Is AI Content Good for SEO? Pros, Cons & Strategies

The world of content marketing and SEO is buzzing with a big question these days:

Is AI content good for SEO?

The rise of AI tools like BrandWell and ChatGPT has got people wondering if they can just hit a button, get some robot-written articles, and watch the traffic roll in.

The reality is, as always, more complicated than that.

AI writing tools present opportunities and challenges so it’s important to understand how they impact your SEO before you integrate them into your strategy.

Table Of Contents:

• What is AI Generated Content?
• Pros & Cons of Using AI Content for SEO
• How Does Google Feel about AI?
• AI and Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines
• How to Make AI Content Work for Your SEO
• Is AI Content Good for SEO? Final Thoughts
• FAQs: Is AI Content Good for SEO?
• Conclusion

What is AI Generated Content?

AI content is anything written (or visual) generated using AI technology. This includes blog posts, social media captions, and ebooks.

While the explosive growth of ChatGPT might make AI seem like the new kid on the block, it’s been impacting your Google searches for years.

The truth is Google began incorporating AI into Google Search with RankBrain as early as 2015.

These days, everybody’s talking about AI content. But is it good for SEO?

It’s tricky. Google says they want you to write for humans, not search engines. But they also want your site to load fast and be easy to understand.

That’s where AI can be helpful, but you gotta be careful.

Pros & Cons of Using AI Content for SEO

Let’s weigh the pros and cons of publishing AI-generated content

Efficiency and Speed

One good thing about AI is that it can help you make a lot of content really fast.

Whereas it takes a human writer around 4 hours to write a single blog post, AI can do it in under 2 minutes.

This speed and efficiency are particularly beneficial for businesses that need to produce a high volume of content regularly. The rapid production can also help maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is critical for maintaining and improving SEO rankings.

Cost-Effective

Compared to hiring human writers, using AI can be more cost-effective in the long run. AI tools typically have a one-time or monthly subscription cost that can be less expensive than paying for the time and expertise of multiple writers.

This cost-saving can be particularly significant for startups and small businesses with limited budgets for content creation.

Scalability

AI content generation allows for easy scaling of content production.

As a business grows, the demand for content increases, and AI can help meet this demand without the need to significantly increase resources or staff.

This scalability ensures that SEO efforts can keep pace with the growth of the business and the increasing complexity of SEO requirements.

Consistency

AI tools can maintain a consistent tone, style, and quality of content, which is crucial for brand identity and user experience.

Consistency in content can help build trust with the audience and improve user engagement, which are important factors for SEO.

Consistent high-quality content can also lead to better indexing and ranking by search engines.

Data-Driven Insights

AI can analyze vast amounts of data to identify trends and patterns that might not be immediately obvious to human writers. These insights can help create content that is more likely to perform well in search engines.

AI can also optimize content for SEO by suggesting relevant keywords, improving readability, and ensuring proper formatting.

But, Google is getting smarter and can tell if your content is just thrown together without much thought.

How can AI content hurt your SEO?

Lack of Creativity

AI-generated content can sometimes lack the creativity and nuance that human writers bring. It may sound a little robotic and might not be as engaging or persuasive as something written by a human.

Creative content is essential for engaging readers and standing out from competitors. Without that human touch, the content might feel dull and generic, and fail to resonate with the audience — potentially leading to lower engagement and higher bounce rates.

Poor Quality

While AI has improved significantly, it can still produce content with errors or inaccuracies. These quality issues can damage a website’s credibility and authority.

Regularly reviewing and editing AI-generated content is necessary to ensure it meets the required standards, which can be time-consuming and defeats the purpose of using AI in the first place.

Lack of Personalization

AI tools may struggle to capture the unique voice and perspective of a brand or individual. Personalized content that reflects a brand’s unique value proposition is critical for building a strong connection with the audience.

Without personalization, content can feel impersonal and fail to build a loyal readership.

Search Engine Penalties

Search engines like Google prioritize high-quality, original content. If AI-generated content is detected as low-quality or spammy, it can lead to penalties that negatively affect SEO rankings.

