I Don’t Use Ai… So After 8 Years of Hard Work, This Hurt
I started this website back in May 2016. The plan back then was to create a website where people could come to learn more about creative hobbies. I interviewed art friends at the Art Studios I was based at in London’s Wimbledon, and I wrote up reviews of exhibitions too.
Within a few months, ‘gurus’ told me I had to ‘niche down’, be more specific about the topics I wrote about, and be an ‘authority’ in what I wrote about.
So, I focused down on sewing, fabrics and pattern making. Three topics that I know very well having graduated with a BA in fashion design and (in 2016) a good 20+ years of sewing under my belt.
And it was going well… People found my website on Pinterest initially, and gradually, search engines like Bing and Google started showing my website in their results for questions people had about sewing, fabrics and pattern making.
I started earning *actual money* from all the tutorials and guides I had written, and I felt a mix of pride in having my hard work start to pay the bills and astonishment that my hard work *was* paying the bills.
In Summer 2023 an email came my way (the subject of which I can’t technically talk about yet) but it was an exciting opportunity, and I started work on a very large project, which as of writing, is very nearly complete.
This big project meant that I took a step back from creating tutorials and guides here on my website, which I felt ok with as I had so many already that readers were LOVING.
The Google Apocalypse
Now the funny part of this story, is that at the same time I stepped back to focus on the big project, the biggest and most used search engine pushed out a ‘core update’ which included a ‘helpful content’ element.
They were determining with their machines whether content on websites was ‘helpful’ and if they decided it wasn’t, they were ‘hitting’ sites with a sort of penalty.
The penalty meant that people asking questions like ‘how is cotton made’ or ‘plus size sewing pattern for plus sized people’ would not be shown my website anymore, because Google had suddenly decided that my website didn’t contain ‘helpful’ content.
Quite laughable really when you look at the number of comments left on my website over the years all saying that it’s ‘incredibly helpful’ or words to that effect.
In fact, here’s a screenshot from a tool that Google provides to keep track on what’s doing well on my website.
On the far left, you can see I was getting between 2500 and 3500 visitors to my website every day from Google… 52 MILLION impressions over the past 16 months…
Except in the screenshot above you can see that 29 million were in the first six months from mid April 2023 through to October 3rd 2023, when suddenly I got ‘hit’ again and my website traffic went down AGAIN.
Fast forward to the last three months – so mid May to mid August at the time of writing – and it’s even more evident how Google is penalizing my website… just shy of 4 million impressions in three months.
You can’t make this up.. but imagine losing 90% of your income, through no fault of your own, just because you were creating *helpful content* that Google decided was no longer helpful?
The Rise of Ai
There are two things to ‘blame’ if we’re looking to assign blame.
The first is Google and its greedy shareholders, wanting to keep all the search traffic on its platform generating more ad income for themselves. Which I understand to an extent, being that my website earns an income from the ads on it (which was how I could make so many tutorials for free while still paying my rent).
At the same time, I despise capitalist behavior where big monopolies hoard and hoard, and let the little fish drown. I’m not the only ‘blogger’ who has lost most of their website traffic and income because Google got greedy.
The second element to blame is the rise of Ai.
An Ai chat ‘bot’ called Chat GPT came out in autumn 2022 (approximately) and with it, a bunch of tools that enables unscrupulous people to generate written content really fast. This content was then uploaded to websites, without being fact checked and created a ridiculous amount of data for search engines to ‘crawl’ through to sift the good from the bad.
If you’ve searched anything on Google in the last 18 months, you’ve probably comes across the crappy Ai content and thought ‘whaaaaaat even is this rubbish’?
Just to clarify: I have never written and published anything on this website with Ai. I’ve also never used Ai generated images here either. Most photos you see are taken by me, with my trusty Panasonic Lumix camera, unless it’s something I don’t have access to – like a cotton field – and I pay for one from a stock photo site.
What’s Next for The Creative Curator
I’m not going to lie.. when I saw the traffic and my income crashing even further in March of this year, I was in tears. I am still angry and frustrated watching what I worked hard to build be ‘devalued’ in such a way, especially when people tell me how amazing the content is.
I thought about quitting and selling the website, but in all honesty, the effect of the last 12 months means that I wouldn’t get anywhere close to what the website is actually worth in terms of work invested into it.
