What Google Search Experts Say About AI Content

Amid the explosive growth of powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, many professionals are curious about what this means for the future of work. In particular, content marketers are concerned about how search engines will rank AI-generated content.

After all, Google is known for constantly adopting new algorithm changes to provide users with the most relevant, valuable results. And since tools like ChatGPT are notorious for generating unreliable results that may have factual errors, many marketers are left wondering if Google will take strict action to eliminate AI-generated content from its results.

So, will Google Search penalize the usage of AI content? Here’s what Google Search experts say about AI content generation:

Google Search’s Guidance on AI-Generated Content

Google’s guidelines include helpful information on how it approaches AI-generated content. These principles express that the primary intent of their algorithm is to showcase beneficial information to people—whether AI or human writers develop the content. This insight means that Google will focus more on delivering high-quality content to its users and less on who produced it.

To some extent, this should come as no surprise. Users who find what they’re looking for on Google will return to the tool repeatedly. And as long as Google finds high-quality content for them to consume, they’ll return. However, a problem arises when people use AI to generate low-quality blogs and web pages. So, how does Google weed out this low-quality content?

Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines

Google uses four concepts to evaluate online content, known as E-E-A-T:

• Expertise
• Experience
• Authoritativeness
• Trustworthiness

Google’s algorithm uses these four pillars to sift through billions of landing pages and rank them fairly. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure your content falls in line with these pillars.

So, why risk using AI to produce inaccurate information? As it turns out, AI technology can still lead to helpful content creation. Many writers use tools like ChatGPT to create nothing more than an outline. This process can lead to thoughtful and unique content, which Google loves to see. However, any website owners who use AI to manipulate search engine rankings will violate Google’s spam policies.

Why Doesn’t Google Ban AI Content Entirely?

Given the potential for misuse and abuse, you might think it would be easier for Google to ban AI content. However, Google specifically identifies artificial intelligence as a tool that can be used for better or worse—nothing more. It recognizes that AI has long been used to produce content and will stay here in the foreseeable future.

Preventing Low-Quality AI Content from Overwhelming Results

If you’re a staunch opponent of AI tools and are concerned that your business will suffer, you don’t have anything to worry about. Whether humans or AI write it, Google has spent decades fighting against low-quality content. If a brand generates AI content without ensuring its accuracy and usefulness, it will not succeed.  Conversely, if you ensure your content meets searchers’ needs (according to E-E-A-T), you will come out on top—whether or not you use AI. 

Implementing AI Tools to Assist with Content Creation

Rather than refusing to use AI tools, consider the advantages they can bring to your organization. For example, AI content optimization tools like Surfer SEO can help you work relevant keywords into your content with an appropriate density for search engines. These AI marketing tools can help your business in a number of ways, and you don’t have to limit yourself to keyword research or blog posts. Keep in mind that some of these tools can even help you automate tedious work and complete tasks more quickly. 

Getting the Search Rankings You Need to Succeed

If you’re unsure how to utilize AI content optimization tools best or are not getting the results you want from your marketing, turn to 10x Digital. Our experts are well-versed in Google’s guidelines and know how to create content that places you at the top of search results.