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I used to run a content website many moons ago. No spammy articles, focused onto a single tech topic, a moderate amount of ads (Google), well researched article
by jgilias 6y ago
I used to run a content website many moons ago. No spammy articles, focused onto a single tech topic, a moderate amount of ads (Google), well researched articles. Then one day my organic Google traffic fell by some 80%. If I remember correctly it bounced around very wildly during the following months as Google updated their algorithms.
At the time I was very much not happy about it. Now I'm happy it happened before I had scaled it too far and come to depend on that income too much. It made me realize that it's not only my work that my income depended on, but the whims of a single giant company. And that that's a position I don't want to find myself later down the road.
It's a sad truth that any internet business that's not yet a strong brand in itself is reliant on Google and their AI in a very unhealthy way. I have no idea how to fix this.
- johnwdefeo 6y agoSorry to hear that. I've heard a saying that "rejection is protection," and the way that you rationalized your experience lends credence to that.
- jgilias 6y agoI was pretty salty at Google at that time. But in hindsight I'm really happy it panned out that way. I'm now in a lot more comfortable situation with respect to having much wider options of what I can do professionally than it would've been had I stayed on that course.
- acegopher 6y agoIt's not so much being a strong brand, but becoming known in a small niche that is key to avoid becoming reliant on Google. You only need to be reliant on Google if you don't know who your audience/niche is. Once you know that, you don't usually need Google to reach them.