Over the years of maintaining various blogs, both for myself and for clients, there is one inescapable truth. Google is a pain to deal with. So, does it make sense to still create a blog today despite Google suppressing the content?
The short answer is, yes.
But it isn’t the easiest thing in the world, despite what some YouTubers and bloggers claim, especially if most of your traffic is focused on coming from Google.
Keeping Up with the Algorithms
Throughout the entire year, Google will produce a number of algorithm changes. These are to help get the best high-quality, helpful, and optimized content to searchers.
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t exactly tell you what changes are made or how they will affect your website. Part of that is because if they did, there would be a number of people who would game the system.
Kind of like how back in the day, flooding your posts with a single keyword would get you to the top of the search results page. It was a practice that made the content look terrible, allowing people to get to the top despite having less-than-desirable material.
Although these changes are meant to help people find exactly what they’re looking for, they can also easily sink a website overnight.
The balance of dealing with an algorithm is exceptionally delicate. If for some reason Google doesn’t feel your content is helpful enough, you can lose most of your visitors from search in a matter of minutes.
That’s just one example of how a slight change to the algorithm can decimate traffic. Sometimes, you’ll have no idea why your site is being “shadow banned.”
As discouraging as this is, it’s not necessarily the end of the world. And I still believe it is worth the time and effort to build a blog, especially as an author or freelance writer.
Focus On Your Audience First!
While there is nothing wrong with researching how to get into Google’s good graces, it shouldn’t be your primary concern. It’s your target audience, followers, and subscribers on which you should focus.
Yes, it’s very difficult to make money from your blog without visitors from search results. However, your current audience and readers are the ones who are most interested in your content anyway.
For instance, as an author, you could keep people informed about the next book you’re writing. Or, you can blog about the writing process to keep them interested.
The bottom line is that you need to focus on giving your current readers what they want most. Sure, you can optimize the content in hopes Google will share it in search. But worry more about whether your followers will find the content worthwhile.
What I often do is think about some of my most ardent readers when I consider content. What would so-and-so like to read to help his or her journey?
You could also create a visitor persona to help you envision who it is you’re trying to reach.
Don’t Merely Focus on Google Search
Google isn’t the only game in town for sharing your content. It’s true that Google makes up more than 90% of search engine usage. However, you can still get your content out to interested parties.
A few ideas for sharing content include:
- Sharing posts on social media and building a following
- Forums that allow links for helpful content (such as Reddit)
- Guest blogging on other websites
- Sharing on video-based platforms such as YouTube
In fact, I gain more visitors from YouTube to this website than Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Threads combined. Video is a powerful tool for promoting yourself.
At the end of the day, there are a lot of different options to share your content. Get the word out and let people know what you have available.
Always Offer the Best Quality You Can
One of the best ways to get into Google’s good graces while keeping your current audience is to always prioritize quality work. Don’t skimp on the content and provide the best information you can while citing quality sources.
Of course, this is quite easy to do if you’re just creating a personal blog to share your experiences. I know several travel bloggers who have a huge following simply because they share images and information about the places they visit.
But if you’re an information-based blogger, such as I am with WriterSanctuary.com, it’s a bit more involved to provide high-quality content.
The deeper I go into any specific topic, the better – not only for Google but for my regular readers as well. So, I often spend a great deal of time researching and fine-tuning the posts to provide the best quality I can deliver.
Sometimes that means a post is short, sometimes that means I damn near write a full-length eBook. It’s all about the quality and earning a reputation among the readers.
Have Fun with Your Blog
Lastly, make sure you’re having fun as a blogger. For me, writing is very therapeutic and relaxing. Sure, Google’s algorithm changes stress me out sometimes. But I still find a great deal of enjoyment as a writer.
When you start worrying too much about traffic numbers from search or earning X amount of dollars per month from AdSense, it sucks the fun out of blogging. This is especially true when Google pulls the rug out from under you for seemingly no reason.
However, when you’re having fun with your blog and engaging your audience, it becomes more than just an outlet that could potentially make money. You start building a community of people who enjoy your content regardless of what Google thinks.
So, don’t fret if Google torpedoes the site. It’ll happen to the best of bloggers. Continue to have fun with the process and deliver the best content you can for those willing to spend time to read it.
Besides, you never know who is going to stumble across your blog. You could change someone’s life for the better or even get offered an amazing opportunity.
Yes, I’ve had both of these happen on more than one occasion with this blog.
Enjoy the process and have fun with your readers. Positivity can do a great deal of good for any website.
Build Your Blog for Them
I created this blog as a way to show my experiences as I took the first steps to becoming a successful freelance writer. It has morphed into a platform to help writers of all kinds, but the premise remains.
I focus on content that can help others learn and grow.
What is the purpose of your blog, or why are you considering one? For me, it’s all about helping people find their path as writers. And to some degree, I feel like I’ve done a good job over the years.
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