Can Programmatic SEO hurt your rankings? One founder learned the hard way — and shared the lessons that helped their site bounce back.

Programmatic SEO (pSEO) has quickly become a trending strategy in digital marketing circles, promising fast scaling through automation and AI-generated content. But as one founder recently shared in a viral LinkedIn post, the wrong execution can lead to dramatic consequences — including getting deindexed by Google.

Here’s how their site lost all visibility — and what they did to recover.

The Rise and Fall: 50,000 Pages and a Harsh Reality

In the beginning, their strategy looked like a success story. By leveraging AI to generate 50,000 long-tail keyword-targeted pages, the site gained hundreds of clicks and millions of impressions. But it didn’t last.

Without a manual action or penalty, Google simply began deindexing pages, causing traffic to disappear overnight.

The likely culprit? Thin content.

“We learned the hard way that shortcuts don’t scale sustainably,” said the founder. “It was a huge mistake, but also a great lesson.”

Their biggest takeaway: AI isn’t the issue — low-quality, duplicative content is.

Understanding the Real Issue: Thin Content, Not Just AI

While many point fingers at AI-generated content, SEO professionals were quick to clarify: it’s not about how content is created, but what kind of content is published.

As SEO expert Rasmus Sørensen put it:

“Programmatic SEO has been touted as the next big thing… but I’ve seen so much garbage published. It very rarely is a silver bullet.”

And SEO consultant Joe Youngblood added:

“I would always do something like pSEO under the supervision of a seasoned SEO consultant.”

Recovery Strategy: Rebrand, Reduce, and Refocus

To get back on track, the company made a bold move:

• Rebranded to a new domain (Tailride)
• Redirected the old domain
• Cut down on page quantity and focused on quality

“Less pages + more quality” became their new SEO mantra.

And it worked. A quick site search now shows that their content is being reindexed, and traffic is returning. It’s a reminder that user-focused, valuable content still rules SEO — no matter the tools you use.

As an experienced SEO agency in NYC, SEO Guru NYC helps businesses avoid costly mistakes like thin content and poorly executed automation. Whether you’re exploring programmatic SEO or recovering from a drop in rankings, our team provides the strategy and expertise to ensure long-term search visibility. Don’t let shortcuts derail your growth—opt for sustainable, results-driven SEO.

Partner with us and optimize the smart way.