Okay, Fine! Use AI to Create Content

But Play by the Rules and with a Clear Conscience

My last blog post was the first time I ever wrote about a deeply personal experience. It certainly was heartwarming and overwhelming to receive so many kind and encouraging messages from family, friends, co-workers, clients, and even some past students and interns. Thank you! Some business associates and clients also responded with feedback on my comments about the “AI-generated content elephant in the room”. Healthy discussions ensued and I want to clarify that I am not against AI-generated content. If your small or medium-sized business has time and budgetary limitations, and you cannot hire a content agency, professional copywriters, and SEO content writers, then AI tools may be the way to go. I’ve summarized the key questions clients are asking about this.

Top 9 Questions SMBs Ask about Using AI Tools to Create Content

Q 1: As a small business, we don’t have in-house copywriters and we are unable to hire an agency. How can we use AI tools to generate content efficiently?

A: AI tools can definitely help you become more efficient and productive in content creation. Human-generated content (obviously) has the human touch and is often superior in quality, but you can take advantage of AI to brainstorm content ideas before you start writing. Need some help to organize your thoughts? Not happy with your draft content and looking for some wordsmithing? Want to repurpose existing text? AI can help you do all of this. Many AI tools also have transcription capabilities. Even if you don’t have human copywriters, it’s important to ensure that your AI-generated content never leaves your desk without a thorough review by humans. Your human editors will check content for accuracy, originality, and of course, the ultimate goal of SEO content, which is usefulness to the search user.

Q 2: There is a lot of buzz currently about an ethical approach to AI in SEO. What does it mean?

A: Just like any ‘code of ethics’, being responsible, fair, and transparent, are the cornerstones of using AI ethically. You want to make sure that you always show respect for user privacy. Thoroughly check the accuracy and integrity of the information you’re sharing. There’s nothing to hide, so be transparent about how your content creation processes use AI tools. Don’t make the mistake of misleading your audience about the extent of AI’s involvement in your content creation. Truth has an uncanny way of coming out, always!

Q 3: If we rely too much on AI for content creation, are we playing a risky game?

A: AI-generated content can frequently be a rehash of previously published online content; hence, it lacks depth and originality. Quite often, it may be fraught with inaccuracies and have biased overtones. Given that organic search traffic is driven primarily by your content’s level of helpfulness and engagement, you may see a drop in these numbers and consequently, your search rankings. There’s no denying that AI tools are useful to support human creativity and expertise, but they are not a replacement for these invaluable people qualities. In case you missed it previously, download our eBook on “Affordable Content Marketing for SMBs”.

Q 4: How can we use AI ethically while creating content?

A: Ethics is inevitably a grey area, so it’s hard to answer this question completely, but here are some guidelines we collated from Search Engine Journal¹:

• Be transparent: Clearly disclose when you are using AI in your content creation process.
• Make no compromises on accuracy and integrity: Use AI for tasks like brainstorming and rewording, but ensure humans handle the actual writing. Always check AI outputs for originality and accuracy.
• Focus on originality and usefulness: Avoid relying solely on AI for generating content. Instead, use it to enhance human-generated content, ensuring it meets user needs and search engine guidelines.
• Recognize and follow search engine guidelines: Adhere to SEO best practices and avoid outdated techniques like keyword stuffing. Creating meaningless doorway pages may have produced results in the late 90s, but not anymore. Landing pages with good quality, helpful content will help you attract and retain qualified audiences.

Q 5: Can AI help improve our SEO while ensuring ethical practices?

A: Yes, AI can support SEO by helping with tasks like conducting full SEO audits, fixing errors, and improving site performance. However, it’s important to use AI tools to enhance the quality of your content rather than cut corners. High-quality, original content that includes a POV and provides value to users is key to successful SEO.

Q 6: We want to build our own AI tools and platforms suited to our business needs. What should we keep in mind?

A: When developing AI tools, make it a priority to ensure strong security protocols and practices to protect user data. Always assess and monitor these tools to ensure they are safe and secure. Seeking legal counsel may be necessary when using AI in processes involving user or customer information.

Q 7: How do we handle intellectual property concerns with AI-generated content?

A: Ensure that AI-recommended content is original and properly sourced. Use tools like Copyscape to check for plagiarism and always credit sources accurately. Establish clear guidelines for using AI in content creation to avoid legal issues and maintain fairness and honesty.

Q 8: Google claims it is focused on high-quality, original content and favours it over AI-generated content. But we know that our competitors use AI! How can we stay in the game?

A: Without any doubt, Google prioritizes content that is helpful, trustworthy, and original because it provides the best value to users. AI-generated content can often lack these qualities. If you see that your competitors are able to succeed in today’s competitive SERPs, it’s unlikely that they depend solely on AI. To compete strongly and get ahead in the game, your content creation efforts must focus on improving Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). To do this, you must involve thought leaders and experts to create content that showcases their knowledge and expertise on your branded, social, and community content channels.

Q 9: How can we ensure a good user experience on our site while using AI?

A: Ensure your site is user-friendly by focusing on quick load times, easy navigation, and providing valuable content that meets user needs. AI can help identify areas for improvement, but human supervision is essential to maintain a high-quality user experience.

MintCopy Can Humanize Your AI-Generated Content

At our content agency, some of our clients are using AI tools to create draft content which they send over to our team of skilled SEO copywriters. We review, revise, refine, and send it back completely ‘humanized’! Would you like to give it a try? Use our online form to get in touch. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest content marketing trends, tips, tools, and techniques.

Resources: