Why the Internet Just Lost a Hidden Gem and We Will Miss It
When I read the words “Webwiki has been discontinued”, I felt like I’d just seen the “Game Over” screen on an old favorite. After almost 15 years online, Webwiki is officially closing its doors. For me—and for thousands of website owners—it feels like losing a quirky side quest that always made the internet feel more human.
I wrote a story about it on Medium. And I wanted to write a quick blog post here to inform our subscribers.
What Was Webwiki?
Webwiki wasn’t trying to be Google’s final boss. It started as a search engine project, then evolved into a review portal for websites. Think of it as the Yellow Pages of the internet, but with the charm of an indie game shop tucked away in the woods.
For small websites, blogs, and hobby projects, Webwiki offered something precious: visibility. If your site was buried on page 14 of Google, Webwiki gave you a chance to be discovered, reviewed, and shared. It was like stumbling upon a hidden chest in the middle of a massive open-world map.
Why Webwiki Was a Great Idea
- Website discovery made easy – It helped users find new sites outside the algorithm-driven bubble.
- Boost for small creators – Independent bloggers and niche communities could finally be seen.
- Digital word-of-mouth – Reviews gave sites credibility and a sense of community.
- Alternative to Google dominance – It reminded us the web was once about exploration, not just search results.
Why Is Webwiki Closing?
Running a review platform sounds fun, but in reality, it’s like being stuck in an endless boss fight. Webwiki explained the reasons clearly in their farewell message:
- The effort to moderate reviews and deal with complaints from site owners (and their lawyers!) grew too overwhelming.
- As an ad-financed platform, it just couldn’t cover costs anymore.
- The balance between passion and sustainability tipped too far.
In other words, the grind got too tough—and even the best guild can’t keep fighting forever.
The Nostalgia of Early Internet Discovery
What makes this shutdown sting is that it marks the end of an era. The internet used to feel like a vast open-world RPG, full of secret dungeons, random encounters, and weird treasures. Platforms like Webwiki were our maps to those hidden places.
Now, discovery is filtered through algorithms, trending hashtags, and AI-curated feeds. Sure, it’s efficient—but it’s not the same as stumbling upon a forgotten blog that makes you laugh, cry, or rethink something at 2 a.m.
Final Goodbye to Webwiki
So here’s my farewell: thank you, Webwiki. You made the internet a little smaller, a little kinder, and a lot more fun. You gave small websites a voice, and you gave explorers like me a chance to find them.
You may be gone, but you’ll always live on in the nostalgia of everyone who clicked their way through your digital halls.
Rest in peace, old friend—you deserved better loot.
Rest in peace, old friend. You deserved better loot.
Everything comes to end.
Recently we said Goodbye to Skype, as mentioned by Dr Yildiz. In 2023, I said goodbye to Omegla. And the saddest one for me was to say a farewell to my gaming friend and YouTuber Alex in 2022.
Thank you for reading my nostalgic stories.
Here is my latest story to brighten your day:
Finally, I Delivered the Narration of From Zero to Substack Hero Advanced Levels 4, 5, and 6 on…
But failed to announce this special bundle for over a week due to a hectic work schedule.medium.com
I share the scripts of my course for free on my author platform, on Medium, and on Substack, so you may check out these summaries to benefit from them:
Section 1: What is Substack and Why It Matters — Course Scripts
Section 5: The Importance of Editorial Excellence and Self-Editing for Growing Our Audience
Section 6: Maintaining Privacy on Substack to Prevent Undesirable Situations
Section 7: Using LinkedIn to Grow Your Substack Publications
Section 11: Integrating Blogging with Your Substack Publications for Audience Growth and More Income
Section 12: The Ultimate Guide to Substack Discounts and Founding Memberships
Section 13: Essential Principles for Freelance Writers Beyond Substack
Section 14: Adding Interactive Educational Programs to Your Substack Newsletters
Section 15: Integrating Substack with Patreon for Growth and Engagement
Section 18: How Substack Writers Can Leverage Reedsy to Become Published Authors
Section 19: 14 Powerful Tools and Strategies to Elevate Your Substack
Section 22: Why Advanced Substack Writers Must Be Leaders in Their Fields
Section 23: Establishing Your Author Platform for Lasting Success
Section 24: How to Capture Attention to Lead, Engage, & Inspire Your Audience on Substack & Beyond
I have already provided over 40% discounts on the three levels for September. I linked the vouchers below:
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 1
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 2
From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 3
For the Level 4–6 curriculum, we are offering an 85% launch discount for one month to beta students at the following link. From Zero to Substack Hero — Level 4, 5, & 6 Bundle [NEW]
Every enrollment comes with Udemy’s 30-day money-back guarantee, which means the risk is entirely on us.
