Once upon a time — circa 2012 — I remember spending hours elbow-deep in keyword spreadsheets. I’d carefully craft titles like “Best Free Blogging Tools” and “Top Blogging Resources for Beginners.” And yes, it worked. Traffic flowed. Rankings climbed. Life was peachy.
But now?
You can rank number one for a term and still get no traffic. Nada. Zilch. Like throwing a party, sending all the invites, and feeling like Billy-no-mates when you're sitting there by yourself, wondering what the bloody hell happened.
The problem? Keywords don’t rule the roost anymore. Google’s moved on — and so should you.
Those Juicy Search Volumes Are Lying to You
Your keyword tool says there are 18,000 monthly searches for “social media tips for small business.” Brilliant, right?
Except… most of those searches never result in a click. For the last 6+ months Google answers them in the search results. Directly. No visit to your site. No engagement. No sale.
You’ve just written the perfect article — for Google’s AI to steal from. Lovely.
Intent Is the New Keyword
People no longer type “content strategy.” They say things like:
“How do I get more people to read my blog if I’ve only got 14 followers and no budget?”
That’s a real query from a client of mine. You won’t find that in your keyword tool — but it’s what people are actually thinking.
Search engines now look at what users want to achieve, not the specific words they use. This means your job is to solve problems, not chase phrases.
Keyword Cannibalisation? Not Much of a Thing Anymore
Remember when we panicked if two blog posts targeted similar keywords?
That’s old-school thinking. Google's clever enough now to figure out which page to serve based on the query’s intent, not just who said “best yoga mat for beginners” the most times.
You can write multiple helpful pieces around the same theme without stepping on your own toes.
Voice Search Isn’t About Keywords — It’s About Conversation
Kevin once asked at Alexa:
“Find me a takeaway that’s open, takes card, and delivers to Grays.”
Not quite “takeaway near me,” is it?
Voice search is messy, human, and not built around keyword phrases. If your content only focuses on tidy, tool-suggested keywords, you’re missing how people actually search.
Your SEO Tools Can’t See Brand Searches
Here’s something that might surprise you: your most valuable traffic doesn’t always come from keywords. It comes from people searching for you.
Branded searches — “Arrow Marketing Lab,” “Sarah Arrow blog training,” even “that SEO woman who rants about keyword tools” — don’t show up in research tools. But they convert like nothing else.
If you’re only creating content around generic terms like “email marketing for beginners,” you’re missing the people actively looking for you.
Competing with Google Itself? Good Luck With That
You optimise for “plumber in Essex.” Great.
Google shows:
– Ads
– A map pack
– Local service providers with reviews
– A “People Also Ask” box
– …and finally, your organic result. Somewhere near the bottom.
You're not just competing with other businesses — you’re fighting Google's own tools for space on the screen.
Personalised Search Kills “Position Tracking”
Your rank tracker says you’re position 2. But your client sees you on page 3.
Why?
Because search results are personal now. They vary based on:
– Location
– Search history
– Device
– Mood (OK, maybe not mood, but give it time)
So chasing keywords for vanity rankings doesn’t reflect what your audience actually sees.
Topical Authority > Keyword Stuffing
Instead of writing 15 articles for different keyword angles like:
– how to start a blog
– starting a blog in 2025
– blog launch tips
…just write a really good piece on blogging for beginners that actually helps someone get started.
Build topic clusters. Interlink them naturally. Show Google you know your stuff — like a mate who always has the best recommendations.
User Signals Matter More Than Keywords
If people bounce straight off your post, Google notices. If they stay, scroll, and explore, Google rewards that.
So a keyword-perfect page that’s dull and robotic won’t do well. Hello AI content, I'm talking about you. A helpful, human post that hits the reader’s needs? That’ll win the rankings race.
Social Search Has Changed the Rules Again
People aren’t just searching on Google anymore.
They search TikTok. They search YouTube. They search Instagram Reels for “how to clean oven racks without chemicals” and “SEO tips from people who aren’t annoying.”
So if your entire content strategy is based on what Google shows you in a spreadsheet, you’re ignoring where your audience actually spends time.
What Should You Do Instead?
– Understand the problem first. What’s your customer trying to do?
– Create genuinely helpful content. Not keyword-fluff. Real, useful advice.
– Structure your content well. Make it skimmable. Clear. Actionable.
– Answer questions fully. Even the awkward ones. Especially those.
– Focus on building your brand. Because branded searches convert best.
Final Thought (with a Hug)
Your job is not to manipulate Google with keywords.
Your job is to help people. Search engines are just middlemen.
So if your content doesn’t help someone do something better, faster, cheaper, or easier — no amount of keyword tweaking will save it.
Focus on being useful. Google will follow. Eventually.
Need help untangling this?
I’ve got tea. You’ve got questions. Let’s fix your content strategy without the keyword chaos.
Give me a call — no jargon, no spreadsheets, just proper results.
Sarah x
