3 Lessons of 2024: Stop Building on Social, Stop Counting on Keywords, Stop Trusting Websites
Is it just me or has it been a particularly weird year? Has anything really been normal since 2020? Will it ever be normal again?!
Sorry. Everything is fine. But yes, it’s been a weird one. As I close the book on 2024 for Clay Pigeon, I realized that our relationship with the internet has been fundamentally shaken for many reasons. And with that, I give you three things to stop doing in 2025:
1. Stop Trusting Websites
This lesson was the biggest surprise to me. If you missed the Wordpress drama from September, you're not alone. In short, the founder of Wordpress suddenly decided that WPEngine could no longer host Wordpress sites.
The thing is, Wordpress is an open-source platform that anyone can build with. A big part of the reason it's so successful (roughly half of the sites on the internet are built on Wordpress) is because of its "anyone can play" approach.
But all of a sudden, the world's largest host of Wordpress sites was blacklisted because one guy got upset about something that still no one fully understands.
Thankfully, it looks like this issue might be wrapping up this week as a judge ordered Wordpress to cut it out.
Still, I am reminded that the internet is rented land.
2. Stop Building on Social
I have done my best to pretend social media doesn't exist, which is really hard when you're in digital marketing. But when I decided to go solo earlier this year, I decided I at least need to do LinkedIn.
Then I started posting, trying to drum up some engagement. I would post a hot take, feel regret, take it down, put it back up, double down on it, then delete it. In the end, I think I've deleted more posts than I've left up.
Is it just me?
I don't think so. Every time I log onto LinkedIn, half of my feed is people complaining about the platform itself.
That's the thing, everyone is tired of trying to please The Algorithm, but they feel like they have to do it. I'm not convinced that's the case, and in 2025, I plan on pushing more into advisor-specific publications so I can speak directly to my audience and say what I want to say, rather than trying to do the right dance to please the social media gods.
If the internet is rented land, building on social media is subletting an apartment.
3. Stop Counting on Keywords
Lastly, 2024 has proven that you can't count on keywords anymore. What was once a bedrock of content marketing, keywords are being overtaken by AI "slop" and Google's AI-generated responses.
Google is prioritizing zero-click content, meaning when someone searches for information, Google would you find the information you want in the search results than to click through to any websites. It's awful, but it makes sense. Consider their business model: Google makes no money when you search for a term and then click on an organic search result. But if they can give you the answer on the SERP page along with a few ads, the chances of you clicking on an ad go up substantially.
Not only that, Google seems intent on tanking independent sites. Don’t take my word for it, check out this Reddit thread of horror stories of people whose sites lost tons of traffic after Google’s “Helpful Content Update” of Sept. 2023 and their core update from March of this year.
If the internet is rented land, Google is the slumlord who sees you as nothing more than a dollar sign.
It's Not All Bad...
I don't mean to end the year on a low note. Despite (and because of) all of these factors, I think the future of independent creators like RIAs is brighter than ever. Big internet corporations have lost touch with humanity. While they're building the Wall-E ship and trying to fatten us all up for our trip into space, I have faith that at least part of humanity will step up and demand real, no-AI, no-BS content. If you want to do it right, start building your subscriber list and sending them emails they will be glad to get rather than the same old boring stuff.
The future is yours for the taking, and it begins next year. Are you prepared to get real?
I'll be working on it on my end, and I look forward to seeing what you have in store!
