Our latest data shows they build authority, improve linking, and drive more traffic  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Raptive News JULY 30, 2025 By Cristy Posten Creator Content Editor Hi Raptive, AI crawlers: to block or not to block? That’s what we asked in last week's Question of the week, and it was interesting to see the results. More than half of you said you’re still undecided about how to handle AI bots on your site. Only a third have taken action to block all bots except Google-Extended, while the rest are taking a wait-and-see approach. Our internal data shows something similar. About 41% of Raptive sites are blocking at least one AI crawler, though 34% are blocking them all. It makes sense—the stakes feel high and the tradeoffs aren’t always clear. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here, but we can confidently say that blocking AI crawlers does not hurt traffic. If you missed last week’s Blog post, we shared the data to back it up, plus what it actually means to block crawlers, and why it’s one of the simplest ways to protect your content from being scraped to train generative AI models. In this week’s newsletter, you’ll find: • A roundup of the latest can’t-miss content we’ve created for you • New data-backed insights on why recipe roundups are still valuable • A quick tip to boost your auto-DM results What’s new Catch up on the latest Resource Center content I’m also a creator, so I know how overwhelming it can be to juggle everything. That’s why I’m pulling together some really helpful new content from the Resource Center—stuff that’s actually useful and not a waste of time. Get expert SEO tips, new tools, and fresh insights—all in one place. Here’s what to read to help you stay ahead: Unlocking the power of Google Discover What if your next big traffic win isn’t from search? Here’s how Google Discover is reshaping visibility for creators. 5 high-impact email plays that drive growth Grow your list and future-proof your brand, all with one G.R.E.A.T. email framework. Auto-DM tools: 7 expert tips for driving social traffic and email sign‑ups Learn how creators are using auto-DMs to unlock serious growth on Instagram and Facebook. How to manage modified and publish dates for greater SEO impact This guide breaks down when (and how) to change your post’s modified and published dates for SEO. Do you have our latest WordPress plugin? The latest version of the Raptive WordPress plugin is now available and includes an important Comscore tracking update. We’ve moved the Comscore script out of the ad code and into the plugin itself, which allows it to load faster. That means better traffic measurement, improved accuracy across the network, and ideally, a boost to our collective overall Comscore ranking. To update, just install the latest version from your WordPress directory. Top resource New data-backed reasons to revisit recipe roundups Sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to boost traffic. Our SEO team analyzed data from 250 food sites and found that when done well, recipe roundups consistently drive more traffic than individual recipes—especially in Q4. Even if your site doesn’t focus on recipes, there are key takeaways here: roundups support internal linking, build topical authority, and keep readers engaged longer. The same strategies can apply to any kind of curated content. This guide to better recipe roundups explains what to do (and what to avoid), with clear tips on picking the right topics, formatting your posts, and using your voice to make each roundup feel uniquely you. Drive more pageviews with better recipe roundups → Quick tip Make auto-DMs more effective with roundups “Instagram and Facebook audiences love roundups—and they’re perfect for auto-DM tools like Grocers List, too. Create a Reel or Carousel that teases a recipe roundup post or e-book, then prompt followers to comment for the full list. It’s an easy, high-impact way to drive site traffic and grow your email list at the same time. Watch our recent Grocers List webinar to learn how—and get a 25% off discount for six months, even if you’re a current subscriber!” Alexandra Sebestyen Director, Audience Growth and Engagement In case you missed it Meet the team: Vanessa Barokas, Director of SEO Services Is SEO dead? Vanessa Barokas, our Director of SEO Services, says not a chance. “We’ve been hearing this every year since I started my career 15 years ago,” she says. “SEO isn’t going anywhere.” Learn more about Vanessa in our latest team feature on the Blog. She shares how she and the rest of our SEO team help creators stay ahead of a fast-changing search landscape and why they feel so optimistic about the future. See Vanessa’s advice for creators right now → What we’re reading The latest articles our team is sharing over Slack What do creators really want? Ownership (The Drum) Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results (Pew Research Center) Why you are reading Reddit a lot more these days (Intelligencer | Gated) AI search is growing more quickly than expected (The Wall Street Journal) Question of the week The new Terms of Content Use footer link launches Friday! What’s your plan? Need a refresher? Learn how it protects your content and get answers to your most frequently asked questions. ✅ Adding it automatically Protect my posts, please! 🛠 Customizing for a better fit I’ll tweak wording or placement ❌ Opting out I’m handling this another way 🤔 Not sure yet I still need more time with the FAQ Was this email helpful? This email was sent to email.clausen@gmail.com. You've received this email because you work with Raptive, and we're excited to help you continue to grow. To ensure our emails arrive in your inbox, please add hello@email.raptive.com to your contacts or safe sender list. 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