Is Google SEO Still Worth The Effort? My Case Study
Published on January 30, 2026
Published on Wealthy Affiliate — a platform for building real online businesses with modern training and AI.
- Short answer: Yes
- Longer answer: Don't make it a priority, diversify your traffic portfolio
I made the mistake (as did many others) long ago to focus almost entirely on Google traffic and SEO and frankly, it did very well for me. I made good money and for years, despite sometimes having setbacks via algorithm updates.
That all changed in late 2023 with the HCU update that Google released which was at the time the "final nail" in the coffin of my online business. I struggled for years to get it back and frankly, I just stopped trying after a few months after HCU.
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Instead, I followed Jay's advice to diversify my traffic portfolio (I wish I listened sooner) and today I have much more stability and return of my online business. It's still in "repair mode" but we're more than 50% there, but this time with more legs to stand on.
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Let me know if you have any questions (share your Google story too!)
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