AI Mode Slowed Google's Search Ad Growth. What Founders Should Do
Alphabet's Q3 search ad revenue grew 12% to $63.3 billion, but AI Mode monetises less and queries are three times longer. What founders should change.
Blog · Tag
#distribution
19 posts
One robots.txt Line Now Opts You Out of AI Training (Almost)
OpenAI, Google, Microsoft and Anthropic will honour one shared robots.txt token for AI training preferences. What the signal does and does not do.
Reddit Is Going Logged-In. Your Search Traffic Lesson
Reddit is moving to a logged-in experience as search referrals fall. What the shift means for founders who depend on search and community traffic.
Voice AI Is Consolidating Fast. Where Indie Builders Still Win
Deepgram bought the Pipecat team, Nvidia shipped a free transcription model and Granola added dictation. Where indie voice builders can still win.
The Agent Harness Is Now a Product. Should Indie Devs Rent One?
Microsoft is renting out the Copilot harness and Cursor shipped its Agent SDK. What that means for indie developers who build agents.
Apple Just Put MCP in Pages, Keynote and Numbers
Apple is adding MCP support to Keynote, Pages and Numbers, plus an open .keyx format. Here is the opportunity for indie makers and Mac utilities.
Google Is Selling Ads Inside AI Answers. Rethink Your Distribution
Google is scaling sponsored placements inside AI Mode to ten more countries and adding multi-turn ads. Here is what that means for bootstrapped distribution.
How to Run an LLM Locally (and When It Makes Business Sense)
Run a language model on your own hardware: pick a task, use llama.cpp, MLX, vLLM, Ollama or LM Studio, check the licence and benchmark before shipping.
How to Write an llms.txt File (With a Template for Founders)
An llms.txt file gives AI agents a short markdown map of your site. Here is the v2 format, a copyable template for a small SaaS and how to test it.
Hob's Show HN: The Local AI App Gap Big Labs Left Open
Hob is a free, MIT-licensed local AI desktop app that hit Hacker News. What its launch, its critics and its tooling gaps mean for indie AI founders.
Claude Duet Wants to Be Your Chief of Staff: What Is Left for Indie Apps?
Anthropic's Claude Duet is a proactive agent for email, calendar and business apps. Here is what it does, and where indie founders can still win.
How to Build in Public as a Bootstrapped Founder
Build in public without turning it into a full-time job: choose one home base, share decisions and evidence, protect customer data and measure useful replies.
How to Get Backlinks for a New Startup
Get backlinks for a new startup without buying links or spamming inboxes: create citable assets, target relevant pages, pitch specifically and track referrals.
How to Optimize for AI Search Answers (GEO)
Optimize for AI search answers with direct answers, clear headings, quotable definitions, sources, structured data and crawlable pages that machines can cite.
How to Submit Your Startup to Directories
Practical directory submission workflow for bootstrapped startups: qualify the list, build one accurate asset pack, track every form and maintain the listings.
How to Publish an npm Package: Setup, Trusted Publishing and Launch Steps
How to publish an npm package: account and 2FA, package.json, a dry run, trusted publishing from GitHub Actions, versions, deprecation and launch steps.
How to Sell Software Online: App Stores, Direct Sales and Licence Keys
How to sell software online as an indie maker: compare app stores and direct sales, fees, licence keys, signing, free tiers and refunds.
Free Startup Directories (2026): 22 Lists Ranked by Effort
22 free startup directories compared. Six accept products that meet their rules; 16 accept only launch platforms, directories, or developer resources.
How to Market a Vibe Coded App After You Ship
How to market a vibe coded app with clear positioning, proof, one repeatable distribution channel, useful content and activation-focused measurement.