Google is not your partner.

You are not entitled to organic search traffic.

You are not entitled to a great Quality Score for your paid campaigns.

You are not entitled to own your own Google Analytics data, or receive live vendor support for Google Tag Manager.

You aren’t entitled to Google product stability — whether it’s Google Places er Google Maps um Google Local I mean Google Plus Local, wait, Google My Business, or Google+ Authorship.

An online marketing strategy that begins and ends with Google visibility is an online marketing strategy with doom written all over it.

“But Joolz,” you say, because we’re pals and I let you call me that, “I need Google traffic. I don’t mind exchanging my data for access to a tool like Google Analytics, because the stuff in my price range otherwise isn’t that hot.”

That’s not my point. My point is you need to know that you are making a trade for the tool.

Balance your traffic driving to account for more than one stream of referral. Build your brand. Consider social media. Do outreach. Heck, consider print or outdoor advertising if it’s appropriate for your audience. Even bathroom stall advertising can have a place.

But don’t delude yourself that you’re a partner to Google (unless you’re a reseller of their product, like AdWords Partners or Analytics Partners, where at least you get the title of Partner and you’re earning money based on Google, rather than perhaps the other way around). You’re the product.