Due to the immense popularity of ChatGPT in the past two years, and the introduction of Microsoft copilot, Google Gemini, and Generative Search Experience, I have been frequently asking myself: “What are the possible AI impacts on SEO? What happened and what could happen soon?”
This is also a chance to reflect and extend on the recent “Notorious” March 2024 Google Core Updates.
AI Impacts on Search Intent, Semantic Search, and Topic Clusters
It is necessary to clarify that AI is divided into two types: Discriminative AI and Generative AI. To comprehensively discuss the impact of AI on SEO, both must be considered. By taking into account both Discriminative and Generative AI, we can explore the impact of AI on SEO from the following aspects.
Google has been using AI technology in its algorithms since RankBrain in 2015. The three most relevant topics to AI currently are search intent, semantic search, and topic clusters. These three topics significantly affect keyword and content strategies for SEO, which I plan on discussing about each of them in the future.
Read more about How do search engines determine rankings?
AI Impacts on Content Quality and Competitors
In recent years, the proliferation of spam content in Google’s search results has become an issue. The emergence of Generative AI has provided a powerful tool for those spreading spam content, exacerbating the problem.
Increasing Standards for Content Quality by Google
To combat this, Google has been continuously raising content quality standards, hoping to incentivize website operators to improve their content with better rankings. Meanwhile, Google also employs various mechanisms, including algorithms, to fight spam content, though overall effectiveness has been limited.
The issue of Google’s spam content merits further discussion but will be addressed in future due to its indirect relevance here.
Lowering the Threshold for Content Generation
For many companies, producing high-quality products or services is easy, but content marketing is challenging. With Generative AI, companies can quickly and easily generate content with the right commands, regardless of quality. AI impacts has indeed significantly lowered the threshold for content generation.
However, while this appears beneficial for companies, it presents broader challenges, such as the previously mentioned issue of spam content and increased competition.
Increase in Content Competitors
As more people use AI to generate content, the number of content competitors increases. Consequently, the difficulty of SEO also rises.
So how to create good quality contents using AI in combination with SEO is key to stand out amongst competitors.
To Clarify: Google is not banning AI generated contents – it’s combating AI generated low quality contents.
And as a result, close to 45% of the low quality contents have been reduced from Google Search, but how effective or accurate are these 45% is still unclear and causing some major impacts in search results.
AI Impacts on SEO Traffic and Effectiveness
The increase in competitors is not the only factor affecting SEO traffic and effectiveness. Another factor is that users might start using AI or AI-based search engines (or what I would call “answer engines”) to gather information. If users stop searching traditionally, search traffic decreases, impacting the effectiveness of SEO based on search.
Emergence of New Traffic Opportunities
Although AI might impact SEO traffic and effectiveness to some extent, it also creates many new traffic opportunities. For instance, future strategies for content creations on platforms like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, or optimizing AI search engines like Bing and Microsoft Copilot, are crucial for search marketers.
Additionally, Google has its own AI search to consider (the Search Generative Experience, SGE). Moreover, if we look further back, many companies have already been working on featured snippets (Google Rich Results), which also utilize AI technology.
Featured Snippets, or Google Rich Results, is based on Structured Data (Schema), you can read about it here: Maximizing SEO Potential: A Guide to Structured Data Markup
AI Impacts in Revolutionizing Data Analysis for SEO
AI impacts on SEO has actually, I would say, revolutionized data analysis for SEO, providing tools that efficiently handle vast amounts of data. Automated data collection and processing, including web scraping and data cleaning, ensure accurate and reliable insights. Advanced analytics with AI’s pattern recognition and predictive capabilities help SEO professionals identify trends and anticipate changes in search algorithms and user behavior.
Natural Language Processing (NLP) enhances content analysis and topic clustering, aligning content with user intent. AI also excels in user behavior analysis, providing insights into click-through rates, bounce rates, and user interactions through heatmaps and session recordings.
Competitor analysis is streamlined with AI, offering competitive benchmarking and gap analysis to exploit untapped opportunities. Real-time monitoring and automated alerts allow quick responses to performance changes, while enhanced reporting with customizable dashboards and Natural Language Generation (NLG) makes data insights accessible to all stakeholders.
By leveraging AI impacts, by considering both the positives and negatives, SEO professionals can make informed decisions, optimize strategies with precision, and stay ahead in the dynamic digital landscape. Such as using it for better retargeting and tagging: 2024 Marketing Prediction: AI Data May Be the Key to Better Retargeting Approach
Conclusion
In conclusion, AI’s impact on SEO is multifaceted and significant. While AI, both Discriminative and Generative, enhances search intent understanding, semantic search, and topic clustering, it also raises the bar for content quality, making it essential for SEO practitioners to adapt. The lowered threshold for content generation and the rise in content competitors increase SEO’s complexity.
Moreover, shifts in user behavior towards AI-driven search engines may reduce traditional search traffic, challenging conventional SEO strategies. However, these changes also bring new opportunities for optimizing AI-driven platforms, making it crucial for marketers to stay informed and agile in this evolving landscape.
Additionally, continuous adaptation and innovation, maintaining ethical standards, prioritizing user experience, and staying ahead of future AI and SEO trends are essential for long-term success.