What happens to marketing when clicks disappear?

In this episode of Fixing the Game, Luke sits down with Rand Fishkin (Co-founder of SparkToro, former Moz founder) to break down one of the biggest shifts in digital marketing: the move toward zero-click content, AI-driven search, and platform lock-in.

Rand challenges many of today’s assumptions about SEO, content, and AI and explains why most marketers are focusing on the wrong things.

🔥 Key takeaways from this episode:

• Zero-click is not new (and not caused by AI)
  Platforms like Google, Instagram, and LinkedIn have been reducing outbound traffic for years. AI is just the latest layer.
• Traffic is a vanity metric
  Less traffic doesn’t mean less revenue. Many companies see traffic down, revenue up—because users convert later, not earlier.
• Stop chasing clicks. Start building demand.
  The goal isn’t to drive traffic—it’s to ensure people search for you when they’re ready to buy.
• “Great content” is no longer a strategy
  Generic, high-quality content is now commoditized. AI can create it instantly.
  What works: original, opinionated, “spiky” content that stands out.
• Brand is the ultimate growth lever
  Recognition and trust make every channel more effective—especially sales and outbound.
• Focus on your audience, not the hype
  It doesn’t matter what ChatGPT or Google does globally.
  What matters: where your audience actually spends time.
• Distribution has changed
  Your website is no longer the main traffic driver—it’s your home base.
  Attention is won on platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, etc.
• Viral loops matter more than ever
  With traffic harder to get, your product and content must be shareable by design.
• Audience research is the foundation
  Understanding behaviors, preferences, and channels is more valuable than ever—for both product and marketing.
• Execution still beats theory
  Learn how platform algorithms work and adapt. That edge is just as powerful today as it was 20 years ago.

💡 One core idea to remember:

Marketing isn’t dying.
It’s going back to what it always was:

👉 Build a brand
👉 Earn attention
👉 Create demand
👉 Show up when it matters