This Isn’t an Article I Intended to Write… But Here It Goes: Blogging as a Revenue Model Is No More
For more than ten years, blogging was the passport to online earnings. From travel enthusiasts to tech analysts, countless individuals established six- and seven-figure empires leveraging SEO, affiliate marketing, and advertising income. However, in 2024, the environment has altered so significantly that it’s not a matter of whether blogging is fading—it’s already gone.
This situation transcends Google updates or the emergence of AI. It involves a profound transformation in the way individuals engage with online content. If you’re still clinging to the aspiration of creating a blog-centric business, it’s time to face reality.
Let’s dissect what truly transpired—and more crucially, what actually succeeds today.
Why Even Leading Bloggers Are Departing
Blogging once represented a dependable business framework. You crafted valuable, keyword-focused content, secured a spot on Google, and monetized through advertisements, affiliate links, and digital offerings. Yet, in 2023, the faults in the foundation became undeniable.
Prominent blogs closed their doors. SEO professionals proclaimed the era over. Even veteran bloggers who had previously earned millions began redirecting their efforts away from content sites.
Why? Because traffic dwindled. Income nosedived. And the methods that once thrived ceased to yield outcomes.
The Harsh Reality of Why Blogging Failed
Let’s set the record straight: this isn’t just another “blogging is finished… unless you enroll in my course” piece. This is a genuine, transparent examination of why blogging as a revenue model faltered—and what you ought to pursue instead.
Here’s the real story:
1. Google Altered the Rules
Google’s Helpful Content and Hidden Gems updates favored user-generated content (UGC) from platforms like Reddit, Quora, and forums over standalone blogs. Concurrently, Google struck a $60 million agreement with Reddit to utilize its content for AI training—affording Reddit an undue advantage in search result rankings.
Consequently, even the most eloquently crafted blog posts were overshadowed by forum discussions and AI-generated summaries.
2. AI Flooded the Web with Subpar Content
The debut of ChatGPT unleashed a torrent. Millions of AI-produced blog posts were launched daily, inundating search engines with inferior, recycled content.
Google countered with extensive algorithm modifications that penalized AI-saturated sites—but in doing so, many quality blogs were inadvertently affected.
3. Google’s AI Responses Dominated Search Results
Google’s AI-generated summaries increasingly appear at the forefront of many search results, providing users with immediate answers without necessitating a click through to a blog.
This indicates that bloggers aren’t merely losing ranks—they’re being entirely excluded from the conversation.
4. Consumer Patterns Have Evolved
Even if Google hadn’t evolved, the manner in which individuals absorb content has. Nowadays, rather than perusing lengthy blog entries, users:
– Watch YouTube reviews
– Access TikTok for quick insights
– Look through Instagram Reels for ideas
– Seek suggestions in Facebook or Reddit communities
– Place trust in influencers and creators over anonymous blog entries
This evolution didn’t originate with AI—it’s been evolving for years. And it’s only speeding up.
Is SEO Completely Obsolete?
Not entirely—but for the majority of independent bloggers, it might as well be.
Large corporations with robust budgets will persist in vying for top positions. However, for solo authors and small enterprises, the era of achieving rankings with exceptional content alone has vanished.
If you’re still endeavoring to expand your business via SEO blogging in 2025, you’re not just contending with Google—you’re contending with the actual ways people consume content today.
What Happened to Our Blogging Endeavor (And How We Adjusted)
We have engaged in blogging for over a decade. At one point, we managed four thriving blogs yielding six-figure income through ads and affiliate marketing. Yet, we recognized the signs of impending change years ago.
We acknowledged our excessive reliance on Google. A single algorithm update could eliminate our earnings overnight—and it did.
Thus, we adapted. We began constructing an email list. We developed and sold our own digital products. We mastered utilizing social media to attract traffic and cultivate a loyal following.
And it bore fruit.
Currently, we still generate passive income from our blogs—but the true expansion and revenue originate from our social media engagement, email list, and digital products.
The Future of Online Entrepreneurship: Social Media, Digital Products, and Email Marketing
Although blogging may be defunct, online business thrives more than ever. In fact, we are amidst the most significant opportunity we’ve encountered.
Here’s what is effective now:
1. Cultivate an Audience with Short-Form Video
Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are where audiences are gravitating. Short-form video is the modern blog post—it’s the method by which creators establish trust, authority, and expansive audiences.
2. Market Your Own Digital Product
Rather than earning minimal amounts from advertisements or affiliate links, sell your own digital product.