For years, search has been a dependable source of discovery for publishers. But that foundation is shifting. In my conversation with Andrew Buckman of Publisher Collective, we discussed what publishers can do as traditional search referrals decline and more people turn to generative tools for answers.
Andrew described the change as an existential challenge. Some publishers are seeing new search referral traffic fall by 30% to 40% a year. His advice: treat search as a bonus, not the business model. Publishers need to build direct relationships with their audiences, through newsletters, apps, logged-in communities and strong brands that readers seek out themselves.
That means investing in more than distribution. Publishers also need distinctive content: original reporting, live coverage, video and a trusted editorial voice. The goal is to create experiences that are valuable to readers and harder for AI systems to simply summarize.
Make content easier for advertisers to value
Audience relationships also matter commercially. I noted that privacy-compliant hashed or anonymized identity signals can potentially improve ad yield. Andrew emphasized another essential building block: structured, consistent content taxonomies. When publishers clearly categorize their content, advertisers can find relevant inventory, understand its context and make informed buying decisions.
Data can help publishers understand what topics attract attention and advertiser demand, Andrew said, but it should inform editorial decisions, not dictate them. If advertising data drives commissioning to the point that journalism feels like advertorial, publishers risk undermining the trust that makes their content valuable in the first place.
Relevance beats ad clutter
Trust is central to effective monetization. Relevant ads can help advertisers meet their goals, encouraging stronger bids for future impressions. Publishers can earn more per impression without filling pages with more ads, while readers see fewer irrelevant interruptions. As Andrew put it, “everyone gains from relevance, but everyone loses from clutter.”
Relevance doesn’t have to mean hyper-personalization. Andrew argued for prioritizing content, context and intent before individual-level targeting. Contextual advertising can scale more easily, while excessive personalization may feel invasive and can be constrained by privacy rules. Brand advertisers may favor consistent messaging at scale; performance marketers may benefit more from dynamic creative. The right balance depends on the campaign and environment.
Measure attention, not just clicks
We also discussed how to measure advertising in engaging settings such as gaming and entertainment. Click-through rate may miss the point: an immersed audience might click less while still paying attention. Viewability, time in view, video completion, attention measures and brand recall can offer a fuller picture.
Formats such as rewarded ads can work particularly well in games, where the exchange of attention for an in-game benefit feels natural. In other environments, that value exchange may be harder to establish consistently.
Prepare for more interactive content
The boundary between passive viewing and interactive entertainment is blurring. Games are social spaces, while shows and other content are experimenting with participation. AI could accelerate the shift by adapting content in real time, but it also raises difficult questions about measurement and brand safety when an ad appears beside content generated moments earlier.
Three priorities for publishers
Andrew’s recommendations came down to three priorities: make the supply path transparent, obtain proper consent for first-party data, and collaborate to achieve scale. Independent publishers may be better positioned to compete when they share access to technology, expertise and demand.
Search still matters, but it is no longer enough to build a sustainable publishing business around it. The opportunity is to pair trusted content and direct audience relationships with relevant advertising, clear data practices and partnerships that help quality inventory reach the right buyers.
Discussion points include
- Reducing publishers’ dependence on search referrals
- Building direct audience relationships and distinctive content
- Using taxonomies and contextual signals to support monetization
- Keeping data influential, but not in control of editorial decisions
- Balancing personalization with privacy and scale
- Measuring attention and brand impact beyond clicks
- Preparing for interactive and AI-generated content
- Improving supply transparency, consent and publisher collaboration