Acquiring stable traffic and orders at the lowest possible cost is the key to whether an independent online store can truly succeed. Here are some of my personal insights that may help you.

1. SEO is still the foundation of independent websites

Despite the rapid rise of large language models, Google’s ad revenue continues to grow, and search remains the primary gateway for users seeking information. Meanwhile, more and more websites are blocking ChatGPT from scraping their original contents, making high-quality search results even harder to find.

What we see today is a flood of homogenized, AI-generated articles—content that offers little real value. For a long time to come, search and AI will coexist, rather than replace each other.

As self-hosted online store owners, we should:

• Use AI properly to enhance content quality, not to justify mediocrity

• Protect originality (e.g., converting images to text, blocking AI bots)

• Continue producing unique, insightful, and genuinely helpful content

Right now, the traffic AI models generate is disproportionate to the cost paid by creators. High-effort content is being reused for free, making it nearly impossible to maintain a sustainable business loop.

2. Social media remains one of the most important traffic sources

For any independent site, social platforms are not just branding channels—they are highly effective traffic gateways. I currently operate a matrix across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter(X), LinkedIn, and Facebook. By consistently publishing well-crafted content, I receive several hundred UVs per day.

The secret is not “posting everywhere,” but consistently delivering high-quality content that keeps users engaged.

3. Use AI to enhance your content—not to create low-quality shortcuts

AI can now help you:

• Polish your writing

• Spark content ideas

• Create image assets

• Generate video scripts or complete videos

But one principle must never be forgotten: Higher efficiency should never come at the cost of lower quality. Low-quality articles, images, or videos will not bring traffic. They will only give users a negative impression. If an AI tool does not improve the quality of your content, you are better off not using it at all. You can read my previous article, “Why AI-Generated Articles Fail to Drive Traffic” for more details.

The reality is this: about 90% of people today use AI to mass-produce digital junk. They push out low-quality content, convince themselves they’ve “worked hard,” and imagine that users will enjoy this shallow material—maybe even buy from sites filled with it.

Most people are simply fooling themselves. And as a result, the few who stay honest and committed to real quality often look outdated. But over the long term, genuine traffic always flows to those who consistently create genuine value.