Google, AI and SEO

Alexandre Franco - Growth_Nerd
8 min readMar 5, 2023

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I was wrong. In my last article on AI and its impact on SEO, I conjectured that Google would soon take action to penalise AI content in their algorithms to discourage AI content, at least for ranking purposes.

Well, Google has provided a written statement on this subject a couple of weeks before I suggested the party wouldn’t last long for blogs written by AI. I couldn’t wait a week to publish this bad boy. So I racked my brain and got to work…

Now that I know what I know, it’s quite easy to question and even mock my initial thoughts. Why would google ban AI when they have “Bard” coming out?

What we, users, want

Google understands very well what I completely missed. The reader really doesn’t care if the content is written by an AI or not, as long as he gets the information he is looking for, or even the experience he is looking for. If he wants to read something funny and entertaining and the AI is able to deliver that to him, he really doesn’t care who wrote it, he’s got his laugh.

Google strives to provide its search engine customers (basically all of us) with the best content possible with the least amount of clicks. Therefore, they do their best to ensure that the first link we click on gives us the information we are looking for. Useful content will rank better in Google searches, even if it is written by an AI. Useful content is content that is relevant to what people are searching for and is accurate. This is important for what comes next.

ChatGPT from OpenAI

The rest of this article was written by ChatGPT. I put a lot of work into getting ChatGPT to create this article, and I refrained from changing it; with a few exceptions that I will mention; which was quite difficult. The reason for this is that I am testing the efficiency of the article in terms of SEO. I want to see how this specific blog and my website rank.

The slight modifications I made were to add links to a couple of keywords. I spent quite a bit of time trying to find a way for ChatGPT to embed the links I provided to the keywords I provided but the best I got was a link markup for each keyword. Another slight change I made was to add a number of keywords here and there. The last change was to remove an inaccurate statement about Bestsites 0x, which even though I clarified twice, still came out incorrect. It was stating that Bestsites 0x provide seo services, when I wanted to make it very clear that I do use seo knowledge and best practices when building a website but do not provide those services as a stand alone, yet.

What to expect going forward

I do not plan to change my approach completely, but I can’t ignore the reality I live in. I will continue to write my own blogs because it’s an activity that helps me personally, not just my business. But I will continue to learn and improve my skills in using AI tools that help me, and writing blog articles will be one of the tasks I will get more help with than I thought. My promise is to always point out when the article is written by an AI tool.

So I hope you enjoy what follows. In the next article I will tell you the results in terms of the reach of the article and compare it with previous articles I have written. I will also explain all the steps I took to make ChatGPT create the following article.

A Beginner’s Guide to SEO: Tips, Tools, and Best Practices

Introduction

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimising your website to improve its ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). In this beginner’s guide, we’ll cover the basics of SEO, including tips, tools, and best practices.

What is SEO and How it Works

SEO involves making changes to your website to improve its visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. You should optimise the website’s content, HTML, and meta tags. The goal of SEO is to improve your website’s ranking in search engine results pages, increase traffic to your website, and ultimately, drive more sales.

How Do Beginners Do SEO

If you’re new to SEO, start by doing keyword research to identify the terms people use to search for products or services like yours. You can use tools like WordStream’s free keyword tool or Keyword Tool to help with this process. Next, optimise your website’s content to include these keywords in a natural way. Other basic SEO techniques include improving your website’s loading speed, making your website mobile-friendly, and using descriptive title tags and meta descriptions.

The 4 Types of SEO

There are four types of SEO: on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, and local SEO. On-page SEO involves optimising the content on your website, while off-page SEO refers to building links to your website from other sites. Technical SEO involves optimising your website’s technical elements, such as its loading speed and mobile-friendliness. Local SEO is focused on optimising your website for local search queries.

SEO and Social Media

SEO in social media refers to optimising your social media profiles and content to improve their visibility in social media search results. This can include using relevant keywords in your social media profiles and posts, and engaging with your followers to increase your social media presence.

Can I Do SEO on My Own?

Yes, you can do SEO on your own, but it requires time, effort, and a good understanding of SEO best practices. You can use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner to help with keyword research, and SEMrush’s website audit tool or Ahrefs to identify areas for improvement on your website. However, if you’re not comfortable doing SEO on your own, it may be a good idea to hire a professional SEO company.

