The Google Trap
“Blindly following the maxim that good managers should keep close to their customers can sometimes be a fatal mistake.” – Clayton Christensen, The Innovator’s Dilemma
Most marketers obsess over feedback loops.
“Listen to your customer.”
“Double down on what’s working.”
“Make it 10% better.”
But what if that’s exactly how you lose?
Just ask Google.
They did everything “right.”
- Served their users
- Optimized for performance
- Monetized with ruthless efficiency
Still, they’re getting disrupted.
Why?
Because while Google focused on better...
OpenAI focused on different.
The Framework: The Disruption Curve
Incumbents chase performance
Disruptors chase neglected needs
The new thing looks worse… until it doesn’t
Suddenly, it’s the new normal
Google gave you 10 blue links.
ChatGPT gave you an answer.
Google chased clicks.
ChatGPT chased clarity.
The Use Case: A Shift Already in Motion
You used to say:
“Google it.”
Now you hear:
“Just ask ChatGPT.”
That’s not evolution.
That’s a category reset.
And the most brutal part?
Google saw it coming—but couldn’t pivot.
Because their current customers didn’t ask for change.
Christensen called it 25 years ago.
We’re just now watching it unfold.
Action Step: Spot Your Blind Spot
Ask this:
“What does my non-user want that my current users never mention?”
That’s where your disruption risk lives.
Or your next big unlock.
Want more strategy breakdowns like this?
Subscribe at Marketing Moves — and stay ahead of the curve.
Copy frameworks. Steal prompts. Outlearn your competition.
Talk soon,
Fatmir
PS – ChatGPT didn’t win by being better. It won by being good enough... and way easier.