I earned $17 USD yesterday, and when you multiply that by 31, you can see I won’t be able to pay half of my share of the rent (again) this month. Which puts the ‘monetary value’ of the website at less than $20,000. Selling at that price for almost eight years work would just be foolhardy.
So, I’ve decided f*ck it…
Why should I pander to what ‘search engines’ want? Why should the likes of Google get to decide what I do or don’t write about here on my website?
So from this day onwards, you’ll see a mix of content on my blog. I’ll still be writing about sewing, pattern making and fabrics. I’ll be creating more tutorials and guide once this big project is completed.
But I’ll also be posting arty videos from a second YouTube channel that I have – which has kept my mental health stable throughout the last 12 months – and I’ll also be posting about fiber arts I love to do too, like crochet, knitting and weaving.
If its creative and crafty and I enjoy it as part of my life, I will write it and put it here for myself and anyone else interested in reading it.
I’ll even have a chatty ‘blog’ section too, where you can catch up on more personal type posts too!
And if you’re only after sewing patterns, they’ll be over on my personal website / webshop Eve Tokens Patterns.
As I write this, I learned that there is *another* update taking place with Google. I suspect it’ll end up taking away the remaining couple of hundred visitors it still sends me – because why let the little fish swim and survive when they can be crushed and gobbled up by a shark and their updates?
But if you’re reading this, you found me somehow, and you stuck around to the end. So thank you. From the bottom of my heart for your support, for your kindness and for just being here today.
Much love,
Eve
Update October 2024: I did actually get a small bump in traffic from the most recent Google update in August.. but as of writing (7th October 2024) they’re taken it all away again. Infuriating really when so many people tell me how helpful the tutorials here are. Sigh.
Love your chats. As long as I can find them I will keep reading. Would love to kick Google up the a**e. I use Duck Duck Go on my Apples!! When I see Chat GPT I Exit. I know what is coming. I am an almost non techie and old, so havnt time to spend on their time-wasting chat. I now only put business with companies etc I can communicate with directly. It will all backfire on Google in the end. Just be patient. Love your content.
Thank you so much Ros. I really appreciate the support and your kind words. ❤️
Hi Eve! I’m so sorry about the search engine changes. I found you via video searches and have found your content very helpful. I hope things turn around soon!
Hi Lynn! Oh, good to know that video search is still working! Thank you so much for your feedback – and if there are any specific tutorials you’d like to see from October onwards!
Eve, your content is wonderful and I personally find it valuable. No doubt our world is changing and not necessarily for the better. Having said that, change is inevitable and we all need to learn how to adapt. You have already started doing that! Make some lemonade out of lemons. I believe down the road new opportunities will arise and you will be better off than before. Thank you for your website and for sharing your talents with us all. You are the best! Hang in there.
Hi Coreena! Yes, times do change for sure – and I am generally a glass half full kind of gal, but this was brutal! Alas, onwards, and with the outpouring of support from wonderful readers, I trust that it will all be better than before. Thank you for the kind words and support!
Love everything you post. So informative and feels personal to myself. As a result of advice on your site I now use a rotary cutter which as I have been going through chemotherapy has been a godsend! I haven’t read anything boring yet. I have told all my friends about you. I feel like you have been my personal tutor as I had to give up my sewing classes during treatment. I have and still am learning sooo much from you. Thank you and good luck for the future!
Patricia, thank you so much for always being so wonderful and supportive. It makes my day to know that learnt so much from my tutorials. I just saw that you emailed too, so I will reply there as well, but wishing you well with the chemo treatment. Sending lots of love!
Eve,
Love your website and find it extremely helpful with my sewing endeavors.
Thank you for all that you do.
Thank so much Val, it is great to hear that the tutorials have helped you!
Thank you for all the content you share, and for inspiring me to get dressmaking again after many years. I know your content is genuine, totally fed up with all the AI sites that have sprung up which just waste everyones time.
Thank you Susan! I love that you’ve gotten back into dressmaking again. Let me know if you have any specific tutorials you’d like to see, I’ll be back creating more in October!
Hi Eve, I first discovered you due to sewing, but I’m very crafty and looking forward to you posting other types of crafty content! Curses to artificial intelligence! I’d rather look at ‘real’ stuff any day!
