How to get blog traffic without Google

10 Expert Ways to Get Blog Traffic Without Google

ByCarol Bryant Last Updated on

Relying solely on Google for blog traffic will likely lead to disastrous results, as there will be few visitors. Getting blog traffic without Google sounds impossible since Google has a commanding influence over website traffic.

The SEO landscape is changing thanks to AI, Google algorithm updates, and other data-driven technologies. Simply put, it’s pivot time in the blogging and content marketing world.

Fortunately, my 15 years of experience have taught me alternative strategies for gaining blog traffic. You won’t abandon Google but will reduce your dependence on the search engine giant.

What About AI and Google?

Sites producing hundreds to thousands of AI-generated articles are feeling the sting. Namely:

  • Google’s March 2024 Core Update has deindexed hundreds of websites in its early stages, targeting low-quality content and AI-generated spam.
  • Deindexed sites face significant consequences, losing organic search traffic and advertising revenue.
  • The update aligns with a study by Originality.ai, which found a high prevalence of AI-generated content among the affected websites.

Blog Traffic Without Google: Is It Possible?

Before any traffic strategy, take a good, hard look at your blog content. You will never rank if your content doesn’t deliver on its promise to your reader.

Google used to favor well-written content following their E-E-A-T guidelines. E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.

Up until the Google Helpful Content Update in September of 2023, some keys to blog traffic success include:

  • High-quality, relevant content
  • SEO optimization with a solid keyword strategy
  • Page speed score
  • High-quality backlink strategy

Unfortunately, Google’s Helpful Content Update changed things so chaotically that long-time successful bloggers felt the impact. The folks at HouseFresh wrote a detailed, insightful post on how Google is killing independent sites.

“Traffic is so bad, now I won’t be surprised anymore, if it stops completely after one of the next updates,” one of my colleagues reported.

A blog traffic world without Google is possible. Like anything, building something new is a marathon, not a sprint.

Here are 10 ways to bring traffic to your blog despite Google:

YouTube

Yes, Google owns YouTube. When you have your blog on YouTube, you can promote your blog and create more traffic. Add your blog link in the description of a YouTube video, which visitors can click for more information in your full blog post. Add your brand to the video’s background for more visibility. Embed YouTube videos, where appropriate, in blog content.

people networking

Email Marketing

From email newsletters to email marketing and funnels, the sky’s the limit if you do it right. When I consult with brands about their email marketing strategy, many say their biggest mistake was not building an email list when they first started out.

From opt-ins in the right place to properly done nurture sequences, a robust email list has saved many