Google’s latest algorithm update in March 2024 targets websites that feature AI-generated content, failing to meet Google’s quality standards as outlined in their documentation. Despite this, there are still viable methods to leverage AI for generating top-notch content.
How Can Artificial Intelligence Fulfill Google’s Quality Standards?
Numerous evaluation systems, such as those for Reviews and Useful Content, are clearly grounded in quality benchmarks that render AI-authored content inadequate.
The incorporation of an extra E in E-A-T (for expertise) should have served as a clear signal to content creators about the challenges posed by utilizing AI.
Instances of SERP Features, Quality Signals, and Ranking Indicators essentially disregard AI-generated content.
The writing on the wall regarding AI content has always been evident.
Here are some essential criteria highlighted in Google’s documentation that are vital for steering clear of solely AI-generated content:
- Expertise
- Unbiased published reviews
- Emphasis on individual creators in Google News SERPs
- Emphasis on human authors in Google Perspectives, released in May 2023
- Author’s page (queries about expertise)
- Writer’s background information (queries about expertise)
- Author’s About page (expertise queries)
Valuable Insights
Google introduced Self-Assessment Questions to aid creators in determining if their content aligns with Google’s quality standards.
These questions do not offer specific ranking guidelines but rather present concepts that generally reflect the typical characteristics of high-quality websites.
If AI-generated content fails to align with these concepts, it is likely that the content will not meet quality standards, even if publishers attempt to simulate author pages and similar attributes.
Authorship and Expertise
The Experience section of the Self-Assessment records explicitly mention writers in a manner that cannot be replicated by machine-generated content.
This section is articulated as follows:
Does the content present information in a compelling manner, such as clear explanations, evidence of expertise, author or publisher background details, like links to an author page or the site’s About page?
The three key elements emphasized in the above segment are:
- Sourcing (references to sources, fact verification, quotation attribution)
- Demonstrated expertise
- Writer’s background
These attributes represent skills that are typically beyond the reach of AI.
Uniqueness: Content Excellence
Uniqueness is a fundamental requirement in the content and excellence section of the self-assessment guide.
The following queries are posed in Google’s records:
Does the content offer unique data, reports, studies, or analyses?
Does the content “provide insightful analysis or interesting information that goes beyond the obvious?”
The hallmark of AI-generated content is its originality. Generative AI is capable of crafting the most probable sequences of words on any given topic.
First-Hand Expertise
The second segment of the self-assessment questions focuses on first-hand expertise: “People- second section”
Does your writing clearly showcase first-hand knowledge and depth of understanding, acquired through product/service usage or location visits?
Clearly, a machine lacks first-hand experience. It cannot interact with or experience a product firsthand.
Harnessing AI for Content Creation
Given the manual penalties imposed on numerous websites featuring AI-generated content in the March 2024 core algorithm update, it may be prudent to reevaluate the application of AI in crafting website content.
There is still a viable approach to leveraging AI for producing high-quality, human-centric content. What matters is not who or what authored the content, but rather the insights it conveys.
A potential path forward could involve amalgamating human insight with AI capabilities to generate content.
Crafting Review Content with AI
For instance, one can structure product reviews by outlining essential data points that aid users in making informed decisions. While someone must evaluate the product and provide feedback, they only need to draft reviews and opinions for each data point on the assessment form.
If reviewing a child’s vehicle, the evaluation may encompass aspects like size, weight, and durability of training wheels. In the case of a television review, it could include criteria such as black level complexity, off-center viewing, color adjustment ease, and more.
The final impressions section summarizes both pros and cons alongside the overall sentiment. The reviewer can indicate their satisfaction level and the target audience, such as budget-conscious consumers or those seeking performance. Once completed, the file can be submitted to AI for review generation.
Crafting Various Content Types with AI
A friend shared a technique for refining challenging content using AI. By verbally articulating the content in a recording without focusing on paragraph structure, one can then utilize ChatGPT to transform it into a specialized report, including an executive summary and pros and cons.
AI Amplifying Human Input
Think of AI as a ghostwriter that refines complex content into polished essays or articles, as suggested by my acquaintance. This method is versatile and applicable across various scenarios, including scaling product descriptions.
Humans contribute critical elements to content, such as information sources inaccessible to AI, as well as insights, expertise, sourcing, and background details that enrich the content. Humans bring forth qualities like experience, knowledge, authority, and authenticity, which AI can transform into high-quality content.
Given the repercussions faced by websites featuring AI-generated content in the wake of the March 2024 search engine update, it might be time to reconsider the role of AI in content creation. As we approach March 2024 and witness the impact of AI-generated content on the search industry, there may be a shift towards exploring more effective integration of AI in content creation processes.
