Is the Marketing World Shaking Up This September?

Hi everyone, this is Neo.

Today, I want to talk about the latest shifts in the marketing world and how we independent site sellers should respond.

SEO: Under the AI Wave, Google Is Still the “Ballast Stone”

Lately, there’s been a flood of talk about AI overthrowing Google, and it’s got everyone nervous. But the latest developments this month actually show the opposite: don’t panic — the SEO fundamentals are rock solid!

1. ChatGPT Is Starting to “Embrace” Google

One interesting observation: ChatGPT, which used to rely on Microsoft Bing data, has now been found using Google’s search results more and more often to generate its answers.

What does that tell us?

Even powerful AI needs a comprehensive, reliable “knowledge base” to draw information from — and right now, Google does that best. AI is more like a smart “brain” that processes and distills information, but the source of that information still has to be a search engine.

So the whole “AI will replace Google” narrative is closer to a false premise. They’re much more likely to coexist in a symbiotic relationship. For us independent site sellers, the SEO content we work so hard on doesn’t just get indexed by Google — it can also reach more users through AI tools like ChatGPT.

I track my own site’s traffic, and AI now accounts for over 10% of it.

My advice:

  • Keep doubling down on SEO content: Do solid keyword research and create high-quality original content. The more valuable your site’s content, the more likely it becomes an AI “knowledge source” — getting you double exposure.
  • Treat your website as your “home base”: No matter how outside channels shift, your independent site is your own asset. Great content and great user experience are the fundamentals that never change.

2. Traditional Search Isn’t Cooling Off

Another interesting data point: even though users of AI tools like ChatGPT are growing, usage of traditional search engines like Google and Bing hasn’t dropped at all — it’s actually growing too!

That shows users haven’t abandoned traditional search just because AI exists. The two are more complementary. For example, users might turn to AI for quick conceptual answers, but when it’s time to actually buy a product or do deep research, they come back to Google to read reviews carefully and compare prices.

My advice:

For us B2B and B2C independent site sellers, this means the channel for acquiring precise traffic through SEO is still vitally important. When users develop purchase intent, search behavior is still the mainstream. We have to keep optimizing our sites so that when users search for relevant products or solutions, our websites show up in front of them.

On the paid ads side, the major platforms all have new moves, and the overall trend is: platform rules are getting clearer, with higher demands on ad quality and creativity.

1. LinkedIn Launches Thought Leader Ad Campaigns

For B2B sellers, this is genuinely good news. LinkedIn now lets you promote posts from industry thought leaders directly to drive traffic to your events.

Imagine: if you sell industrial equipment, having an influential industry expert vouch for you and recommend your technical webinar works far better than shouting about it yourself. It massively boosts your event’s authority and participation.

2. TikTok Is Capping the Number of Hashtags

Back in the day, TikTok users piled on tons of hashtags to chase traffic. Now the platform is cracking down on that, treating excessive hashtags as “spam” that actually hurts content distribution.

This change is really forcing us to think: who exactly is my content for?

Instead of casting a wide net with a bunch of generic tags, use 2-3 precise tags to hit your core users directly. For example, if you sell “portable outdoor coffee makers,” #campinggear and #portablecoffeemaker will serve you far better than #coffee, #outdoor, and #lifestyle.

3. Amazon Left Google Shopping — Can We Pick Up the Spoils?

A while back, Amazon exited Google Shopping ads. A lot of people figured: the giant is gone, so opportunities for small and mid-sized sellers must be opening up.

But the data shows that while ad clicks went up and CPC went down, conversion rates and ROAS (return on ad spend) dropped along with it.

This is a reminder: traffic can come, but only if you can actually catch it.

Amazon’s brand effect and user loyalty are incredibly strong. Many users who are used to shopping on Amazon may never compare prices on Google at all. So even with Amazon gone, that traffic won’t necessarily flow to your site.

My advice:

  • Don’t be blindly optimistic: Don’t assume that fewer competitors automatically means opportunity for you.
  • Work on your fundamentals: Keep optimizing your product pages, pricing, and service to improve your site’s conversion power. Extra traffic only matters when your “catching ability” is strong enough.

Final Thoughts

All in all, these recent changes look like “upheaval” — but they’re really “a return to basics.”

  • Return to content: Whether it’s AI or search engines, high-quality content is always the core.
  • Return to users: Whether SEO or paid ads, precisely finding your users and delivering value to them is the winning move.
  • Return to brand: In an era of increasingly expensive traffic, building your own brand and accumulating user assets matters more than ever.

Hope today’s share gives you some food for thought.

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