In March 2024, HubSpot faced an unexpected challenge: an 80% drop in SEO traffic.

According to Semrush, organic traffic experienced a significant decline, plummeting from 13.5 million in November to 8.6 million in December. The majority of this impact appears to have affected HubSpot’s blog.

For a brand synonymous with SEO expertise and content marketing, this decline was a significant moment of reckoning.

The biggest traffic losses came from high-performing pages that, surprisingly, had little relevance to HubSpot’s core offerings. 

These pages included:

  1. Famous sales quotes
  2. Cover letter examples
  3. Resignation letter examples
  4. Small business ideas
  5. What is your greatest weakness?
  6. Affiliate programs

This article delves into why this happened and how HubSpot can recover. More importantly, it offers lessons every marketer can apply to their own content strategy.

HubSpot’s Core Offering and SEO Strategy

Let’s state the obvious: HubSpot is a CRM platform that integrates marketing, sales, customer service, and website-building tools to help businesses grow. Its AI-powered system focuses on connecting teams and streamlining customer experiences.

With such a strong core offering, one would expect HubSpot’s content to align tightly with its CRM solutions. However, their SEO strategy has historically leaned heavily on top-of-funnel (TOFU) content, targeting broad, high-traffic keywords regardless of their relevance to the CRM niche.

What Went Wrong With Their Content Approach:

HubSpot’s blog included a mix of articles designed to capture large audiences. While effective at driving traffic, many of these topics had little connection to their CRM platform. For instance:

Topics that clearly have nothing to do with… Customer Retention Management.

This strategy prioritized traffic volume over relevance, which worked for years. However, Google’s 2024 algorithm updates prioritized content closely tied to a website’s core expertise, penalizing irrelevant or low-value pages.

What Led to HubSpot’s SEO Traffic Loss

HubSpot’s significant drop in SEO traffic wasn’t random. Let’s explore the key factors that contributed to this decline.

1. Irrelevant Content

Google’s recent updates emphasized relevance and authority, rewarding sites that deliver value directly aligned with their core focus. HubSpot’s unrelated content, while popular, failed to meet this standard.

For example, ranking for “real estate license” or “cover letter examples” made sense for driving traffic but offered little value to potential HubSpot customers looking for CRM solutions. 

This misalignment likely signaled to Google that these pages had less relevance and even less authority.

2. Thin and Generic Content

Some of HubSpot’s most significant traffic losses were tied to thin, generic posts, such as:

  • “What is your greatest weakness?”
  • “Famous sales quotes.”

These articles lacked the depth and expertise required by Google’s E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trustworthiness) framework. As search engines favor authoritative and in-depth content, such pages were deprioritized.

It’s simple.

Google’s algorithms assess authority, which depends on a site’s alignment with its core niche. 

Publishing unrelated content undermines the perception of authority, as users (and algorithms) may question why a CRM platform is offering career advice.

Let’s face it…

Producing surface-level content no longer suffices. 

Meeting E-E-A-T standards requires demonstrating deep subject matter expertise, leveraging firsthand experience, and maintaining a tight focus on topics that align with the brand’s primary domain of authority.

3. AI Search and Declining Click-Through Rates

The rise of AI-driven search tools like GPT Search, Perplexity, and Google AI Overview (AIO) has further disrupted traditional content strategies. These tools often provide direct answers on search engine results pages (SERPs), reducing the need for users to click through to the original content.

For example, when users turn to ChatGPT for help with a resignation letter or interview prep, it’s unlikely to cite HubSpot, an authority on CRM solutions, as a reference. Instead, platforms like Indeed, which is firmly rooted in the job search and career training space, is more likely to be seen as credible sources.

This change in user behavior and AI reference patterns has further diminished the relevance of HubSpot’s TOFU content in these areas, contributing to its traffic decline.

Is HubSpot’s Traffic Decline a Cause for Concern?

Business Resilience

HubSpot’s strong brand recognition and reputation for delivering top-tier software solutions give it a clear competitive edge. Its primary revenue streams come from paid subscriptions and enterprise-level clients who prioritize the platform’s robust capabilities over its content marketing reach.

Traffic loss may sting in terms of brand ego and SEO authority, but it’s unlikely to pose a serious threat to their long-term financial health.

Brand Impact

However, HubSpot has long been recognized as a leader in SEO and content marketing. Losing such a large portion of traffic could damage their reputation in this space.

