Title: The Impact of Google’s New Updates on Small Bloggers: A Cautionary Tale

In the realm of blogging, persistence and dedication often promise success. After dedicating eight years to nurturing my blog, I experienced a significant turning point when I was earning approximately $5,000 a month. However, everything changed in September when the introduction of the Helpful Content Update (HCU) and the March Core Update drastically diminished my site’s visibility on Google Search.

Upon grieving my blog’s sudden decline, I turned to the Search Community for insights into what went wrong. Many responses suggested that my site suffered from poor design and low-quality content. When I inquired for specific examples of low-quality content, the responses were vague, advising me to “find yourself and learn from it”—a rather unhelpful and frustrating answer.

It’s hard not to view these updates as a conspiracy against smaller bloggers who invest significant time and effort into their work. The rapid devaluation of my content and dedication seemed incomprehensible and unfounded.

As frustrating as it may seem, I have come to realize that Google often lacks the transparency and accountability necessary for building trust with its user base. The sentiment that “there’s no future in blogging” rings truer each day, especially as it feels like small publishers are left in the dark. Google continues to advocate for content that is deemed ‘helpful’; however, the criteria for such content often feel arbitrary. If their algorithms truly understood what constitutes valuable content, then sites filled with spam, duplicative content, and irrelevant links wouldn’t dominate search results.

Moreover, Google promotes the need for fresh content to optimize their AI systems, yet the reality is starkly different. For many creators, including myself, we are unlikely to regain the traffic we once enjoyed, especially following the recent updates. Trust has been eroded, and as a result, there’s merit in reconsidering the continuous creation of fresh content until clarity returns to our rankings.

To anyone navigating similar struggles, I suggest holding off on producing new content until your site’s standing stabilizes. The landscape can be unpredictable, but it’s crucial to stay informed and strategic.

For those interested in my journey, you can find my blog here: https://ncert.infrexa.com. Let’s all work towards a more transparent and fair blogging environment together.