WTF is Going on with Google?

Just Ranking on Google Isn’t the Goal Anymore

Too many businesses, both small and large, are still treating their website’s SEO like a high school group project: plug in keywords, hit publish, get a gold star.

But here’s the thing: ranking doesn’t matter if no one finds you, knows to click on your links, thinks you look or sound trustworthy, or, ultimately, buys what you are selling.

These days, SEO is less about being #1 on a list and more about:

• Being findable for the right people, not ranked for the wrong ones.

• Being credible.

• Being clear.

• Giving people a reason to stay once they land on your site.

Your content can’t be generic. It can’t repeat the same thing all your competitors claim. It needs to actually sound like you, show proof of what you do, and be written for humans, not algorithms. As ironic as it sounds, the more advanced Google’s AI becomes, the more real content from a real, knowledgeable person becomes valuable.

Small and Medium Businesses Can Still Win (Here’s How)

Good news friends: You don’t need to let the AI panic push you into a corner or surrender to big name companies. You actually have a huge advantage: you’re small, fast, and personal.

You’re not trying to outrank Target or Nike—you’re trying to reach the right people in your area, your niche, your space. That’s how to get the attention of actual people who want to buy, subscribe, or support your business.

So how does one accomplish that? Here’s what is working:

• Local SEO (Google Business Profile, local keywords, reviews)

• Original content based on real customer questions

• Trust signals: testimonials, photos, results

• Clear offers and helpful pages that show what you actually do

Don’t buy into the bullsh*t about needing hundreds of pages. You don’t need 1,000 blog posts. You need a dedicated selection of webpages that do their job beautifully.

Steps To Take Now Before Crashing Out

Are you looking at your website now and just wondering if you should just delete it all? Start from scratch? Not at all. But it is time to take the right steps to stay relevant and in business.

Here are the four areas to tackle now:

1. Start with a cleanup.

• Ditch outdated layouts. Fix broken links. Make it mobile-friendly.

• Make sure every service page clearly explains: what it is, who it’s for, why it matters, and how to buy/book.

2. Update your content like a real human.

• Revisit your blog, FAQ, and core pages.

• Add personality. Cut jargon. Say what your customers actually want to know.

3. Stop hiding your expertise.

• Share case studies. Process breakdowns. Celebrate customer wins.

• Tell stories only you can tell. That’s the kind of stuff AI can’t fake.

• If you're great at what you do, prove it. Show the receipts.

4. Get real with your media.

• Show photos of you, your team, your work.

• No more Shutterstock people high-fiving in conference rooms.

So, Should You Still Blog in 2025?
(And What Shouldn’t You Do?)

Let’s get one thing straight: blogging isn’t dead.

But boring, generic, SEO-chasing blogging? That’s been on life support for years.

If your blog sounds like it was ghostwritten by a content mill or generated by AI with no soul or experience to back it up, guess what? If you’re phoning it in, AI will indeed write it faster and cheaper (because it has no shame and no writer’s block). It’ll crank out 2,000 words of SEO soup in under 30 seconds. (Spoiler: Google knows how to spot that.)

But here’s the good news: people don’t buy from robots. They buy from real humans who get them.

If your content sounds like you, if it reflects what you believe, how you work, and who you help—well, it may not rank first on Google every time. But the people who do find it? They’ll actually connect with it. Trust you. Reach out. Convert.

That’s what matters. Not vanity metrics. Not impressions. Not being #1 for a keyword no one’s actually searching. So yes, blog. But blog with purpose. Blog with a damn voice. Blog like your best-fit customer is reading and deciding whether to reach out or ghost you forever.

With that in mind, there are some things you probably should stop doing, both in your blog and on your main site pages.

• Don’t crank out AI-generated blog posts without editing - We get the temptation. Fast, cheap, sounds smart enough. AI should be a starting point, not your voice. Edit it. Inject your perspective. Add a story only you could tell. Otherwise, you're blending into the noise. Potential customers (and Google) will ignore you.

• Don’t keyword-stuff your headlines like it’s 2009 - You don’t need to title pages things like “Best Local Business Marketing Strategy Philadelphia | Small Biz SEO Tips” to get found. That kind of word salad sends up red flags to both readers and Google. Instead, write for humans. Be clear. Be compelling. Use real questions your audience actually asks.

• Don’t bury your services in vague, fluffy copy - If someone clicks “Services” and gets a page-long manifesto instead of a clear breakdown of what you do, how much it costs, and how to start… well, they’re bouncing and fast. Your site pages shouldn’t be price and service riddles inside of a vision statement wrapped up in your company’s historical timeline. They are tools. Give people clear direction and straight answers.

• Don’t give up on SEO just because it’s harder now - Yes, Google changed. Yes, AI is doing weird things to search. What hasn’t changed? People are still looking for help. They’re still searching for what you offer. Don’t give up and surrender to the big names or competitors. Don’t do that. Get smarter, not quieter.

Final Word: Stay Human. Stay Useful. Stay Visible.

So the hard truth is this - that SEO plan or site strategy, that one you made before Covid shutdowns? That’s some old sh*t. And the world, technology, people, and, yes, Google are all evolving. Businesses that also evolve are the ones getting seen, clicked on, and paid.

Real businesses. Real expertise. Real content. That’s what people (and Google) are still looking for. So take a breath. Audit your site. Sharpen your message. And for the love of Gritty, stop trying to game the system and start building a real digital presence that actually works.

Need help making sure your website and content still show up in 2025? We can craft a SEO strategy that will ramp up your business instead of one that keeps you treading water.

Arc & Atlas is a Philadelphia-based creative agency and design studio, specializing in branding and web design.

With 13+ years of design experience, lead designer Justin Mabee combines brand strategy, creative direction, and technical expertise to help businesses fall in love with their brand again. Our approach goes beyond pretty pictures to create strategic design solutions that drive real results.

Based in Philadelphia. Proudly LGBTQ+ friendly. No bullsh*t, just results.