Article

Jon Kelly
Jon Kelly 24 March 2023

SEO and AI: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Ai is quickly changing the digital marketing landscape. For many marketers, this offers an opportunity for increased productivity, however, there are some important aspects to be aware of.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a constantly evolving field, and with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), SEO is about to undergo some significant changes. AI is already changing the way businesses approach SEO, and it will continue to do so in the future. In this article, we will explore the good, the bad, and the ugly of AI and SEO.

The Good: How AI Can Help SEOs

AI can quickly analyze vast amounts of data:

AI has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses approach SEO. One of the significant benefits of AI is that it can analyze vast amounts of data in a matter of seconds, which is a task that would take humans much longer.

By using AI-powered tools, businesses can quickly identify keywords, search trends, and patterns, which can be used to improve their SEO strategy.

AI-powered content:

AI can also help businesses with content creation. AI-powered content creation tools can generate high-quality content in a matter of minutes, saving businesses time and resources. These tools can also ensure that the content is optimized for search engines, which can improve the website's visibility in search results.

AI-powered tools can help with technical SEO:

AI-powered tools can be used to identify technical SEO issues on a website, which is one of the most time-consuming and complex tasks for SEO professionals. These tools use machine learning algorithms to analyze a website's technical elements, including site architecture, crawlability, indexing, and speed.

AI and machine learning can be applied to automate basic tasks, making it particularly useful for businesses that perform repetitive and predictable activities.

For instance, generating meta descriptions for all pages following a particular formula can be automated with the appropriate AI tool. This makes task automation applicable to businesses in all industries.

The Bad: How AI Poses a Threat to SEOs

As AI technology continues to evolve, it has the potential to automate many of the tasks that SEO professionals currently perform. This could lead to a reduction in the number of SEO jobs available and a shift in the skills required to succeed in the industry.

AI can out-write you:

AI technology could also automate content creation, which is another significant aspect of SEO. AI-powered content creation tools can generate high-quality content quickly and ensure it is optimized for search engines. This could reduce the need for human content writers, leading to a further reduction in SEO jobs.

AI can optimize faster than you:

In addition to automating tasks, AI technology could also change the skills required to succeed in SEO. As AI technology becomes more prevalent in the industry, SEO professionals may need to develop new skills related to working with and understanding AI-powered tools. This could lead to a shift in the types of skills and expertise that are in demand in the industry.

There are already examples of AI technology being used to automate tasks that were previously done by humans in the SEO industry: AI-powered tools are being used to generate meta descriptions, perform keyword research, find broken links, create reports and automate outreach - just to name a few.

The AI rich getting richer:

Another risk of AI is that it can create an uneven playing field for businesses. Small businesses may find it challenging to compete with larger companies that have more resources to invest in AI-powered tools. This could lead to a concentration of power in the hands of a few, which could be detrimental to the overall health of the digital economy.

The hard truth is that AI is here to stay  - and it will only be getting smarter faster.

The Ugly: How AI Can be Misused

Now let's talk about how AI can make the Internet and the digital marketing space just downright ugly.

AI can be used to mislead the public:

The rise of AI poses significant risks to the Internet's overall health and well-being. We are already seeing ads being used to mislead the public. AI-powered algorithms can be manipulated to spread misinformation and propaganda, which can have serious consequences for society.

For example, during the 2016 US presidential election, AI-powered bots were used to spread false information and manipulate public opinion.

AI can be used to mislead search engines:

Additionally, AI can be used to create fake reviews and fake news, which can be used to manipulate search engine rankings and deceive consumers. This can lead to a decline in consumer trust, which can be detrimental to the overall health of the digital economy.

AI spam and plagiarism:

AI technology has the potential to create large amounts of spam and increase plagiarism across the web. This is because AI can be used to generate content quickly and easily, and when used improperly, it can be used to create low-quality, spammy content that does not provide value to users.

Chat-GPT, for instance, can easily rewrite entire sentences or paragraphs in a few seconds. This will only make it harder for writers to protect their work from others riding their digital coattails.

Conclusion

AI is changing the way businesses approach SEO, and it will continue to do so in the future. Many businesses and professionals are simply not prepared for the scale and speed at which AI will disrupt. While AI can be a valuable tool for businesses, it also poses significant risks to the SEO industry and the overall health of society.

SEOs must be aware of these risks and take steps to mitigate them.

The use of AI-powered tools must be balanced with human expertise and ethical considerations to ensure that AI is used to benefit society rather than harm it, while leveraging the power of AI to improve the quality and scope of the industry. SEO and digital marketing professionals will need to “adapt or die”.

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. - Charles Darwin

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