Email Over Social, Licensing Over Free Content: The PPA Conference Playbook - Overview of the PPA Independent Publisher Conference, 21 November 2025

AI is eating publisher traffic, but companies like Goalhanger, Condé Nast and Black Business Magazine are thriving anyway. Here's what they're doing differently

AI-driven search traffic is down sharply, with publishers losing up to 30% of their audience to AI tools. While Goalhanger built a 40-million-member community, Condé Nast receives more email than social traffic, and Black Business Magazine now relies on partnerships rather than ads. The conference message: AI poses a threat to traffic, but publishers can adapt with new strategies.

Read time - 10 minutes

Goalhanger: We Don’t Chase Headlines

Jack Davenport, Co-founder of the podcast company, Goalhanger and Tracy De Groose, CEO at William Reed opened by critiquing digital media’s focus on algorithms, superficial content, and uniformity. Goalhanger’s success stems from rejecting these trends and building a podcast network based on distinct values.

Goalhanger does not chase sensational headlines; instead, it focuses on shaping the overall narrative. The team crafts compelling stories designed to keep audiences engaged and invested. By building anticipation and maintaining engagement, they cre…