Recent Comments on Search Engine Roundtable

Jerome H commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

OK, so I’ll try again. I haven’t used Disqus in years. Back in 2013 I started a daddy blog called dadmadeinbritain, but I stopped it after a few years. Earlier today I posted a comment and realised someone has bought my old domain and now has a website on it. That’s not me, and I felt it was more accurate to change my name on Disqus to avoid any confusion. I also thought it was best to delete my comment. I sincerely apologise if it gave you the wrong impression. I can assure you I don’t have any dodgy site, and yes, I always disclose affiliate links and anything else that needs to be disclosed. Also, realistically, I don’t think a dodgy site (like the one mentioned) would get around 100K monthly readers. I’ve been blogging for years and my audience is built on trust. Sorry again if it came across the wrong way, I was in panic mode for a minute.

Comment ID #6828792254 01/25/2026 12:43 pm

Sam commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Be nice. He is going though fall down, this is the reality of some sites now.

Comment ID #6828786432 01/25/2026 12:33 pm

Sam commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

He's deleted his post now. I feel sorry for him, I hope that he get's his traffic back and pushes to social media.

Comment ID #6828785677 01/25/2026 12:32 pm

Sensei commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

That is true with Google. Also, Mark's truth bomb was too much for the scraped shit site creator, and the pssy already deleted his comment.

Comment ID #6828784249 01/25/2026 12:29 pm

Sam commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Wait it out. Things will get better. In the meantime build up your social media.

Comment ID #6828783070 01/25/2026 12:27 pm

FokGoogle commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Traffic to some of my sites is down 90 percent since 2022. So I am in the same boat. But I paywalled traffic to certain sections of some sites and whatever new visitors that still come in, I try to convert into paying members. This can be lucrative.

Comment ID #6828766900 01/25/2026 12:00 pm

DataDonkey commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

<blockquote>all your stolen, duplicated, zero value add content</blockquote>Same could be said of Google's AI Slop Overviews and AI Scrode Mode. Google steals and spins content from multiple sources and uses their distribution dominance to publish the spun output as their own. This renders those original sources as zero value since Google has stolen their content and traffic.

Comment ID #6828763734 01/25/2026 11:55 am

Barry Schwartz commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

right, makes no sense.

Comment ID #6828724563 01/25/2026 10:46 am

Mark commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

I don't understand why Disqus don't give way more benefit of doubt to someone who's been commenting on a site for months or even years. There's loads of people who've been commenting for 12+ months then moaning about posts going awol. If its your first comment then okay spam queue it if not sure... but its extremely unlikely someone who's commented dozens of times over a year or longer is suddenly going to go rogue with the spamming lol

Comment ID #6828723580 01/25/2026 10:44 am

Barry Schwartz commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

that is what I am thinking. hoping it learns as I approve them over time...

Comment ID #6828720716 01/25/2026 10:39 am

Mark commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

I never posted a url as I figured that would likely spam can it, but perhaps my disguised attempt to post a url triggered it?

Comment ID #6828720225 01/25/2026 10:38 am

Barry Schwartz commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

found it, approved it - no idea why Disqus is so sensitive with that post. makes no sense.

Comment ID #6828719413 01/25/2026 10:36 am

Mark commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

I guess nobody else will know now as Shitqus has marked it as spam. Shouldn't have bothered spending 5 mins writing that.

Comment ID #6828718452 01/25/2026 10:34 am

Sam commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

This is harsh reality

Comment ID #6828705824 01/25/2026 10:08 am

Mark commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

If my family was relying on that site I'd have taken way better care of it. The only surprising thing with traffic loss on one like this is the owner didn't appear to see it coming, or think they deserved it. Look at /product/ajuny-leather-briefcase/ on your site. Your entire content is stolen from amazon - the images, the copy/pasted text. You've created a worse user experience for internet searchers having to pass through that zero value add page. You're taking about being replaced with sites doing things google says it hates... but your site is pretty bad on that front too. I think if you made it to 2026 with this site you were extremely lucky... most people with sites like this were forced out years ago. Weird looking IP's aren't damaging your seo... all your stolen, duplicated, zero value add content is. Plus where is the affiliate disclosure? You've got a shopping cart button to fake being a shop.... click BUY and Im transported to amazon. Absolutely awful for the user experience. edit - you're breaking Amazon T&C's with this, I would at the very least sort this issue out, you could get kicked out of the amazon affil program if you don't.

Comment ID #6828697739 01/25/2026 09:49 am

Jantje commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Yep, same problem here. Exactly on December 12th. You’ve got 10% left, I’ve got 0%. I’m seeing websites rank now where the content is either completely auto-generated or the vast majority is AI-made. It seems like pumping out massive amounts of 'slop' pages into Google is actually working. Anyway, I don't give a damn anymore; I decided a while ago that I’d rather make my money some other way."

