RIP Top-of-Funnel Traffic.
So . . . your blog traffic tanked.
AI rolled in, answered every generic “what is” question before anyone could click, and left your top-of-funnel content lying face down in Google Analytics.
But here’s the kick in the pants: this isn’t the end of content marketing. It’s a return to sanity. Sort of. I hate to say that because it's the 2020s and nothing is really sane anymore.
Aaaannnnnyway.
Let’s talk about what not to do and what still works.
What Not to Do (Seriously, Don’t)
Panic-publish
Churning out more blog posts hoping to recapture lost traffic is like shouting into a void.
If AI already answered the query, your post won’t get seen, let alone clicked.
Nuke your content program
Yes, traffic dipped. No, that doesn’t mean content is dead.
Cutting everything because you don’t know what’s working just guarantees that nothing will.
Chase AI visibility metrics
If someone’s selling you a dashboard showing how often your brand gets mentioned by AI?
Smile, nod, and walk away. That’s a vanity metric with a subscription fee.
What Still Works (And Pays Off)
Content aligned with buyer intent
Forget broad definitions and high-volume filler content.
Focus on:
- Product pages
- Service descriptions
- Solution explainers
- Evaluation-stage blog content
- blog content with strong point-of-view and depth from an SME
- Case studies
AI took away the short click.
The long click — the one that leads to revenue — is still yours to win.
Distribution
Publishing isn’t promotion. If your content doesn’t get shared, cited, or seen in the wild, it doesn’t exist.
Distribute like you're an Amazon warehouse:
- Share posts as carousels, not just links
- Seed content in relevant communities
- Surface key assets to your sales team
- Pitch your POV to newsletters and podcasts
- Repurpose older content that still performs
Trust-building over traffic-chasing
Be the brand that gets mentioned in other people’s content because your POV is unique and useful.
3 Quick Checks Before You Hit Publish
Ask yourself:
- Would a buyer care about this post or just an algorithm?
- Is this helping someone decide, not just learn?
- Is it worth sharing? Quoting? Saving? Or will it disappear in 48 hours?
If you can't say yes
to at least two of those, go back and sharpen it.
The Bottom Line
Blog traffic didn’t die.
It just stopped rewarding lazy content.
The clicks that remain are higher intent, more valuable, and harder to earn.
So stop mourning top-of-funnel fluff and start creating content that speaks to people who are ready to act.
They’re still out there. Make sure you’re worth clicking on.
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