David Condon Finds

Blogging in the Age of AI Overviews If you’ve used Google lately, you’ve probably noticed something different. Instead of clicking into websites, you’re getting answers straight from the search page thanks to AI Overview. Sounds handy, right? Maybe it is to the casual browser but for small creators like me, it’s a real kick in the teeth. Traffic has dropped to my website and new blog. Affiliate links don’t get seen and I have the Analytics to prove it. Product reviews and personal blog posts are being buried under summaries scraped from… well, blogs like mine.

Here’s what I learned when my entire blog urls disappeared from Google Search overnight and how I’m trying to fix it. I woke up one morning, logged into Google Search Console, and saw something that made my stomach drop, there were  ZERO pages indexed . My new Blogger blog wasn’t even a week old, but just the day before, 11 of my posts were indexed and starting to show impressions. Now? Gone. No warnings. No explanations. The only faint silver lining? GSC was now for the first time detecting all 26 URLs on my blog but none of them were indexed.

Thinking of starting a blog for your small business? I’ve been there and I nearly gave up before I even got going. Like many business owners, I kept hearing that blogging would help customers find me, improve my SEO, and bring people to my door. It sounded great… but I resisted it for years. I'm not a writer, or so I believed. The idea of blogging was intriguing though, and deep down I knew there was value in it - I just didn’t think I was the right person to write anything worth reading. My old school teachers would probably nod in agreement.

There’s nothing worse than reading product recommendations from someone who clearly has no real interest in what they’re writing about or worse, when it’s obvious they’re only doing it because it’s part of their job. It always feels a bit disingenuous to me. So, I wanted to keep it real. In this post, I’m sharing a handful of products I bought with low expectations, things I didn’t think much of at the time, or just hoped would do the job. But every one of them has earned a permanent place in my daily life and now I find that I can't do without them.

 Aside from the Revitive Circulation Booster, I’ve tried several other things that help with foot pain and neuropathy symptoms. Some surprised me like socks and eventually even a grounding mat of all things. I’m not claiming miracles, just sharing what’s helped. I've spent quite a lot of money testing various things out, not for the good of humanity but for my own relief. Hopefully If I can help you avoid wasting time or money, then it’s worth writing this. So if you're curious about what’s worked for me, stick around and I’ll walk you through it. 📝 Part 3  of 3 Posts:  This is a follow up to my Revitive Circulation Booster Post

After writing my first blog post about the Revitive Circulation Booster, (link at the end if you missed it) I thought readers might like an honest update based on a year (and more) of living with Peripheral Neuropathy. It’s been a tough journey, and if you’ve landed here, maybe it has been for you too. I’ve added three updates in total (listed below), written at key intervals to reflect real life progress, slip-ups, and tips that may help. This updated version first appeared on my original blog at davidcondonwoodcraft.ie. (linked below) and has been rewritten for an easier read. 📝 Part 2 of 3 Posts:  This is a follow up to my Revitive Circulation Booster Post

A Night Out in Tralee – Then and Now  🍻 Once upon a time, Tralee was one of the liveliest nights out in the county, packed pubs, buzzing nightclubs and the kind of weekend energy you could feel in the air. If you were around in the '90s or early 2000s, you'll know what I mean. Every weekend felt like an event, and for many of us, those memories still stand out. These days, the town still has its moments - especially from Thursday nights through the weekend or during big events - but like many Irish towns, the nightlife has evolved. It’s a bit more laid-back now, a little more local, but not without its charm. What follows is a local’s guide to some of the best pubs around town, a mix of music spots, sports bars, hidden gems, and quiet corners.

Dear Google Ads, I’m writing this post, not as a digital marketing expert, but as a small business owner who’s genuinely trying to use your platform and to be honest, I'm struggling. I’ve worked in IT, built and maintained websites, written blog posts, learned SEO basics, and made countless improvements to my online presence over the years. But when it comes to Google Ads? It feels like I’m trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. I’m not a luddite, I’m not afraid of tech. But your platform seems designed for ad agencies and highly advanced individuals, not small business owners like myself trying to promote handcrafted products, services, or local offerings. There’s so much potential here but the interface, terminology, and campaign setup make it feel like I need a degree in advanced computing just to run a simple ad.  Red Mist Loading! Explained below.

You’d be surprised how often a simple mistake in a phone number causes delays. Every week I see customers enter their number incorrectly at checkout, sometimes just one digit out, other times so far off the mark you'd swear they were writing an IBAN! Most of the time, small businesses like mine can spot and fix the obvious ones. But sometimes we need to email you for clarification, which can delay your order being dispatched. This post will show you the most common phone number mistakes I see and how to fix them in 10 seconds flat.

Have you ever taken off your Fitbit or other brand tracker and found an itchy red rash underneath? I have and not just once. I’ve owned three different Fitbit models over the years, and with each one I experienced sore, red & irritated skin. My latest one, the Fitbit Charge 6, I had the worst reaction yet. If you work out, the rashes are normally worse as soft skin gets damaged more easily.  I found a solution that worked but was labour intensive and then I finally found a simple, affordable solution and it turned out to be a third-party option and not one from Fitbit directly. I wanted to share how I solved the issue as it really is an annoying problem, especially if you bought the Fitbit to get healthier. To be Clear: This may also affect users of other fitness trackers and even regular watches , so if you've had a similar experience, read on.