How AI Generated Content Impacts SEO: The Good and the Bad
We asked AI and got a very similar response across three platforms — Gemini, Meta and Chat GPT. This in itself should answer at least one question, that of originality. Perhaps the biggest concern with AI is the lack of originality and the danger of regurgitating content to the extent where robotic content will become the norm and readers / users will either not bother reading, skim the page or just move on.
It has not taken long for AI to showcase its predictability in the language and structure of content. Words like landscape, evolve, top-notch, cutting-edge, however, optimise, maximise and minimise are everywhere. Bullet points and sub-headings abound. The more it is, the more it becomes. That perhaps is the nature of AI and its biggest danger.
People become lazy to read, to think and to discern. Although AI tools can rapidly generate content, they frequently fall short in delivering high-quality, nuanced material that genuinely captivates readers. Content produced by AI is repetitive, show limited creativity, and even overlooks the nuances essential for impactful storytelling or persuasive communication.
What does Google want? Content quality is the number one priority. The ranking systems are designed to highlight credible information by evaluating expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Interestingly though, Google embraces AI-generated content, to a point, as long as it complies with the established guidelines, irrespective of its source. Google does not explicitly prohibit AI-generated content; however, it highlights the necessity of producing content that provides value to users. In this article, we explore the pros and cons of ai generated content for SEO.
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The Bad: Lack of Originality and Discernment
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Perhaps the biggest concern with AI generated content is the absolute lack of originality. AI generated content, by nature, cannot be original. It often falls short in originality and personal connection, which are essential elements for captivating audiences. Search engines give more weight to articles that offer new ideas, expert viewpoints, or different points of view. AI lacks the human experience and creativity essential for generating truly original ideas, which may affect a website’s capacity to differentiate itself in competitive markets.
When content produced by AI is considered below par or lacks original insights, its chances of achieving high rankings on search engine results pages diminish significantly. Google’s guidelines underscores the importance of creating valuable, user-centric content, cautioning against the use of “spammy” or irrelevant AI-generated material. Low-quality AI-generated content can however, result in penalties or reduced rankings.
Equally concerning is the huge danger of replicating the wrong information — and so feeding the beast of misinformation, disinformation and outright lies. AI cannot discern human motivation and intent. It can only repackage and dump what is already online.
In terms of SEO, a significant issue with content produced by AI is the risk of duplication. AI tools draw from pre-existing sources, leading to content that mirrors what is already present online. Search engines still impose penalties on websites that feature identical or closely related content found on other sites.
Although AI is capable of examining search trends and data, it doesn’t have the deep understanding of human emotions and intentions that a human writer offers. Content created by AI might prioritise keywords excessively, potentially neglecting the actual needs of the user. This can result in content that is boring and as inspiring as a wet towel after a shower, leading to low engagement metrics such as brief dwell time or elevated bounce rates, both of which can adversely affect search visibility.
The Good: Speed and Consistency
The rapid production capability of AI-generated content stands out as one of its most notable benefits. AI tools enable quick creation of substantial amounts of content, assisting businesses in effectively scaling their content strategies.
This can be particularly helpful for sites that require consistent content updates to maintain a strong position in search rankings. More content means more opportunities for keyword targeting and internal linking, which can enhance overall SEO performance.
AI tools guarantee that the generated content maintains a uniform tone, style, and quality throughout. This is especially beneficial for companies who want to uphold a consistent brand voice throughout various content formats. Maintaining consistency is essential for establishing brand recognition and trust, which can enhance user engagement metrics such as extended dwell time and reduced bounce rates—elements that play a significant role in online visibility.
AI-generated content can provide a cost-effective solution for businesses operating on tight budgets, offering an alternative to hiring human writers.
Businesses can produce large amounts of material with AI tools without having to pay for freelancers or full-time writers on a continuous basis. The affordability of this approach enables smaller businesses to engage in content marketing and enhance their online visibility.
AI tools frequently apply extensive datasets and sophisticated algorithms to produce content, which allows them to be exceptionally efficient in enhancing search engine visibility. AI can look at term data, search trends, and how people use the site to make content that is specific to what people are looking for. This can result in content that has a greater chance of achieving high rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs).
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