Thank you Kelly! I’m excited to share more crafty content knowing that others like yourself will enjoy it too!
Thank you Eve for all that do and the content you provide! It is very much appreciated! It isn’t right that Google has “devalued” your website!!
Thanks so much Diane! It is so disheartening, but I will fight on!
I couldn’t believe how much the hits have gone down on your website Eve, it’s really frustrating to just be reading it and made me angry for you. I really love all your tutorials, I learned so much, especially how to draft my own patterns. I still come back to the site again and again for information etc. Good luck with your new angle, I will still be here reading it all.
Thanks Lesley. It’s quite shocking when you look at the graphs and see just how much it’s all gone down by. But the support I’ve received makes me think it’ll be ok… I just need to keep on going. Thank YOU for your kind words and support too!
Love what you are doing! Keep it up
Thank you Sandra!
Hi Eve, I agree with all the sentiments posted. The website is informative and a valuable sewing guide, you couldn’t find all this information in 1 book, which is why it’s my go to website for information. I feel your frustration as I can see the years of love and dedication its taken to build this site. You’re doing an amazing job! And thank you for all your hard work! Keep smiling :o)
Thank you Sadie. With such an outpouring of love and support, there’ll be no stopping me.
Unfortunately, this is a fact of life with Google. The company my husband and I had in the states was on the first page of searches in our profession for quite a while until Google made one of those.” updates”.
We wound up hiring a service that kept on top of all of that which did include adding content to our website and making changes according to shifting requirements by Google. However, we also started paying for ads to keep ourselves high in the searches because we were not willing to “just go out of business.”. Even though our costs went up, it was still less expensive than sending out print ads and postcards which over the last few years have gotten far too expensive to do.
I’m sure there are other ways to win at this game that one of you are more tech savvy readers could help you with. I am absolutely not an expert.
I find your website inspiring. I used to sew all my own clothes when I was young, which included altering existing patterns to make them more like I thought they should be.
Thank you and hang in there. I have read over and over again that society actually runs predominantly on small businesses so don’t give up!
Hi Nana! Yes, it is very much becoming a ‘pay to play’ situation I fear. Thank you for the kind words. I’ve received such a show of support from readers here and on email that there’s no chance of me giving up. ❤️
Keep going, I really appreciate your site and find it helpful.
I used to be a keen sewer until I developed a cataract. You cheered me up as I started to daydream about using my machine again.
X
Oh I’m sorry to hear that your cataract had such an impact Yasmin. I really hope you are able to get back to your sewing machine again! ❤️
I love your content and its really helped me build my confidence!
This is so lovely to hear Jade, thank you! If there are tutorials you’d like to see that I haven’t covered, please do let me know!
Hi, Eve, I LOVE your site and really enjoy your videos and writing, which is very fun to read. Also appreciate your emails that come with my name in the salutation. It makes me feel like we are friends. Keep kicking and fighting for your place, as you are valued by me and many others. Your information has helped me in many ways as I pursue sewing. I don’t use Google any more since I switched to Duck Duck Go. I didn’t like their spying on me.
Oh, thank you Anita! One of the BEST things about having my website is the friendships that it has built over the years – and I write every email as if you ARE my friend here in *real* life. So I am glad that this feeling comes through. ❤️ Knowing that there is so much support will keep me fighting away – and I too use Duck Duck Go now, such a better user experience!
Hi Eve, I would like thank you for getting me back into sewing and giving me the confidence to draft my own clothes.
Thank YOU Roz for placing your trust in me to help you! It makes me so happy to know that I’ve been able to help!
I’ve noticed how much harder it is to find good content now, glad I found your site already, looking forward to the changes coming soon! I love a bit of crochet as well! Lot’s of great content, thank you for your hard work!
As rubbish as it sounds, I’m glad that it has been noticeable how *bad* things have gotten. Thanks for being here Michelle!
Hi Eve, I agree with all the sentiments posted. The website is informative and a valuable sewing guide, you couldn’t find all this information in 1 book, which is why it’s my go to website for information. I feel your frustration as I can see the years of love and dedication its taken to build this site. You’re doing an amazing job! And thank you for all your hard work! Keep smiling :o)
Thank you so much Sadie! Your kind words and recognition of the hard work spent creating it.
