Have you heard the myth of King Midas—the man who turned everything he touched into gold? What seemed like the perfect wish soon became his worst nightmare. His food, his drink, even his beloved daughter, all turned to solid gold.
Midas learned the hard way that focusing too narrowly on one desire can limit growth—just as in business, where an over-reliance on one strategy can leave us vulnerable to unexpected shifts.
This is exactly what happened to most of us with Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU). What once seemed like a golden path through SEO quickly turned into a roadblock.
But instead of giving up, many of us pivoted. It’s kind of a metaphor for life. If you’re struggling a bit with the pivot, let’s talk about a few ways to make it easier (I share 3 ways below👇).
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The HCU Wake-Up Call
Before HCU, I was like Midas—focused on one thing for my portfolio of sites, SEO, and seeing it as the golden path to growth. I have an agency that does SEO, but Google decided that model doesn’t work for content sites anymore (it still works great for other business sectors!)
Website #1, which had once been a reliable $2,000/month earner from Google search traffic, fell to a mere $138/month. Ouch. It felt like my golden touch had turned to dust.
But just like Midas, who had to step back and reevaluate his wish, I had to shift my perspective.
I started focusing on Pinterest traffic, building a system to post fresh content daily. The results? By Q4, the site was back on track, earning more than it did before HCU. In January, it made over $4,500, all from Pinterest—no Google in sight.
In February, we restarted growing the email list and sending daily emails.
Sometimes, the things we think will make us successful can blind us to the potential for growth in other areas. The HCU forced me to rethink everything, and in doing so, I discovered new opportunities that I never would have explored if I had kept my focus solely on SEO.
The site is now earning more than double per month, and I’m focused on more opportunities to grow revenue and further diversify.
Learning From the Past
Then, there’s Website #2. This site was also hit hard by HCU, and for over a year following, it sat stagnant. But instead of letting it languish, I partnered with Thomas Smith in November.
We put my site’s content to work with his email list, and in just three months, we more than doubled the revenue—from $644 in October to $1,445 in December.
Now we’re focusing on a stable growth plan that involves growing the email list through Facebook Ads.
Oh, and you might have guessed it.. But we’re going to get started on a new traffic channel. My agency is doing the Pinterest Audit as we speak, and then we’ll dive into daily pinning.
A Different Pivot
I recently spoke with Niche Site Lady (NSL) on the Niche Pursuits Podcast, and her story is another incredible example of pivoting in the face of adversity.
Before the HCU, her travel blog was generating $70,000/month from SEO with 1.5 million pageviews. But after the HCU, her organic traffic took a major hit—down 70%. Most people would have folded, but she turned her focus to Facebook traffic and email.
Today, her site is still thriving with a more balanced approach to traffic—33% from SEO, 44% from Facebook, and 10% from email.
She’s diversified not only her traffic sources but her monetization methods too. In fact, her income has now eclipsed her pre-HCU numbers. She almost broke $80k in January.
She just recently made her Facebook process available for super cheap in this e-book.
Speaking of Thomas, look at the success he’s having following her methods… in just a matter of days.
NSL’s story teaches us something vital: Entrepreneurship isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about learning from it and using it to become stronger. Change is inevitable in business, and those who adapt can emerge even more successful than before.
Moving Forward
So, what does all of this mean for you?
#1: Embrace the change – it’s inevitable. Business is never static. Right now it’s Google’s HCU but it will be something else down the road. As business owners, we need to learn to embrace change, pivot when necessary, and find new opportunities in adversity.
#2: Make a change now – stop researching or pondering. I hear so many people say they are still “considering what to do next”. Even if you got into this online world post-HCU, the time for action is now. As the Roman poet Virgil said, “fortune favors the bold.”
#3: Learn to strike the balance – You’ll hear people tell you to go “all in” and that’s the only way to be successful. You’ll hear people tell you to throw ideas against the wall and then go after what sticks. Tough to know which way to go, right?
That question is the point of this whole email. You have to be able to do both. Once you embrace the change, make the change. Quickly monitor initial results. Keep learning, keep trying, keep pivoting.
The “big pivot” becomes a never ending series of mini-pivots.
So What’s Next Then?
In the end, King Midas learned that focusing too narrowly on one desire can trap us, but once he shifted his perspective, he found a way forward. In business, the same applies. When we embrace change and pivot, we uncover new opportunities for growth and success.
If you’re in a visual niche, maybe you try out Pinterest. I have lots of helpful guides on my blog to get you started, and my agency will begin offering services for Pinterest soon.
If you’re in a passionate niche, maybe try out email marketing. I also have lots of helpful guides on my blog to get you started, and Thomas and I talk about it a lot on the Niche Pursuits Podcast. Oh, and he shared a lot in his recent video.
If you’re in a viral-esque niche, maybe try out Facebook. Niche Site Lady put all of her approach and processes together into a really good social media profit plan that she’s selling for only $27. It got me thinking I need to put effort into this for my Website #2 project.
So, don’t be afraid to pivot. Embrace change, take action, and keep moving forward. The best opportunities often come from where we least expect.