Moreover, irrelevant and low-performing content can drag down the overall authority of a site, potentially impacting rankings for their most important pages.

Our Recommended Recover Plan For HubSpot

To bounce back from their SEO traffic loss, HubSpot needs to get laser-focused on what truly matters: relevance, quality, and strategy.

The era of casting a wide net with generic or unrelated content is long gone.

Moving forward, they must center their efforts on creating content that aligns with their CRM expertise and speaks directly to their ideal customer profile (ICP).

Cleaning up low-performing pages and embracing the realities of AI-driven search are non-negotiables. Recovery won’t be instant, but with a sharp, purposeful approach, HubSpot can reclaim its SEO authority and emerge stronger than before.

Let’s break it down.

1. Double Down on Relevant Content

HubSpot should focus on creating content that directly serves their ideal customer profile (ICP), businesses seeking CRM solutions that help streamline their marketing, sales, and customer service operations. 

To achieve this, they must shift away from broad, generic topics and hone in on producing highly specific, value-driven content tailored to the needs of decision-makers and teams looking for CRM expertise.

This approach means eliminating fluff and filler content that offers little relevance or actionable insights. Instead, HubSpot should prioritize creating in-depth guides, case studies, and thought leadership pieces that showcase their deep understanding of CRM challenges and solutions.

For example, articles addressing how businesses can integrate CRM systems, improve customer retention, or optimize sales pipelines would resonate strongly with their target audience.

By aligning their content with their core expertise, HubSpot can reestablish authority in their niche, attract the right traffic, and provide meaningful value to potential customers actively seeking CRM solutions. 

This level of focus will also help Google recognize HubSpot as a trusted authority in their space, strengthening their SEO performance over time.

2. Clean Up Low-Performing Pages

Underperforming content is more than just dead weight, it’s a liability.

This cleanup will prevent irrelevant pages from dragging down their domain authority.

HubSpot needs to audit their existing content library and take immediate action on pages that fail to drive meaningful traffic, conversions, or engagement. These pages can harm overall site performance by diluting domain authority and signaling to search engines that the site lacks focus.

  • Underperforming pages should be rewritten or revamped to include expert insights and actionable information. This involves updating outdated statistics, adding real-world examples, and ensuring the content aligns with HubSpot’s core offerings as a CRM platform.
  • For content that doesn’t align with their strategy or isn’t salvageable, deleting these pages is essential. Outright deletion removes low-value content that risks dragging down the site’s overall authority.

This cleanup process isn’t just about reducing clutter, it’s about sending a clear signal to Google that HubSpot is focused on delivering high-quality, relevant content in its niche. 

By aligning every page with their expertise and target audience, HubSpot can rebuild trust with search engines, improve rankings for priority keywords, and strengthen their domain authority across the board.

3. Embrace AI-Driven Changes

HubSpot must adapt to the rise of “no-click” search trends by:

  • One critical step is optimizing content for AI-driven search engines. This involves structuring content in a way that AI tools can easily parse and use. For example, creating concise, fact-rich sections, incorporating clear headings, and embedding schema markup can improve the chances of their content being pulled into AI-generated answers.

Providing authoritative, CRM-specific information will also help establish HubSpot as a trusted source in the AI space.

In addition to optimizing current content, HubSpot needs to focus on long-term strategies that reflect evolving search behaviors. This means moving beyond basic SEO and considering how AI tools influence the customer journey. 

  • Content should be designed not only to attract clicks but also to build brand recognition and trust within AI-generated responses. For instance, creating expert-driven guides or detailed case studies can position HubSpot as a thought leader, increasing its chances of being referenced by AI models.

4. Strengthen Backlink and Off-Page Strategies

Backlinks remain one of the most important signals search engines use to evaluate a site’s authority and relevance. 

For HubSpot to recover its SEO standing, strengthening their backlink profile is essential. This process should begin with a comprehensive audit of existing backlinks to ensure their current profile aligns with best practices.

  • Identify and fix broken links: HubSpot should locate broken links pointing to their site and redirect them to updated pages to reclaim lost link equity.
  • Address low-quality backlinks: Links from spammy or irrelevant sites should be removed where possible to prevent them from diluting the site’s authority.

Equally important is building new, high-quality backlinks from authoritative and relevant sources.

