What will be the biggest disruption to SEO?

Summary

Voices of Search Podcast – Episode Summary
Episode: What will be the biggest disruption to SEO?
Date: December 10, 2025
Host: Tyson Stockton
Guest: Eric Enge

---

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the looming question in the SEO and search engine marketing industry: what disruption will have the biggest impact on SEO's future? Host Tyson Stockton and renowned SEO expert Eric Enge dive into the implications of Google's move toward an AI-first search experience versus the anticipated evolution of ChatGPT Atlas and broader AI-driven changes.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Coming Disruptions in SEO

Timestamp: 00:43–01:47

• Tyson Stockton prompts Eric Enge to weigh in on two major potential disruptors:

  • Google making its AI mode the default search experience
  • The development and impact of ChatGPT Atlas

• Eric Enge expresses cautious optimism about both, noting that while both advances hold significant potential, each comes with inherent challenges.

Notable Quote

• Eric Enge [01:00]:
  "The challenge with Atlas, and this is not something I see many people talking about... historically walled gardens haven't worked."
  He elaborates on concerns about closed environments not gaining wide adoption due to user desire for flexibility.

2. Walled Gardens: Cautionary Tales from Tech History

Timestamp: 03:16–04:13

• Tyson picks up on Eric’s reservations about closed systems, comparing the current moment to past VHS versus Betamax scenarios.
• Eric draws parallels between current AI "walled garden" strategies and past failures in the tech industry:
  • America Online (AOL): Once dominant due to its closed, "walled garden" approach, but ultimately lost out to the open web.
  • AT&T and Verizon: Attempts to create encapsulated user environments also failed.

Notable Quote

• Eric Enge [03:29]:
  "America Online failed... it was a walled garden... AT&T and Verizon both tried things where they would encapsulate people in their environments... They failed. And I think it's because people want the flexibility of going many different ways at things."

3. Flexibility and User Choice in Search

Timestamp: 04:13–04:35

• Tyson underscores that Eric’s point is a recurring theme in technological progression: users tend to favor open and flexible systems.
• Eric reiterates the importance of flexibility and variety in online experiences, suggesting this is a critical factor for the adoption of future search solutions.

---

Notable Quotes

• Eric Enge [01:00]:
  "My jury is out on that one. And so my bet would be on Google Comma bot. Let's just say I'm not betting all the money I have on it."

• Eric Enge [03:29]:
  "But it was a walled garden... people want the flexibility of going many different ways at things."

• Tyson Stockton [04:13]:
  "I think it's a fair concern because we have seen that come up through several different points of kind of progression in technology."

---

Important Segments and Timestamps

• 00:43 — Setting up the disruption question
• 01:00 — Eric weighs Google AI's threat vs. ChatGPT Atlas; concerns about walled gardens
• 03:16 — Revisiting historical failures in closed systems (AOL, AT&T, Verizon)
• 04:13 — Discussion of user flexibility as key to adoption

---

Summary & Takeaways

• The main disruption in SEO could come from either Google's AI-first search evolution or rival AI systems like ChatGPT Atlas.
• However, the fate of these disruptions may hinge on whether they create "walled gardens" that limit user choice.
• Previous tech history (AOL, AT&T, Verizon) warns that users prefer open systems, and closed ecosystems typically fail in the long run.
• The episode leaves listeners with an open question: will the next wave of search innovation prioritize flexibility, or risk repeating history's mistakes?

---

For more from Eric Enge, visit his LinkedIn or pilotholding.com. Subscribe to the Voices of Search Podcast for daily insights into SEO and content marketing.

Transcript

[Tyson Stockton]

The Voices of Search Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com welcome to the Voices of Search Podcast. A member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network, ready to expedite your company's organic growth efforts. Sit back, relax, and get ready for your daily dose of search engine optimization wisdom. Here's today's host of the Voices of Search Podcast, Tyson Stockton.

Next one so we want to look into the crystal ball and see how things are going to unfold in the future. What do you think a bigger disruption to SEO will be? Google making AI mode the default experience or the progression from ChatGPT Atlas?

[Eric Enge]

Ooh, that's a good question. There's a lightning round so I have to try to keep it short. The challenge with Atlas and this is not something I see many people talking about and it may be extremely successful. I'm sure it will be at some level, but historically walled gardens haven't worked and I'm worried if it comes across like a walled garden that people might not embrace it as much you otherwise think they would. But it has so much potential to be such an aid. So my jury is out on that one. And so my bet would be on Google Comma bot. Let's just say I'm not betting all the money I have on it.

[Pre Visible Sponsor]

Time for a one minute break to hear from our sponsor, Pre Visible. So you're looking for SEO help and you got a couple of options. You could start replying to spam from agencies that claim they can get you to rank number one on Google. You could pay an hourly rate for a consultant who will inevitably nickel and dime you with hourly charges. Or you can work with a cookie cutter agency to quickly launch a strategyless project with low success rate. None of those sound very good now do they? Well, that's where Pre Visible's integrated consulting model comes in. Pre Visible draws From a collective 40 years of SEO and digital marketing experience to unlock your organic growth opportunities. They build custom solutions that combine strategy, technical expertise, content and reporting to effectively operationalize SEO for your business. Pre Visible's four stage approach ensures that your SEO programs thrive by starting off with a strategy first approach. Then they support you in your efforts to create quality content, help you identify technical issues, and most importantly, they'll work with your cross functional teams to integrate integrate your SEO strategies to make sure that Your SEO budget actually drives results, not just your agency's bottom line. So join brands like Yelp, eBay, Canva, Atlassian Square, all who rely on the SEO consultants at Pre Visible. For more information, go to PreVisible IO. That's Pre Visible. P R E V I S I B L E I.

[Tyson Stockton]

Fair enough. And going back to kind of the closed garden, it sounds then like you might have some concerns around a VHS versus Beta kind of scenario.

[Eric Enge]

Well, I mean, America Online failed. It's still there. But I mean, in terms of it was the thing. And sometime when you have time for it, I'll tell you a story of how I was involved in all that. Not, not its failure, but its growth. But it was a walled garden. And then, you know, other people, I think AT&T and Verizon both tried things where they would encapsulate people in their environments and try to own all their online activity, going through their surfaces. They failed. And I think it's because people want the flexibility of going, you know, many different ways at things. So that doesn't mean that it will happen here. It's just sort of a nagging thing in the back of my head that.

[Tyson Stockton]

I worry about, which I think it's a fair concern because we have seen that come up through several different points of kind of progression in technology. And so I think that is a very valid call out. Well, with that, that's going to wrap up this episode of the Voice of Search podcast. Thanks again, Eric, for joining us. It's always a pleasure.

[Eric Enge]

Thank you.

[Tyson Stockton]

Appreciative of the time that you spend with us on here. And if you'd like to contact Eric, you can find a link to his LinkedIn profile in the show notes or you can be sure to check out his company's [e-mail] if you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of SEO content marketing knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed soon. So with that, that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you in the next episode.

[Eric Enge]

Sam.