Google Search is not the same as it was a couple of years back. With Generative AI impacting website rankings and traffic globally, it has become tough for publishers to gain traffic on their websites organically.
According to Search Engine Land, AI overviews have caused an overall 60% decline in click-through rates and 18-64% drop in organic traffic. In this drastically changing search landscape, it is pivotal for publishers to look for alternate avenues of traffic generation for their websites.
Publishers must now focus on building a strong online presence across the web through social media, online forums, podcasts, and directly reaching out to their audience through direct channels like newsletters, push notifications, and subscriptions.
As a publisher here is how you can reduce your dependency on Google Search and build other avenues for your traffic.
1) Directly connect with your audience
While Google has traditionally helped bring readers to publishers, solely replying on Google will make you dependent on their algorithms. Publishers should focus on creating a direct channel between them and this audience for their next visit.
Direct communication channels such as push notifications and email newsletters can help you reach out directly to your audience. Also, traffic from these channels remains unimpacted despite frequent Google algorithm updates. Let’s explore direct communication channels for publishers to target and engage different audience personas-
Push Notifications
Push notifications are a direct channel that allow publishers to directly send alerts to their audience. This is unlike Google search and Social media algorithms that don’t guarantee post visibility. Push notification land straigt on the readers device, It can be a web push notification from a browser or an app push notification landing on a smartphone.
Push notifications have high user engagement but you these can be further improved by personalization. Personalized push notifications can drive repeat visits and keep users informed about fresh content.
Enable personalized push notifications on your website with iZooto across OS and devices and engage users.
Email Newsletters
Email newsletters are making a comeback in a massive way. A well-crafted newsletter offering exclusive insights, curated content, and special offers can improve retention and keep subscribers engaged, making it one of the most important and direct ways to get more website traffic.
Since email newsletters land straight in reader inboxes, the open rates are higher. Publishers need to be specific about the content of the newsletter to ensure reader satisfaction and reduce unsubscriptions.
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Memberships and Subscriptions
Introducing “members only” high-quality content can actually build curiosity among your existing audience and alsodrive new users. Membership programs or paid subscriptions give publishers a way to monetize and build a dedicated readership, building a strong sense of community. However, this would require exclusive updates and high content authority for the audience in a niche.
2) Social Media Diversification
Social media can help boost your visiblity and build a loyal following. Social platforms don’t change their algorithm too oftern however, we have seen algorithms targeting news publishers before. Ideally don’t put all your eggs in the social media basket.
Popular social platforms Facebook and Instagram can drive significant traffic to your website. But for that you will need to publish engaging content for your target audience. Posts that have good sharabilioty and drive comments are sure to be favoured by social algorithms.
Optimize for Social Sharing
Not all content is ideal for social media. Posts that provide quick insights, spark debate, or entertain are shared. Infographics, engaging polls, and thought provoking posts are loved on platforms like X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. These types of content are futher shared as well which help build a sizeable source of traffic.
Messenger Notifications
Bypass social media algorithms with Messenger Notification by sending messages straight to subscriber’s Messenger inbox. iZooto’s Messenger Notifications can help you reach your subscribers directly and keep them engaged. Messenger notifications are a secure channel for publishers to build and maintain.
3) New Content Formats
Text articles aren’t enough to capture reader attention. If you are seeing stagnation, experiment with short videos, carousel posts, to see what works with your audience. Readers are open to new formats and this could help improve your reach and engagement. Monitoring which format works best allows you to double down on that to build your audience.
Podcasts
Podcasts are gaining popularity and they can help establish your publication as a thought leader in its niche. Popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts can help widen your podcast’s reach and cater to new audiences. Regular podcast episodes discussing industry trends or niche topics can help build a loyal audience.
Video Content
Videos as a format is far more engaging that text and audio. Publications can create long-form videos on a topic to build authority in their niche. Investigative journalism works well for long format vidoes. These videos can also be converted into snippets and shared.
Embedding videos within articles provides a good visual break for the audience. Videos can also help improve reader time on site.
4) Focus on Shareability
Creating content that encourages social sharing can dramatically boost visibility.
Evergreen Content
Timeless content—such as how-to guides, industry insights, and case studies—continues to attract traffic long after publication. Evergreen content is more likely to be shared and referenced, making it a reliable asset for long-term traffic growth.
Opinion Pieces
Strong, well-articulated opinions spark discussions and increase content circulation. When thought-provoking pieces resonate with audiences, they are more likely to be shared across social networks, expanding organic reach.
5) Create an App
Smartphone use has skyrocketed and people now like to have everything at their fingertips. A mobile app could be a portal to get straight to your content. Enterprise publishers should seriously consider investing in building an app and nurturing readers.
Exclusive App Content
Publishers can drive readers to their app by offering access to exclusive content on it. Exclusive articles, interviews, behind-the-scenes content, or interactive features can encourage users to engage directly within the app.
App Push Notifications
Push notifications can be used to keep readers coming back to the app. App push notifications should be used to send timelybreaking news alerts or special offers to keep users active on the platform.
Build a Community
Adding interactive elements such as discussion forums, Q&A sections, or live chats within an app can help build a community of readers in the same niche. This fosters engagement, loyalty, and sustained traffic growth.
Conclusion
With Google Search undergoing seismic shifts, publishers can no longer afford to rely solely on organic search traffic. Diversification is key. By leveraging direct communication channels, social media, alternative content formats, and even launching dedicated apps, publishers can build a resilient and engaged audience in 2025 and beyond.
The future of traffic generation is about control—taking charge of how and where you reach your audience. The sooner publishers embrace these strategies, the more sustainable their audience growth will be.
