Google is getting even worse for independent sites

HouseFresh, an air quality-focused site, reports a steep decline in its Google search visibility, attributing this to big media companies dominating search results with less expert, SEO-driven content. Despite updating and improving their content, HouseFresh has seen a 91% drop in search traffic since October 2023, falling from 4,000 to 200 daily visitors. The site criticizes the trend of prioritizing affiliate link-filled articles over genuine expertise, impacting the viability and future plans of independent publishers like themselves.