Why Most Company Blogs Get Ignored by Google and AI, and What to Publish Instead
Ahrefs found 96.55% of pages get no traffic from Google. Here is why most company blogs end up there, and what to publish instead.
The short answer
Most company blogs get ignored because they say the same thing as every other page on the topic. Ahrefs found that 96.55% of the pages it studied got no organic traffic from Google at all (Ahrefs, 2023). The fix is to publish fewer, more useful posts that answer real customer questions with something the top results don’t already say.
The copy problem
A post written by reading the top five results and rewriting them adds nothing new. Google’s guidance asks whether a page offers “original information, reporting, research, or analysis” and whether it gives “a substantial, complete, or comprehensive description of the topic” (Google Search Central). A rewrite of what’s already ranking fails both questions.
Where your useful material is hiding
Most businesses already have better blog material than they think. Look in:
- The questions customers ask on the phone. Every question your office answers more than once a week is a post.
- Your estimates and quotes. What drives the price up or down is exactly what buyers search for.
- Your checklists. Job closeout lists, safety steps and inspection steps make strong how-to posts.
- The mistakes you see. “Five things homeowners do before calling us that make the damage worse” is a post nobody else can copy word for word.
- Public rules that affect your customers. Permits, codes, licensing and warranty terms, explained in plain English, with a link to the official source.
How to turn one of those into a post
- Write the customer’s question as the title.
- Answer it in two or three sentences at the top.
- Explain the details under plain headings.
- Link every number and rule to where it came from.
- End with three short questions and answers.
- Put a real name and role on the post.
How often to publish
There is no official number. One useful post a month beats four thin ones. A post that answers a real question keeps working for years. A thin one never starts.
FAQ
Is blogging still worth it with AI answering everything?
Yes, if the posts are useful. AI tools need sources to quote, and Google says the same basics apply to AI features as to regular search (Google Search Central).
Can I use AI to write my blog?
You can use it to draft. Google’s guidance focuses on whether content is helpful and original, not on how it was produced (Google Search Central). A draft that only rewrites what’s already out there won’t pass that test.
How long should a post be?
As long as it takes to answer the question fully, and no longer.
Sources: Ahrefs search traffic study, 2023 · Google Search Central: Creating helpful content · Google Search Central: AI features and your website