However you feel about AI, one thing is certain: it’s here. With AI tools available on a limited basis now, and soon to be made available to the general public, it seems like the Internet and search engine optimization (SEO) as we know it may well be changing once again.
Or is it?
Truthfully, AI and generated content has already been around for a while. And though Google has already released guidelines around AI content specifically, in truth, nothing much has changed. Here’s what you need to know.
Google’s Stance On AI
There’s an acronym used by Google to describe high-quality content called EEAT, which includes Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These are the guidelines they use to create the algorithms that rank content, and therefore are the guidelines you should use when creating content. These rules aren’t new – Google has been implementing anti-spam and “spun” (which is what it calls content that is generated automatically and typically of very low quality) guidelines for a decade now. So, while AI might be a relatively new and novel invention, nothing much has changed when it comes to what’s expected and what will rank well in the SEO world.
The bottom line? Computers have been creating content for years – but it’s still up to humans to make sure that content is good before they publish it. However, that doesn’t mean AI is useless. In fact, AI has interesting implications for those looking to streamline their content production process – provided they’re able to edit and develop the AI content into the helpful, genuinely useful content that ranks highly in the SERPs of today.
Can You Use AI To Create Content?
Yes, you can. Google explicitly confirmed that AI and automation can be (and have long been) used to create content that ranks highly in search. However, there’s an important distinction to be made – AI is a tool, and it has the potential to help with creating relevant, original content. However, AI is not a way to “game” SEO. Google’s guidelines make it clear that AI-produced content certainly won’t rank any higher than content produced without it. More importantly, Google has spent the last decade learning to fight spam and low-quality content: utilizing AI to quickly generate 50 mass-produced, low-quality articles, for example, will still trigger the same algorithmic penalties as any other spun content generator.
Simply put: should you decide to use AI, be very careful to keep the goal of your content the same: to showcase your expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. This is the way you should be evaluating your content whether or not you use AI – but as of right now, there is no substitute for the human element in content creation.
Here are some tips if you do decide to utilize AI:
- Add original content and opinions.
- Double check all facts and sources.
- Include author tags where relevant (and no, do not list AI as an author).
- If you do use AI in your content process, consider disclosing how you’ve utilized it.
We Can Help
MyAdvice has been creating content for websites just like yours for more than 20 years. We’ve seen it all – which means we can help you through it all. Contact one of our digital marketing experts for more information.
