excellent video. I learnt a lot. Thank you. Keep up the great content. 👍🏼
Like why does it have to be RUclips? Instagram works too and you can add multiple links to your page?
Sure, but YT accelerates 'know like & trust' better. I'm not telling anyone they have to do YT, this is just my own experience and recommendation if you really want to outrun your competition.
Hi Wes, Thanks a lot for making this video. We really need to stay updated on all those changes, and indeed my website traffic has dropped compared to last year! Thankfully I have my lead magnet and autoresponder set-up. I'm getting more active on FB but watching your video makes me think that I should add RUclips to my strategies! Thanks 😊
Yea, sorry to hear that Diana, its a pretty common story unfortunately. But yea, I really beleive that RUclips's the most effective way around this. You can do it!
I not agree. I am totally pissed of the senseless marketing e-mails after signing up to a download. 90% are grab only getting attention of course. I think people are totally overhelmed by digital stuff in general. It is funny, that if you want to show your ads only at desktop you have to pay a higher price ;) With my tracking tools I take a look what people does by looking websites via smartphone. It is ridiculous. The attention is nightmare. Scroll, scroll, scroll - no attention for one second to read a text carefully. For every business with higher attention rate - no chance. If you are looking for a product, ok. But for personal driven services - smartphone usage is totally weird.
Again, not marketing emails. helpful emails.
Great Beard Santa!
Is this relevant to a localised service based business?
To clarify - Will AI results change a search such as 'plumber in london' ? Will a hyper localised website create the information for an AI generated result in this case?
So far I havent seen too much in the way of AI answers to direct purchase-intent searches like that. But I do think that's coming down the line soon enough.
Will Google go out of business with this strategy?
Fingers crossed yes!
Doubtful, search is only one of their products.
I’m in luxury rentals / web design ..Do you see a return towards increased human created video content being seen more with the increase in ai answers… like will ppl want to watch more video content from the apartments as a result / authority figure???
Everyone who doesn't want to go on youtube will be left behind
I mean its not the ONLY way to generate quality prospects & interest.. but from where Im sitting its definitely the most efficient way.
Wes, this topic, lost traffic and where does a local business go now, made my list of 2025 predictions. Like you said, e-mail ain’t sexy…but it works. I’ve seen our email open rates continue to climb…clients now are averaging 50% or higher…and my BBQ cleaning client is only using email to grow his business. You nailed it when you said--building the list is the key. We are constantly experimenting….as always, you nailed it..thanks Wes.
That’s not true, I know plenty of business owners who don’t even use RUclips or social media, you only believe this because you follow others who push this idea. Just because you are not aware of other options doesn’t make it true.
Email is no longer an option in Latinamerica, openrates are dead. Email Marketing providers are expensive too. And gmail and others block or mark as Spam most of the letters .
Eh? Can't you use googlemail or another free service?
That's why I am starting a bussiness
Another great video Wes! What's your favourite email list tool?
Thx James! Just for sending them? I use drip, which is admitedly expensive. Kit is a great lower priced option too.
@@WesMcDowellInc Thanks Wes!
Excellent analysis and great suggestion for how to adapt using email campaigning. I just wonder if AI isn't going to mess that up too by creating tons of important looking email. The AI companies have coopted the sum knowledge of humanity and they're using it to undermine the value of getting an education, getting real world experience, etc. Companies are going to need very few people with any depth to their own knowledge base.
I think that people not much look the messages they get into thire Email
I wonder how google is going to make money now that fewer people click links? Im sure they will figure out something lol
Well, people will leave Google, for MSN or Bing for their websites..
You can’t just “leave google” as a business. That’s not how search works unfortunately
It's like we've never experienced a time when the SERP was dominated by Wikipedia. Just like reddit today.
Bro, I am getting 1000+ spam emails every single day 😂
Well I’m not talking about spam.
What about RSS?
The best
MY awkward voice on a video?? Not going to happen. This solution isn't for everyone. And I'm not making up excuses.
Do whats right for you Michael!
practice makes perfect, no excuses!
You could always use someone else to do the talking in the video. Doesn’t have to be you.
Absolutely agree with you
You can maybe find strength in RFK jr. no matter if you agree with his political stances.
If you have value to give, the Packaging doesnt matter.
Not everyone is a RUclipsr. To be on camera is a huge stretch for a lot of people. I dont like this
Create a valuable lead magnet, collect e-mails via ads, and then You can reach your audience directly, without having to worry about being a RUclipsr, or having to compete with Google's algorithm.
Its scary. Not saying you have to do it, its jsut my best recommendation for right now. Ppl fight me on it all the time, but honestly the fact that not everyone will do it is WHY its so powerful for the ppl who do.
You signal out RUclipsrs like Instagramers or Facebookers are also a thing. Just view it as another platform. Who says you have to be on camera?
@@WesMcDowellInc "If it were easy, everyone would do it" -Loki from Thor: The Dark World (unfortunately)
@@WesMcDowellIncgood point
Excellent video Wes! Thank you for the heads up and sharing this (personally came from your email, so what you’re sharing is right!)
Awesome! Glad I'm not the only one seeing it, George. Keep it up!
Nice more mediocrity on Google. Cause scientific breakthroughs and new thoughts wont be displayed 😂 Then SoMe incl. YT makes sense.