The State of Blogging & Online Marketing in May 2025: What’s Actually Working (and What’s Driving Us All Nuts)

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If you’re a blogger, creator, or small business owner trying to grow online right now…you’re not imagining it. It’s rough out there.

Between AI overload, Google chaos, and Pinterest testing everyone’s patience, it can feel like nothing is working the way it used to. But I’m here to say this. It’s not all bad news.

There are still ways to grow in 2025 and I’ve got some thoughts on what’s working, what’s not, and where I believe we’re headed next.

Google: A Bit of a Dumpster Fire

Let’s just be honest. Google Search in 2025 has been a mess. I’ve seen even seasoned bloggers lose traffic for no good reason. High quality content is getting buried under AI junk, and updates are hitting hard and fast.

But the key takeaway here is this. This isn’t a you problem. It’s a platform problem.

What to do instead:

  • Start treating Google as one part of your strategy, not the whole thing
  • Re-optimize older posts that were doing well for what your audience wants to hear/read…not what you think a search engine wants to see.
  • Focus on building your email list because no algorithm can take that from you
  • Create content people actually want to share and refer to. Think: would I send this to a friend?

AI Changed Everything Fast

AI has exploded this year. Some of it is amazing and I use it for brainstorming and repurposing, but let’s be real. There’s way too much soulless content floating around.

Audiences can tell when something is generic. They want to see you. They want content that feels honest, helpful, and real.

What’s working now:

  • Real photos instead of staged stock
  • Simple iPhone videos instead of fancy scripted setups
  • Posts that sound like a friend sent them instead of perfect marketing speak

Let AI help but don’t let it replace your voice.

Pinterest in 2025: Frustrating But Not Over

Okay let’s talk about Pinterest. I know so many of you are feeling discouraged and I hear you. It’s been clunky, confusing, and downright infuriating at times.

But I want you to know I’m working directly with Pinterest behind the scenes, and they are listening. Just last night, I got this message from my contact there:

“We truly appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process. I understand it’s been far from ideal and am hopeful this’ll be resolved soon.”

It’s not perfect yet, but I’m optimistic. Changes are coming and I do believe it’s going to turn around for creators who’ve stuck it out. I’ve seen a lot of changes over there in the last decade and the biggest takeaway is this: creators who ‘win’ on Pinterest are the ones who stick it out, who don’t change with every update or panic with every dip in traffic. They remain committed to creating content for their audiences. They are vocal when things happen on the platform that don’t help creators (I.e. they reach out to the help desk, they push back on the team through social media, etc.) and they consistently create content that offers a good user experience.

When things like the ‘visit site‘ button issue happen, it’s easy to want to give up…to walk away. And that’s ok if you decide to, but I also think that we need to remember that sometimes platforms and bots need some time to get things right. I have been told time and time again that they are working on refining their bots so that more creator content shows up (I.e. more traffic is given to our sites) and ultimately the only two choices we have are to: give up and walk away or continue building our strategy and trust that things will settle out soon. Pinterest has never been a ‘quick’ platform, it can take 6-9 months for a strategy to work and in the big scheme of things, all of these updates have only been going on for 3 months or so.

What to focus on if you do decide to stick it out on Pinterest:

  • Be consistent even when it feels like shouting into the void
  • Use clear helpful visuals like real photos and practical value (remember: you want to create a good resource for your audience)
  • Prioritize keywords, content on pins that matches the content on your site and click worthiness (i.e. clear visuals) over just making things pretty

What Is Working in 2025?

Despite the noise I’m seeing some things that are working better than ever and they’re rooted in authenticity:

  • Behind the scenes honest content
  • Quick valuable video without overproducing it
  • Email marketing with a personal touch
  • Building community over chasing viral growth
  • Showing up with value even when results feel slow

Final Thoughts

I know things have felt shaky this year but here’s the truth. Creators who stay real, stay consistent, and focus on connection are going to win.

Don’t give up because one platform is glitchy. Don’t stop showing up because an algorithm tanked your reach. Your content matters and your audience is still out there.

👇 I break it all down in my latest video. What’s working, what’s not, and how to move forward with confidence:

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