  • Partner with trusted publications: Collaborations with tech, SaaS, and business sites can provide valuable links and exposure.
  • Contribute expert content: Writing for niche blogs or industry forums can help establish authority and attract natural backlinks.
  • Leverage thought leadership: Case studies, original research reports, and in-depth articles serve as compelling assets for earning backlinks organically.

By addressing existing issues and proactively securing relevant quality links, HubSpot can rebuild their authority and strengthen their position in search rankings.

Five Key Lessons for Marketers

HubSpot’s experience serves as a wake-up call for marketers everywhere. 

Here are five key lessons to ensure your content strategy stays aligned with modern SEO practices:

1. Relevance Is King

Content that directly aligns with your product or service is critical. 

HubSpot’s downfall stemmed from ranking for topics that had no connection to its CRM platform. While these articles attracted high traffic, they didn’t provide meaningful value to their target audience.

Google’s algorithms are increasingly sophisticated in understanding context and intent.

Publishing irrelevant content not only dilutes your brand authority but also risks dragging down the performance of your entire site.

Takeaway: Focus on creating content that serves your ideal customer profile (ICP). If it doesn’t resonate with your audience or advance your core mission, it’s not worth publishing.

2. Quality Over Quantity

For years, the SEO game was about publishing as much as possible to dominate rankings. But the tide has turned, search engines now prioritize expertise, depth, and value over sheer volume.

HubSpot’s reliance on thin, generic posts like “What is your greatest weakness?” demonstrates how low-quality content can backfire. These posts may have driven clicks in the past, but they lacked substance, expertise, and real-world insights, making them vulnerable to algorithm changes.

Takeaway: Instead of churning out dozens of irrelevant articles, focus on creating fewer but more authoritative pieces. Incorporate original research, expert opinions, and actionable insights to stand out.

3. Stay Ahead of Algorithm Changes

Google updates its algorithms frequently, and these changes are designed to improve the quality of search results. HubSpot’s traffic loss highlights the importance of staying ahead of these updates and proactively adjusting your strategy.

For instance, Google’s 2024 changes heavily favored relevant, high-quality content while deprioritizing irrelevant or thin pages. Monitoring these shifts and adapting early can mean the difference between growing or losing traffic.

Takeaway: Build flexibility into your content strategy. Regularly audit your site for alignment with evolving search trends, and stay informed about major updates to maintain visibility.

4. Prepare for AI’s Impact

AI-driven search tools like Google Gemini are fundamentally changing how users interact with search engines. These tools often provide direct answers on the SERP, reducing click-through rates for websites, especially those offering generic content.

HubSpot’s loss of traffic from pages like “Famous sales quotes” is an example of how AI-generated answers can replace simplistic or surface-level content. To remain competitive, you must create unique, in-depth content that AI tools can’t easily replicate.

Takeaway: Embrace AI’s growing role in search by optimizing content for featured snippets and direct answers. Create content that offers deeper value, such as comprehensive guides or expert perspectives, to complement AI-driven search results.

5. Audit and Refine Regularly

Content marketing isn’t a “set-it-and-forget-it” strategy. 

As HubSpot’s experience shows, failing to audit and refine your existing content can lead to declining relevance and authority.

A thorough content audit involves identifying:

  • Low-performing pages that need rewriting, redirecting, or removal.
  • Outdated content that no longer aligns with your target audience or brand focus.
  • Gaps in your strategy where new content can better serve your audience.

Takeaway: Schedule regular audits to keep your content library optimized. Invest in updating or removing old content, and ensure that every piece aligns with your business objectives and audience needs.

Lessons You Can’t Afford to Ignore

SEO is not about attracting any traffic, it’s about attracting the right traffic. 

HubSpot’s experience serves as a powerful reminder of what happens when a content strategy strays too far from a brand’s core offering. Their significant traffic loss highlights the importance of staying aligned with your expertise and audience needs. 

Yet, it also provides a roadmap for recovery: double down on relevance, clean up outdated content, and embrace the shifts brought on by AI-driven search.

The takeaway for marketers is clear: SEO is a game of precision, not just volume. 

By staying ahead of industry trends and building a content strategy rooted in value and authority, you can future-proof your brand’s visibility.

The question is, are you ready to adapt, evolve, and thrive in this competitive space? 

The opportunities are endless for those willing to take the lead.

Are you ready to step up and future-proof your SEO content strategy?