This is really sad to read. I’ve been following you from the beginning in 2016. You helped me with pattern cutting difficulties whenever I asked and I know how much effort you put into all your work ( written and technical). I hope you will be able to continue with your passion in the future x
Hey Carol! You are one of the OG! THANK YOU for being here still, your support has always been so appreciated! ❤️
Hi Eve, I live in Australia and am dumbfounded at the blind trust our companies and government have in on line and ai, even after the multiple cyber breaches…
It’s such a strange feeling that we as people have no power to make changes to our lives, in terms of our basic rights or the way our governed society functions, our freedoms and our access to even the most basic rights of clarity and transparency and choice.
Where our politicians tips for saving money are, and this is verbatim “If you’re looking to save a few extra bucks, why not skip breakfast!”
On the topic of ai, the cloaked recession, (they’re not calling it a recession in Australia yet) and internet searches…
In California housing rent increases are capped at 10%.. I searched the internet for about an hour and couldn’t find what our legal rent increase percentage was in the whole of Australia and after a rigorous search and accessing 3 websites offering answers but really no correct or relevant information and for a fee…
I turned to our “governing body” on real estate being the RTA, the residential tenancies association.. where you can actually call and speak with a human to which I posed the question, only to be told that “there was no legal cap on the rent increases at all, in Queensland, Australia! The real estates can charge whatever they want, and they do and due to “the housing shortage”, if you contest the increased rent price, you’re out on your ear and good luck finding a liveable home, without rats gnawing in the walls a laundry/basement that fills with at the very least, an inch of water every time it rains and rising damp that coats my furniture in mould…
There is no minimum standard to which your property must reach to be deemed fit for accommodation either..
The real estate’s and all companies really, word their correspondence to sound like they’re doing you a favour too.
It makes me feel sick..
All thanks to our prime minister. Who we don’t really vote for cause if the other politicians don’t like the “peoples vote” they’ll just get rid of them and instate another of their liking.
Apologies for the rant..
My point is, that they are blatantly taking our choices and basic rights away and there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop them…
There is no force for the people any more.. the machines, the ai and the corporations and their psychopaths for CEO’s have us or the 85% of us, cornered, fenced in and by the throat and are still squeezing…
I will do all I can to help you to secure a very well deserved income for your amazing content and keep on hoping your traffic will flourish again.
Thank you for the wonderful work you have shared with us over the last 8 years, we’re all looking forward to seeing your other creative content too ✨️
Many thanks,
Bec
Oh my goodness Bec, this is all so horrific! How can there be no cap? Even here in NL we have rent caps in place to prevent against such profiteering. I’m sorry that it is so bad out in Australia. And thank you so much for your support. ❤️
Well I understand your frustration. I just was ready to send you a comment and it disappeared on me. Don’t give up we need you to keep on doing what you do. Even old timers need review and encouragement!
Hey JoAnn! Another of my OG peeps! Thank you SO MUCH for being here and being so supportive over the years. ❤️
I’m so sorry this is happening to you. It’s sad that tech innovations are very often weaponized to deprive people of their income. I’m glad you’re finding a way to make it work, regardless. May I suggest uploading content on Facebook and TikTok as well? From what I hear, they pay creators.
Thanks Yerem… it’s so sad how many people I know that have also been affected by these Monopolistic changes. I stopped TikTok because it only shows my content to Dutch people (based on my SIM card) but I should get back to daily posting on Facebook, people are friendly there. Though I believe the *bonuses* they offer for content is an invite only and not at all reliable. But, it is definitely an idea to start sharing more there. Thank you!
I, too, enjoy hearing from you and find your content helpful, interesting and accessible – more so than a lot of others I’m served up by Google, Insta, YouTube or Facebook, etc. I’m very excited to see what you’ll be serving up in the future, and to hear all about the secret project. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. All the best, Monique.
Thanks so much Monique! I can’t wait to share the ‘secret project’ with you all as well!
Eve, so sorry you and other makers are going through this with Google. I love your chats and the information and guidance you provide is first rate. The upcoming changes you mention will also be very helpful and informative. Most of us who sew are also interested in other forms of fiber crafts, crochet, fabric manipulations, embroidery even knitting (my least favorite). Please take heart these greedy people will come a cropper eventually.
