Businesses named 'ABC Cleaners' once dominated the Yellow Pages by appearing first alphabetically. Today's version is exploiting platform algorithms. Winning is less about having the best service and more about understanding the distribution mechanics of dominant platforms like TikTok to get seen first.

In Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), social media's direct influence on being cited by AI is surprisingly minimal (<1%). AI models prioritize high-authority sources like credible media and directories, forcing a re-evaluation of channel importance for discoverability and challenging a decade of digital marketing orthodoxy.

As AI drives the cost of content creation to zero, the world floods with 'average' material. In this environment, the most valuable and scarce skill becomes 'taste'—the ability to identify, curate, and champion high-quality, commercially viable work. This elevates the role of human curators over pure creators.

The internet democratizes consumption but consolidates production, meaning everyone remembers Apple but not Samsung's founder, Usain Bolt but not the silver medalist. The gap between #1 and #2 is infinite fame versus obscurity. In content-driven markets, the only rational strategy is to aim for being "insanely great," not just "good."

In an AI-driven world, optimizing for website traffic is a losing game. A better long-term strategy is to create high-value content (podcasts, videos, newsletters) across various platforms. This approach helps people directly and simultaneously feeds the large language models that are increasingly becoming information gatekeepers.

As AI devalues simple clicks, marketing focus must shift to building a strong brand that algorithms recognize as authoritative. High-quality, well-structured owned content (like blogs and reports) becomes more critical for discoverability than traditional performance marketing tactics.

AI drastically accelerates the ability of incumbents and competitors to clone new products, making early traction and features less defensible. For seed investors, this means the traditional "first-mover advantage" is fragile, shifting the investment thesis heavily towards the quality and adaptability of the founding team.

Don't blame 'shadow banning' for declining reach. It's a function of supply and demand. As platforms mature, content supply explodes and ad spend increases, all competing for finite user attention. Your reach isn't being punished; it's being outbid in an increasingly crowded attention marketplace.

When social media reach and engagement decline, it's easy to blame the platform's algorithm. However, the more productive mindset is to see it as a reflection of your content's declining quality or relevance. The algorithm isn't hurting everyone, it's hurting those who aren't good. The solution is to improve your craft, innovate, and adapt to cultural trends.