Google and AI content: Google Takes a Stand AI-Generated Content Now Welcome

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Tobit Odili

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AI-generated content is the top buzzing topic among marketers, bloggers, and SEOs. Most of us wonder about the current usage and how the future will look with so many AI tools being launched daily, birthing a significant debate in the SEO community about using GPT-3 tools and whether they’re permitted from Google’s standpoint.

The debate over Google’s position on content created by AI has intensified with the rise of AI writers like Writely, Jasper, Rytr, and Copy.ai, which are all 10x quicker than most human writers and marketers in terms of creation speed.

Google no longer asserts that it opposes all automatically generated content, including AI generation. They instead make it clear what to avoid and what will result in punishment. Read on to learn about Google’s new stance and what made them change their minds about AI content.

Google’s New Stand On AI-Generated Content

As mentioned earlier in this post, Google has been against automatically generated content, into which one could argue AI-generated text falls. Still, with their recent publication, Google has clarified that AI-generated content is not against its guidelines, revising its previous stance on AI-created material and how it will or won’t be ranked by Google Search. Here are quotes from their publication on their Search Central Blog: 

“At Google, we have long believed that artificial intelligence will revolutionize how information is delivered. We’ve been delivering dependable, high-quality results to users for years thanks to our focus on content quality rather than content production.

Since the beginning, Google has been committed to rewarding high-quality content. We still do it today with our ranking systems, which surface reliable data and valuable content.  

We established the helpful content system last year to ensure that those conducting searches receive content made primarily for people rather than for search engine ranking purposes.

In another post on the Google Search Central blog, Google explains that:

Our guidance has been consistent for years regarding automatically generated content. Using automation to manipulate ranking in search results violates our spam policies. It’s critical to understand that not all automation, including AI generation, results in spam. AI can enable new levels of expression and creativity.

That means that you can get ChatGPT, Jasper, or similar tools to put together your blog posts, then you can check and edit them and post them on your site without the risk of being penalized by Google for such.

How to Create AI Content Google Will Love

Do you have a target market for your company or website interested in reading your content directly? Does your writing show first-hand experience and depth of knowledge (for instance, knowledge gained from using a product or service or going somewhere)? Will someone who reads your content feel they have learned enough about a subject to aid them in achieving their goal?

Google doesn’t mind if the content is created by humans or artificial intelligence as long as it is made for people. How do you then achieve this? Google has given quite good instructions in their 2022 helpful content update where the headline is “Focus on people-first content.” Here’s the list of the following:

Understand your audience and their needs.

AI-generated content should be tailored to the target audience’s interests and needs, ensuring that it provides relevant and valuable information.

Prioritize quality over quantity.

Avoid generating content to produce a high volume of articles. Instead, focus on creating high-quality, informative content that adds value to the reader.

Use AI to enhance content creation.

AI can augment human creativity and productivity but should not be relied on entirely. Consider using AI to generate ideas or optimize content, but ensure that humans still play an essential role in content creation.

Provide unique perspectives.

AI-generated content can quickly become generic and repetitive. Therefore, it’s essential to offer unique perspectives and insights to set your content apart from the competition.

Avoid black hat techniques.

Content creators may create AI-generated content to manipulate search engine rankings or deceive users. Google prohibits such black hat techniques and may penalize websites that engage in such practices.

Maintain transparency

Disclose any use of AI in content creation to maintain transparency and trust with readers. It can help establish your brand as an honorable and trustworthy source of information.

Why AI-Generated Content Was Against Google’s Webmaster Guidelines

Why AI-Generated Content Was Against Google's Webmaster Guidelines - iRocket VC

Automatically/AI-generated content was against Google’s webmaster guidelines because it lacked value and relevance to users. Google prioritizes high-quality content that is helpful, informative, and unique. AI-generated content could be manipulated to generate low-quality spammy content without value to users. Therefore, Google discouraged using AI-generated content that didn’t meet its quality standards.

Machine-generated content is considered automatically generated regardless of the tools used.

Google’s Advice For Publishers

For creators considering AI-generated content, Google advises focusing on quality and ensuring that the content adds value to users. Publishers should also aim to provide unique and diverse perspectives rather than simply regurgitating information.

The updated help page asks publishers to consider “Who, How, and Why” concerning content production. It’s crucial to clarify that “who” refers to the person who wrote the content by giving the author’s byline or some background information.

Readers need to know whether automation or artificial intelligence (AI) was used when describing the “how” of content creation. Google wants you to be open and explain how AI is used in content creation if it is.

The question “why” asks whether the goal of producing content should be to benefit readers or to influence search engine results.

You can stay in line with what Google’s systems reward by evaluating your content in this way, whether AI produced it or not.

Additionally, it’s crucial to maintain transparency and disclose any use of AI in content creation. Regarding how to use AI content, Google says that disclosures are not necessary but are recommended – though you shouldn’t list an AI tool in the regular author field. The most profitable way to follow our suggestion to make it clear to readers when AI is involved in creating content is probably not by giving AI an author byline.

Following these guidelines can help ensure that AI-generated content meets Google’s quality standards and provides real value to users.

Conclusion: The Future of Google and AI-Generated Content

Google’s spam policies are broken when automated processes, including AI, are used to create content primarily to manipulate search result rankings. Google’s spam-fighting initiatives, such as its SpamBrain system, will keep up the fight against such behaviors.

Google has been actively exploring AI and machine learning in their business, including language processing and natural language generation. They have also developed tools and platforms that enable developers to build AI-powered applications and services.

However, it’s important to note that, like other tech companies, Google is aware of the potential ethical and legal issues that can arise from using AI-generated content, such as copyright infringement and misinformation. As such, they have implemented policies and guidelines to ensure that AI-generated content on their platforms meets specific standards and doesn’t violate any laws or regulations.

While Google may not be against AI-generated content and text, they are also mindful of the potential risks and challenges that come with it and are taking steps to address them.

Google has acknowledged that not all content produced by automation and AI is spam. Google promises to maintain a strict standard for the caliber and usefulness of the information in search results while taking a responsible stance toward AI-generated content.

FAQ

You can find answers to some of your questions about Google Search and AI content here:

Is AI content in violation of Google Search’s policies?

As long as it’s not used to create content primarily to manipulate search rankings, which Google’s spam policies prohibit, using AI or automation appropriately is not against Google’s guidelines.

Why does Google Search not prohibit AI content?

In publishing, automation has long been used to generate applicable content. AI can assist with and generate valuable content in exciting new ways.

How will Google Search stop low-quality AI content from dominating search results?

Google Search has struggled with low-quality content. They have dealt with low-quality content generated by humans and automation for years. Systems for evaluating the worth of content are already in place. 

Can AI content achieve high SERP rankings?

AI does not significantly improve content. It is content. It might perform well in Search if it is reliable, practical, unique, and meets all of the requirements of E-E-A-T. Possibly not.

Should I generate content using AI?

It might be worthwhile to consider this if you see AI as a necessary tool to assist you in creating insightful and original content. No, if you think of AI as a cheap and straightforward way to manipulate search engine rankings.