Tug’s Latest BrightonSEO Talk: How Blog Content Could Be Hurting Your Content Strategy Growth
Last week at BrightonSEO, Tug’s SEO Account Director Louis Evans took to the stage, exploring why traditional blog content is no longer driving the growth of content strategies in today’s SEO landscape.
With over seven years of SEO experience, Evans brought a fresh perspective on how businesses need to adapt to new search engine trends and move beyond blog-heavy strategies. His talk outlined common pitfalls of blog-based approaches and highlighted better alternatives focused on user intent, structured content, and emerging technologies.
The Evolution of Blogs
Evans kicked off by walking the audience through the history of blogs in SEO. Back in the early 2000s, blogs were a go-to tool for boosting keyword rankings. Google loved new content back then, and blogs were a quick way to feed that demand while building backlinks to strengthen a site’s overall authority.
But as Louis pointed out, times have changed. Google’s algorithms have evolved, and keyword stuffing is no longer effective. Today, search engines prioritise content that’s genuinely helpful to users. Low-quality content that only exists to boost rankings is now more likely to be penalised than rewarded.
Why Blog-Centred Strategies Don’t Work Anymore
Louis’ argued that blog-heavy content strategies often lack direction and long-term planning. Blogs tend to become a chaotic mix of topics that grow into huge, disorganised sections of a website. As new posts are continuously added, managing and auditing this content becomes an increasingly more overwhelming task.
Even worse, the traffic blogs drive isn’t always valuable. Evans stressed that while businesses often celebrate high traffic numbers from blogs, they overlook the fact that much of that traffic doesn’t convert. A blog might attract thousands of visitors, but if only a handful of them take meaningful actions – e.g., making a purchase or filling out a form- then the blog isn’t doing its job.
Louis also highlighted how the rise of AI-driven tools are changing the game. With users turning to AI for quick, concise answers, traditional blogs are being bypassed. This shift poses a challenge for businesses relying on blogs to drive traffic and engagement.
Rethinking Content Strategy
So, what’s the alternative? According to Louis, it’s time for businesses to rethink their content strategy and focus on content that aligns with their goals. Instead of churning out blog posts, he suggested creating content that truly delivers value and addresses user intent.
A key part of this approach is developing in-depth guides, tools, and resources that solve specific problems for your audience. These types of content don’t just attract visitors, they position your site as a trusted resource and help build long-term credibility. For example, guides offer a more targeted alternative to blogs, allowing businesses to better meet user needs.
Louis also pointed out that tools are an underused asset in content strategy. Whether it’s a calculator, comparison tool, or database, tools can drive a steady stream of relevant traffic by providing something genuinely useful. Though creating tools may require more effort upfront, they offer long-term SEO benefits by bringing in highly qualified users looking for specific solutions.
Why User Intent is Key
In his talk, Louis also emphasised the importance of understanding user intent. Rather than focusing solely on ranking for certain keywords, businesses should prioritise what their target audience is searching for and create content that meets those needs. Whether the goal is to drive sales, generate leads, or build brand awareness, understanding what users want is key to crafting a successful content strategy.
Louis also noted that offering a top-notch user experience is more important than ever. Google’s recent updates put a strong focus on user experience, so it’s critical for businesses to design content that helps users find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Sites that succeed in offering a seamless user experience will be well-positioned to adapt to future changes in Google’s algorithms.
The Future of SEO Content
As Louis wrapped up, he acknowledged the rapid changes happening in SEO, driven by AI and new search platforms. The traditional blog approach simply won’t cut it anymore. To stay ahead, businesses need to be more innovative and adaptable.
Louis left the audience with three key takeaways:
- Don’t overinvest in blog content if it doesn’t serve a clear purpose.
- Focus on creating helpful, well-structured content that aligns with your business goals.
- Stay adaptable, and be ready to evolve your content strategy as new technologies and search behaviours emerge.
In the end, Louis’ talk was a wake-up call for businesses to rethink their content strategies in a world where AI and changing search behaviours are shifting the SEO landscape. The message was clear: it’s time to move beyond blogs and embrace content that genuinely meets user needs.
