Google’s recent algorithm updates have had a devastating impact on independent content creators like retrododo.com, reducing their organic traffic and revenue by a staggering 85% and pushing the business to the brink of collapse.
These changes seem to go against Google’s own guidelines, which claim to prioritize helpful content, reduce spam, and make search results fairer for websites of all sizes.
Instead, Google’s search results now favor their own “From Sources” answers (taken without consent from publishers’ content), sponsored ads that bend content quality guidelines, and Reddit results (even for search terms seeking expert advice).
This shift comes suspiciously close to Google’s $60M partnership with Reddit to train their AI and Reddit’s IPO launch.
Moreover, just 16 media companies owning 400+ websites receive over 3.8 billion clicks a month from Google, leaving little room for smaller websites to compete, even if they produce better content.
These large websites can bend the rules, copy original content from small publishers, and still outrank them.
Google is also paying some media companies to use AI to scrape content from other publishers’ work, despite excessive AI use being against their guidelines for other creators.
The upcoming Google Search Generative Experience, which will provide 100% AI-generated answers with little credit to the scraped sources, and the impending end of third-party cookies further threaten content creators’ livelihoods.
The most frustrating aspect is Google’s lack of transparency and guidance for affected publishers.
They provide vague answers and advice that contradicts what appears in the search results, making it impossible for creators to know how to recover.
As a result of these challenges, sites will have to reduce staff, postpone projects, and drastically cut content output to survive.
The founders now seek to find traffic and revenue streams away from Google, as relying on the search engine is no longer a viable option.
To support independent publications, readers can become Patreon members, purchase their books, and continue engaging with their content.
Despite the difficulties posed by Google’s actions, Retro Dodo remains committed to championing retro gaming and adapting to the changing landscape of online publishing.
Which is better?
A or B?
,
Seems like Metacritic, IGN, GamesRadar & Reddit have taken over, says Ilias Ism.
They have more “brand”, more writers, more reviews, original videos, interviews, etc…
Will be very tough unless you become a huge brand.
I hate to say it, but if I was doing research on what PSP game to play.
I would check metacritic first because it has “independent” reviews of many different sources.
Then I would google “best PSP games reddit” to see the opinions.
Links from 2.7M domains with DR0-9 probably didn’t help them.
Probably, search intent has something to do with it.
