Hey hey!
No SEO news this week (we’re not going to talk about Google sticking another Core Update on us 2 weeks before Christmas, no, no, we’re not). No rants about LinkedIn gooroos. No free tip you’ll have forgotten about by the time you have time to implement it.
(This is the 16/12/2025 issue of my newsletter – subscribe here)
It’s almost the end of the year, and I wanted to do something a bit different – I wanted to say thank you.
I’m grateful to still be here, doing this.
Another year of freelancing under my belt. I know how tough it’s been for so many people this year, especially those in industries that AI has disrupted. Copywriters and translators in particular – but so many of my network have struggled, and it’s been heart-breaking to watch. But I genuinely think the tide is turning. 2026 feels like the year the fight against AI slop grows stronger, and I’m here for it.
I’m grateful for my peers.
The ones who’ve referred clients my way. The ones who’ve shown me I’m not just shouting into the void on LinkedIn and in this newsletter. You have no idea how much that means.
I’m grateful for my clients.
You trusted me with a part of your business – and let’s be honest, SEO can feel a bit “out there” if you’re not immersed in it. In a year of uncertainty, you took a chance. Thank you.
I’m grateful for the SEO community.
Especially the ones who joined me in shouting down the shysters selling GEO/AIO/EIEIO as some revolutionary new service completely separate from SEO. You know who you are. Keep fighting the good fight.
I’m grateful for the clients and partners who became friends.
That’s the best bit of this job, honestly.
I’m grateful for my family.
My wonderful daughter Leigh is now at home with my almost-one-month-old granddaughter Remi. If you’d seen me as a 19-year-old single mum, you’d never have believed we’d end up here – with Leigh growing into the strong, resilient, feisty 30-something she is today. Remi is going from strength to strength, which we feared wouldn’t happen, and Raya is proving to be an awesome big sister. My heart is very full.
And I’m grateful for you.
Yes, you. For reading the twaddle I put together every week(ish). For opening these emails. For being here.
Looking ahead to 2026
Everyone and their nan’s dog is doing SEO predictions for 2026 right now. My LinkedIn feed is full of them. AI this, algorithm that, voice search finally becoming a thing (again).
Here’s mine: the fundamentals will still win.
Good content. Helping readers. Strong technical basics. These things have worked for decades and they’ll keep working, no matter how many “revolutionary” “new” techniques the gooroos try to sell you. The shiny hacks come and go. The fundamentals stick around.
Ascend launches in January
I’m ridiculously excited about this. The Ascend Programme – my 6-month SEO mentoring programme for copywriters – kicks off in January, and I’ve got some brilliant people signed up.
This cohort is full, but if you want to keep up with how they’re getting on – or get on the waiting list for the next intake in July – you can do that here: https://nikki-pilkington.com/the-ascend-seo-programme-for-copywriters/
2026 is going to be better
I genuinely believe that. For freelancers, for small businesses, for all of us trying to do good work in a world that keeps throwing curveballs.
They knock us down, but we get up again. And I hope to be part of helping people do exactly that next year.
One last thing – I need your help.
Tell me one hope you have for 2026. Just one thing.
Message me on LinkedIn, reply to this email, send a carrier pigeon – I don’t mind how.
I’m going to keep every single one of them. And next December, I’ll remind you what you said so we can see how it went.
Go on. What are you hoping for?
That’s (almost) it for 2025.
Thank you for being here. Genuinely.
Always non-wanky,
Nx
P.S I changed the price of my SEO 1:1 sessions to £100 for Black Friday and I’ve been too lazy to change it back. So if you want to set your 2026 SEO off on the right foot, now’s probably a good time to book one before I eventually get round to updating the website: https://nikki-pilkington.com/seo-training-and-development-uk/
