The Top Slot Monopoly
How Search Engine And Social Algorithms Crowd Out New Voices And Can AI Change That?
What do I call the top slot monopoly? It’s a self-perpetuating problem that affects all publishers, SEO professionals and especially small business owners. And our tech-bro buddies at Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and elsewhere continue to let it happen.
Here’s what it is; I’ll start with social media. The algorithm is set to show you “most popular” by default in your feed. So the post that is already getting some traction now is going to get even more because it’s at the top of everyone’s feed.
It’s no different with search engine rankings. A large company already has advantages due to what Google decides is a trusted source. If they publish something and immediately add a bunch of backlinks, naturally or paid for, then they rank in the top 3. Now, when people search that search term, they choose at least one of those top 3 without seeing any more than that. (We’re not factoring in AI Overviews, that comes later in this post). That means those 3 sites automatically get more traffic and more shares, keeping them at the top.
That’s why I say it’s self-perpetuating. A company gets there first with a bigger push than your average small business or writer, and you can’t move them off of that spot due to the traffic they are getting from being in that spot.
TL;DR (The Quick Version)
Traditional search and social media algorithms have created a “Top Slot Monopoly”. It’s a loop where the most popular content stays at the top simply because it’s already there, burying newer and smaller voices. AI search (like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews) is breaking this cycle by prioritizing relevant, trustworthy “entities” over just popularity.
Key Concepts Explained In This Post:
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): The process of making your content the preferred source for AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to use in their answers.
Entity SEO: Defining your brand’s “identity.” It’s about helping AI understand exactly who you are and what you’re an expert in so it can recommend you with confidence.
Search Everywhere Optimization: A strategy to be visible wherever your audience is, whether that’s a social media feed, a voice assistant, or an AI chat, not just the Google Top 10.
So What Makes AI Search Different?
(And What Still Needs to Be Watched)
AI search tools like Google’s SGE, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot offer a completely different experience. They pull from a broader range of sources and don’t just parrot the top 10 links like traditional search. (No matter what some SEOs are telling you).That could level the playing field… but it depends on how they’re trained and how we optimize for them.
Even Google spokespeople have said that all you need to do in order to have success with AI Overviews is just good SEO. You’re being gaslighted and in the next part, I’ll show you why it’s not true and how there are things you need to do differently in order to get more brand mentions and even traffic with AI Search.
No, AI Overviews Don’t Just Pull from Google’s Top 10
You might’ve heard this from SEOs or marketers:
“If your content ranks in Google, you’ll show up in AI Overviews too.” or AI Search just pulls it’s responses from whoever ranks high in the search engines.”
Those are just not true. Look at the screenshot.
None of the companies listed in the AI Overview for “best window replacement company in Montreal” rank on the first page of Google. Not one.
In fact, even the articles shown in the sidebar, LinkedIn posts and blog articles aren’t on page one either. That means AI isn’t just copying search results. It’s curating answers based on its own understanding of what’s relevant, trustworthy, and helpful. The person writing those is being helped by Google’s own AI to overcome the Top Spot Monopoly.
If your SEO team is telling you, “We don’t need to change anything for AI,” they’re either trying to maintain the status quo, don’t understand GEO yet, or they are in denial because they don’t want to change the methods that have worked for them in theb past. It’s human nature.
What You Can Do About It (Even If You Don’t Rank on the 1st Page)
You can show up in AI results, even if you’re not ranking at all right now.
However, you have to give AI something to work with and it means doing some work. I call today’s SEO Search Everywhere Optimization. Not everyone uses Google to search. They search on social media, AI Search, smart devices and even wearables.
Here’s how you can improve your odds of getting more brand mentions and even traffic from Google AI Overviews and AI search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity:
Get your brand or name mentioned across the web. AI cares about recognition more than links. A mention on a local news site, a quote in a blog post, or being named in a listicle can carry more weight than you think. Your own mentions on all of your platforms helps you define your brand, but 3rd party mentions carry a lot more weight.
Use schema markup to define who you are. Add
Organization,LocalBusiness, orAuthorschema to your pages so AI can connect your content to your identity. This is especially important for local businesses and personal brands. Make sure you add “sameas” within your schema to help AI connect your websites, social media profiles and more. Help AI understand your entity, the who, what, when, where and why you are>Write content that answers questions clearly. Don’t bury your answers. And this isn’t just about using FAQs in every single page. Add some header tags that are questions instead of statements, like “How much does window replacement cost?” and then actually answer it in the first sentence or two. You can add more content below that, but the question needs a clear, concise answer just below it. This will also help with People Also Ask and Google’s Knowledge Base.
Add FAQs to your content, but not on every single piece of content. Even a short FAQ section at the bottom of a service page can help AI understand what your page is about and pull it into an Overview. It’s also helpful to your readers. Using Microsoft Clarity, I have seen the FAQs being opened by visitors. So make sure it’s actually helpful to them.
Strengthen your About page and author bios. AI tools pull information from these to verify credibility. Make sure they’re not just fluff. And add Author Schema with “sameas” to help AI identify what it’s connected to.
Get your content mentioned in the right places. AI Overviews pull from forums, niche blogs, and even social posts. You don’t need to go viral, just show up in the right spots. Repurpose your blog posts and other content across multiple platforms in different formats. Don’t just share your post on social media and forget about it. That isn’t really content marketing. You can read more about Integrated Content Marketing here.
Bottom line?
AI search isn’t just a new way to deliver results, it’s a new way to understand the who, what, where and why of your overall brand entity. If you’re still optimizing just to rank on page one, especially if you are creating thin content hoping that backlinks will save you,you’re playing the wrong game.
Google search is going to be all AI before long. The game is changing whether you accept it or not. Now let’s talk about how to actually build content that gets picked up by AI. Click here for more information on GEO.
How Do I Help Small Businesses & Publishers Get More Exposure?
You can start by educating others about how this all works. Write about it. Maybe it will get enough attention that the tech bros will take a look at the problem of self-perpetuating search and feed results. Maybe they won’t, but here are some ways you can help with your own personal settings on social media.
Let’s start with LinkedIn…
LinkedIn’s default setting means you only see the suggestions they want you to see, whatever their algorithm chooses. But you can change that. Go to where it says “Me” at the top right of your LinkedIn page. Then choose settings and privacy.
Here are the instructions for Facebook as of this time. These social media sites love to change things around because they don’t really want you to have “preferences” despite what they tell you. Just let us handle what you prefer, trust us bro”.
Most social media platforms allow you to change your preferences, so look in your settings. Give more content creators and small businesses a chance to be seen.
FAQ
Q: What exactly is the “Top Slot Monopoly”?
A: It’s a self-reinforcing loop where established players keep their top rankings because their visibility leads to more clicks and shares, making it nearly impossible for new content to break through traditional search and social feeds.
Q: Does being on Page 1 of Google guarantee a spot in the AI Overview?
A: No. As shown in our Montreal window company example, AI often pulls from sources that don’t rank in the top 10 at all, favoring direct, helpful answers and verified brand authority instead.
Q: What is the most important step for winning at AI Search?
A: Defining your “Entity.” You need to use Schema markup and consistent brand mentions across the web to prove to AI that you are a legitimate, authoritative source in your niche.
Q: Can I really change how my social media feed works?
A: Yes. By switching your settings on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook from “Top” to “Most Recent,” you can bypass the popularity bias and discover a much wider range of content.
Don’t forget to share this post and you'[re welcome to vent your frustrations with the way Google and Social Platforms are treating your content and brand. If you have stories or more tips and information to add to this, post a comment. You can also contact us here with any questions you have.
Don't Let Others Control The Narrative About Your Brand
