A Pause in Blogging: The Immediate Impact on Our SEO and Traffic

Hello everyone, Dave Baldwin here from PlusCode Website Design. Today, I want to share a crucial lesson we learned firsthand about the impact of pausing our blogging efforts. We all understand that blogging is a powerful tool for driving traffic and boosting SEO, but what happens when you stop? Let’s dive into the real consequences we faced when we took a break from writing content.

The Drop in Website Traffic

In April 2023, we made the difficult decision to pause our blogging activities. The reasons were many, but primarily due to reallocating resources to other pressing business needs. However, this decision led to a noticeable decline in our website traffic. Blog posts that consistently drove new and returning visitors started to lose steam, as there were no fresh posts to keep our audience engaged and attract new visitors.

SEO Rankings Took a Hit

The impact on our SEO was more significant than anticipated. Our Google Search Console graph (shown in the picture above) began to show a worrying trend during the blogging hiatus. Not only did our overall site impressions decrease, but our average positions in search results also started slipping. This decline is a direct consequence of not providing fresh content, which search engines crave to keep rankings high. The graph clearly illustrated how the momentum we had built with consistent blogging quickly deteriorated once the posts stopped.

Missed Feedback and Engagement

Our blog is a conversation tool that allows us to engage with our audience directly. It provides valuable feedback through comments, shares, and interactions. By not updating our blog, we lost a vital link to our community. This feedback is not just about affirmation; it's about understanding our audience's needs, preferences, and concerns, which inform our future content and strategies.

Lessons Learned

The hiatus was eye-opening for us. It underscored the importance of consistent blogging not just for traffic and SEO, but as a critical element of our overall digital marketing strategy. When we resumed blogging in November 2023, we had to work doubly hard to regain our lost ground, but it was a necessary push to get back on track.

This experience has reinforced our commitment to provide valuable content to our readers. We've seen firsthand how essential it is for maintaining visibility, engagement, and driving business growth. If you’re thinking of pausing your blog, consider these impacts. Sometimes, the cost of stopping can be far greater than the effort to continue.

For businesses looking to build or maintain momentum, think carefully about how integral blogging is to your digital presence. It’s not just another task on the to-do list—it’s a vital investment in your business’s future.

Cheers,

Dave