Let’s have a little heart-to-heart.
You’ve put in the graft. You’ve published pillar posts, evergreen guides, and cracking how-tos. You’re not churning out fluff — you’re giving real value. But somehow… traffic’s going the way of the dodo.
And I get it. You were told: “Create epic content and they will come.”
Spoiler: they came. But then they stopped clicking.
Welcome to content marketing in 2025 — where being brilliant is no longer enough.
What’s Actually Going On?
Remember when a solid 2,000-word blog post could rocket you to page one of Google and bring in leads like clockwork? Those were the halcyon days. But let’s fast forward.
Today, your lovingly crafted blog post competes with:
AI summaries Google plonks at the top of search results
Featured snippets that give away the answer without a single click
Videos chopped into ‘key moments’ shown before your title gets a glance
Podcast transcripts condensed into bullet points by clever bots
It’s not that your content isn’t good. It’s that Google and other platforms are spoon-feeding the highlights to users — so they rarely need to visit your site.
Real Talk: More Content ≠ More Traffic
Let me give you an example.
One of my clients was publishing three blog posts a week — all keyword-rich, all valuable, all spot on. Meanwhile, a competitor posted just once a month.
Guess who got more traffic?
Yep, the once-a-monther. Because their post was strategically placed, shared across channels, and hit the right note for the audience. They didn’t win because they wrote more. They won because they made it easier to be found, remembered, and engaged with.
💡 Tip: Stop focusing solely on publishing frequency. Start focusing on how your content will travel.
Content Is the Cake — Not the Whole Party
We’ve glamorised the phrase “content is king” for too long. Content’s important, sure — but now, it’s the minimum requirement. Like turning up with a cake to a street party. Lovely gesture, but everyone’s brought cake. What else have you got?
Let’s break this down:
Then Now
Content quality = traffic Distribution strategy = visibility
More words = better SEO Better answers = better user engagement
Keyword rankings = success Audience journeys = success
Don’t Be Google’s Free Content Farm
Let’s be blunt: Google is quite happy to gobble up your content, slice it into snackable AI insights, and feed it to users without ever sending them your way.
You research. You write. You share insight.
Google turns it into:
“According to a marketing expert…” and moves on.
It’s like writing a book and watching someone read only the blurb aloud — and still get the applause.
So What’s the Solution?
I’m not going to leave you hanging. Here’s what actually works right now:
1. Distribute Like You Mean It
Don’t just post it and pray. Share your content:
In your email newsletters
On LinkedIn with commentary and opinion
As mini-posts or carousels on Instagram
As part of a lead magnet in your welcome sequence
As “free value” in someone else's Facebook group (with permission!)
🔥 Example: I repurposed a blog on AI and willpower into a podcast episode, LinkedIn post, Instagram Reel and a Substack newsletter. It tripled engagement across all channels — and not a single new blog post was needed.
2. Create Experience-Driven Content
Think beyond “how-to” and “top 10 tips”.
Can you share:
A behind-the-scenes look at a real client win?
A tool walkthrough on video (with your face, please!)
Your first attempt — warts and all — and what you learned?
These things can’t be scraped by AI. They can’t be summarised by a robot. They’re you, and people connect with that.
🧠 Pro Tip: Add “my take” or “what no one tells you about…” to a trending topic and make it yours.
3. Choose Topics That Can’t Be Summed Up in 10 Seconds
AI’s good at definitions and general overviews. It’s rubbish at nuance, empathy, experience, and humour.
That’s your edge.
Instead of “How to Get Website Traffic”, try:
“What I Did When My Website Traffic Dropped by 40%”
“5 SEO Tips That Still Work (Despite What Google’s AI Says)”
“Why I Stopped Writing 2,000 Word Blog Posts”
💬 Real people love real stories. Especially the messy ones.
4. Play the Long Game with Authority
Google loves authority — but not the “I wrote loads of blogs” kind. It’s looking for:
Backlinks from respected sites
Your name popping up across the web
People mentioning you as a go-to
In short: visibility beyond your website.
👣 Action Step: Start guest blogging again. Run joint webinars. Get interviewed. Be visible elsewhere so that when people do search for you — Google knows you’re the real deal.
Final Thought: You’re Not Failing — The Rules Changed
If your traffic’s down, it’s not because your content isn’t good enough. It’s because the way people consume content has changed.
👉 They want faster answers
👉 They want human stories
👉 They want content in their format, on their platform
So if you’ve been treating content as the whole strategy — it’s time to zoom out.
Be seen. Be shared. Be strategic.
And above all — be more than just another cake at the party. 🍰
Ready to rethink your content strategy?
At Arrow Marketing Lab, we help small business owners turn underperforming content into high-converting assets. No fluff, no jargon — just results.
📩 Want a quick review of your content? Get in touch
