On this episode of The Media Copilot, host Pete Pachal sits down with Marc McCollum, Chief Growth Officer at Raptive, to map the new reality for independent creators and enterprise publishers. Raptive powers 6,000+ creator businesses and 200 enterprise publishers across the open web with a simple promise: you make great content; we help you grow and monetize it.
Marc doesn’t mince words about AI’s impact. Google’s AI Overviews are siphoning traffic, and Big Tech’s priorities rarely align with those of publishers. Still, he’s surprisingly optimistic. Why? Because the creators who own their dot-coms, nurture direct audiences, and partner with revenue-aligned platforms are the ones still winning. His short-term playbook is clear: move beyond SEO-dependent affiliate models, experiment with licensing and attribution deals, and take Google Discover seriously as a growth channel.
Why This Matters Now
Search is changing fast and not in your favor. As AI-generated answers take over, fewer clicks are making it back to publisher sites. For creators who’ve built their business on SEO and affiliate revenue, the dip in traffic isn’t just frustrating, it’s a flashing warning sign. Now’s the time to rethink your income mix before a decline becomes a drop-off.
The best defense? Own your foundation. Your website and email list are the only channels you truly control. Everything else like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, even Substack, is rented space where the rules can change overnight. Build from your dot-com and inbox first. Then, use platforms to amplify, not define your business.
Choose partners who grow when you grow. Raptive’s revenue-sharing model, 30-day opt-out, and 99% retention rate reflect a deeper truth: creators keep their IP, and both sides succeed only when the creator thrives. That kind of alignment isn’t just smart, it’s essential in a landscape this volatile.
And despite the disruption, there’s still room to win. Some categories are proving resilient like food and recipe creators, in particular, are holding steady. Meanwhile, high-volume verticals like news, tech, gaming, and entertainment are finding new momentum through Google Discover. The lesson? Double down where you’re strong, shore up where you’re vulnerable, and keep your growth engine pointed at what you own.
What We Cover
Creator vs. Enterprise, Defined
Creators and publishers may look different…one’s a team of one, the other reaches millions but they share the same goal: grow an audience and keep the business running. Raptive helps both do just that, tailored to their scale.
Own Your Base
Websites and email lists are your only true assets. Platforms help amplify, but they can’t be trusted with ownership. Build from your own ground up.
AI’s Traffic Shock
AI is cutting into search traffic by summarizing content without paying for it. Raptive says it plainly: creators deserve compensation, not scraping.
Monetize Smarter
One income stream won’t cut it. Diversify with ads, subscriptions, partnerships, and more. The future belongs to the flexible.
Early-Stage Solutions
Startups like ProRata and TollBit are exploring new ways to protect and monetize content in the AI era—but they’ll need scale and industry buy-in to deliver real value.
Discover Is a Bright Spot
Google Discover is helping offset some SEO losses. It’s not perfect, but creators who lean in with great visuals and timely content are seeing wins.
In Closing
The open web is at a turning point. AI is reshaping how audiences discover content, platforms are tightening their grip, and creators are being asked to do more with less visibility. But as Marc McCollum reminds us, this isn’t the end of digital publishing…it’s the beginning of a new chapter.
The future belongs to those who evolve without giving up control. Whether you’re a solo creator with a tight-knit newsletter following or a large publisher managing multiple channels, the goal remains the same: own your story, own your audience, and make every click count.
Raptive’s stance is clear: there’s still plenty of room to grow but only if you know where you stand and build from there. In a fragmented, AI-driven landscape, trust and ownership are still your greatest assets. The creators who hold their ground now will be the ones defining what comes next.
GUEST:
Marc McCollum — Chief Growth Officer, Raptive
🔗 raptive.com | LinkedIn
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🎧 Produced by Pete Pachal and Executive Producer Michele Musso
🎬 Edited by the Musso Media Team
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🎵 Music: “Favorite” by Alexander Nakarada, licensed under CC BY 4.0
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