Lost in the Feed: How the Death of Search Is Strangling Creators—And What We Can Do About It

by Bill Bernardoni

The Open Web Is Closing—But We Don’t Have to Go Down With It

The first time I used a search engine, I was ten years old, sitting in the computer lab at McKinley Elementary School. My teacher, Mrs. Mueller, leaned over my shoulder and explained it to me like an encyclopedia on the internet—then said, “Try typing in a question.” So I did—on Ask Jeeves, of all things. I asked, “Who’s leading the National League in baseball?” And just like that, a list popped up. Not perfect, but magical. No ads, no influencers, no “content strategy”—just a 10-year-old kid talking to the internet and getting something back.

That moment stuck with me. It felt like a window into a much bigger world. You could ask the web anything—and some human out there had taken the time to answer.

Fast forward a couple decades, and I recently sat down with my own kids—my 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son—and showed them what AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini can do. I asked them what they were curious about, and my daughter said, “Why are flamingos pink?” Within seconds, the AI gave her a full, neat explanation. My son wanted to know how many types of monkeys there are (he’s obsessed with them). Boom—instant list, broken down by species and region.

They were amazed. It was seamless. Clean. Efficient.

But as I watched their faces light up, a weird feeling crept in: where’s the discovery? What did they—or anyone else, for that matter—actually have to do to learn that information? The joy of clicking, wandering, getting lost down a rabbit hole and stumbling across something unexpected? That messy magic that made the early internet feel like an adventure?

What they were getting was answers—but not experience. And for creators who depend on being found, that’s a huge problem. Because as AI platforms replace traditional search engines, they’re also erasing the pathways that once led people to our work.

But here’s the thing: we’re not doomed. Not yet. There’s a better way forward, and it starts with rethinking how we show up in a world where “just Google it” isn’t what it used to be.

The Search Collapse Is Real—and It’s Hurting Creators

In early 2025, Apple’s Eddy Cue testified that Google searches in Safari had declined for the first time in 22 years, largely due to users turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. Meanwhile, Google’s AI Overviews are siphoning off clicks, with publishers reporting up to a 60% drop in traffic to some pages. Forbes and Business Insider have both covered the shift extensively.

This isn’t just a tech issue; it’s a livelihood issue. Chegg, an online education company, saw a 31% drop in subscribers, attributing it partly to Google’s AI Overviews and the rise of AI-generated educational answers. If companies with brand equity are feeling the squeeze, imagine what it’s doing to an independent podcaster, a Substack writer, or a YouTube educator.

This erosion of traffic is a death-by-a-thousand-cuts scenario for the creator economy—especially for those who don’t have corporate scaffolding to keep them propped up. Related: Smarter Sound: Why Skilled Podcast Producers Still Matter in the Age of AI

The Discoverability Crisis in the Creator Economy

A recent survey by ConvertKit found that 54% of full-time creators and 60% of part-timers list “making sure my content gets found” as their biggest hurdle. It’s no surprise. We’re competing in a digital world that rewards viral bursts over long-term engagement, and where recommendation engines are more interested in keeping you on-platform than sending you to someone’s independent work.

Discoverability used to be driven by curiosity and search intent. Today, it’s dictated by opaque algorithms that prize engagement over depth. A Reddit user summed it up perfectly: “Most of the creators on social media are afraid of the ALGORITHM.” And they should be.

Because when creators rely on Instagram or TikTok or YouTube to surface their work, they’re not just sharing content—they’re gambling with visibility. See also: Louder, Lazier and Less Relevant: How Modern Marketing Lost the Plot

The Myth of Platform Independence

We’ve been sold the dream: the creator economy is a meritocracy. Make great stuff, and your people will find you. Except that’s not how it works anymore.

When platforms own the feed and the audience, creators are at their mercy. Your brilliant essay might never surface. Your niche podcast might get buried. Even your superfans might not see your latest video because the algo was having a bad day.

Meanwhile, AI tools are trained on our work but rarely credit or link back to it. It’s like being quoted in a conversation you weren’t invited to.

So What Can Creators Actually Do?

Here are four strategies for regaining some control:

1. Own Your Audience

If you’re still building entirely on borrowed land, start planting flags on your own. Email newsletters, SMS lists, personal websites, and private communities aren’t just optional—they’re lifelines.

Platforms change. Algorithms update. But a direct line to your audience is a moat no one else can cross.

2. Diversify Revenue Streams

Creators with only one income stream are just one policy update away from burnout. Explore memberships, digital products, consulting, licensing, affiliate revenue, even good ol’ Patreon. According to Linktree’s 2024 Creator Report, 66% of full-time creators now earn from three or more income sources.

Also worth reading: Monetizing Podcasts: Innovative Revenue Streams Beyond Advertising

3. Optimize for AI and Search

Instead of fighting AI, learn how to feed it. Write with clear structure, answer real user questions, and include citations that might get pulled into overviews. This is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and it’s the new frontier.

As SEO strategist Kevin Indig puts it: “AI will kill bad SEO, but it will reward strong topical authority.”

4. Collaborate to Expand Your Reach

Cross-promotion isn’t just for YouTubers. Joint newsletters, guest podcast spots, shoutouts—these grassroots tactics still work. Creators helping creators is how new ecosystems get built.

This Isn’t the End—It’s a New Beginning

Yes, the old web is dying. But the new one doesn’t have to be a dystopia of walled gardens and AI echo chambers.

We’re at an inflection point—and the choices we make now matter. Will we accept a world where discovery is manufactured, or will we find new ways to make our work seen, heard, and felt?

If you’re a creator, the path forward isn’t easy—but it’s possible. Own your presence. Diversify your playbook. Adapt to the tools, but don’t lose the human behind the content.

Because that messy, imperfect, delightful part? That’s still worth discovering.

And the best way to protect it—is to keep building it ourselves.

What Next?

If you found this post helpful, share it with a fellow creator. Then check out more insights on the evolving digital landscape in Bill’s Corner. Start with Own the Stage: Brand Media Strategy or Built to Stay: How Weixin Became China’s Most Popular App.

Let’s rebuild discovery—together.