The topic of SEO content and AI has appeared in thousands of Google searches, blog articles, and popular internet forums. Online sources or digital assets are more and more likely to have been created with input from artificial intelligence.
We’ve put together a comprehensive explanation of what we know about Google’s approach toward AI content. We will also discuss the strategies and resources available for you to create the best quality content possible.
If you’re writing content for search rankings, you may be curious or concerned. Does Google penalize AI content? The short answer is no, search engines don’t punish content for the presence of AI. But before you click out of this article, it’s worth sticking around for the long answer.
How Does Google Penalize AI Content?
Google’s priority is to reduce the amount of low-quality content popping up in your search results. At the time of writing, there is no official “penalty” for producing content with AI. The job of a search engine like Google is to help users find high-quality content.
So how does Google detect AI content? Google’s algorithm has become quicker at picking up what content has been copied and pasted from an AI resource. If you can spot a spam article or something that looks “robotic”, chances are the algorithm can, too.
This is good news for writers contributing useful, engaging material. These authors are creating content that ranks highly against Google’s core evaluation factors: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT). Follow the strategies and tools listed in this article to help you produce successfully EEAT-ranked content.
What Is AI Content?
You can now use AI tools to write essays, critique pieces of art, generate film clips, and many other tasks. There’s a growing number of basic and complex content creation tasks AI can perform. How? In simple terms, AI produces material by using data and information captured from humans.
AI-generated content refers to any material created by, or with input from, an AI-based tool. Generative AI models are the basis of a growing range of AI tools that anyone can access. You’ve probably heard about ChatGPT. But, did you know Smodin offers an AI tool to write creative stories?
The potential AI offers writers is ever-increasing, and it’s wise not to ignore the value it represents. However, AI content detectors can pick up work written by AI, so you should always ensure you adjust the writing and fact-check the info in a piece of writing.
Keep reading to learn how to curate authentic writing for success with search engines.
4 Factors To Consider if You Want To Write High-Quality Content
Quality and originality are two of the big factors that determine how successful AI content is with Google’s algorithm. Origins aside, quality writing needs to possess several qualities to succeed with search engines.
We’ve already mentioned EEAT, which is a handy acronym developed by Google. This denotes what they look for in content when indexing search results. You can refer back to these four criteria when evaluating your work. Unlike automatically generated content, there is generally much higher evidence of the four EEAT standards in original, “man-made” content.
Let’s look deeper into these factors and how you can implement them into your writing.
1. Experience
To demonstrate a high level of experience, content should incorporate firsthand or in-depth knowledge, skills, and insights about your topic. For example, if you’re writing about how to build a house, your article might include:
- Materials needed to build a house
- How to create a blueprint for your house design
- Knowledge of the approval process for starting a build on your property
- A clear timeline of construction and the purpose of each separate stage
- A budget, or ways to calculate your budget, for a building project
Tip: These items are just the structure of an article. Adding in the experience is achieved through including contacts, detailed descriptions, and sharing your own experiences with building houses. AI tools can’t replace the value of your lived human experience.
2. Expertise
Human-generated content will always perform better in search results if it contains a high level of expertise. Here are some ways you can increase the expertise factor in your work:
- FAQ sections: Answering frequently asked questions makes it likely that users will search for terms you’ve included in your work. By providing these answers, you are providing users with what they’re looking for in terms they’ll actively use.
- Direct quotations: When it’s straight from the horse’s (or scientist’s) mouth, it’s hard to argue with! In the digital age, you can dive deep into the most obscure of topics. If you’re not an expert yourself, make an effort to find someone who is.
- Industry-standard research: The volume of peer-reviewed research available online is virtually limitless. Including academically graded and published material in your content adds a widely acknowledged level of expertise.
Tip: When starting your piece, tools like Smodin’s AI chat can provide helpful questions and basic descriptors. But it’s not a complete substitute for human expertise.
3. Authoritativeness
Writing authoritatively for search rankings means your work is confident, well-referenced, and provides searchers with an answer. Not so complicated, right? It might seem simple, but you need to remember how competitive this field is.
If everyone has access to AI tools, it’s your distinctive human style that will set you apart from the rest. Developing an authoritative writing style can take time. Here are three main features to check off when you’re striving for authoritative content creation.
- Show quality research: You should be able to demonstrate that a lot of research has gone into your content. Your ability to write, describe, and analyze the chosen subject will prove to readers that you have a strong understanding. Include a range of sources and current data to help increase your authority.
- Answer questions clearly: Don’t feel that every word has to be four syllables long. Clear and concise language is what most people are looking for. They want a simple and accurate answer to their questions. Your content becomes a trusted source if it can fulfill user intent.
- Credit your sources: Wherever necessary, mention your sources. Using an online citation generator can help you to consistently include your inspiration or proof material. Keeping content up to date with relevant sources helps establish it as an authority on specific topics.
Tip: It can be helpful to examine the current search rankings of your chosen topic. Check out Google’s current list of search results. This will show you what authors and creators are successfully demonstrating authority.
4. Trustworthiness
Trust is an invaluable commodity for anyone making a living online. It can take years to establish a reputation and body of work that is trusted by readers and audiences. Google is no different – it will judge your content quality partially on trustworthiness.
Here are some ways to incorporate trust into your writing for credible, helpful content.
- Quality of information: Seek out the most current, well-researched information and statistics available. Use up-to-date sources and draw on sophisticated, in-depth reference material. Your content needs to reflect an active interest in sharing the most accurate and helpful perspective available to the reader.
- Social proof: Besides cold hard facts, many writers incorporate proof like images, sound bites, and personal anecdotes into their work. When writing about current events or trends, input from real people is a powerful asset.
- Human touch: AI simply can’t replicate the way humans think, feel, and respond to the world around them. That’s where you come in. Adding your unique flavor of communication to your content is a sure way to help build trust with your audiences.
While there’s no evidence that Google penalizes AI content, it’s clear that poor-quality content doesn’t succeed in Google search results. AI technology can generate helpful content. However, it’s not a substitute for the trust we have in human-written content.
SEO Content and AI: Use Smodin To Enhance Your Writing
At Smodin, AI content is fundamental to what we do. Our range of AI writing tools will help improve your skills and refine your content creation process. Understanding how to detect AI content is a basic skill for any writer. Knowing how to then leverage AI content creation, is the level up you need to get better search engine rankings.
This guide has answered the question “Does Google penalize AI content?” It’s also provided you with a range of strategies and resources to help navigate SEO content and AI. If you’re still unsure how your work is shaping up, use Smodin’s AI content detection tool. This will pick up any material that matches AI-generated content.
Smodin enables you to write confidently and create the most valuable content possible – join us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google penalize you for using AI?
No, Google will not automatically push your articles down the rankings if it detects AI. The algorithm is focused on promoting high-quality search results. If your work fits the criteria – engaging, useful, and authentic, it can rank highly no matter who created it.
Does AI content get better results in search engines?
AI-generated content does not have an advantage over human-only content. As generative technology advances, it has become clear that AI is a helpful tool for processing information. However, AI cannot replace the human qualities of writing like personal experience, shared connection, and nuanced understanding.
How can I create good-quality content with AI?
Writing effective and powerful content with AI remains the same as prior to its existence. If you are publishing helpful, honest, and relevant information for your audience, you will continue to see success. AI tools can be helpful in gathering information and creating outlines for your work. Embrace the opportunities this technology offers!