Why your AI content won’t rank on search engines (and how to fix this)

Spoiler alert: it's because ChatGPT can’t ride a rollercoaster

Google clarified in February 2023 that it wouldn’t penalise AI-produced content. “Great news,” you thought. “So I can keep churning out articles using ChatGPT.” 

Unfortunately, not so much. Using AI to create content might not be against Google’s guidelines, but popping in a prompt and throwing an unedited article up won’t help your website rank. Let’s dig into why exactly.   

Why unedited AI content won't rank high on Google

The main reason your unedited AI content won't rank on Google is because AI content doesn’t follow the E-E-A-T guidelines the search engine uses to showcase good content to users. Specifically, the “experience” and “expertise” parts of the equation. 

Let's take a look at what each letter in the acronym stands for, why it means your AI content won't rank, and what you can do about it.

E – It lacks experience

Google’s “helpful content” update now prioritises pieces of writing that prove the creator has direct experience of whatever they’re writing about. For example, if it’s a review of a theme park, the person writing needs to show that they have directly experienced going to that theme park.

Do you know what can’t ride a rollercoaster? ChatGPT. 

How to showcase experience in a blog post

Share personal anecdotes and first-hand accounts related to the topic you're writing about.

For example, if you were writing a blog post about hiking trails in your local area, you could mention a recent walk you took on one of the paths.

E – It doesn't contain expertise

Google also penalises content clearly created by someone with no expertise in the subject. This means a fluffy piece of writing that makes general, generic statements. Which, as we all know, is AI down to a T. 

How to showcase expertise in a blog post

Include in-depth analysis, industry insights and technical details that only someone with deep knowledge of the subject would know.

So, for instance, if you were writing an article about SEO tactics, you could give a detailed breakdown of different ranking factors, explain how they work, and offer expert tips based on your years of experience in the industry.

A – It doesn't exude authority 

Google checks whether or not the content is authoritative, so if your piece goes off on a tangent – say it’s meant to be about tax returns but starts discussing junk food – this will be penalised. Generative AI has a tendency to misconstrue the subject you want to talk about, so it needs to be checked thoroughly before you publish. 

How to showcase authority in a blog post

Stay on topic throughout your content and support your points with:

• Credible sources hyperlinked to other websites

• Concrete data such as statistics that prove your arguments

• Opinions from experts on the topic

Imagine you were writing a report on the benefits of adopting a hybrid work model. You could use statistics from reputable sources, quotes from industry leaders and case studies from companies that have successfully implemented hybrid work policies to back up your points.

T – It's not trustworthy 

The page or website is not trustworthy. I don’t know about you, but I find it tricky to trust a computer programme that regularly passes off incorrect information as truth. In fact, ask it to pull out a quote from a real person and it will sometimes generate it from thin air. Which I don’t need to tell you is at best unethical, and at worst, a lawsuit waiting to happen. 

How to showcase trustworthiness in a blog post

Fact-check all information, especially quotes and statistics, to make sure they're accurate and that your content is credible.

For instance, if you were including a quote from a CEO in your article about company culture, you'd need to make sure the quote was accurate by cross-checking it against the original source (e.g., a transcript, video or news article). Then you'd want to properly attribute it by providing the CEO's name, title, company, and the source where the quote was originally published.

The key takeaway

Content needs to be more in depth and thoughtfully crafted than ever. It should show first-hand experience and expertise, as well as authority and trustworthiness. And you’re not going to get this from a machine.

You can definitely get the help of a machine – I’m not against using AI as part of the content creation process. But don’t throw it onto your website without that human touch.