If you’re like most business owners today, you’ve probably experimented with ChatGPT or other AI tools to help write blog posts, product descriptions, or marketing copy. Have you worried that using AI might hurt your search rankings?
It won’t. And now there’s data to prove it.
AI-Generated Content Isn’t Tanking Your Search Results
Researchers at Ahrefs analyzed 600,000 web pages, all pulled from top-20 performing URLs for various keywords. Ahrefs ran each article through an AI detector to determine whether it was created purely by AI, humans, or a mix of both. Then, it analyzed how well the content performed in search rankings.
Nearly 87% of the top-ranking pages contained some amount of AI-generated content. There was virtually no correlation (0.011%) between AI usage and search ranking position.
That means Google doesn’t penalize websites for using AI, and you can confidently use AI tools in your content strategy. (On a related note, Search Engine Journal reports that AI-generated images will not penalize rankings on Google, either.)
However, it doesn’t mean you can put content on autopilot and expect great results. Pure AI content made the top-20 list less than 5% of the time.
The Sweet Spot: AI as Your Content Assistant
To be clear, purely human-created content wasn’t a slam dunk for search results, either.
The highest-ranking pages appear to use AI as a content-creation assistant rather than a replacement for human expertise. For content creation, AI tools can be incredibly helpful for:
- Research and Ideation. Use AI to help brainstorm blog topics, identify trending questions, or investigate buyer personas.
- First Drafts. Get the “bad draft” out of the way with AI instead of staring at a blank screen. AI can create initial outlines, headlines, and more—with human input on strategy, tone, and key messaging.
- Content always benefits from a fresh set of eyes. AI offers an objective point of view and excels at improving grammar, clarity, and consistency.
With AI as your assistant, you can produce higher-quality content faster, which will boost your authority on Google and improve your search results.
How to Use AI to Create Top-Ranking Content
Ready to add AI to your content workflow? Here’s how to do it effectively:
- Start with Strategy. Define your content goals before opening any AI tools. Make sure you understand the business outcome you’re trying to achieve, the target audience, and the types of questions they’re asking.
- Write Detailed Prompts. Garbage in = garbage out applies here. When writing prompts, include context about your business, buyer personas, desired tone, and specific requirements.
- Fact-Check Everything. AI can generate plausible-sounding information that is completely false. Always verify facts, statistics, and claims, especially if you’re writing for a technical or regulated industry.
- Monitor Performance. Track how your AI-assisted content performs compared to fully human-written content. Use these metrics to fine-tune your formula for successful content.
The Role of Humans in AI-Generated Content
Ultimately, Google doesn’t care how you make content, as long as it’s unique and helpful. So, what can humans deliver that AI bots can’t?
The answer is accuracy, authority, strategy, and branding (for right now, anyway).
- Didn’t we already talk about this? It’s that important. Your reputation is on the line, so humans need to ensure content is factually correct and reflects your expertise.
- There’s no replacement for lived experience. AI doesn’t understand your specific market nuances, customer pain points, or industry insights like you do.
- Every piece of content should serve a business purpose. Only human content strategists can see the bigger picture, like how a particular blog supports your sales process.
- AI can mimic writing styles and follow guidelines, but real brand authenticity requires human input, oversight, and editing.
Technical SEO considerations, such as keyword placement, linking strategies, and content structure, still require human expertise to execute effectively.
How to Optimize AI-Generated Content for SEO
Now that AI overviews often appear in search results, your content strategy needs to account for how AI systems extract and present information. When creating content with AI assistance, you need to ensure it:
- Solves a Specific Problem. Structure content to directly answer user questions. AI systems tend to favor clear and actionable information.
- Is Scannable. Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs that AI can easily parse and extract.
- Answers Common Questions. Use natural-language phrasing in headers and content, since voice search and AI overviews often pull from conversational content.
- Provides Unique Value. AI overviews tend to highlight specific insights or solutions, not generic content.
The Bottom Line: Quality Content Still Wins
Can AI content rank well in search engines? Absolutely. But only when it’s good content.
Fortunately, The Marketing Collective can assist with both content and digital strategy. Reach out to discuss how we can help you plan and execute quality content for websites, blog posts, social media, collateral, white papers, case studies, and more.
About Bethany Reiff
Senior Content Strategist, The Marketing Collective
About Bethany Reiff
Senior Content Strategist, The Marketing Collective
A senior content strategist with The Marketing Collective, Bethany Reiff offers more than 25 years of experience with marketing and corporate communications. She has worked with a diverse set of clients in such fields as architecture, engineering, and construction; management consulting and team development; manufacturing; public education; and nonprofits. Bethany specializes in distilling complicated ideas into reader-friendly, compelling, and meaningful content that inspire engagement and spark action.
