Why Google is Penalizing AI Content and a Better Way to Use AI for Top Rankings
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In the ever-evolving world of search engine optimization (SEO), one thing has become crystal clear: Google hates AI-generated content. The search engine giant has made it abundantly clear that they prioritize high-quality, human-authored content over machine-generated text. With the recent March 2024 core algorithm update, we've seen a reckoning for websites relying solely on AI writing, as many have been hit with manual actions.
Google's Quality Thresholds and AI Content
Google's ranking systems, including the Reviews and the Helpful Content systems, explicitly have quality standards that inherently make it impossible for purely AI-authored content to satisfy. The addition of an extra "E" in E-A-T (for experience) should have been a signal to content creators that using AI carried risks.
SERP Features and Ranking Signals That Exclude AI Content
The writing has been on the wall about AI content, and it has always been in plain sight. Here are some qualities that Google's documentation says are important that rule out purely AI-generated content:
- Experience: Published reviews must be hands-on.
- Google News emphasizes human authors in Google News SERPs.
- Google Perspectives, announced in May 2023, emphasizes human authors (hidden gems) found in forums.
- Author page (expertise questions)
- Author background information (expertise questions)
- Author About page (expertise questions)
Concepts of Quality and AI Content
Google published Self-Assessment Questions to help publishers identify if their content measures up to Google's standards of quality. These questions don't list specific ranking factors but outline concepts that reflect what high-quality websites tend to show. If AI-generated content cannot fit into those concepts, then it's likely that the content does not meet quality standards, regardless of attempts to fake the outward signs of quality like author pages and so on.
Authorship and Expertise
The Expertise section of the Self-Assessment documentation mentions authors in a way that cannot be replicated by machine-generated content. It states:
"Does the content present information in a way that makes you want to trust it, such as clear sourcing, evidence of the expertise involved, background about the author or the site that publishes it, such as through links to an author page or a site's About page?"
This section centers expertise on three factors: sourcing (citations, fact-checking, attribution), evidence of expertise involved, and author background – qualities that are not attainable by AI.
Content Quality and Originality
The content and quality section of the self-assessment guide requires originality. It asks:
"Does the content provide original information, reporting, research, or analysis? …Does the content provide insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond the obvious?"
Unoriginality is the hallmark of generative AI. AI-generated content is literally the likeliest series of words on any given topic, lacking the originality and insight that Google values.
First-Hand Expertise
The people-first section of the self-assessment questions asks about first-hand expertise:
"Does your content clearly demonstrate first-hand expertise and a depth of knowledge (for example, expertise that comes from having actually used a product or service, or visiting a place)?"
Clearly, a machine doesn't have first-hand expertise. It can't handle a product or use a service.
Using AI for Content Creation the Right Way
Given the recent crackdown on AI-generated content, it may be time to reconsider the place of AI for web content. However, there is still a way to use AI that can result in high-quality, people-first content. What matters most about content is the insight behind it, not who or what wrote it.
Creating Review Content with AI
One way to scale product reviews is to create a checklist of data points that consumers need to make a buying decision. Someone still has to handle the product and review it, but they just have to write scores and comments for each data point on the review checklist.
For example, for a children's bicycle review, the checklist might include age and size fit, weight, training wheel sturdiness, and so on. For a television review, the checklist could cover factors like black levels, off-center viewing, color settings, and more. At the end of the checklist, include a section for final impressions, pros and cons, and overall sentiment. Once completed, upload the document to an AI and ask it to write the review.
Writing Any Kind of Content with AI
An effective workflow for using AI to create content is to dictate everything that needs to be said into a recording, without regard for paragraph structure or polish. Then, upload the recording to an AI like ChatGPT and ask it to transform it into a professional document. You can even ask it to generate pros and cons, an executive summary, or other elements.
AI Amplifies Human Input
The key is to think of AI as a ghost writer that takes rough human input and turns it into polished, high-quality content. This approach can work for nearly any scenario, including scaled product descriptions.
The important qualities of content are the ones provided by a human that an AI is incapable of, things like sourcing, evidence of expertise, background knowledge, and the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) that a human brings to a topic. Humans provide the core elements, and AI can take those and turn them into high-quality, polished content.
Key Takeaways
- Google's ranking systems prioritize high-quality, human-authored content over AI-generated text.
- Many sites relying solely on AI writing have been hit with manual actions during the March 2024 core algorithm update.
- Google's quality standards inherently exclude purely AI-generated content due to factors like lack of experience, originality, and first-hand expertise.
- While AI cannot produce content that meets Google's quality thresholds on its own, it can be used effectively in a content generation workflow when combined with human input, expertise, and insight.
- Think of AI as a tool to amplify and polish human-provided elements like sourcing, background knowledge, and personal experience.
- Effective approaches include using AI to generate content from checklists of human-provided data points (for reviews) or to polish rough human-dictated content into professional documents.
FAQ
Q: Can I use AI to write all my website content?
A: No, relying solely on AI to generate your website's content is a risky strategy that can result in penalties from Google. AI cannot replicate key quality factors like expertise, originality, and first-hand experience.
Q: Is it okay to use AI for any part of the content creation process?
A: Yes, AI can be a valuable tool when used in combination with human input, expertise, and insight. The key is to provide the core elements (like data points, rough drafts, and background knowledge) and let AI polish and amplify that human contribution.
Q: How can I ensure my AI-assisted content meets Google's quality standards?
A: Emphasize human-provided elements like sourcing, evidence of expertise, author background information, original analysis, and first-hand experience. Use AI as a supporting tool to enhance and polish that human-driven content, not as the primary content generator.
I can definitely say that, by understanding Google's stance on AI-generated content and adopting a thoughtful, human-centric approach to using AI in the content creation process, you can create high-quality, engaging, and Google-friendly content that resonates with your audience and performs well in search engine rankings.