How AI Is Destroying the Lives of Creators (Including Us)

Summary

Justin and Jess, full-time travel content creators, discuss the challenges they've faced due to recent changes in Google's algorithm, which has drastically cut their website traffic and income by up to 70%. Their blog relied on SEO, but new updates and the rise of AI-generated content are impacting their revenue. Despite the setbacks, they emphasize the importance of adaptability and diversification, now focusing more on social media, YouTube, and building a community. They share their struggles while remaining hopeful about finding new ways to succeed in the evolving content creation landscape.

Takeaways

• 📉 The Google algorithm change has significantly impacted the couple's income, reducing it by 60-70%.
• 🚫 They express concern over AI scraping content and copyright infringement, viewing it as unfair.
• 🌐 Their primary source of income was their travel blog, which relied heavily on Google traffic.
• 🔍 They utilized SEO strategies to drive traffic to their blog, aiming for top search results.
• 💸 Their revenue came from ads and affiliate links, with no paywall for their content.
• ❄️ A recent winter storm prompted a move inside, highlighting the couple's nomadic lifestyle.
• 📈 They experienced growth in their website traffic until recent algorithm changes.
• 🤖 The introduction of AI-generated results by Google, such as Google Gemini, has diverted traffic away from their blog.
• 📊 They foresee a decline in the quality of online content as reputable bloggers are forced to leave the industry due to financial pressures.
• 🌐 They acknowledge the need to diversify their income streams beyond reliance on Google's SEO.
• 💪 Despite the challenges, they remain committed to adapting and growing their brand across various platforms.

Q & A

What caused the drop in traffic for Justin and Jess's travel blog?

The drop in traffic was primarily caused by Google's core algorithm updates, which negatively impacted SEO rankings for their blog. Additionally, the rise of AI-generated content in Google search results has reduced the need for users to visit individual blogs.

How did Justin and Jess make money from their blog before the traffic drop?

They made money primarily through ads and affiliate revenue. Ads generated income each time a visitor scrolled past them, and they earned commissions from affiliate links when readers purchased products or services they recommended.

What are Google’s core updates, and how do they affect bloggers?

Google's core updates are major changes to the search engine's algorithm, which determine how content is ranked. These updates can hurt blogs by lowering their visibility in search results, thus reducing traffic and income.

Why is the rise of AI-generated search results problematic for content creators like Justin and Jess?

AI-generated search results provide users with quick answers without needing to visit blogs or websites, which reduces traffic to content creators' pages. This harms their ad revenue and affiliate link clicks.

How has the decline in their blog traffic affected Justin and Jess emotionally?

The decline in traffic has been emotionally tough for them, especially for Justin, who expressed pride in their business. He admitted struggling with the situation and even felt like crying during the video.

What steps have Justin and Jess taken to adapt to these changes?

They have started diversifying their content by focusing more on social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. They are creating videos and engaging with their community to grow their audience beyond SEO-reliant traffic.

Why do Justin and Jess feel partially responsible for their current situation?

They feel responsible because they relied too heavily on SEO for generating income and didn’t diversify their revenue streams sooner. They now acknowledge that putting all their eggs in one basket was a mistake.

What other factors besides algorithm changes have impacted their blog's revenue?

Other factors include the shift in user preferences toward video content and the removal of cookies by Google, which will make ads less targeted and thus less valuable for advertisers.

What advice do Justin and Jess have for aspiring content creators?

Their main advice is to diversify income sources and not rely on a single platform or strategy, like SEO. They also stress the importance of building a brand and being adaptable to changes in the content creation landscape.

How have Justin and Jess adjusted their business goals in response to the traffic drop?

They are now focused on building community through social media and creating more video content. They aim to diversify their income streams and engage more directly with their audience to mitigate future risks.