What ever the content of your site, we will find you informative, knowledgeable, up to date, and relatable.
Hi Eve! I’d be crapped off too! I’m sorry website traffic has slowed right down for you because of stupid google.I totally agree that searching on google is rather arduous now. I can’t even remember how I found you but you’ve been jumping into my mail box for a while now and I have always enjoyed your content even though I don’t have anywhere near the time I used to have to be creative I still love to read about what others are doing. Please keep it coming 🙂
I’m afraid I don’t come often but it’s more a time issue than anything. If it’s something I’ve done before I don’t have a problem but something I’ve not done before then I go looking first. I get around Google by always saving sites I know I would use a lot to my web browser (Opera) with a folder for everything, so no way can they stop me finding a website. It would probably freak people out the amount I’ve got. Talking is good, pictures/videos are better. I’m sure you will conquer Google, when all said and done it’s only a machine.
I love reading your posts! As a seamstress since high school Home Ec. I refer to your posts on fabrics, pattern making, and especially liked your Freida Khalo one.
So please keep doing the good work!
Hi Eve,
I love and look forward to your chats not only are you sometimes so funny but always very informative. Technology is definitely getting out of hand. We need people and we need support, people support.
Cheers Ricci
I love your content. Even though I have been sewing since age 4 and have loads of experience as a dressmaker and tailor, I still learn something new. Keep on going, stick your tongue out at Google. Strength to you.
Hello,
I enjoy reading your blog, and I enjoy the sewing information very much.
I hope everything works out for you.
So sorry to hear what Google has done to you. It should not be allowed. I hope you will still be creating sewing content.
Hi Eve, I love your chats and the useful tutorials that you put on for us, I even purchased one of your 5 favourite books that you recommended, that great hefty “Patternmaking for Fashion Design”. I have just recently started making clothing for my disabled wife as you may recall and at age 79 need all the help I can get lol, but it’s working and she is pleased with the results. Don’t get disheartened I’m sure you will succeed in the end remember the saying “Don’t let the bug**s grind you down”.
Eve–
I’m so sorry to hear Google is messing with your website. You have great, very useful content. I am excited that you will also be sharing about your other crafts than sewing, patternmaking, and fabrics. Best wishes always.
Eve ,I am so sorry that this has been happening to you. I love your site! I have been watching since covid and it helped keep me sane. You are truly loved and appreciated and I look forward to seeing stuff from your other site
I am fairly new to you and I enjoy seeing your emails and reading your tutorials and learning from you. As a new sewer i find reading your content very helpful because you help me learn stuff that I didn’t even know I didn’t know! Keep going, you got this! I’ll keep reading and learning from you!
Hello, I very much enjoy your website, there is so many things on it and things are so clearly explained, I have just found your article on different types of pockets which I will read later. The best thing I have made from your site is the Trigg Shorts, they are really nice and several people have said how nice they look.
Do keep up the good work.
Paul
Please don’t stop your website. you were literally the first person I”met” in my sewing journey and I love your content. It has always been so helpful to me.
The tail wagging the dog!
Hi Eve
I’ve been following you on Pinterest for many years and find all your content very interesting and useful – like you, I don’t fit into one neat little box, I love sewing, knitting, crochet, needle felting, wet felting, embroidery, etc and couldn’t possibly give up any of them!
I’m so sorry that you’ve had thus extraordinarily awful treatment by Google, it really is totally unacceptable and incredibly short-sighted! I very strongly believe that Google should be asked to review their actions, preferably with the help of intelligent artists and successful business owners with common sense, not Ai’s! When they do this it will become patently obvious that their position and actions are indefensible!
I believe that you should be properly compensated for the sharp downturn in your business, for which Google is entirely responsible. You should also be compensated for the emotional turmoil this has caused – for no good reason!
Eve, I really hope that you have the strength to move ahead with this after suffering so badly at the hands of giant Google and their brainless stupidity. I wish you well and hope that you will keep us – your loyal followers and grateful recipients of your extensive knowledge of such a variety of stitching crafts – informed of your progress and success.
