I Almost Quit Blogging (Here’s Why I Couldn’t)

I’ve been blogging for a long time. Sometimes I can’t believe 20 years have gone by. I started as a “mommy blogger” in 2005, then switched to travel blogging in 2011.

I met and networked with lots of other bloggers, made friends, and truly enjoyed the work of writing, SEO, photography, video creation, and social media promotion.

Until I didn’t.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve become more and more disillusioned with social media, SEO, and travel writing. I was *this close* to quitting blogging. Here’s the story of why…

AI Killed the SEO Star

I’m old enough to remember the very first broadcast on MTV. I recall sitting cross-legged on the floor of my living room, glued to the new television channel as The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” birthed a new era of music entertainment.

And now I’m seeing the AI era born. After travel took a big hit from the pandemic, I started a side hustle called “Content Refresh” in which I helped people rewrite and optimize their old blog posts. It was wildly successful for a couple years – I had more work than I could handle and even hired a partner.

Then came AI and Google’s “Helpful Content Update.” If you aren’t in the world of blogging, this probably means nothing to you, but it KILLED a lot of bloggers. Overnight, the traffic that Google was sending to some web sites decreased massively. And most of the top search results were AI generated, eliminating the need for people to click through to read a blogger’s thoughtfully-written post.

Many travel blogs, including my own, had their income cut in half or worse. And that was also the end of my Content Refresh business. No blogger wanted to pay for search engine optimization when we no longer had any idea what would give you good fortune in the Google algorithm.

Not only did I lose income from my blog and Refresh business, I lost a lot of motivation to continue in the blogging world.

I started focusing on my health and sharing my weight loss journey on TikTok. Then I tried writing on Substack. But nothing felt quite right. It was exhausting trying to keep up with every new platform and decipher its formula for success.

This is how I feel about being a professional blogger / influencer in 2025:

What is my Third Act?

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in my so-called “third act” of life. I’m 56, my kids are grown, and I’m grateful to be somewhat financially secure. So I’m giving myself the time and space to reflect and explore.

• I’m catching up on scrapbooking and writing my own personal stories to pass on to my future family.
• I’m knitting and crocheting – my new favorite hobbies!
• I’m working hard to get stronger and healthier so I can live a long, active life.

But what to do about this blog? I haven’t been participating in blogging groups or masterminds and I haven’t attended blogging conferences or listened to any “how to” webinars. I took a break and evaluated whether or not I really wanted to continue as a travel blogger.

One day, I was going through boxes of old photos and journals and found two printed books with all my blog posts from my defunct mommy blogs. As I turned the pages, I laughed and cried. I shared stories with my kids and they had a blast reading my memories of their younger years.

What a treasure these books are!

That’s when I remembered that THIS is why I blog – to tell stories and preserve memories. Yes, the press trips and ad revenue were nice perks. But I’m so done writing for Google.

I want to write for my family, for memories, and to share experiences that may help and inspire others.

I will still be blogging – just without the pressures of SEO, jumping through hoops for algorithms, or navigating the ever-changing social media landscape.

I love this sliver of the Internet I’ve created. I like writing about my travels – hiking, skiing, filming locations. I also want to share my thoughts on mid-life travel and staying strong and healthy as we age. Niche be damned!

If you are here to the end, I thank you for reading, for being a friend, and for supporting my work. I am so blessed with wonderful friends and family and grateful for all the amazing people I’ve met through my blogging years.

Cheers to the third act!