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.