Search is too ingrained as part of user behavior to disappear overnight. But recall that in 1990, the World Wide Web didn’t exist and barely anyone was familiar with the internet. In 2000, browsing directories was still a common way to navigate the internet, and Google had just barely transitioned from a research project to a company. By 2010, search became enmeshed in how people consume media and make purchases. There’s no reason to assume that 2020 will be just like 2020, and the safer bet is that it will be quite different. Google seems to be preparing for such a scenario. Marketers looking to make long-term plans should do the same.
Fascinating speculation about how personalized agents and personal tracking could mean the end of search. Probably it won’t happen like he says, but it is useful to consider this.
Barbara K Iverson 