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
(h/t Adarsh Appaiah on LinkedIn)
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