SEO Is Not Dead: July’s Google Update Proved It
If you’ve been wondering whether SEO is still worth it in 2025… let me just say this:
The latest June-July Google core update just doubled my blog traffic—and my Bootstrap Blogging students are seeing the same!
Members inside the course are hitting numbers unlike ever before (65K, 96K!!), but it’s not because of what any one of us did in one or a few posts.
It’s rather the systems and the process of what I teach: good, long-term SEO (which goes beyond technical SEO). I have built my blogging businesses with SEO-storytelling in mind, which have all withstood major updates (even if they took dips!).
Again, no, we’re not doing anything fancy or spammy or overly optimized! In fact, those who over-optimized for SEO are likely to have gotten hit. Right now, we’re seeing that those who simply write helpful content, answer real search intent, and build intentional blog ecosystems are the ones who withstand the test of time. That’s it.
But here’s the thing that annoys me: Most bloggers STILL aren’t doing that. I’m seeing more and more online threads about blogging being dead.
Even now, most creators are still stuck in the Instagram grind or chasing TikTok trends, hoping something goes viral. Meanwhile, those of us with strategic blog content are slowly growing and it’s not because of any single post—it’s the collective, and it always comes back to process.
The work of a blogger isn’t flashy or front and center. It’s quiet and behind-the-scenes. It’s sitting and writing. It’s not easy in the sense that you can just grow to 50K or 100K pageviews overnight. SEO and organic traffic growth (and more importantly, SEO traffic steadiness) takes years!
More on this below! ⬇️
IS SEO and Organic Search Traffic Still Relevant for Travel Blogging?
SEO Is Still Relevant for Bloggers and the Latest Google Update Proves It!
In this last algorithm update, Google continued its long-standing push toward rewarding high-quality, original, helpful content.
Their guidelines for creators have remained nearly unchanged for years: Create helpful content.
“There’s nothing new or special that creators need to do for this update as long as they’ve been making satisfying content meant for people. For those that might not be ranking as well, we strongly encourage reading our creating helpful, reliable, people-first content help page.”
Here’s what the update did for Bootstrappers:
- Multiple students inside the Bootstrap Blogging course gained significant traffic, some doubling their sessions from blog posts that had been sitting stagnant for months!
- One of my newer SEO-focused posts shot up to the first page within weeks!
- Niche blogs, such as my Nomad in Japan blog, which are long-tail in nature, also saw growth jumps and converting even with little traffic (give it time, it’s a new baby blog!).
This feels like a HUGE win for us bloggers who:
- Stay the course
- Write for humans but optimize tech specs for search engines
- Build topic clusters/content hubs and internal links intentionally
- Don’t rely on shortcuts—just strategy, story, and structure!
Because we’re finally seeing our numbers bounce back to levels we had before Google rolled out like seven core updates from late 2023 through early 2024. 100,000 MPVs—here we come! (Again!!!) 🥳
SEO Is Still the Smartest Way to Grow Your Travel Blog
SEO is not dead, but it’s slowly evolving. And the bloggers who adapt, who show up with real value and consistency, are going to see the most change but also the most reward.
Inside Bootstrap Blogging, I teach you exactly how to:
- Find high-impact/intent keywords
- Structure blog posts that rank and convert
- Build a content strategy that grows with you and actually feels GOOD
- Earn from your blog through ads, affiliates, and beyond
And I’m not talking about building faceless niche sites that are content machines or are heavily outsourced with writers.
I’m talking your voice, your stories, and a sustainable blog business that still gets you excited to show up.
If you want to finally stop guessing what to write and start building momentum with your blog, Bootstrap Blogging is where we begin!
