Everyone wants to know more about the evolution of AI, good and bad, especially for content creation /generation and SEO
The rise of AI-generated content has revolutionised SEO strategies, offering both opportunities and challenges for content creators and businesses
Explaining the evolution of AI
I had a chat to the Googe Tool Gemini 2.0 on this very topic (below)
AI is fundamentally changing how search engines operate and how users interact with them.
Here are some key ways AI is used in SERPs:
Understanding User Intent:
AI algorithms, particularly those using Natural Language Processing (NLP), are getting much better at understanding the nuances of search queries. This means even if a user doesn’t use the “perfect” keywords, the search engine can still understand what they’re looking for.
Featured Snippets and AI Overviews:
AI is heavily involved in generating featured snippets (those concise answers at the top of the page) and AI Overviews (comprehensive summaries generated by AI). To rank for these, content needs to be structured clearly, with direct answers to potential questions.
Personalisation:
AI allows search engines to personalize results based on a user’s past search history, location, and other factors. This means two people searching for the same thing might see slightly different results.
Multimodal Search:
AI is enabling searches beyond just text. Image search, voice search, and even the ability to search using a combination of text and images are becoming more prevalent.
Local SEO:
AI is enhancing local search by better understanding location-based queries and providing more relevant local results.
This is crucial for businesses with physical locations.
However, let’s go back a little for context on the evolution of AI:
Back in February 2023 Google Search Central wrote a paper on AI generated content:
“At Google, we’ve long believed in the power of AI to transform the ability to deliver helpful information. In this post, we’ll share more about how AI-generated content fits into our long-standing approach to show helpful content to people on Search…..Google’s ranking systems aim to reward original, high-quality content that demonstrates qualities of what we call E-E-A-T: expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. We share more about this in our How Search Works site……
When it comes to automatically generated content, our guidance has been consistent for years. Using automation—including AI—to generate content with the primary purpose of manipulating ranking in search results is a violation of our spam policies.”
Search Engine Journal;’s Roger Montti has just published a new post on this topic, quoting / discussing the co author of the above paper, Chris Nelson from Google Search Central Blog
The answers are in the nuance of Google’s policy, which encourages content publishers to prioritize user-first content instead of a search-engine first approach
In my opinion, putting a strong focus on writing about the most popular search queries in a topic, instead of writing about the topic, can lead to search engine-first content as that’s a common approach of sites I’ve audited that contained relatively high quality content but lost rankings in the 2024 Google updates….
The AI-generated content guidance states:
“Poor quality content isn’t a new challenge for Google Search to deal with. We’ve been tackling poor quality content created both by humans and automation for years. We have existing systems to determine the helpfulness of content. …Our systems continue to be regularly improved.”
How do we reconcile that part of his job is detecting AI-generated content and Google’s policy states that it doesn’t matter how low quality content is generated?
Context is everything, that’s the answer. Here’s the context of his work profile:
“Address novel content issues (e.g., detection and treatment of AI-generated content)”
The phrase “novel content issues” means content quality issues that haven’t previously been encountered by Google. This refers to new types of AI-generated content, presumably spam, and how to detect it and “treat” it. Given that the context is “detection and treatment” it could very well be that the context is “low quality content” but it wasn’t expressly stated because he probably didn’t think his LinkedIn profile would be parsed by SEOs for a better understanding of how Google detects and treats AI-generated content (meta!).
Good to know
AI Image & Video Generation Tools?
In Sept 2024 Zapier gave us it’s wrap up on the “The 9 best AI video generators in 2024”:
- Runway for generative AI video
- Descript for editing video by editing the script
- Wondershare Filmora for polishing video with AI tools
- Capsule for simplifying video production workflows with AI
- Fliki for social media videos
- Peech for content marketing teams
- Synthesia for using digital avatars
- Vyond for animated character videos from a prompt
- Visla for turning a script into a video
and…Dante St James “Saturday Sprint” Newsletter just mentioned a new free tool Napkin AI
“At Napkin, our mission is to give everyone the power of visuals in their communication”
You start by joining, pasting your text and Napkin.ai generates some images – you choose which you like.
Cool.
Meanwhile…. back at “The Ranch” Google Labs :
3 different types of AI image examples from the Google Labs Post on its AI Image & Video Tools
“Earlier this year, we introduced our video generation model, Veo, and our latest image generation model, Imagen 3.
