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Google just made a subtle but massive change
Last month, Google quietly removed the num=100 search parameter.
This means you can no longer view 100 results at once. The default max is now 10.
Why does this matter?
Most LLMs (OpenAI, Perplexity, etc.) rely (directly or indirectly) on Google’s indexed results, alongside their own crawlers.
Overnight, their access to the “long tail” of the internet was cut by 90%.
The fallout:
According to Search Engine Land, 88% of sites saw a drop in impressions.
Reddit, which often ranks in positions 11–100, saw its LLM citations plummet. Its stock dropped 15%.
For startups, this is brutal. Visibility just got harder. Reddit as part of AEO just changed entirely.
It’s no longer enough to build a great product you need to crack distribution first. Because if people can’t discover you, they’ll never get to evaluate you.
Most engineers seem to always neglect this reality, but a mediocre product with great distribution will always beat a great product with mediocre distribution.
As Peter Thiel says:
“Most businesses get zero distribution channels to work: poor sales rather than bad product is the most common cause of failure. If you can get just one distribution channel to work, you have a great business. If you try for several but don’t nail one, you’re finished.
Superior sales and distribution by itself can create a monopoly, even with no product differentiation. The converse is not true. No matter how strong your product — even if it easily fits into already established habits and anybody who tries it likes it immediately — you must still support it with a strong distribution plan."
Distribution > Product