What an incredibly difficult (heart breaking) time you’ve had! Google should be utterly ashamed! What a disgrace!
Sincerely
Alison Owen and crafty friends
Dear Eve,
I am so sorry to hear about what has happened to you with Google.
I have not long discovered you and your amazing website. I stumbled on you through Pinterest and was blown away by your content. I hope you can keep going. All the best from Alice Springs, Australia.
Wow at last I have stumbled across the sort of site I have been searching for for a long time. I have been sewing for a long time and want to learn how to make my own patterns. The way you explain how to do that is perfect. I am also interested in up cyclying and design. I am slowly catching up with all your you tube video which are very informative. Keep up the good work and I will be enjoying your blog and videos. Very much appreciated site. Thank you for all the effort you put in.
I’m sorry that Google is proving problematic for you.
I’m an experienced sewer that does alterations and repairs and I often recommend your website if someone wants to learn some sewing skills.
I really hope things improve for you and I really like the idea of other crafts.
I hope goggle and ai get what they deserve the greedy b******s. I am no techie and I don’t follow many websites but I do enjoy yours! So best of luck for the future and put whatever you want in, it’s your website!
Hi Eve
Just wanted to confirm that I really do like your content!
Hi Eve,
thank you for sharing. I can understand your frustration. Everything seems to be changing fast and it is not easy to keep up especially if you don’t want to use some of the tech available. I run my language business online and don’t want to use AI either.
I always enjoy the contents of your website and I am grateful that you have such an amount of amazing guides and articles to help me. I found your article about the different cotton the other day really interesting. I love receiving your emails with different links which is a great way to jump over to your website. Keep up the great work and be yourself because you are amazing and the energy that comes through in everything you do is awesome!
I love your content. I find it fun and inspiring. I have been a subscriber for a little while. I can’t even remember how. Dankjewel! My boyfriend is a Nederlander. We live in Hawaii. Thanks again for what you do! P.S. I am already not using google anymore.
Eve, as you already know, I love your site and have done for many years. I recommend it to anyone who sews that I meet and will continue to do so.
As for Google nothing surprises me any more, I’m really sorry that you have been directly affected by their ‘upgrades’, but always remember, you are a great teacher and have some of the best content that’s improved people’s confidence to develop their skill set, never forget that. You are unique…or should I say a human being with a generous gift for the rest of us to enjoy.
I just tried to share your post on Facebook and they are pretending that I have the wrong password! I will figure that out. BUT — That is to say — I HEAR YOU! I have learned a lot from this post about Google and plan to try to help even tyhough I am in the US. My image is that of any kind of wildlife — like bison — lured into an ever-narrowing grassy space so they can be slaughtered. I will look more closely at your site because I want to learn more about sheer fabrics and if you have a book I will buy it. For now — if you will — can you guide me to any informaton about fabric paints that work best on various sheers? I have a museum commission to work on and what I make has to be washable and durable for children.
MANY THANKS!!!!!
I google searched “instructables sew a welt pocket” (instructables in case you are unfamiliar is a ASK Jeeves How to type website, You might want to repost some of your content there. Your tutorials are easily as good and it would drive traffic)
In any case, you were the third or fourth link down. That was how I found your site. You are definitely getting linked. The algorythms had you high on that one.
Have you ever updated your page with metatags and requested the google webcrawler to crawl your site. It might be the keywords or the title that isn’t registering with the Google crawler, especially if it is AI generating. It is predictive which means it wants complete sentences, like how to sew a welt pocket. Something specific it can identify with specific questions people are asking. You might have got 100% so to speak because you had all the words in a question asked repeatedly.
I saw all your other content and signed up for your newsletter, so if your traffic dropped, is it google or do your repeat customers come back through your emails (I tend to go back to websites by clicking on emails). If so, the update that is the issue might be that your email is being blocked as spam.
Google tries out new stuff there since they get hit with alot of robot spam.
It may be that the title on your email is not relevant enough – in other words, the system cannot identify it as legitimate. It looks spammy. Possibly if you have changed how your email is sent. What the server return address looks like. I am no expert there, but it sounds like if you reword the subject lines on you emails it might help.
Stay Strong Eve! God Bless.
Thank you! Things are still going downhill, but I’ve been working on a plan of action for the new year, so stay tuned!