Big Tech, AI search and the future of branded visibility are under scrutiny - here’s what CMOs, strategists and agencies need to know.
This week, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) made waves by proposing to curb Google’s dominance in search - and it’s not just a regulatory battle. It’s a strategic fault line for anyone who builds brand value through digital discoverability.
At the heart of the proposal is a plan to give Google “Strategic Market Status (SMS)” under the UK’s new digital competition rules - a label that would force it to comply with tougher conduct obligations. Among them:
“Fair ranking” principles for search results
Increased publisher control over how their content appears (especially in AI-generated summaries)
More transparent options for users to switch between search engines
For Google, this is “punitive.” For the CMA, it’s about restoring competition and innovation to a market dominated by one gatekeeper.
But for brand marketers? It’s a flashing red signal that the ground is shifting beneath your search strategy.
What’s Really at Stake for Brand Marketing
Marketers have long relied on Google as the default path to consumer attention. But what happens when that grip is loosened? When content licensing becomes contested? When AI-generated search results remove context, brand attribution - or visibility entirely?
This isn’t just a tech issue. It cuts to the core of how brand equity, reach and relevance are built in the digital age.
Here’s why it matters:
1. The Search Algorithm Is a Brand Filter
Your organic performance isn’t just about content quality - it’s shaped by ranking systems built in Google's image. If those systems are forced to become more transparent or fairer, your brand could either gain ground or lose privileged visibility.
2. AI Is Changing How People ‘Search’
AI-generated summaries are rewriting the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). If the CMA succeeds in giving publishers and brands more control, it could offer leverage in negotiating how your content is used in these AI answers - or how it’s monetised.
3. The Ad Model Is Under Pressure
The CMA has called out Google’s advertising business for inflating prices in a non-competitive market. If this results in a shake-up of ad pricing and placement, marketers could see more value — or more volatility - in paid search ROI.
4. Choice Screens Will Disrupt Defaults
If Apple and others are forced to offer users more options to switch search engines, that means more fragmentation. It’s no longer enough to optimise for Google alone.
What Brand Marketers Should Do Next
This isn’t a time to sit back. It’s a moment to lead with foresight, internally and across agency ecosystems.
🔍 In-House Teams
Audit your digital dependency
Where are you over-indexing on Google - for visibility, traffic or lead gen? What happens if ranking systems change or content indexing slows?
Map your brand’s role in AI search
Test how your brand shows up in Gemini, Perplexity or ChatGPT search integrations. Are your assets being cited? Is your brand voice being respected?
Strengthen your IP and content strategy
If AI-generated answers are built on your brand’s content, you need internal alignment across legal, comms and marketing to protect that value.
Push for channel diversification
Ramp up efforts in TikTok SEO, YouTube Shorts, Reddit threads, Pinterest discovery and newsletter ecosystems. The future is platform-agnostic.
💼 For Agencies and Strategic Partners
Lead with POV, not panic
This is an opportunity to advise clients proactively. Build trust through clarity, not alarmism.
Experiment with alternative platforms
Don’t wait for the dust to settle. Run pilot tests in non-Google search and discovery tools to gather real data on ROI, discoverability and consumer intent.
Align on new performance metrics
Traditional SEO and PPC benchmarks may lose relevance. Collaborate on future-facing KPIs that reflect changing paths to brand discovery.
Build regulatory fluency
Clients need more than media buying - they need partners who understand digital policy and platform accountability. Be the agency that speaks both languages.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Moment Is Cultural
We often talk about brand building through culture, but in many ways, culture is filtered through search. If one company controls what people see, it controls what people believe.
This CMA move is about more than economics - it’s about democratising access to visibility. That’s why this matters for marketers. Because if you want to build lasting brand relevance, you need to be seen - not just by Google, but by the people who matter.
The fight for fairer search is a fight for cultural equity. And marketers who show up early, with strategic clarity and diversified thinking, will be the ones who win.
TL;DR for the Boardroom
What’s happening: The UK wants to force Google to play fair in search
Why it matters: It could radically shift how consumers find and engage with brands
What to do: Audit your dependency, diversify your discoverability, prepare for platform change
Opportunity: Get ahead by treating digital visibility as a brand governance issue, not just a media line item