Most people don’t fail to make it online because they don’t try.
They fail because they keep doing things that look sensible and don’t lead anywhere.
They post…add a few tools…set things up…
And then wonder why nothing changes.
What’s changing in 2026 isn’t the platforms. It’s how people decide whether to buy…and how quickly they lose patience when something feels unclear.
That’s the bit I’m interested in right now.
AI is more useful for judging ideas than creating content
If you’re mostly using AI to write, you’re missing where it helps most.
I use it to tell me when something isn’t going to work.
I’ll feed it a rough idea, a product description or a bit of buyer language and ask what would stop someone from buying. It’s very good at spotting weak logic early.
One place I sometimes pull buyer language from is a bit unexpected:
https://www.kaggle.com/datasets
Kaggle isn’t a marketing site. It’s a public library of raw datasets – app reviews, product feedback, customer complaints and support tickets.
In other words, people talking honestly at the moment something didn’t work the way they expected.
I don’t treat it like research. I dip in.
I’ll grab a small handful of reviews or complaints from a dataset related to my market, paste them into ChatGPT and ask one simple question:
What keeps tripping people up here?
Patterns show up quickly…
The same expectations, misunderstandings and “I thought this would…” moments.
That’s buying friction.
And once you can see that friction clearly, deciding what to create – or whether to create anything at all – gets much easier. You’re no longer guessing. You’re responding.
This is the kind of filtering I’ve been leaning on more and more lately, especially when deciding what’s worth backing, fixing or ignoring.
You don’t need long with this. Ten minutes Is more than enough. You’re aiming for awareness rather than depth.
Another place I turn to is…
You don’t need to understand the tech. Read the discussions. This is where half-finished ideas and unsolved problems show up first.
Used this way, AI saves time by killing bad ideas early.
Affiliate marketing works better when you help people narrow things down
Most beginners think affiliate marketing is about promotion.
In practice, it works better when you help someone choose.
That’s why comparison-style content still converts – especially when it’s calm and practical rather than hyped.
Some places where people are clearly deciding include:
TrustRadius reviews (mid-decision behaviour)
This is where people go when they’re past curiosity and into evaluation.
The reviews tend to be longer, more thoughtful and focused on trade-offs.
Look for:
- “I switched from…”
- “This was almost right but…”
- “What finally made me choose this was…”
That language tells you exactly what tipped the decision.
Gumroad product comments (real buyer expectations)
Scroll product pages and read the comments and reviews, especially on:
- Low-ticket tools
- Templates
- Short guides
These buyers are very similar to WarriorPlus buyers: practical, impatient and outcome-driven.
What they complain about, or praise, is often what makes or breaks a purchase.
YouTube comments on comparison videos (pre-purchase thinking)
Example search:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tool+review+vs
Don’t watch the video first.
Scroll straight to the comments.
You’ll see:
- People asking “Is this still worth it?”
- Buyers checking edge cases
- Hesitation right before purchase
This is decision-stage thinking in plain language.
Proof works in a different way
Big testimonials don’t have the same impact they used to.
What works better is something small and specific like a short explanation, a single result or a moment someone recognises.
If you want to see this without marketing gloss:
https://www.indiehackers.com/products
Skip the numbers and read the comments.
People explain what didn’t work and why. Those explanations often match buying objections exactly.
People don’t buy because they’re impressed. They buy because something feels safer than staying stuck.
Short-form video works when it clears up doubt
The short videos that lead to sales now aren’t about reach.
They work because they answer a question someone was already asking themselves.
If a video introduces a new idea, it usually gets ignored.
If it clears up uncertainty, it gets watched.
You can see the structure here:
Pay attention to how often videos start with hesitation or second thoughts.
Communities that convert tend to be quite calm
The communities that actually lead to sales aren’t loud or chaotic.
They help things make sense.
Two places where this shows clearly:
https://www.reddit.com/r/EntrepreneurRideAlong
People document decisions as they make them.
https://www.substack.com/search
Look at what people are willing to pay to read regularly. Those problems don’t go away.
People don’t stay where they feel inspired. They stay where things feel clearer.
What this all comes back to
In 2026, selling is less about persuasion and more about helping someone feel confident they’re not about to make the wrong choice.
Your TED talk this week is a good reminder that people don’t stall because they’re lazy – they stall because our brains are unreliable under uncertainty.
If there’s one change worth making this year, it’s this…
Stop trying to convince people.
Help them decide.
