As a seasoned SEO strategy consultant with over a decade of experience in various roles, including in-house CMO, co-founder, and solo consultant, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of AI on content creation and its influence on Google search results and rankings this past year. In this blog post, I’ll delve into the rise of AI-generated content, its implications for SEO, and the strategies you can adopt to stay ahead in this AI-driven era.
The Era of Cheap and Quick Content Creation
Gone are the days when creating high-quality content required extensive resources, time, and effort. Thanks to AI, marketing professionals can now produce vast amounts of (mostly informational) content with relative ease and at a fraction of the cost.
This shift has led to a significant increase in content velocity, with marketers churning out hundreds of pages of content each month (and don’t think it’s all low quality, there are tons of content teams out there that are able to leverage AI in ways that keep their content quality relatively high). However, content velocity alone is no longer the sole determining factor for success in SEO-focused content marketing.
The Changing Landscape of SEO
While content velocity and topical authority have been crucial for achieving success in SEO in recent years, the landscape is evolving. In the AI content era, the experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) of both the domain and the author of each content piece will play a more significant role in search engine rankings.
Another big shift that comes with the AI content era is the fact that a lot of informational content will be served to the users without them navigating to any site. This means that informational content may be prominently featured in search engine results without users needing to click through to external sites and we’ll see the trend of zero-click searches growing even more.
Strategies for Success in the AI Era
To thrive in the AI era and maintain a competitive edge, here are some key strategies to consider:
- Embrace AI as an Assistant: AI should be viewed as a valuable tool that can enhance your content creation process and save time on some of the tasks (please don’t do keyword research with it or ask AI to write full articles for you). Educate yourself and your team on how to leverage AI effectively. Understanding what tasks can be delegated to AI and what requires human touch is crucial.
- Streamline Workflows and Automations: Create efficient workflows and automate repetitive tasks to simplify content creation and promotion. Many new tools are available now that can help you scale your content operations.
- Showcase Expertise and Authority: In the AI era, expertise and authority become even more important. Seek out industry experts to feature as authors, collaborate with thought leaders, and invest in creating new data and knowledge. Prioritize content that showcases your domain’s authority and attracts valuable backlinks, thus building up your overall domain authority.
- Focus on Added Value and Search Intent: Quality and relevance should be at the forefront of your content strategy. Concentrate on providing added value to your audience through new insights, unique data, and actionable information. Align your content with user search intent, ensuring that it addresses their specific needs and queries.
- Explore Beyond Traditional Channels: While Google remains a dominant search engine for now, consider other platforms where your target customers may search for bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) topics. YouTube, Reddit, and industry-specific forums can offer valuable opportunities to connect with your audience and establish your expertise.
In summary, the AI era presents both challenges and opportunities for content creators and SEO professionals. By embracing AI, streamlining workflows, prioritizing expertise and authority, and focusing on value-added content aligned with search intent, you can position yourself as a winner in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Success in the AI era is not solely about the quantity of content produced but the quality, relevance, and authority it carries. By understanding the evolving role of AI in content creation and SEO, you can navigate this landscape with confidence.
