Summary3 min read

Podcast Summary: “Should you kill a blog because AI overviews is taking up the traffic?”

Show: Voices of Search // A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Lindsay Nelson, VP of SEO at Symphonic Digital
Original Air Date: October 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode tackles one of the most pressing questions in modern SEO circles: Should you kill your blog if Google’s AI Overviews are now capturing much of your search traffic? Host Jordan Cooney and guest Lindsay Nelson dive deep into the evolving role of editorial content, the importance of human-centric content strategies, and why adapting content for both users and AI systems remains critical. The conversation is candid, practical, and forward-looking, emphasizing actionable SEO and content marketing insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Should You Kill Your Blog Because of AI Overviews?

[00:19]

Firm Recommendation: Don’t kill your blog.
- Lindsay Nelson: “Absolutely not. We need to continue to build information to educate these systems or we will never be surfaced.”
- Blogs play a crucial role in training AI systems what content is valuable and in helping brands get surfaced in AI results.
The fear that AI Overviews “take up” all the traffic is seen as misguided—instead, companies should focus on adapting rather than abandoning.

2. Evolving Standards for Editorial Content in the Age of AI

[00:31]

The standards and requirements for what constitutes “useful” editorial content are shifting:
- There’s an overload of repetitive, low-quality blog content (such as endless “listicles”).
- Host (Jordan Cooney): “There’s so much blog content out there, so much junk, I couldn’t read another listicle in my life.”
The panel emphasizes that SEO and content teams can no longer “set it and forget it.” Quality and uniqueness now matter more than ever.

3. Human-Centric Content is the New Gold Standard

[00:43]

Lindsay Nelson: “I care way more about that content than the stuff that Semrush tells me I’m missing on my site because everybody’s writing that. I want to write for our customers.”
Creating content that addresses real audience needs is more important than simply filling keyword gaps identified by SEO tools.
Consult your front-line teams (like Sales) to find out what questions customers are asking—use that to inform content strategy.

4. Iterative Editorial Processes & Content Testing

[01:16]

Successful content now requires a commitment to testing and iteration.
- Experiment with different formats: table vs. chart, images vs. video, etc.
- Don’t just “set it and forget it”—continually test what works best for your audience.
Jordan Cooney: “We don’t test enough our editorial content, we simply just kind of set it and forget it and it’s just simply not good enough.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

(00:22) Lindsay Nelson: “We need to continue to build information to educate these systems or we will never be surfaced.”
(00:39) Jordan Cooney: “There’s so much blog content out there, so much junk, I couldn’t read another listicle in my life.”
(00:51) Lindsay Nelson: “I want to write for our customers. And I think from an SEO and a GEO perspective, writing for humans is way more important than it ever has before.”
(01:24) Jordan Cooney: “We don’t test enough our editorial content ... it’s just simply not good enough.”

Timestamps of Important Segments

00:19 — Should You Kill Your Blog? The AI Overviews Dilemma
00:31 — Are There New Triggers or Standards for Content in AI Search?
00:43 — The Case for Human-Centric, Customer-Informed Content
01:16 — Why Iterative Testing Must Be Part of Editorial Work
01:24 — The Need for Ongoing Content Optimization

Key Takeaways

Do not abandon your blog because of AI Overviews; instead, evolve your content strategy.
The future of content is human-centric—listen to customer-facing teams to inspire topics that matter most.
Focus less on what SEO tools say you “should” write and more on what your actual audience cares about.
Continual testing and adaptation of content formats and topics are vital to staying relevant in AI-driven search.

Tone: Direct, practical, and constructive—both Jordan and Lindsay are intent on giving actionable advice for SEO and content marketers aiming to remain competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

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[00:00]
A
The Voices of Search Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com welcome to the Voices of Search Podcast. A member of the I Hear Everything Podcast network, ready to expedite your company's organic growth efforts. Sit back, relax, and get ready for your daily dose of search engine optimization wisdom. Here's today's host of the Voices of Search podcast, Jordan Cooney. All right, next question. When a client asks if they should kill their blog because AI overviews is taking all of their traffic, what do you actually tell them? Absolutely not. We need to continue to build information to educate these systems or we will never be surfaced. Yeah. Is there a new trigger of quality for this editorial kind of content in this AI discovery world? Is there like a new set of standards or requirements to make really useful content that we really haven't been doing in the past decade? Because there's so much blog content out there, so much junk, I couldn't read another listicle in my life. I think at this point. Right. I do. I really think. And again, is a positive look of where we're going having human centric content. So my number one focus right now is I want to talk to sales teams. What are your customers or potential customers asking and saying? I care way more about that content than the stuff that Semrush tells me I'm missing on my site because everybody's writing that I want to write for our customers. And I think from an SEO and a GEO perspective, writing for humans is way more important than it ever has before. Which is. This is a good thing. Yeah, absolutely. I think that the human factor in really testing that in your editorial process is not easy work. Right. And it requires a willingness to be iterative. Right. Does a table work better than a chart? Does an image or a graphic work better than a video? And we don't test enough our editorial content, we simply just kind of set it and forget it and it's just simply not good enough. 100%. And that wraps up this episode of the Voices of Search podcast. A huge thank you to Lindsay Nelson, VP of SEO at Symphonic Digital, for joining us. If you'd like in touch with Lindsey, you can find a link to her LinkedIn profile in our show notes or visit voicesofsearch.com you can also connect with her company, symphonic digital@symphonicdigital.com. if you haven't subscribed yet and would like a daily stream of SEO and content marketing knowledge in your podcast feedback, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed every week. Okay, that's all for today, but until next time, remember, the answers are always in the data.