HubSpot's 5M Traffic Crash + Google's SEO Shakeup [MUST READ] (example)

Welcome to our latest edition of SEO Weekly. Let's not waste any time and dive right into it!

This Week's Updates

• Google removes breadcrumb navigation from mobile search results while keeping them visible on desktop, simplifying the mobile search experience Read More
• Google partners with Associated Press to enhance Gemini AI with real-time news content, marking a strategic move in AI-publisher relationships Read More
• Google mandates JavaScript for Search functionality, impacting SEO tools and potentially increasing costs for industry professionals Read More

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Google's Anti-Scraping Wave Hits SEO Tools Hard 🚫

Google has stepped up its game against web scraping, causing big problems for many popular SEO tools. Companies like Semrush and SE Ranking can't get fresh data about keyword rankings since Google started blocking their access.

The problem comes from Google's strong stand against automated data collection from its search results. While SEO tools need this info to tell users how well their websites rank, Google says this practice uses too much of their resources and makes things slower for regular users.

Not all tools are feeling the pain equally. Some can still give updates to their users, which suggests Google might be picking specific targets rather than blocking everyone. Still, many SEO professionals are speaking up about service problems they're facing.

The changes might lead to higher costs for users as SEO tools try to find new ways to get the data they need. Ryan Jones, who knows the SEO world well, thinks Google should just sell access to their search data through an official channel. This would make things easier for everyone involved.

For now, SEO pros are watching closely to see how their favorite tools will handle this challenge. Some might find quick fixes, while others might need more time to bounce back.

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HubSpot's SEO Nightmare: 5M Traffic Drop in 30 Days 📉

A shocking wake-up call for content marketers as HubSpot's organic traffic plummets by nearly 40% in December 2024.

HubSpot, once the golden child of B2B content marketing, just got hit hard. Their organic traffic took a nosedive from 13.5 million visits in November 2024 to 8.6 million in December 2024. That's a loss of nearly 5 million visitors in just one month.

What went wrong? It looks like HubSpot got caught up in the numbers game. Instead of sticking to what they know best - helping businesses grow - they started churning out articles about anything that might bring in traffic. Think listicles of famous quotes and generic job application tips. Google wasn't impressed.

The timing couldn't have been worse. Google rolled out both a core update and a spam update in December 2024, and HubSpot got caught in the crossfire. It's like Google said, "Hey, we want real experts talking about what they know, not just anyone writing about everything."

Some marketing pros are saying "I told you so." They've been warning that chasing traffic with generic content would eventually backfire. And they were right. When you're known for marketing software and business growth, maybe writing about "100 Famous Movie Quotes" isn't the best use of your website's authority.

The real kicker? This isn't just about HubSpot. It's a warning sign for every company doing content marketing. The days of throwing content at the wall to see what sticks are over. Google's getting pickier about who it considers an authority on any given topic.

Looking ahead, smart brands will need to stick to their lanes. That means creating content that actually helps their target audience, not just content that might rank well. Quality over quantity isn't just a nice saying anymore - it's survival.

More details about this story can be found here

TLDR:

• HubSpot's organic traffic dropped from 13.5M to 8.6M visits (Dec 2024)
• Cause: Focus on high-traffic content instead of expertise-based articles
• Coincided with Google's December 2024 core and spam updates
• Shows the risks of creating content outside core business expertise
• Signals a shift toward quality, expert content in SEO
• Serves as a warning for other content marketing teams

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That's it for this week folks. See you next Thursday for more SEO news and trends.

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