Content

The start of a new year is always a time to look forward, and when it comes to blogging in 2026, there are a lot of things to be aware of.

So in this one, we thought we'd pull out our crystal ball and look at some of the biggest things that are likely to come this year, predict what will happen, and share a bit about what we are doing to prepare!

Read more

AI-related products and services have exploded onto the scene in recent months, and, in our opinion at least, are still in their infancy with a long way to go.

While our general motto is “we caution against use of AI products for your sites,” the simple truth is that is not always the case. Yes, you should not be using AI to write content that you are publishing. We'd argue that using AI to create images or other tangentially related content could be equally as unhelpful (in context, at least). But, that said, we do admit that there are some pretty cool uses of AI coming out for content creators and bloggers all the same- ones that even we highly endorse using within reason.

So, what ways can we use AI to improve our content? We have a few ideas!

Read more

If you're a content creator like us, odds are good that you don't like the idea of AI and LLMs training off of your content.

Join the club.

One subset of all this AI nonsense that has enraged website operators is how search engines are pushing AI-generated overviews, which take publishers' intellectual property, reword it, and deliver it to queries at the top of SERPs- often cutting the original creator out of clicks, views, and ultimately, revenue.

Well, I'm here to tell you, there is a way you can fight back, and it involves using your preferred AI to bypass their AI.

Yes, dear reader, you can seemingly use AI to crawl search engines, organize results in clickable top 10 format (often even better than they do!), and not trigger a single ad or stupid AI Overview in the process.

Turnabout, as they say, is fair play.

Read more

One thing we are really big advocates for here at This Week in Blogging is the notion of repurposing your content.

We talk about this concept a lot in our weekly newsletter, and the broad idea is simply to try and encourage all content creators to think bigger about how many ways they can incorporate a piece of content/idea/concept in their site, social media channels, and overall online presence. Not only because it helps you get more out of your material, but also because it helps you think of ways to grow your brand and showcase your expertise every chance you can!

So, let's take a hypothetical scenario where you are writing about an experience you had. How many times are you going to feature it in your online content- a social media post and a standalone article, perhaps?

We're here to tell you that this is just scratching the surface of ways you can repurpose the same content in various formats. So let's break down many of the options you can consider!

Note: It is unlikely that any creator will do all of these. We will discuss more about this at the end. We're simply wanting to highlight all of the ways you may want to consider publishing content online!

Read more

If you are considering picking up a drone for your blog to get some fantastic aerial photos and videos, you're in for a real treat. The technology makes for capturing stellar footage that could help set you apart online.

However, if you plan on using your drone for commercial purposes, particularly in the USA, you will need a license.

Thankfully, the FAA makes licensing for small unmanned aircraft use incredibly easy. All you have to do is study for the Part 107 drone exam, take a 60-question test at an authorized center near you, pass a background check, and off you go.

So in this one, I thought I'd break down the process I had to go through more when taking my Part 107 exam in early 2024- what was easy, what was a bit more confusing, and give some tools to help you be on your way to passing the exam and becoming a licensed drone pilot!

Note: Drone restrictions vary from country to country, state to state, county to county, and city to city. This article is intended only to focus on the licensing requirement with the FAA in the USA and does not touch on operational rules in your locality. We recommend researching all local restrictions in the areas you will likely fly the most before spending the money to buy a drone and become licensed.

Read more

Google has (seemingly) been making E-E-A-T a bigger and bigger metric with each passing algorithm update.

Gone are the days where you simply can publish whatever you want, for any reason, and possibly rank. Today, Google wants to see many signals to rank you, including why you deserve to rank. That is to say, why are you qualified to write about the content to begin with.

So we thought we'd break down what E-E-A-T is in simple terms and then drop a bombshell you may not like- particularly around the Expertise element of E-E-A-T.

Unfortunately, in this particular instance, it is important to be the expert and not just an expert. This distinction matters.

Read more

You know when a blog about blogging asks the question, “Is blogging dead?” the answer is probably going to be a loud and emphatic “No!“.

But we will also be the first to admit that blogging has changed significantly over the years, so much so that the current landscape of blogging is significantly different from when most of us old-timers started 10, 15, and, in some cases, 20+ years ago (fun fact: the world's first blog turns 30 in 2024!).

So while it may often feel like the rug is about to be pulled out from under us at any moment, with new social networks changing where we can reach potential fans, search algorithm updates throwing everyone for a loop, and decaying reach all around, the simple truth is that blogging has always been an industry in flux.

We will be the first to make the argument that the golden age of blogging has ended, but, for most bloggers who weren't around to experience it, this may also be a good thing.

Read more

It is never a fun feeling in blogging to find out that you have a copycat. It has happened to me many times over the years, and even to this day I still always have a moment of panic over all of the what-ifs that could happen.

Most end up resolving themselves just fine, but some become a persistent issue that I simply have to recognize become a part of doing business.

So in this one, we thought it'd be fun to discuss the topic of copycat bloggers more and share some things you should (and shouldn't) do when someone is imitating your business.

That said, we should also note that you may have two kinds of copycats to watch out for, namely, one that follows your lead and builds an eerily similar brand as your own and another that steals content outright. While we call both of these copycats insofar as the word's connotations allow, some approaches below may best apply only to one case over the other.

Read more