Google is not the only search engine anymore. And that is actually good news.

Google's share of search has dropped below 90% for the first time in years. But total search activity is up 26%. People are not searching less. They are searching in more places. YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Reddit, ChatGPT, Perplexity.

Worth noting: Google just made two significant changes to how it decides which content to show people, and those changes finished rolling out this month. If your traffic has been unsettled, that is likely why. The pattern across both updates is the same one we keep seeing: original, experience-led content holds up. Recycled or AI-generated noise is getting filtered out.

But here is the bigger point. While a lot of people are watching their Google traffic anxiously, the businesses doing well right now are not waiting for Google to settle. They are showing up on multiple platforms, each one working differently, each one rewarding different kinds of content.

For small businesses, this is genuinely good news. More platforms means more chances to be found. And many of these platforms reward exactly what small businesses are naturally good at: specific, practical, genuine content.

What platforms beyond Google are you focusing on right now? Would love to hear what is working across different industries.

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