Is it still Worth It to Start a Blog, After Zero Click & HCU?

The year is 2026, and the blogging landscape has undergone some major shifts in recent years. The short version is that Google ruined everything by stealing and plagiarizing our content in its AI overviews. It’s as bleak as it sounds and I won’t lie about that.

But is there hope? Yes, and in this article I’ll go into detail about why I think there is. And also what realistic expectations look like now compared to, say, 2014 or even 2021.

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What Went Wrong

After all, with Google increasingly serving information directly in the search results, and prioritizing content from companies they have special side deals with, the days of generating organic traffic and monetizing a blog are forever changed. Why put in all that work when the search giant is just going to steal it, unless you block the AI bots from your site?

My counterargument is that there are still significant opportunities for bloggers who are willing to adapt their strategies – and expectations.

The Rise of Zero Click & So-Called Helpful Content

To understand the current state of blogging, let’s look at some of the key changes that have occurred in the search engine landscape over the past few years.

The most significant development has been Google’s push towards “zero click” search results. This refers to the phenomenon where Google answers the user’s query directly in their AI overviews, so the user has no need for the user to click through to a website. (I just lost all my traffic for yet another term where I still rank #1, because Google stole my post info, scraped it into the AI plagiarism machine, and is serving it up to users.)

We also had the gaslightingly named “Helpful Content Update” (HCU). Google claimed the goal was to prioritize genuinely useful content, but the results are junk and that speaks for itself. Ask a specific question that would have returned some researched, helpful content years ago, and you’ll most likely get 5 pages of Forbes affiliate roundups of some tangentially related product.

It’s important to remember that Google’s CEO – who comes from McKinsey consulting, not a search background – thinks making people type 50 queries to get the info they want = more $ for Google.

The Doom & Gloom Perspective

Given these changes, it’s understandable why you might be skeptical about the future of blogging. After all, the days of driving organic traffic to a blog are numbered, right?

Yes, from Google traditional search. And they’re not the only walled garden monopoly trying to keep your visitors from getting to your site.

But they’re also not the entire internet, as much as they’re trying to be. Or as much as Meta is trying to be. While the search landscape has fundamentally changed, I believe there are still significant opportunities for bloggers who are willing to adapt their strategies.

Why Blogging is Still Worth It in 2026

Here are the key reasons why I believe starting a blog in 2026 is still worth it, depending on your goals.

Google Isn’t the Only Traffic Source

Young people rely less on search than older generations. That’s why Google keeps running ads showing young adults asking Google questions on their phone. They know they need that to stay alive.

Social media platforms, email newsletters, online communities, and other referral sources can all drive valuable traffic to a blog. I always got most of my traffic from Google, but I never stopped trying to get it from other sources too.

Embrace Freedom from Google’s Silly Rules

And the best part? If you forget about SEO, you can do all kinds of smart things you were neglecting in order to please Google. You can stop worrying about duplicate content. You can sell links (there are definitely ethical ways to do this and help user experience). You can add user-pleasing features to your site that add milliseconds to your page load speed without worrying about losing Google traffic (although you still need to avoid being slow enough for users to get frustrated and hit the back button). You can put as many affiliate links on your site as YOU think visitors will tolerate instead of worrying that Google will penalize you.

Google has made it clear they’re going to trash all our traffic no matter how carefully we follow the rules, so run your website the way you see fit instead of how SEOs say to!

Opportunities for Direct Engagement & Monetization

Instead of just trying to rank highly in Google, you can invest in building an email list, cultivating a social media following, and fostering a sense of community around your content. This can lead to more loyal, engaged readers who are more likely to convert into customers or subscribers.

Assuming you can never replace that Google traffic, that just means you can’t rely on ad revenue alone now. You can explore alternative monetization strategies beyond just advertising – like selling digital products, offering consulting services, or creating a paid Facebook group. This can lead to a more sustainable and diversified income stream.

Innovation & Differentiation

Finally, it’s an opportunity for you to get creative and differentiate yourself from the competition. As the traditional model of optimizing for search engines becomes less effective, you can find new and innovative ways to reach and engage your audience.

This could involve experimenting with new content formats, leveraging emerging technologies, or finding unique ways to provide value to readers. By thinking outside the box and being willing to try new things, bloggers can stay ahead of the curve and carve out a unique space for themselves in a crowded online landscape.

Adapting Your Blogging Strategy

Given the changes we’ve seen in the search landscape, it’s clear that bloggers will need to adapt their strategies to thrive in the years ahead. Here are some key considerations and recommendations:

Shift Your Focus to Social Media and/or Email Visitors

Instead of writing for Google, now you can write for Facebook or Pinterest or whatever platform works for your niche. This can take some experimenting, but it can also be much easier than writing for SEO.

Forget Keyword Research, at Least for Google

Stop thinking in terms of low volume keywords and all that SEO garbage. You can get keywords from Pinterest, or you can just write whatever appeals to you or sounds cool. Think like your users and write for readers.

Stop Relying on Ad Revenue Alone

As I mentioned above, one of the most important shifts we need to make is not relying on ad revenue along. Look into other options such as selling digital products, offering consulting or coaching services, or creating membership programs.

I just put a tip widget back on one of my sites, in case readers feel like tipping me. They used to, but I removed it a few years ago to shave off a millisecond of page speed, because I thought it was worth giving up the revenue to get more Google traffic. Never again.

Experiment Like it’s 1999

I built my first website in the late 90s with no real idea what I was doing. Google was very new at the time and not yet important.

I’m going back to 1999 and trying everything I tried back then to make money. Well, maybe it’s more like I’m going back to 2003-2004 when Adsense had just begun. Before that, the dominant way to make money online was either to sell something or be an affiliate. And it worked!

There was life before Google. There is life after Google.

All these changes presents an opportunity for innovation and experimentation. As the traditional strategies become less effective, bloggers who are willing to think outside the box and try new approaches will have a better chance of standing out from the crowd.