AI Copywriting For SEOThe launch of ChatGPT has increased the number of conversations about the potential benefits of using AI technology in the fields of content and copywriting.
We already know that AI technology is continuing to develop rapidly, so it’s no surprise that many people are of the opinion that leveraging technology can help to streamline processes, increase productivity, and ultimately increase margins. After all, on the surface, using a technology such as ChatGPT to create a piece of content in a matter of seconds seems preferable to spending hours crafting a single blog post or article.
However, when something seems too good to be true, that is often a cue to take a step back and really evaluate every factor before jumping in at the deep end.
The Potential Negative Consequences of Using AI for SEO Copywriting
John Mueller, a Search Advocate for Google, has openly stated that using content that has been produced by automated systems is a violation of the search giant’s Webmaster Guidelines [1]. In a recent Google Search Central hosted hangout, Mueller confirmed that ChatGPT falls under the ‘automated systems’ umbrella.
While it is important to be aware that using auto generated content within your SEO copywriting could lead to a manual punishment, which could see your rankings fall significantly, it is unclear as to the accuracy with which Google algorithms alone would be able to identify AI-created content although there are some well-known algorithmic techniques that can be applied.
However, even though you might not receive a manual punishment, there are other reasons to think twice about using AI generated SEO content.
Concerns Surrounding Plagiarism
AI is one of the world’s fastest growing sectors, but its content writing capabilities are largely powered by algorithms and data analysis. In short, this means that AI tools are scraping bits of content from live websites and putting them back together again in a slightly different way. Clearly, this is a direct violation of Google’s own guidelines, which prohibit the stitching together of content from different pages without also adding sufficient original value.
Lack of Quality and Nuance
The helpful content update was released by Google in 2022 [2] in a bid to ensure that searchers are being presented with better, more original, and more helpful content that has been written for them by another human. As AI technology cannot replicate the nuances and subtleties in tone inherent in human written content, avoiding AI generated content is likely to help you achieve better ranking positions in key SERPs right now.
Additionally, the helpful content update specifically advises site owners to stop creating content primarily for search engines, which is something that AI can’t achieve precisely because it works by taking pieces of content already ranking well on SERPs without building a genuine understanding of the intent behind each search query.
An Absence of E-A-T
E-A-T stands for expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, which is how Google rates the quality of a piece of content online. Clearly, the online space is awash with content, which has led to searchers becoming increasingly sceptical of the quality, authenticity and accuracy of the information they are being presented with. There’s no denying that there is a lot of misinformation out there.
When you use AI generated content, you are instantly losing every element of E-A-T that helps readers to trust and believe the information they see in response to their query. Searchers actively want to engage with content written by a person with specific expertise and credentials in their field. Without this background, readers and quality raters simply aren’t going to put the same level of trust in AI generated content as they would in a piece of content written by an industry leader who has been immersed in their field for a decade or more.
When Can AI Be Helpful?
None of this is to say that AI can’t be helpful. In fact, there is plenty of scope to use technology as a writing assistant or idea generator. After all, AI technology can create draft pieces of content in an incredibly cost and time efficient manner. What is essential, however, is that these drafts are enhanced by experienced writers in ways that ensure value for the reader.
Other potential uses for AI technology include checking spelling and grammar, supporting your own research, generating content ideas, creating non-SEO content such as email sequences and support when summarising passages of text.
Obtaining Support from a Digital Marketing Agency in Cheshire
If you want to enhance your SEO strategy, but you don’t know where to start, it can be transformative to work with a professional digital agency with a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes. When it comes to seeking a digital marketing agency in Cheshire, it is important to partner with a team that understands the needs of your business and has the appropriate skills to help you secure a positive return on your investment.
Resources:
[2] https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/08/helpful-content-update
