One of the debates that we see make the usual rounds every so often is the sustainability and vulnerability of the Google platform.  Donna Bogatin attended the AlwaysOn OnMedia conference yesterday during which the topic came up again.  According to CEOs from 4 marketing firms in attendance, Google is not only vulnerable but also a solution for only a small part of the search population.

Panelists discussed the AdWords and PPC model of advertising.  In particular, Gurbaksh Chahal, the CEO of Blue Lithium, said that AdWords only relates to about 10% of searchers.  Since most people using search engines aren't in a "buying state", they're not responsive to the solicitations of AdWords.  In addition, the panelists at the conference had this to say about Google's approach

• There is a limited supply of search queries,
• Google’s size does not support personalized service,
• Marketers want competitive offerings and vendors.
• Differentiation matters,
• A small player in a big market can still win.

What do you think?  With Google's current market share, huge profits, and global reach… do you think Google is vulnerable?  What do you see as the flaws in Google's armor?  You know what I think.  Now it's your turn to share an opinion.