A speaking-out-loud update, plus

Beyond the bunny: Easter speech topics exploring its history and meaning

(Warning: this about to get personal! If you just want the teaching material skip to the bottom.)

In my last newsletter I put my hands up for dithering. Nine days later I’m doing it again - umming and ahhing about how to say what I want to.

I’ve known myself for a considerable number of years now, long enough to know this suspended state of indecision could go on for quite some time - with numerous futile detours down side roads. If there’s a right and comfortable way to talk about what’s brought this on, it’s eluding me.

Therefore, I’ve decided to bypass the ‘ifs’, ‘buts’ and ‘maybes’ and get straight to the point.

It’s this. Until relatively recently, my website write-out-loud.com provided approximately 95% of my income. I was proud of that and enjoyed what I did.

Through write-out-loud, I wrote speeches for people all over the world, I coached, I sold ebooks of public speaking activities, I supported teachers, and anybody else who wanted them, with resources, and I collected ad revenue. While it wasn’t a spectacular income it was enough. Ample sufficiency, as my grandmother used to say.

Because a website’s success is primarily dependent on search engines to send it visitors and because Google controls 90% of the internet’s search traffic what it does directly impacts millions of website owners for better or for worse. It can turn the visitor traffic tap on or off. For me, the flow is now a trickle of what it was.

The slither from grace began with the covid lockdowns. First the speech writing fell away and never returned to its prior frequency.

Next came a complicated mishmash of interwoven factors: AI, changes in the way Google displays search results as well as significant algorithmic upheavals.

Do you remember when you put a search request into Google you would get a page of organic results, approximately10 blue title links each followed by a brief description? And there was a single narrow column of ads running down its right-hand side?

What do you get now? Sponsored ads, AI snippets, videos, images, ‘people also ask questions’, links to forums, recognized ‘big brand’ sites and lastly, perhaps one or two ordinary organic results at the bottom of the page which, if they’re not seen, they’re not clicked.

Reduced visibility means reduced click throughs which means less website traffic which means less income earning opportunities.

I’ve watched this slide for several years. To try and halt it I’ve upgraded older content, written new material, sent regular newsletters and added more freebie printable resources. To no avail.

My website analytics (stats) tell me fewer and fewer visitors are coming via search engines. Infact, over the last few weeks, direct traffic from schools, universities, colleges etc. who are using write-out-loud in their programs has taken over as the primary source. There’s a certain irony there given that what is being linked to was quite likely initially found in Google and while I love that teachers are finding my material useful, it doesn’t pay.

This is the reason for the dithers, and as yet, I have no remedy for them. Not knowing what to do feels strange, sad and very vulnerable.

I have decided to take a break, to step away to see if that will help get some much-needed perspective and creativity back. I’ll still answer emails and keep write-out-loud running, but I won’t be sending newsletters weekly. Perhaps in a month’s time I’ll start them again. But I don’t know right now.

There. I’ve said it. It’s out.

Also out is a fully revamped article on speech topics for Easter. Despite the angst, it’s been enjoyable and interesting to do. Easter’s connections to pagan culture, its traditional foods, rites and global reach make it fascinating to investigate.

You’ll find 30+ topic suggestions each with go-to links to kickstart your research. I’ve been careful to include secular as well as Christian religious references to provide a well-rounded view of this multi-faceted celebration. I hope you find it useful.

Got to Beyond the bunny: Easter speech topics exploring its history and meaning

Thank you for reading.

Until next time, take care.
Susan

PS. Your thoughts and ideas about write-out-loud, and/or topic areas and how to cover them are very welcome.

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Whatever is going on for you in your part of the world, I hope there is also love, strength and understanding.