Does Google Penalize AI Generated Content?
Maybe.
In this post we are going to explain Google’s opinion on AI generated content (the answer has shifted a lot!) and we are going to give practical ways to use AI to create high quality content (that Google will love).
Will Google Penalize AI Generated Content?
This is a confusing question for everyone, especially Google.
Let’s look at the timeline.
April 2022: John Mueller (one of the faces of Google search) said that Google labeled AI content as spam. The Google webmaster guidelines said that Automated Generated Content would get banned if used on websites.
EEEEEEK.
Then, just a few months later,
August 2022: Google released the Helpful Content Update and they clearly stated that content should be written by people for people and to avoid creating content for search engines first.
The update aimed at rewarding content that was helpful to users.
It seemed like Google was implying that content written by AI for people would get penalized.
Next, in November 2022 Danny Sullivan (another Googler) tweeted that “We haven’t said that AI content is bad. We’ve said, pretty clearly, content written primarily for search engines rather than humans is the issue. That’s what we’re focused on. If someone fires up 100 humans to write content just to rank, or fires up a spinner, or an AI, same issue…
So this was super confusing, the Google guidelines and the Tweets contradict each other. The guidelines call AI content SPAM and Danny said that AI content is not bad.
What gives? Is AI generated content bad or good?
November 2022: ChatGPT is released and it is very clear that AI is the future of content.
February 2023: Google releases more guidance about AI Generated Content and it clearly states that it will reward high-quality content however it is produced.
So So as of February 2023, AI content is good!
Google won’t penalize AI Generated content. 🎉 🥳
But let’s be super clear, AI doesn’t necessarily equal high-quality content. This point was proven in an extensive experiment conducted by Neil Patel.
Neil Patel’s Experiment: 100% AI Generated Content vs AI Content and Human Intervention
Neil Patel recently experimented with two large groups of websites. The first group had 100% AI generated content and the second group had content that was initially generated by AI but was modified by humans.
After the most recent Quality Content Update from Google in April there was a significant difference in how Google ranked the two groups of sites.
Sites that only posted AI generated content lost over 17% of their organic traffic and approximately 8 spots on their rankings. The content that was used AI and humans, performed better.
The conclusion that Neil Patel came to after this experiment was this, If you want to do well in the long run focus on the user, it really is the way to win. In the short run, you may not come ahead but in the long run, you will.
Using only AI generated content is not helpful for your overall SEO strategy. As it stands now in June of 2023, AI Generated content is very linear and can be very boring. It is content, but it isn’t necessarily high quality.
Users don’t read boring content.
If users land on your site and leave quickly due to bad content, then engagement rates will tank and therefore so will your rankings.
Chat GPT or other AI tools are helpful at research, at creating outlines and creating a first draft, but it doesn’t create content that is interesting enough to keep users reading and engaged.
We recommend that you use AI tools as a collaborator – AI Tools can offer valuable insights and assistance but it needs critical thinking and humans to evaluate the information.
Here are some useful ways to collaborate with AI tools:
Use AI as a starting point: AI-generated content can serve as a valuable starting point for your blog posts. It can provide you with ideas, insights, and even draft paragraphs that you can build upon. Think of it as an assistant that helps you kickstart the creative process.
Inject your unique voice: While AI can generate content, it's essential to inject your unique voice and perspective into the final piece. Add your personal touch, revise and edit the content to ensure it aligns with your brand and reflects your own style. AI is a tool to enhance your content creation process, not a replacement for your creativity.
Edit and refine: AI-generated content is a great foundation, but it's crucial to edit and refine it. Review the generated content carefully, fact-check, and ensure the tone and style match your brand. Human intervention is key to fine-tuning the content and making it truly engaging for your audience.
Iterate and improve: Collaboration with AI is an iterative process. Keep refining your instructions, learn from the AI-generated suggestions, and experiment with different approaches. Over time, you'll develop a better understanding of how to work with AI effectively and generate more interesting blog content.
So, does Google penalize content generated by AI, no it doesn’t.
Does Google penalize unhelpful, boring content, Yes.
The best way to create high-value, quality content is to combine the efficiency of AI with the critical thinking of humans.