ChatGPT & SEO: Risks, Benefits & More

Let’s start out by going over some benefits of using ChatGPT.

For one, it’s fast and generally always available. At times users have reported difficulty accessing because of capacity issues due to the high demand, though this is generally not an issue and since the service is available 24/7 it’s therefore highly accessible and cost effective. Responses can be customized and personalized based on the user’s preferences and behavior. In this way it’s great for keyword research or providing prompts that can help start a first draft, but ultimately it’s not a strong enough tool to use as a final product.

While ChatGPT can generate human-like content, it can also produce inaccurate information and improper sentences. This is because “ChatGPT is a very new tool and is trained on a static, unaudited dataset.”

Oftentimes ChatGPT may not fully understand the context and meaning of the user’s input resulting in responses that are irrelevant, inaccurate, or inappropriate, especially since the current language is only trained up until 2021. Therefore, it is important to carefully review the content generated by ChatGPT before publishing it.

Additionally, if you are writing for SEO, you have to be cautious. Open AI researchers have developed cryptographic watermarking, though this may not be implemented (yet) in the current version of ChatGPT, in order to detect AI-generated writing. Also, Google has specific parameters in place to parse out content that they deem low-quality through the Panda Algorithm.

Google Panda is a search algorithm update introduced by Google back in 2011.

In a nutshell, the Panda algorithm internally assigns each page a quality classification through their own ranking guidelines like E-A-T (more on this later). Websites deemed as low-quality will be lowered in Google’s search rankings. Websites with high-quality content, on the other hand, are rewarded with premiere search rankings, resulting in increased visibility and traffic.

Google Panda has undergone several updates and refinements over the years, and it’s now a part of Google’s core algorithm. This means that the Panda’s quality standards are continuously being applied to search results, and websites that fail to meet these standards are likely to see a drop in their search rankings.

What’s important to note is that since ChatGPT generated writing is often low-quality content it is very likely to be identified by the Panda and ranked lower.

Though the Panda doesn’t specifically rule out AI use entirely… According to Google’s guidelines, AI-generated content is technically acceptable, but it should be used in moderation. Simply using the software to increase website traffic or manipulate search rankings through spam-like content is considered a violation of Google’s guidelines. As a result, it’s crucial to use ChatGPT in a responsible manner and supplement it with E-A-T characteristics.

In 2014, Google introduced the E-A-T principles in its search quality guidelines. E-A-T is an acronym used by Google search evaluators to reflect the characteristic requirements that Google looks for on a page.

• Expertise refers to the level of knowledge and skill that the content creator has in the topic they are writing about.
• Authoritativeness refers to the credibility and reputation of the website or the author of the content. This can be demonstrated by the number of backlinks from other reputable sources to your page. Pages with a higher level of authority are more likely to be seen as trustworthy and valuable by Google.
• Trustworthiness refers to the reliability and accuracy of the information presented in the content.

If you’re producing content online, E-A-T is going to be a big factor in Google determining the quality of your page. E-A-T is not a characteristic that’s ingrained into ChatGPT’s functioning. This means that if you are exclusively using ChatGPT to write, it will not be tailored correctly for SEO purposes.

It depends!

Yes, you can use ChatGPT, but be conscious of the drawbacks. ChatGPT will most likely produce derivative content. That’s not to say that utilizing the software should be dismissed entirely for SEO purposes. Maybe you can use it for a first draft or tackling writer’s block, but relying on it too heavily will ultimately result in poor quality writing, especially when it comes to website content that requires E-A-T. ChatGPT also lacks the context and personality of individuals so for more creative purposes, (i.e. blogs, essays, fiction) this software may not be the best way to go.

Using AI language models like ChatGPT also raises ethical and legal issues around privacy and consent without clear accountability measures in place to regulate the technology.

Additionally, excessive reliance on machine learning systems may hinder critical thinking and judgment– just think about the allure to a college or high school student who needs to write a paper on a deadline… ChatGPT may hinder their ability to think critically and develop their own ideas.

Although ChatGPT can be useful for things like keyword research, generating article topics, and creating content outlines it is not recommended to be relied on for anything extensive due to its potential inaccuracies, lack of EAT, and producing superficial content not great for SEO. To make the most of ChatGPT, it is important to use it in conjunction with critical thinking and human expertise. This ensures that the content produced is both accurate and reflects diverse, human perspectives.

For further assistance with your SEO and content strategy, contact OneClick Media Group to schedule a complimentary site audit.