I have noticed over my time working with online SaaS and ecommerce businesses that they are all at the behest of Google services, specifically their advertising and search apparatus. I have seen companies swing in revenue by huge margins when their ads get restricted or they fall put of favour of the search algorithms.
This strikes me as particularly fragile, and I am trying find ways to avoid or at least mitigate that reliance.
How are some of you seeing the risk assessed and mitigated in companies you are involved with?
Whether you like it or not, Google search, AdWords, etc do capture a huge segment of the potential marketplace. Focusing on quality and relevance instead of trying to game SEO might mitigate some of the extreme swings.
Establishing a strong presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and even here on HN, etc, might reduce your reliance on the GoogleSphere. Have to wonder whether Bing and other lesser used search services might also be of value. Have never looked into those.
Can't help noticing the amount of advertising that some web sites invest in "traditional media". They probably only do it because it works for them.
I would be happy doing so because I would no allow my clients to spy on my visitors...