Comment ID #6828694149 01/25/2026 09:40 am

DataDonkey commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Would be good if they did this, like a big HCU (Human Content Update) to eradicate all the AI Slop in the search results. But I doubt they will do this since enshitification was their plan to increase queries going back to 2019 at least.

Comment ID #6828687854 01/25/2026 09:25 am

DataDonkey commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Most of us really made no mistakes because we knew Google's role in the ecosystem. The mistakes were made by Google who now wants to be the entire ecosystem, politicians who didn't protect free markets, regulators who sit by and watch Google's mass IP theft, politicians who protect Google and likely take bribe money for that protection, etc. The historical account of the time we now find ourselves in will hold those accountable for the mass harm they caused. Since most of us produced quality content, and sold quality products and services, our mistake may be not adjusting fast enough. Sad you had to lay 10 people off, but layoffs will be the theme in 2026 for small/mid publishers and those of us that sell - leaving businesses as a shell of what once lived inside.

Comment ID #6828686425 01/25/2026 09:21 am

Dark Red Owl commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

My friend, there are thousands like you and me. Be glad you don't have employees you've been with for 20 years like me. I laid off 10 people 3 days ago. Our mistake is that we thought Google was an exact science. Our mistake is that we're looking for some logic in Google's choice of who lives and who doesn't. No. Google is gambling, an absolute random Russian roulette. The more effort you put in, the more likely Google is to kill you. And vice versa. The bigger the crook you are, Google will reward you.

Comment ID #6828663090 01/25/2026 08:18 am

Sam commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

I told you guys black hat are winning. Google delete all websites made after AI please. Ridiculas.

Comment ID #6828624308 01/25/2026 06:15 am

Mumuu commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

@rustybrick:disqus Indeed oreateai dot com worths a shout out at Google Spam Team to look on as an example of their' TOS violation from many perspectives!!!!

Comment ID #6828621515 01/25/2026 06:06 am

The291IQ_Equalizer commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

it's not just google it;s global inflation in the whole world they are rising prices via inflation to make people poorer that's it hosting upped my bill 50 euros but I found a way to circumvent it by purchasing a lower plan and transfering my sites there via SSH..etc. i still host them as I can afford to but I don't bullshit myself they will ever take off sooon I will delete all sites but one that is more like a blog and it's 12 years old

Comment ID #6828583800 01/25/2026 04:07 am

2026 commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

in my case traffic is meagre but earnings r just a bit higher, but that's insignificant as well

Comment ID #6828568812 01/25/2026 02:44 am

2026 commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

truest statement

Comment ID #6828568495 01/25/2026 02:42 am

OldGoogleMaster commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Glad you're doing better now than before. Wish you the best!

Comment ID #6828482578 01/24/2026 08:37 pm

Golden Phoenix commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

I don't know. They have been doing it for SEVEN years. Even before the start of the carnage in 2022. They are just greedy and don't deliver any value. They barely offer any update. I do agree with you that prices will rise. I used to have a $300 host. I reduced it to a $120 VPS and now it is sitting at $164, all with no new features but just costs of new licenses. Crazy.

Comment ID #6828465773 01/24/2026 07:53 pm

John A. User commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Not surprised if Google is destroying the web, and therefore cPanel has to increase its prices to survive, since fewer webmasters are buying its service because they are leaving and closing down. As @disqus_mv7km5fexn:disqus says by name, by objective....

Comment ID #6828445090 01/24/2026 06:55 pm

Golden Phoenix commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Good to hear from you. It's definitely true. I don't know about minimum job but I'd take any corporate job, entry level. I had a corporate job before quitting. There is no point to blogging. AI overviews and AI models have stolen all that content. I got hit in May 2022. Badly. And I wasted all these years hoping something changes. It didn't. I feel pathetic but I have been looking for a solution for years too. I have a YouTube channel. That makes like $200 a month for 20k subs. lol

Comment ID #6828437856 01/24/2026 06:36 pm

Golden Phoenix commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

Was just checking my web hosting bill and it's up another $4. It's another cPanel price hike, 7th consecutive years. domain name costs? Those keep going up as well. Reach keeps going down. How are you exactly supposed to do business in this environment?

Comment ID #6828435801 01/24/2026 06:31 pm

The291IQ_Equalizer commented on Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up Again January 21

i still host my sites , but they haven't improved one bit ofc I no longer write content some people on here may remember I had an AI site for experiment with something like 1million words - all written with pretty decent prompts well, that AI site never took off - all the blogging communities I was following are EITHER TOTAL DEATH or filled with COPERs and SCAM ARTIST selling some AI bullshit haven't checked r/SEO but it's probably coping of the century there too.

Comment ID #6828405985 01/24/2026 05:20 pm

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