SEO has felt particularly difficult this year. What problems have you run into? How have these challenges affected your work, and what strategies do you plan to use next year?
Honestly? Resisting the temptation to retaliate against people who run scams. This year, I lost track of how many potential clients told me they got scammed by SEO freelancers or agencies. Some of them hired people who just wrote low-quality AI blogs and blamed Google for poor rankings. Even worse, others got trapped in link farms, connecting their sites to domains that could harm their reputation legally. One of my goals for 2025 is to start a network of vetted SEO professionals who will focus on mentoring the next generation. I want to share what I’ve learned, including both my successes and my mistakes. This industry can feel like a lawless place, full of misinformation, scam artists, and false hope. If I can help just a few people avoid the same struggles, it will all feel worth it. “Don’t be evil.”
@Troy
When you start your training, let me know .
@Troy
I want to help too! I’m all for non-scammy SEO. Please keep me posted.
Reddit and Pinterest are becoming more important as Google loses traffic to AI. However, Google will still dominate local searches.
frank said:
Reddit and Pinterest are becoming more important as Google loses traffic to AI. However, Google will still dominate local searches.
Can you explain? I’m a small business owner (fine art photography) and I’m trying to improve my Google ranking on my own before I can afford an SEO professional. Should I write blogs on my website and post them to Pinterest and Reddit?
@Eva
I think what AAG means is that Google now often prioritizes content from Reddit and its partner sites. Also, AI is changing how Google displays search results. For example, Google is showing information directly on the search page, which means fewer people are clicking on websites. This is called zero-click search and it’s bad for website traffic. You should focus more on local SEO, like setting up a Google Business Profile if you haven’t already. Targeting a local audience can help a lot over time.
@SHEE
Thanks for the explanation! I do have a verified Google profile, and I’m part of Facebook groups where I interact directly with potential customers. I also have a website and active IG/Facebook accounts for my business. I’ve set up a call-to-action in my cover photos to direct traffic to my website. I’ve also been using a strategy to engage with people on Instagram by liking a couple of their recent and older photos, then waiting to see if they follow me back.
@Eva
Google’s AI is growing, and it pulls information from all over the web. If it sees the same thing repeatedly, it trusts it more. I usually recommend to my clients that they have a Google Business Profile, social media accounts, and a website that’s indexed in Google Search Console. Setting up analytics can help track keywords. Don’t forget to add alt text to your images. There’s more to do, but this is a good start.
@KarmaKnight
Thanks! I have most of the things you listed, but I’m not sure if I have Search Console set up or how to track keywords. Google’s been a bit of a challenge for me. My Google My Business photos keep getting rejected even though they meet the guidelines, so I’ve emailed them. Hopefully, they’ll respond soon. I also have my profile set up and verified, and I’ve gotten some reviews there.
@Eva
You can add your website to Google Search Console and verify it through a small piece of code. After that, you can inspect any page and request Google to index it. For keyword tracking, tools can be expensive, but you can manually check if your keyword shows up on the first page of Google. It’s not perfect, but it helps you understand what’s working. If you update your website, request another indexing from Google Search Console to let the bots know about the new content.
@KarmaKnight
Thanks so much! This is really helpful.
@Eva
Yes, posting on both Reddit and Pinterest can help since they both rank well on Google.
frank said:
@Eva
Yes, posting on both Reddit and Pinterest can help since they both rank well on Google.
Thank you .
frank said:
@Eva
Yes, posting on both Reddit and Pinterest can help since they both rank well on Google.
Thank you!
You’re welcome .
Learning Reddit haha.
Callen said:
Learning Reddit haha.
Can’t agree more.
SEO is challenging right now, but it’s not impossible. I keep it simple and focus on unique content and good user experience. By staying aware of changes, I believe I can manage through these tough times.
The ongoing Google algorithm update and the rise of AI are big factors in SEO this year.