just saw some news via search engine journal that google is doubling down on being the absolute authority for seo and generative engine optimization. it sounds like they are actively positioning themselves as the
final word on how we should handle data and tools. instead of trusting third-party analytics or external service providers, they want everyone to look directly at their own guidelines for answers.
>google claims authority over seo, tools, and aeo/geothis feels like a huge move toward a closed ecosystem where they control the narrative on how search works. if they decide a specific tool or data set is no longer valid, it could be >>game over<< for those services.
it basically makes third-party audits much harder to trust. does anyone else feel like we are losing the ability to use independent metrics? it seems like they are trying to bridge the gap between traditional search and ai-driven answers by making their own rules the only ones that matter. i wonder how this is going to affect the visibility of niche seo software that relies on different data signals.
article:
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/googles-new-guidance-claims-authority-over-seo-tools-and-aeo-geo/578162/