Hi Reader,

What are half of searchers doing after typing a term into Google?

NOTHING.

That’s according to a joint study by SEO companies SparkToro and Datos.

Enter the world of zero-click search, where Google serves up content scraped from people’s sites and slaps it in front of readers without sending traffic in return.

And get this:

30% of searchers who click are going to another Google-owned property, such as YouTube, Google Images, or Google News.

As somebody who built a writing business on the back of Google search traffic, I wasn’t surprised by the study.

Google has spent years taking away traffic from bloggers, content publishers, and website owners.

(Ask anyone who created a Google Authorship profile a few years ago.)

Now, with ChatGPT and Bing snapping at Google’s heels, Google is keeping even more traffic for itself.

Google makes noises about supporting creators, but be under no illusions.

Many bloggers, creators, and content publishers are quitting because of what’s happening with the search algo.

I could get angry…

But I prefer pragmatism.

Last time I checked, Google’s share price hit an all-time high.

So don’t expect major changes in our favor any time soon.

But Google doesn’t owe any blogger or content publisher ANY traffic.

If you’re playing the SEO game, then accept Google’s rules.

Or play a different game.

Building a writing business that depends on ONE traffic source is a gamble.

Ask anyone who built a Facebook page in 2014–15 only to watch their reach plummet because Zuck wanted business owners to pony up for ads.

So, what should you do instead?

Write on earned AND owned platforms.

You can build a large audience by writing on an earned platform.

Write SEO articles for Google, create reels for Insta, share insights on LinkedIn, publish viral X posts, and blog on Medium.

Excel at one or two of these platforms, and you’ll grow an audience of happy readers.

But…

The algos on an earned platform change all the time.

Many creators have been complaining lately about declining organic reach on Instagram.

Enter an owned platform.

It’s one you control, like your email list. You can write directly to your readers about what you like.

And you can sell your products and services.

Now…

I still rely on traffic from Google for my writing business, but I’ve also diversified.

I’m building up a following by writing on LinkedIn and publishing on YouTube.

I picked these platforms because that’s where my ideal readers spend their time.

I also enjoy creating content for LinkedIn and YouTube.

I write and publish on these earned platforms with one goal: to ask readers to join my email list.

There, I don’t have to worry about tweaks Google engineers make to the algo.

I’m launching a private affordable community for writers. It’s not for everyone, but if you’d like to join, reply to this email.

Write on,
Bryan Collins