Search behaviour is changing shape
More buyers begin in a search box that summarises answers rather than listing links. Content that answers a question directly and cites something real is what gets surfaced.
Delivery expectations have hardened
Speed matters less than accuracy. Customers accept five days; they do not accept an unexplained five days.
Owned audiences are back
Email lists and community spaces outperform rented reach on platforms that keep changing their distribution.
Costs have moved
Advertising is more expensive and less predictable. Content, referrals and repeat purchase are absorbing that budget for most independent sellers.