Is SEO a High Paying Job?

SEO can be a high-paying job, especially for experienced SEO professionals. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for an SEO specialist in the US is around $65,000 per year.

How to Get into SEO with No Experience

If you’re interested in getting into SEO but have no experience, start by learning the basics of SEO through online courses and tutorials. You can also gain experience by working on your own website or volunteering to help with SEO for non-profit organisations.

Is Learning SEO Difficult:

Learning SEO can be challenging, especially if you’re new to the field. However, with practice and dedication, anyone can become proficient in SEO. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and best practices, as search engine algorithms are constantly evolving.

The 3 C’s of SEO

Content, Code, and Connections. Each of these components plays an important role in improving a website’s SEO and ranking higher on search engines like Google.

Content is the first C of SEO, and it refers to the quality and relevance of the content on your website. The content should be informative, engaging, and unique. It should be created with the user in mind, addressing their questions and concerns. Quality content is crucial for improving your website’s ranking on search engines as it helps to increase engagement, reduce bounce rates, and drive traffic to your site.

Code is the second C of SEO, and it refers to the technical aspects of your website. The code should be well-structured, optimised for speed, and mobile-friendly. A well-coded website can help improve the user experience and increase the crawlability of your site by search engines. This can result in higher rankings, as Google favours websites that load quickly, have easy-to-navigate URLs, and are optimised for mobile devices.

Connections are the third C of SEO, and it refers to the links that point to your website. These links, also known as backlinks, are a crucial factor in determining your website’s authority and credibility. High-quality backlinks from reputable sources can help to increase your website’s ranking on search engines. Building connections with other websites and social media platforms can help drive traffic to your website and improve your website’s visibility.

What are SEO skills?

SEO skills include a range of technical and creative abilities. Technical skills include understanding website architecture, keyword research, and on-page optimization techniques. Creative skills include content creation, link building, and social media management. Effective communication skills are also essential, as SEO often involves working with clients and other stakeholders.

What are SEO tools?

There are many different SEO tools available that can help you analyse your website’s performance, research keywords, and track your search engine rankings. Some popular SEO tools any seo agency would use, include SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Moz. Many of these tools offer both free and paid versions, depending on your needs and budget.

Can I do SEO for free?

While some SEO tools and services may come with a cost, you can get affordable search engine optimization and there are many things you can do to improve your website’s SEO for free. These include conducting keyword research, optimising your website’s meta tags and content, creating quality backlinks, and engaging with your audience on social media. You can also use Google My Business so you can feature on google maps marketing. With dedication and consistent effort, you can make significant improvements to your website’s search engine rankings without spending a dime.

Is SEO easy to sell?

The answer is not a straightforward one. On one hand, there is a high demand for SEO services as businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of having a strong online presence. This means that there is definitely a market for SEO services.

However, selling SEO can also be challenging because it is a long-term strategy that requires time and effort to see results. It can be difficult to convince potential clients to invest in SEO when they may not see immediate results.

Additionally, there are many SEO providers in the market, which means there is a lot of competition. In order to stand out and sell SEO services successfully, it is important to have a strong understanding of the industry, a clear and effective sales pitch, and a track record of delivering results.

Overall, while there is a market for SEO services, selling them successfully requires a combination of knowledge, skill, and strategy.

Can I make a living doing SEO?

Yes, many people make a living as SEO professionals, either working for a company or as a freelance seo expert. As mentioned earlier, SEO can be a well-paying job, especially if you have a lot of experience and expertise in the field. You need to be good, but you don’t need to be the best seo consultant to make it.

If you’re looking to optimise your website’s SEO, there are many resources and tools available to help you get started. From conducting keyword research to implementing best practices, there are many ways to improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site. By staying up-to-date on the latest trends and techniques in the field of SEO, you can continue to stay ahead of the competition and achieve your business goals.

In conclusion

SEO is a complex and ever-changing field that requires dedication, practice, and expertise. By following SEO best practices and working with a professional SEO company, businesses can improve their online visibility and drive more traffic to their websites. At Bestsites 0x, we are committed to incorporating SEO best practices when creating websites to help businesses succeed online.

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Alexandre Franco - Growth_Nerd

Entrepreneur, Blogger, Educator - Follow for my musings on topics such as business and personal development, technology, crypto and world affairs