WordsAtScale #20: 25% less website traffic by 2026? Here’s why

Welcome to the WordsAtScale Newsletter #20!

Hey Guys! 👋 Vlad here.

This week's news is all about exciting updates in AI and SEO!

📉 Google’s AI Overviews Impact Traffic: Sites like NerdWallet are feeling the squeeze as Google's AI answers more questions directly on search pages. As AI responses increase, experts predict up to a 25% drop in web traffic by 2026, pushing sites to focus on offering unique, value-added content.

📈 SEO Case Study: A small DR0 finance site with only 13 keywords is earning $500 in monthly traffic. Success here highlights that niche, well-targeted pages and a few quality backlinks can outperform high-volume content strategies.

📝 Niche of the Week - "Who Makes" Searches: Searches like “who makes X product” are growing in popularity. This niche benefits from email marketing and digital products like ethical sourcing guides or brand discovery databases, tapping into consumers' curiosity about product origins.

Adapt your strategies as AI transforms SEO! 🌐

SEO News of the Week [Google’s AI Overviews Stealing Traffic]

What Happened? 🤔

NerdWallet, a big money advice website, had a rough time with their Google search traffic. Their credit card section saw a 16% drop in money made, and they lost 7% of their regular visitors. Why? Google's new AI features are now answering questions right on the search page, so fewer people need to click through to websites.

Why Should You Care? 💡

Think of this as a peek into the future of search! Experts at Gartner think websites might get 25% less traffic by 2026 because of AI answers in search results. It's like when Google started showing the weather right in search - websites that just showed weather forecasts got fewer visits.

What This Means for SEO 🎯

Here's the real-world impact:

• Educational Content Hit Hard: NerdWallet's how-to articles and learning materials saw the biggest drop in visitors.

• Shopping Pages Bounced Back: After a rough patch in August and September, their product pages started doing better in October.

• Silver Lining: Even with these challenges, NerdWallet still made 25% more money than last year, showing that good businesses can adapt.

This is like a real-life experiment showing what happens when Google's AI starts answering questions directly. Have you noticed getting more direct answers in your Google searches lately? 🤔 It's a reminder that websites need to offer more than just basic information to stay valuable to visitors.

Source

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Niche of the Week [Who Makes …]

Niche Insights

The "who makes" niche centers on informational searches and curiosity-driven content about brands, manufacturers, and creators of specific products or categories. People often search "who makes" queries to uncover more about the origins of popular products, lesser-known brands, or artisanal goods.

Keyword List

Get you list of low competition keywords here

Topics to Explore

• Investigating the manufacturers behind popular products.

• Deep dives into brand origin stories and brand vs. manufacturer distinctions.

• Ethical and sustainable brands by product category.

• Profiles on artisan or independent creators.

• "Who makes" comparisons (e.g., comparing manufacturers for similar products).

• Background on household brands and what differentiates them.

• “Made in” trends and guides on understanding product sourcing.

Email Marketing

Email marketing in the "who makes" niche can attract a dedicated, research-focused audience. Newsletters can share insights on brands and manufacturing trends, product recommendations, or ethical sourcing tips. Curated email lists segmented by product interests (e.g., tech, home goods, eco-friendly products) can foster trust and engagement with niche subscribers.

Promotable Products

• Branded content partnerships with manufacturers or brands for exclusive insights.

• Subscriptions to magazines or services focused on ethical sourcing and brand stories.

• Affiliate links to products with unique backstories or eco-friendly credentials.

• Premium memberships or guides for in-depth product origins or ethical brand lists.

Digital Products

• E-books or databases like “The Guide to Ethical Product Origins” or “Who Makes It? A Brand Discovery Series.”

• Online courses or webinars on sustainability in manufacturing or responsible consumerism.

• Niche-specific buyer’s guides, focusing on "who makes" queries for particular industries (e.g., home goods, fashion).

SEO Case Study of the Week [DR0 Finance Website Makes 1st Page]

The Challenge 💡

Many SEO experts chase fancy tools and shortcuts, trying to create hundreds of pages quickly. But here's the surprising truth: small, focused websites can actually perform better than content farms.

What Really Works 🔍

A real case study shows a website with:

• Zero Domain Rating (DR)

• Only 15 backlinks from a press release

• Just 13 ranking keywords

• Making $500 in monthly traffic value

The Smart Strategy 🎯

Instead of creating tons of content, focus on:

• Exact Match Domains: Buy domains that match your target keywords

• Quality Over Quantity: Create one well-optimized page

• Basic Foundation: Build a few starter links

• Patience: Wait 6 months to see performance

The Secret Sauce 🌟

Success comes from:

• Targeting Intent: Match what searchers really want

• Smart Testing: Start small to validate niches

• Quality Links: Focus on sites with:

  • Minimum DR of 30

  • At least 1,000 monthly visitors

  • Do-follow, in-content links

Source

Relevant Video of the Week

🚨 Be sure to check our free SEO Tools section [Free LSI Keywords, YT Spy, Niche Generator and much more]!

All the best,

Vlad

P.S. I ❤️ you, I 🙏 you, and I’ll 👀 you soon