Over-reliance on AI content can also lead to duplicate content issues if the AI generates similar articles or reuses information too frequently.

Ethical Considerations

There are ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI-generated content, such as the potential for misinformation and the displacement of human jobs. AI tools can sometimes generate misleading or biased information, which can harm the reputation of the business.

Additionally, reliance on AI for content creation can lead to fewer opportunities for human writers, raising ethical questions about employment and the future of creative work.

While AI content can offer significant advantages for SEO, including efficiency, cost savings, and scalability, it also comes with drawbacks such as potential quality issues, lack of creativity, and ethical concerns.

Balancing AI-generated content with human oversight and creativity is essential to maximizing the benefits while minimizing the risks.

How Does Google Feel about AI?

Back in April 2022, John Mueller warned against the use of AI-generated content, calling it spam.

Six months later, he clarified that what Google considers spam is AI-generated content that is meant to manipulate search engine rankings.

Google’s stance, for now, is that AI content itself won’t get your website penalized.

What Google does care about is whether your content is useful, original, and engaging, regardless of who or what created it.

So, can AI content be good for SEO in a way that aligns with Google’s guidelines?

Let’s explore this question further.

AI and Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines

You’ve probably heard of E-E-A-T, which is short for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.

Google uses the concept of E-E-A-T to distinguish quality articles from AI fluff when evaluating online content.

E-E-A-T presents both a challenge and an opportunity for anyone relying heavily on AI content. It’s tough to fake experience and deep expertise with an AI tool.

Content generated solely by AI might lack nuance, a unique perspective, or the ring of authority you get from a human expert.

On the other hand, AI tools can also help with tasks that boost your E-E-A-T.

For example, AI can help research and even paraphrase complex information from reputable sources.

Tools like Quillbot use AI to enhance writing clarity and accuracy.

So, is AI content good for SEO in regards to E-E-A-T?

The answer lies in using it strategically.

Think of AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, the human elements that Google craves.

How to Make AI Content Work for Your SEO

While no one is saying to avoid using AI altogether, you need to get strategic about it.

Content is still king, even if a robot wrote some of it.

Think of AI as a superpowered assistant, not a replacement for human writers. You can use AI for tasks such as:

• Generating topic ideas.
• Researching keywords.
• Mining relevant statistics.
• Drawing images.
• Creating blog outlines.

Keep That Human Touch Front and Center

Editing AI-generated content is critical. Inject personality, add personal anecdotes, and refine anything that sounds clunky, repetitive, or just plain off.

Authenticity and original thinking will be how you win in a world where AI content is flooding search results.

If you’re asking: “Is AI content good for SEO?” The answer is yes, as long as you preserve a human touch.

Double-Check Everything: Research Is Still Your Job

AI writing tools pull information from various sources, which can be a problem if the info is inaccurate.

Clickbait, half-truths, and complete lies look the same to an AI as a peer-reviewed research paper. AI tools don’t necessarily understand what they’re reading.

It’s your job, as a marketer or content creator, to be extra diligent about fact-checking.

Make sure everything you publish is 100% accurate.

When dealing with potential bias in AI-generated content, verify information with sources from Google Scholar.

Watch Out for Plagiarism: Don’t Let AI Get You Sued

AI can unintentionally plagiarize.

A 2024 study found that 60% of ChatGPT responses contained plagiarism. While it might not be intentional, you could get flagged if Google detects your website’s content is a word-for-word copy.

Use a tool like Scite to check for proper citations and run your text through the BrandWell Plagiarism Checker to make sure your content is 100% original.

With the March 2024 core update, one of Google’s goals was reducing site reputation abuse.

So, is AI content good for SEO if there’s a risk it’s ripped off?

No. Plagiarism will harm your SEO because Google will deem your website untrustworthy if it detects that your content is copied from another source.

Always run all your AI-generated content through a plagiarism checker. Make necessary changes to ensure everything is original, and always cite your sources.

