Blogging Is Dead

SEO Then vs. Now: What’s Changed

For years, SEO was almost like following a recipe: repeat the keyword ten times, get a few backlinks, and… boom! — you were at the top of Google.

Remember those days? Well, they’re gone. Spoiler: SEO didn’t die. It evolved.

Google no longer falls for cheap tricks. If you want visibility today, you need to understand how the game has really changed.

1. From Keywords to Search Intent

Back then, it was all about repeating exact phrases. Today, Google understands context thanks to algorithms like BERT and MUM.

You don’t need to stuff “best headphones for working from home” twenty times.

What really matters is creating content that truly matches what people are looking for.

2. From Long Content to Useful Content

In 2015, the longer the post, the better. But honestly, who has time for fluff? In 2025, Google values Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

You can rank with 800 words if you solve the problem better than a 3,000-word wall of filler.

Once, it was all about buying dozens of backlinks. Now, quality wins: real mentions, relevant links, and topical authority.

Old tricks like link farms? Forget them. They don’t just fail — they can tank your site.

4. From Basic SEO to Full User Experience

Meta tags and a sitemap used to be enough. Not anymore. Google checks page speed, Core Web Vitals, and mobile usability. If your site is slow or clunky, you’re out.

5. From Empty Clicks to Real Satisfaction

Clickbait titles worked back then. Now, Google measures how long people stay, if they engage, and if they come back.

Getting the click isn’t enough — you have to deliver on your promise.

The hard truth:
SEO isn’t about tricks anymore. It rewards those who truly understand their audience and create fast, useful, trustworthy content.

If you write just for Google, you’ll fall behind. If you write for people, Google will follow.

And honestly, that’s the best news: SEO now favors those who help the most — not those who cheat the best.

If you want to dig deeper into this shift and build a strategy that survives every Google update, I highly recommend Product-Led SEO by Eli Schwartz. It's not theory — it's the playbook for thriving in the Zero-Click era.

Keep reading: I Use AI to Write Better Blog Posts — No Apologies