We intend to make this a low-cost yet meaningful investment in your learning and professional growth.
Substack is one of the most creator-friendly platforms available today, and the skills you gain here will also serve you across other platforms like Medium, Patreon, Kit, Vocal Media, and future platforms we cannot yet foresee. Get your 85% discount via this beta learner’s voucher.
Members of the Substack Mastery Boost Pilot already have unlimited access to the videos of From Zero to Substack Hero via the Content Marketing Strategy Insights or my Technology, Gaming, Movies, and Social Media publications. We will add every update from Udemy to Substack as well.
It is so inspiring that our good editor/curator Dr Mike Broadly, DHSc completed the course as the first student and got his certificate. He also wrote a story about it. I linked it for you:
My Weekend Achievement: I Got My Certificate for the Advanced Version of From Zero to Substack…
Why the Risk-Free Advanced Course “From Zero to Substack Hero” Matters from the Experience of the First Graduate to…medium.com
Thanks to Dr Albert Jones and Dr Ashish Juneja, PhD for living positive five- star reviews on it. I am very grateful for their support.
My next project is to narrate the Patreon Mastery for a Udemy course. Stay tuned! It will be a lot of fun as I gained some experience while preparing this massive course with 50+ videos.
If you are a new reader, check out some of my most loved stories from different topics in my writing collection on this platform.
Gaming, Fun, and Humor: The Lifelines That Rescued Me From Social Media’s Grip on My Life
AI Can Now Create Photorealistic Videos From Just a Text Prompt
Finding Comfort in Blocks: How Minecraft Eased My First Time Loneliness and Intense Grief at 17
Get an email whenever Aiden (Illumination Gaming) publishes.
Technology, Gaming, Movies, and Social Media | Aiden MC | Substack
This newsletter is to inform and inspire my readers. Click to read Technology, Gaming, Movies, and Social Media, by…aidenmc.substack.com
You can find many stories like this on ILLUMINATION-Gaming. If you are a writer, you are welcome to join us by sending your Medium Id via our writer registration portal here. I will soon share gaming stories in the external site of ILLUMINATION Gaming.
I created the Illumination Gaming network to support game developers, designers, and players. I joined the Substack Mastery Program as a founding member and turned the Substack Mastery Book into a Udemy Course called From Zero to Substack Hero. Recently, I have started curating stories at our new external site Illumination-curated.com, which will be the curation hub for our ILLUMINATION publications and Digitalmehmet Content Ecosystem subscribers. You can apply via our writer registration portal. You are also welcome to join our Patreon network, the Medium support portal, the sponsorship portal, and the ILLUMINATION Scholar network.
Here are some books written by Dr Mehmet Yildiz, my mentor, I read which you might find helpful too: Substack Mastery Version 2, A Powerful Toolkit for Substack Newsletter Mastery, Smart and Ethical SEO, Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life, Modern Affiliate Marketing for Writers, Smart Email Marketing Content Integration, 4 Pillars of Enterprise Architecture, The Mysterious Leadership Mind of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Agile Business Architecture for Digital Transformation (Audiobook), Monetize Your Passion with WooCommerce, Agile Business Architecture for Digital Transformation V2 and, Cortisol Clarity.
Thank you for subscribing to my new Udemy publication on Medium:
From Zero to Substack Hero
Education for freelance writing and marketing. Inquiries: https://digitalmehmet.com/contact/ Subscription…medium.com
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