Man vs Machine
By: Chris Goldby ∣ Hickory Algorithm
For the first time ever Google searches are down.
We are going less and less to google.
That single sentence should make all of us as business owners, pause. Because it’s a mirror reflecting where we are as a society, as entrepreneurs, and as humans navigating the digital age.
Because if fewer people are using Google… what does that say about the way we now search, learn, and connect?
There’s a shift happening. People are turning less to search engines and more to AI tools for information.
Maybe it’s speed.
Maybe it’s trust.
Or maybe, just maybe, it’s exhaustion.
We’ve grown tired of endless ads, cluttered results, and the subtle game of “pay to be seen.” Google, for decades, cornered the market on ROI. Training every website, business, and marketing agency to dance for its algorithm.
We followed the clicks. We bought the ads. We paid for the privilege of being found.
But now the cracks are showing.
People are tired of being marketed to and are searching for ways to be understood.
The question is no longer “How can I be seen on Google?” but “How are people finding me now?”
COVID rewired our relationship with screens forever. Overnight, screens became classrooms, offices, churches, stages, and social gatherings.
Screens were implemented during covid to “help.”
And even now that life has returned to some sense of “normal,” the screens remain. Our kids use them in classrooms. We use them in boardrooms. We even keep them within arm’s reach at the dinner table. And here we are years later.
The convenience is undeniable.
The cost?
Human connection.
It’s no secret that newspapers and radio have been pushed to the margins. Television’s fading, too. I haven’t had cable in 17 years and honestly, I don’t miss it.
Think about it: when was the last time you were excited to tune in to a show at a specific time, knowing nothing about it except that it started at 8 p.m.?
The Sopranos? Survivor? Maybe The Voice—forty seasons ago? We just DVR, stream, and even the movies are struggling.
That feeling of anticipation, of community, of watching something unfold together is rare now. The human connection aspect is diluted. Everything is on-demand, customized, individualized.
Alone.
We’re fed content, not connection.
I don’t pretend to be a master of anything. But I’ve learned this: who you tie yourself to matters. The people, the platforms, and the partnerships you choose reveal the type of business and person you are in 2025.
And it shows up everywhere: in searches, in algorithms, in results.
You know what’s funny? When I Google “marketing agency near me”, The Hickory Algorithm comes up. Not because of paid placement, SEO wizardry, or backlinks—but because my phone knows it’s me.
The device knows I’m sitting in the office of my own business.
That little illusion of seeing your business pop up first tricks so many of us into thinking, “We’ve made it. My money’s well spent.”
But are you really being found… or are you just seeing yourself?
A better question.
Is being at the top of a Google search still as important as we think it is?
What if, instead of sinking hundreds or even thousands of dollars each month into digital services that promise clicks and impressions, we invested that same amount into local relationships. Where our actual customers live, breathe, and buy?
If you surrounded yourself with the right people, showed up for your community, and invested in real conversations… wouldn’t that yield a better return than a “service fee” that keeps you waiting for next month’s miracle?
Don’t get me wrong, AI has changed my work. It’s helped me grow, organize, and create in ways that even four years of formal education couldn’t replicate.
It’s efficient. It’s powerful. It’s tailored to me.
The real “man vs. machine” battle isn’t about technology replacing humans it’s about whether we’ll choose to keep acting like them.
I could write another 2,000 words on the latest AI update, or the mind-blowing tool that edits your videos, writes your captions, and claims to make $20K a day if you “just subscribe now.”
But instead, I’ll say this: accept that it’s here, and then look up.
Meet people. Shake hands. Build partnerships.
Value the human side of business as much as you value social media, AI, or SEO.
Because at the end of the day, your next client, your next opportunity, your next big break—won’t come from a Google ad.
Have you ever heard a friend say “oh man, you gotta get this google ad? I did it and it changed my business.”
Nope.
Have you ever heard “You need to meet (insert name) he can help you with your business.”
Which one helped your business?
It’ll come from a conversation.
So, if you’re reading this on your phone or laptop, thank you.
I appreciate that your eyes made it this far down the page.
But if you want to put this philosophy into practice, come find me in the real world. I’ll be at Oktoberfest tonight and TOMORROW. Let’s talk, laugh, maybe even give each other a hug, talk about the kids, sports, or how awesome it is to see every one out and enjoying themselves.
And if you still want to know where to get the best Japanese food in Hickory?
#fortheloveofthegame
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