Read this comprehensive guide on how to humanize AI content so it doesn’t negatively impact your SEO.

Get Undetectable AI Content

AI tools continue to get better at generating written content. Specialized long-form writers like RankWell can produce blog posts that pass AI detectors to make sure they rank higher in Google.

If you’re using a generative AI model like ChatGPT to write your content, be sure to run your output through the BrandWell AI Detector first before publishing to make sure you are only putting 100% original content out there.

If your content reads like AI, you can manually rewrite these flagged sentences or subscribe to AI Detector Pro to get undetectable rewrites.

Is AI Content Good for SEO? Final Thoughts

So, is AI content good for SEO?

It depends.

Like most things SEO-related, there’s no easy yes-or-no answer.

When marketers ask me, “Is AI content good for SEO”, it’s clear many hope it will be their secret shortcut to ranking higher than their competitors.

My honest take is that Google knows what it’s doing, and it’s getting smarter.  While many jumped on the AI bandwagon last year, there are consequences if used unethically.

FAQs: Is AI Content Good for SEO?

Does AI content rank on Google?

Yes, AI-generated content can rank on Google. However, ranking consistently depends on various factors. These factors include content quality, relevance to search intent, proper keyword integration, and adherence to Google’s guidelines. Google focuses on the content itself being helpful, original, and user-friendly. They do not punish sites simply for utilizing AI writing tools.

Is AI content bad for SEO in 2024?

AI content isn’t inherently “bad” for SEO. However, simply using it without a strategic approach can backfire. Google’s algorithms are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They are getting better at detecting low-effort, spammy, AI-generated content. The key is to use AI tools strategically. Think of them as assistants in your content creation process rather than a replacement for human writers and strategists.

Google’s focus on factors like E-E-A-T means your human experience and expertise are more important than ever. These qualities are essential for successful SEO, even with the increasing prevalence of AI.

Is AI a threat to SEO?

AI isn’t necessarily a threat to SEO itself. Instead, AI has created a shift in the SEO landscape. The use of AI by search engines emphasizes high-quality, original, and helpful content above all else.

Instead of viewing AI as an adversary, view it as a tool. Those who learn to integrate AI tools effectively will be the most successful. Prioritizing human oversight and ingenuity in your content strategy will also lead to more favorable SEO outcomes. Those who can strike this balance will be best positioned for SEO success in the years to come.

Can Google detect AI SEO?

Although Google hasn’t revealed specifics on detecting AI-generated content, its systems are intelligent. Google can likely identify patterns, stylistic choices, and other characteristics often associated with AI content. These features can indicate automated or formulaic writing. While Google might not explicitly penalize for using AI writing tools, their algorithms emphasize certain factors. These factors include originality, depth of expertise, and human-like engagement.

Even if AI creates the initial draft, investing time in editing is crucial. Adding unique insights and refining the content to reflect the human experience are important steps in creating successful content.

Remember, Google’s focus is always evolving; producing high-quality, user-centric content should always be the primary goal. This is the best approach when it comes to SEO in 2024.

Conclusion

AI writing tools can make your life easier when it comes to churning out content. However, the impact of AI content in SEO is only going to become more complicated in the future as Google’s algorithm evolves.

Transparency and clarity are key if you’re concerned about using AI-generated content and its implications for SEO in 2024.

Remember, over 52% of Americans are already feeling wary of AI, as this recent study shows, so the human touch isn’t just important for Google. It’s crucial for resonating with real-life people.

A growing number of businesses recognize AI’s potential: 83% of business leaders plan to invest heavily in AI over the coming months. While 63% cite AI’s tendency for errors and bias as a key concern, it’s a necessary risk.

The use of AI is becoming increasingly ubiquitous (as reported in this study). Balancing these tools with human oversight and insight will ultimately determine how Google views their use.

So, is AI content good for SEO? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no.  AI can be an incredible tool. But to succeed with search, focus on crafting content that is genuinely helpful, informative, and original — all the things that demonstrate true E-E-A-T.