The Content Strategy Wake-Up Call

For years, SEO was the golden ticket: research keywords, publish regularly, and watch traffic grow. But between the pandemic boom and the current algorithm whiplash, many content creators are feeling burned out. Traffic is down. Competition is up. The pressure to constantly adapt is exhausting.

Blog content is starting to feel eerily familiar. Whether it’s the titles, structure, or tone, everything blends together. It might tick the SEO boxes (though the advice is often conflicting), but it doesn’t say anything new. Sometimes, it feels like filler: content for content’s sake.

AI-generated content is flooding the internet, and that sameness is even more prolific. Much of what we read feels robotic, impersonal, and leaves us with a nagging feeling that it might not be trustworthy or reliable. If your content could be written by AI in 30 seconds, why would anyone need you?

The hard truth is that if your blog posts all sound the same, your readers aren’t the problem: your strategy is. Safe, keyword-friendly content isn’t just forgettable. It’s invisible.

Add the growing loneliness epidemic to the mix, and it’s no wonder that we crave something more human. Real stories, genuine connection, and tested firsthand experience. Content that helps us feel seen and understood.

This is why many creators are rethinking how they earn income. People are moving away from ad-driven models and toward paid, ad-free memberships or subscriptions. That lifts the pressure to ‘rank’ and lets creators write for the love of it again.

What do we want to write in 2025, and what do we never get tired of reading?

We never get tired of a good story, but not every story needs to end with a life lesson. If I bumped into you at the supermarket, what would you say about your recipe or product? You wouldn’t say, “This easy 10-minute meal uses simple ingredients your whole family will love.” So why are you writing that way online?

People want to know: Will this work for me? How hard will it be? That answer is often more helpful than anything churned out to rank.

When reviewing client websites, I always ask: Does this make sense to me as an outsider? Is it helpful? Who wrote this, and can I tell from the way it’s written?

If you’re a newer creator and you’re exhausted, know that it can take 18 months of consistent effort before you start getting seen. Keep writing for that one person you wish had been there for you when you were learning. Tell your friends and family what you’re building. Ask them to tell one more person. That kind of word-of-mouth matters more than you think.

If you’ve lost your spark, remind yourself why you started writing in the first place. What do you love about this work?

The best posts don’t come from a checklist, they come from people who tell the truth. They share what worked and what didn’t, link to others who explain it better, and write like they would speak in person. They sound like someone you’d trust.

Better content is urgently needed. Your website is still the best place to make that happen. Build it with purpose. Fill it with meaning. Write with clarity, care, and your voice. (If you’re stuck with what that is, try recording yourself talking through the topic, getting it transcribed, and use that as the basis for your first draft.)

Don’t add to the noise. Say something that matters. Or don’t say anything at all.