Since then, it’s been exciting to watch people bring their ideas to life with help from these models: YouTube creators are exploring the creative possibilities of video backgrounds for their YouTube Shorts, enterprise customers are enhancing creative workflows on Vertex AI and creatives are using VideoFX and ImageFX to tell their stories.
Together with collaborators ranging from filmmakers to businesses, we’re continuing to develop and evolve these technologies.Today we’re introducing a new video model, Veo 2, and the latest version of Imagen 3, both of which achieve state-of-the-art results. These models are now available in VideoFX, ImageFX and our newest Labs experiment, Whisk.
( My Note: Whisk not currently available in Australia at the time of writing)
“Under the hood, Whisk combines our latest Imagen 3 model with Gemini’s visual understanding and description capabilities. The Gemini model automatically writes a detailed caption of your images, and it then feeds those descriptions into Imagen 3. This process allows you to easily remix your subjects, scenes and styles in fun, new ways.”)
Stay tuned.
Or ask us for help at JumpStart Matrix
What are the Pros and Cons of AI generated content?
I also asked Gemini 2.0 to discuss “the pros & cons to date for AI generated image & video content”
Pros:
Speed and Efficiency:
AI can generate images and videos much faster than traditional methods, saving time and resources.
Cost-Effectiveness:
AI tools can be more affordable than hiring designers or videographers, especially for basic or repetitive tasks.
Scalability:
AI can easily generate large volumes of content, which is useful for businesses with extensive needs.
Customisation:
AI allows for easy customization and iteration, making it simple to create variations of images or videos.
Overcoming Creative Blocks:
AI can help generate new ideas and overcome creative blocks by providing unexpected and novel outputs.
Cons:
Quality and Originality:
While AI is improving rapidly, the quality and originality of AI-generated content can sometimes be lacking compared to human-created work.
There can be issues with “cookie-cutter” outputs or a lack of true artistic expression.
Copyright and Ownership:
There are ongoing legal discussions about copyright ownership of AI-generated content, which can create uncertainty.
Lack of Nuance and Context:
AI may struggle to capture subtle nuances, emotions, or cultural contexts that a human creator would naturally understand.
Potential for Misuse:
AI image and video generation can be used to create deepfakes or spread misinformation, raising ethical concerns.
Dependence and Deskilling:
Over-reliance on AI tools could potentially lead to a decline in human creative skills.
Yes, I know its a little overwhelming!
Gemini 2.0 KeyTakeways /Advice?
Key Takeaways for Your Article:
- Emphasize that AI is not just a trend but a fundamental shift in how content is created and how Search Engines operate.
- Highlight the importance of understanding AI’s role in SERPs for effective SEO strategies.
- Provide a balanced view of the pros and cons of AI-generated content, acknowledging both its potential…. and its limitations.
- Encourage readers to experiment with AI tools, but also to maintain a human-centric approach to content creation, valuing creativity, originality, and ethical considerations.
ChatGPT take on AI generated Content?
“Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way in shaping how we create visual content.
From dreamlike landscapes to uncanny deepfakes, AI-generated images and videos are redefining what’s possible in the realm of creativity.
But as with any innovation, there’s a mix of brilliance and chaos… and the occasional hilarity that comes with this digital revolution…
The Quirky Side: When AI Gets It… Kinda Wrong:
The “Extra Limbs” Phenomenon:
Why have two arms when you can have seven? AI-generated humans sometimes come with a bonus limb (or three), giving new meaning to the term “multi-tasking.”
Misunderstood Prompts:
Describe a “cat on a skateboard,” and you might get a skateboard with cat ears instead. Sometimes AI’s interpretation is delightfully off-the-mark.
Happy Accidents:
An AI glitch can turn a serene ocean scene into a dystopian water world. While unintended, these mishaps can spark new ideas—or at least give you a good laugh.
The Takeaway: A Double-Edged Paintbrush
AI-generated content is a testament to how far technology has come
It’s democratising creativity, saving time, and inspiring new artistic possibilities. But it’s not without its quirks, challenges, and potential pitfalls.
As we continue to refine these tools, it’s essential to strike a balance—embracing AI’s capabilities while staying mindful of its limitations and ethical implications.
So, whether you’re creating a jaw-dropping sci-fi scene or accidentally inventing a five-legged horse, one thing’s for sure: AI-generated visuals are here to stay, and they’re keeping the creative world on its toes—all seven of them.
Summary
In the SEO world, AI is a powerful ally—but it’s no magic wand.
Combining AI efficiency with human creativity and strategic intent remains the key to staying ahead in search rankings!
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