Archives: Tech

Why I Keep Moving Between Hugo and WordPress

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As a developer and content creator, I’ve gone through the endless cycle of building sites with Hugo, getting obsessed with

.md file AI Blog Diary Blogging Brew Cloudflare CNAME Flattening Cocoon Degoogle digital garden DNS Domain Ghost.org Hugo IndieAuth IndieWeb Lifestyle Matomo Analytics Minimalist Newsletter npm Pagespeed Insights Plugin Running A Blog Social Media Subscribers Table of Contents Tags Terminal Web2 Web3 Webmention Webring WordPress XML XServer

  • Can you aim for top search results with AI-generated content?

    Can you aim for top search results with AI-generated content?

    AI-generated content can rank well if you:

    1. Ensure Quality: Edit for accuracy, relevance, and readability.
    2. Follow SEO: Use keywords naturally, optimize meta tags, and structure content with headings and links.
    3. Enhance UX: Make content mobile-friendly, engaging, and easy to read.
    4. Stay Updated: Refresh content and monitor performance regularly.
    5. Be Ethical: Disclose AI use when needed and check for originality.

    Focus on value and relevance to succeed.

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  • Can AI-generated content be used in SEO?

    Can AI-generated content be used in SEO?

    Yes, AI-generated content is a valuable tool for SEO, helping digital marketers enhance website performance and search engine rankings. Here’s how it can be leveraged effectively:

    1. Content Creation: Quickly generate high-quality blogs, product descriptions, and SEO-optimized materials to maintain a consistent publishing schedule.
    2. Keyword Optimization: Identify high-value keywords using AI analysis of search volumes and competition.
    3. Content Personalization: Tailor content to audience preferences for better engagement and improved rankings.
    4. Content Analysis: Evaluate readability, keyword usage, and other SEO factors to enhance existing content.
    5. Task Automation: Streamline tasks like meta tag generation, internal linking, and scheduling to save time.
    6. User Experience: Provide relevant, engaging content that supports positive user experiences, a key ranking factor.
    7. Monitoring & Analytics: Analyze website performance to refine SEO strategies based on actionable insights.

    Considerations: Ensure AI content is accurate, original, and user-focused to meet search engine quality standards. Thoughtful use of AI tools can boost efficiency, optimize content, and strengthen audience connections.

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  • What Is Kagi Small Web?

    What Is Kagi Small Web?

    Kagi Small Web is an initiative by Kagi, a privacy-focused search engine company, designed to surface and promote content from the “small web.” The “small web” refers to the non-commercial segment of the internet—websites and blogs created by individuals for self-expression or knowledge sharing, rather than financial gain. This part of the web is often nostalgic for the early days of the internet, before large-scale commercialization and ad-driven business models became dominant.

    How Kagi Small Web Works

    Kagi Small Web curates and highlights recently published content (typically within the last week) from a handpicked list of personal blogs and independent sites. The aim is to make high-quality, human-driven content more discoverable, especially as such content is often buried by commercial or algorithmically generated material in mainstream search engines.

    You can access Kagi Small Web content in several ways:

    • Directly within Kagi’s search results for relevant queries (for Kagi users, this is automatic)
    • Through the Kagi Small Web website, which is intentionally designed to be lightweight and free of JavaScript
    • Via an RSS feed
    • Through Kagi’s Search API, which incorporates Small Web results into its news enrichment features.

    The initiative is open-source, and the curated list of sites is available on Kagi’s GitHub. Anyone can suggest new blogs to be included, following criteria such as being non-commercial, English-language, regularly updated, and free from advertising or spam.

    Key Features and Philosophy

    • Curation: Only personal, non-commercial blogs and independent sites are included. Sites must have recent posts, be in English, and not contain ads, popups, or spam.
    • Human-Centric: The focus is on genuine self-expression and high informational value, aiming to revive the more personal, community-driven spirit of the early web.
    • Transparency and Openness: The list of included sites is public and open for contributions, with clear guidelines to maintain quality.
    • Interaction: On the Kagi Small Web website, users can “appreciate” posts or leave temporary public notes, which are cleared weekly as content is refreshed.

    Why It Matters

    Kagi Small Web is a response to the increasing dominance of large, commercial platforms and the flood of low-quality, AI-generated, or ad-driven content online. By surfacing independent voices and original perspectives, Kagi aims to make the web more human, diverse, and meaningful.

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  • Are You Really Going to Hide Your Content Because You’re Scared of AI Scraping?

    Are You Really Going to Hide Your Content Because You’re Scared of AI Scraping?

    Lately, I’ve been seeing this trend in the indie web community. People are getting spooked about AI scraping their content, so they’re putting everything behind login walls or email gates. But is this really the right move?

    Stuff You Put Online is Meant to be Seen

    Look, when you publish content on the web, it exists to be consumed. Being afraid of AI reading it and slapping access restrictions on everything? That’s basically shooting yourself in the foot.

    The whole beauty of public content is that you never know who’s going to stumble across it. Someone unexpected might connect with your work, or you might get surprising feedback. Put up gates, and you kill all those serendipitous moments.

    Fans First, Money Later

    This is business 101: “Fans first, monetization second.” It’s a golden rule for a reason.

    Why fans first? Simple. Real fans aren’t just customers. They actually get the value of what you’re creating, and they’ll spread the word for you. These people become the foundation of your community, and eventually, that translates to revenue.

    Flip it around and focus on money from day one with access restrictions? You’re basically telling potential fans to buzz off. For solo creators especially, this is a massive missed opportunity.

    The Email Address Reality Check

    Let’s get real for a second. Put yourself in a reader’s shoes – would you hand over your email to some small-scale creator you barely know?

    Honestly, unless their content is absolutely mind-blowing, most people won’t. Especially with unknown creators, there’s always that nagging thought: “Is this person’s newsletter actually worth it?” or “Are they going to spam me with junk?”

    Your email inbox is personal territory. Giving someone permission to enter that space is a much bigger deal than hitting follow on social media. It carries real weight.

    So the moment you make email registration mandatory, you lose most of your potential audience. You end up with great content that never reaches the people who should be reading it. Talk about counterproductive.

    Let’s Just Get Along with AI

    Sure, AI scraping is a new challenge, but do we really need to panic? Maybe having AI learn from your content means you’re indirectly reaching more people. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

    What matters is keeping that human touch that AI can’t replicate. Personal stories, individual perspectives, emotional insights – that’s where real differentiation happens.

    The Value of Staying Open

    When you keep your content open, amazing things happen. You get unexpected responses from completely different fields, random collaborations pop up, people you never imagined reach out. None of that happens when you’re hiding behind gates.

    The indie web was supposed to be about this kind of open information exchange. Just because AI showed up to the party doesn’t mean we should go into defensive mode. Embrace the change, keep being authentically you, and things will probably work out better in the long run.

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  • How to Avoid Sounding Like AI

    How to Avoid Sounding Like AI

    To avoid sounding like AI, keep your points short and simple. Skip headings and extra formatting. This makes your writing feel more natural.

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  • In the age of AI, human-like writing is a real strength.

    In the age of AI, human-like writing is a real strength.

    In the age of AI, human writing retains its unique strengths and significance. While AI has made impressive strides in generating text, human writing offers qualities that are difficult for machines to replicate fully. Here are some reasons why human writing remains a real strength:

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  • How will things change with the advent of Google’s AI search, SGE?

    How will things change with the advent of Google’s AI search, SGE?

    The introduction of Google’s AI-driven Search Generative Experience (SGE) marks a significant shift in how users interact with search engines. Here are some key changes and potential impacts of SGE:

    (more…)
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  • Is it a good idea to write blog articles with AI?

    Is it a good idea to write blog articles with AI?

    Writing blog articles with AI can be a good idea, depending on your goals and how you plan to use the technology. Here are some considerations to help you decide if it’s the right approach for you:

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  • About the role of blogs in the AI era

    About the role of blogs in the AI era

    In the AI era, blogs continue to play a significant role in various aspects of communication, education, and business. Here are some key points highlighting their importance:

    (more…)
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  • Digital Gardens — Growing Ideas on the Web

    Digital Gardens — Growing Ideas on the Web

    The digital garden flips the traditional idea of publishing. Instead of posting finished articles in chronological order like a blog, you build a living “garden of knowledge” online — a place where unfinished thoughts, notes, and ideas can grow and evolve over time.

    Key traits:

    • Not organized by time, but by connection
      Entries are linked by topic or theme, not by date. It’s about building relationships between ideas.
    • Unfinished is fine
      Rough notes, half-baked thoughts, and early drafts are welcome. Everything is part of the process.
    • Mistakes and experiments are visible
      You don’t hide your learning curve — you share it. The garden reflects growth, trial, and error.
    • Form is flexible
      There’s no standard format. You can mix text, diagrams, audio, video — whatever fits.
    • You own it
      It’s not tied to a platform. You build and host it yourself, making it truly your own space.

    If a blog is a shelf of polished articles, a digital garden is an ever-growing ecosystem. Some ideas bloom, others wither — but everything contributes to a broader landscape of thought. It’s a personal, evolving way to publish and connect ideas on the web.

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