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The internet is changing, and not necessarily for the better. Reddit is preparing to put more of its content behind a login wall. Meanwhile, two new studies reveal something surprising about the midterm elections. Americans are increasingly turning to content creators for election information, but very few are asking AI chatbots. Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose discuss what these changes mean for marketers, publishers, creators, and anyone trying to build an audience they can actually reach.
Creators Are Winning the News Battle
Nearly two-thirds of American adults say they get information about the 2026 midterms from online creators, while just 8% report using AI chatbots for election information. Joe and Robert examine what this means for traditional news organizations, the creator economy, and the future of audience trust.
Reddit Is Closing the Doors
Reddit plans to experiment with requiring users to log in as Google search referrals decline. More than one million weekly search referrals have disappeared, and Reddit's CEO is questioning whether AI-powered search delivers traffic to anyone. Is this the beginning of the end for the open web?
Robert's Loser: Instagram's Creator Payment Strategy
Instagram is reportedly offering select YouTube creators as much as $500,000 to bring long-form videos to its platform. Meanwhile, Instagram leadership maintains that broadly paying creators doesn't deliver a positive return. Robert examines the contradiction between attracting established stars and creating a sustainable business model for everyday creators.
Joe's Winner: Prof G Turns Election Coverage Into a Subscription Opportunity
Scott Galloway and the Prof G team are offering five days of free live election coverage, along with a special 26% discount on Prof G+ subscriptions. Joe explains why this is a smart example of connecting timely content, community, and a paid subscription business.
Robert's Rant: Where Are All the AI Shopping Agents?
DoorDash reports receiving only several hundred orders through third-party AI agents, despite handling millions of deliveries each day. Is agentic commerce the next great shopping revolution, or are marketers confusing future potential with present reality?
Joe's Rave: Denmark's Message to America
A Facebook page called Denmark has attracted attention with its humorous, pointed message to American voters about democracy and the importance of participating in elections. Joe discusses the power of personality, humor, and a distinctive point of view to communicate something meaningful.
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Main Stories
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Creators Become a Major Source of Midterm Election Information
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Pew Research: Few Americans Use AI Chatbots for Election Information
Winners and Losers
Rants and Raves
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Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/
Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/
Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.thetilt.com/join-tilt-newsletter
Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/
Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/
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This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork
