Today, I decided to research a topic that’s been on my mind for a while: how to build and maintain stable website traffic despite the massive Google AI search impact on modern websites. Google can introduce a new ranking logic almost every day. In fact, as of the date this article is published, something I read on X really shocked me. According to the person who shared it, the traffic of a site making even $250k a month can suddenly drop. At the same time, thanks to some analytics sites, I saw that the traffic of even massive news and article sites plummeted from numbers like 50-60 million down to 4-5 million in less than a year.
Seeing a service that people have built with long-term effort come to this point in an instant actually tells us that we need to pay attention to a few things.
Is It Real Information or Manipulation?
There are actually two types of trash I want to talk about here. You’ve definitely seen them around; nowadays people use phrases like “AI slop” for certain contents, or actually most of them now. Meaning, garbage content generated by AI. Yes, this actually supports the dead internet theory that has been around for a long time; basically, a self-generated pile of trash.
Garbage Created by Human Hands
However, just as I support Google ending these types of content, I am also in favor of the garbage produced by humans being wiped out by these new algorithm updates. So what are these? We live in a society sick and tired of the headlines thrown around by newspaper companies for clicks and SEO purposes, and the content they create. They’ve reached such a level that they want you to read an encyclopedia-sized text just to find out which broadcasting network is showing a football match. And if they actually have any information related to the headline, they just squeeze it in somewhere in between. Sometimes they don’t even have the information at all. There is even an official name for this: Clickbait.
In today’s world, these also create an incredible amount of internet trash. Because of this, I support Google accelerating and cleaning up this garbage lately.
How to Retain Memorability and Real Traffic?
If you are a writer and reading this article, I recommend two things to you. The first one is; don’t try to fool Google and the reader, because you can only fool them both once.
I mentioned above that a 90% crash in a global giant site’s traffic is a serious drama. But there is a situation here. I’m not claiming that these sites used clickbait. But I think the main reason for the drop in their traffic is not specializing in any subject. If you plan to appeal to the whole world, it might be more logical to go buy a TV channel; even then, this model wouldn’t work. Having your own audience and your own field gives you two things.
The Power of a Niche Audience
First, it gives you a niche audience. If you have an audience that shares the same views and thoughts as you, these people will follow you more closely, even add you to their bookmarks, and definitely visit your site from time to time. This alone will provide you with regular traffic. Secondly, even a power like Google, which has a 90% market share in the industry, cannot finish you off with any update it makes or will make. Because you have already formed a loyal, niche, and high-quality audience.
The Recently Introduced AI Search Feature
I have a lot of mixed thoughts on this, but I’m having a hard time putting it into a clear perspective. First of all, with Google’s AI search feature, people have started receiving a much more comfortable and clean service. However, there is a question stuck in my mind, which is that no one will provide a service for free. Google and the users have two interests. One is making money by showing ads, and the other is receiving service thinking it’s free. But in this AI search, you could say Google hardly shows any ads. Because sites cannot show ads, their revenues drop, and because companies cannot show ads, they might not want to advertise. As a result, Google’s profit margins might drop too.
Leaving the money Google makes aside, if we ask what we content creators will do, I think the answer is once again building a loyal, niche audience. Like I said, if you do this, since your audience will visit your site occasionally, situations like AI search or offering summarized information won’t affect you. And I can clearly say that the chances of someone who is just looking for raw information, who only wants to solve a problem on a single topic, adding your page to their bookmarks or joining your core audience are very low anyway.
What Does Google Say About This?
Google stands in a position that supports what I’ve been explaining. It looks at whether the posts we make provide clear information to the user, rather than aiming to manipulate the algorithm. It suggests we support our content by asking questions like, “Is this supported by documents like analysis and reports?”, “Can the user clearly find what they are looking for?”
Another issue is, just as I told you, Google also suggests choosing a niche. Because if you are only writing about a keyword or a highly searched topic, its traffic might be temporary. That’s why your traffic that explodes one month can hit rock bottom the next. Quality growth is always better than instability.
Why Are E-E-A-T Criteria Important?
Finally, I want to point out that when Google looks at a piece of content, it uses a system it calls E-E-A-T. What are these? Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. The easiest area where we can meet these requirements will, of course, be our own niche area again.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you want to reach a position in the internet world and at the same time protect this position more solidly, it is best to be in a field that you seriously care about. Because everyone wants the best in every sense and strives for it.
If you provide a quality service to people and provide this regularly, you will naturally grow in terms of audience anyway, because everyone loves quality.
In terms of reliability, I end my article by stating that I got the above information through Google Search Central, and I also wanted to offer a good reading experience by adding my own comments.
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