Speaking about the evolution of digital content creation in Kenya, Nyakundi explained that blogging between 2012 and 2013 was far more profitable than it is today.
According to him, the internet landscape at the time heavily favored independent bloggers because competition was relatively low, social media reach was organic, and Google AdSense payouts were significantly better compared to the current environment.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
Nyakundi disclosed that one of his biggest breakthroughs came after he published a story concerning an Australian journalist who had reportedly been killed by ISIS.
Nyakundi disclosed that one of his biggest breakthroughs came after he published a story concerning an Australian journalist who had reportedly been killed by ISIS.
The article unexpectedly went viral after larger international websites picked up the story, leading to massive traffic on his platform and a huge payout from Google AdSense.
According to the blogger, the internet ecosystem during those years allowed stories to spread rapidly without the heavy algorithm restrictions currently experienced on platforms such as Facebook and Google.
According to the blogger, the internet ecosystem during those years allowed stories to spread rapidly without the heavy algorithm restrictions currently experienced on platforms such as Facebook and Google.
A single viral story could generate hundreds of thousands of page views within a short period, translating directly into substantial advertising revenue for publishers.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
“Around 2012/2013, the game was very different. We would publish stories, share them widely in Facebook groups, push them across social media, and the traffic could translate into real money. I remember doing a story about an Australian journalist killed by ISIS. Some big sites picked it up, the traffic exploded, and I made a clean Ksh 400,000,” Nyakundi revealed.
His revelation paints a picture of a period many bloggers now nostalgically refer to as the “golden age” of blogging in Kenya.
“Around 2012/2013, the game was very different. We would publish stories, share them widely in Facebook groups, push them across social media, and the traffic could translate into real money. I remember doing a story about an Australian journalist killed by ISIS. Some big sites picked it up, the traffic exploded, and I made a clean Ksh 400,000,” Nyakundi revealed.
His revelation paints a picture of a period many bloggers now nostalgically refer to as the “golden age” of blogging in Kenya.
During that era, independent websites and blogs commanded massive audiences, and publishers relied heavily on viral content and Google AdSense monetization to generate income.
Several Kenyan bloggers reportedly earned millions of shillings annually from online advertising as internet penetration and social media usage rapidly expanded across the country.
However, Nyakundi believes that era has largely come to an end.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
According to him, the current digital landscape has become extremely difficult for bloggers who rely purely on website traffic and Google AdSense revenue.
However, Nyakundi believes that era has largely come to an end.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
According to him, the current digital landscape has become extremely difficult for bloggers who rely purely on website traffic and Google AdSense revenue.
He explained that increased competition, changes in search engine algorithms, and the rise of artificial intelligence have significantly reduced opportunities for independent content creators to earn sustainable income from traditional blogging.
Nyakundi specifically pointed to the emergence of Google AI-generated summaries and snippets, which now provide users with quick answers directly on search pages without necessarily requiring them to visit websites.
Nyakundi specifically pointed to the emergence of Google AI-generated summaries and snippets, which now provide users with quick answers directly on search pages without necessarily requiring them to visit websites.
In his view, this development has drastically affected traffic flow to blogs and online news platforms because many users consume summarized information without clicking the original source.
“Right now, creating content mainly to earn through Google AdSense is becoming extremely tough. Today, the game has changed completely. AdSense is weaker, competition is brutal, social media reach is controlled by algorithms, and now Google AI snippets can eat your content before users even click your site,” he explained.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
The outspoken blogger also noted that social media platforms, especially Facebook, no longer distribute content organically the way they used to years ago.
“Right now, creating content mainly to earn through Google AdSense is becoming extremely tough. Today, the game has changed completely. AdSense is weaker, competition is brutal, social media reach is controlled by algorithms, and now Google AI snippets can eat your content before users even click your site,” he explained.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
The outspoken blogger also noted that social media platforms, especially Facebook, no longer distribute content organically the way they used to years ago.
Previously, bloggers could share links in Facebook groups or pages and instantly attract thousands of visitors. Today, however, algorithms prioritize paid promotions, entertainment content, and platform-native posts, making it harder for websites to attract consistent audiences.
Nyakundi now believes that anyone hoping to make serious money online must move beyond relying solely on blog traffic and advertising revenue.
Nyakundi now believes that anyone hoping to make serious money online must move beyond relying solely on blog traffic and advertising revenue.
Instead, he encourages digital entrepreneurs to create platforms, tools, and services that offer long-term value and encourage users to pay subscription fees.
According to him, the future of online business lies in building products people continuously need rather than depending entirely on page views and ad clicks.
“If someone wants to make serious money online today, the better move is to build something useful and charge a subscription. Build a tool, a tracker, a database, a monitoring platform, a community, or a product people need to keep coming back to and where they perform some action,” he advised.
Nyakundi’s comments reflect the broader transformation currently happening across the global digital publishing industry. WATCH VIDEO HERE.
According to him, the future of online business lies in building products people continuously need rather than depending entirely on page views and ad clicks.
“If someone wants to make serious money online today, the better move is to build something useful and charge a subscription. Build a tool, a tracker, a database, a monitoring platform, a community, or a product people need to keep coming back to and where they perform some action,” he advised.
Nyakundi’s comments reflect the broader transformation currently happening across the global digital publishing industry. WATCH VIDEO HERE.
Over the years, many publishers have complained about declining ad revenues, shrinking organic reach, and increasing dominance by tech giants controlling online traffic.
Artificial intelligence tools, short-form video platforms, and changing audience behavior have also forced many bloggers and online media entrepreneurs to rethink their monetization strategies.
Despite the challenges, Nyakundi’s story remains one of the clearest examples of how lucrative blogging once was in Kenya during the early days of digital publishing.
Despite the challenges, Nyakundi’s story remains one of the clearest examples of how lucrative blogging once was in Kenya during the early days of digital publishing.
At a time when smartphones and social media were rapidly transforming communication, a single viral article had the power to change someone’s financial situation overnight.WATCH VIDEO HERE.
0 Comments