• Admin
• May 23, 2025
• Online Presence

The Bitter Truth About Blogging (And What We Can Still Do About It)

I didn’t want to write this.

Partly because it sounds like a rant, and partly because I hoped I was wrong. But after months of watching many blogs traffic dip despite writing better, researching more, and publishing consistently—I need to say it out loud.

Organic traffic is dying.

And if you’re a blogger who built your platform around search engines like Google, this one’s going to hit home.

Google Isn’t Playing Fair Anymore

Let’s break it down simply.

For years, Google was our best friend. You wrote a helpful article, optimized it for SEO, and if you did everything right (and had some patience), people would eventually find you.

Now? Google’s new AI overview feature is giving away the whole answer right there on the results page.

No click. No visit.
No chance for someone to discover your blog and become a regular reader.

It’s like spending a week making a delicious meal, only for someone else to serve a microwaved version of it at the door—and your guests never even step inside.

They Want to Be the Destination, Not the Bridge

Google used to be a search engine. Now it wants to be the final stop.

The problem? Most of us built blogs expecting Google to send people to us. But today, it’s more like a greedy gatekeeper, keeping the traffic for itself. Especially if your content is informational—explainers, guides, listicles—you’ve probably already seen the dip.

People don’t need to read your article about the importance of financial education anymore when Google's AI gives them a summary. They don’t need your blog post about the top 10 richest people in Ghana when the AI gives them a bullet-point list and calls it a day.

And here’s the kicker: Google is doing this because it's scared of ChatGPT. But in its rush to compete, it’s stepping all over small creators like you and me.

What Does This Mean for Bloggers?

Let me be clear: blogging isn’t dead. But passively waiting for Google to save us is.

This is where we need to adapt—and fast.

Here’s what I’ve started doing (and what I recommend if you’re trying to keep your blog alive in this AI-first world):

1. Build an Email List Like Your Life Depends on It

Because it kind of does.
Google can ghost you overnight, but an email list is yours. If someone gives you their email, that’s a relationship no AI snippet can take away.

2. Write What AI Can’t

Your voice, your stories, your mess-ups, your wins—that’s the kind of content that hits different. AI can summarize a topic, but it can’t replicate your experience. So lean into that.

3. Create for People, Not Just Keywords

Yes, SEO still matters, but it can’t be your entire strategy anymore. Start creating with your actual readers in mind. Think: Would you want to read this if it popped up on your feed?

4. Diversify Where You Show Up

Email, Telegram, YouTube Shorts, podcasts—find new lanes where your content can live and grow. Don't bet your whole blog on Google's mood swings.

5. Focus on Trust, Not Just Traffic

If people trust you, they’ll come back. They’ll subscribe. They’ll share your stuff. Focus on building a community, not just racking up clicks.

Final Thoughts

The truth is, we’re in the middle of a big shift. The old rules of blogging are breaking. But here’s the good news: we’re still here.

We still have our voices, our stories, our skills—and a world full of people who need what we have to say. AI might win the first click, but it can’t replace connection, trust, or humanity.

So yeah, maybe organic traffic is dead.
But creative, resilient bloggers?

We’re just getting started.