Are you using AI to write all of your content? It may be time to cut down on the LLMs. In a recent study from Ahrefs, the company found that heavily AI-written webpages received lower traffic, impressions, and rankings. Here, we took a deeper look at the study, and what it means for your AI-generated content. Read more below!
How Does AI-Generated Content Rank on Google?
Based on the study, content that was mostly written by a human (with some AI assistance) ranks the highest.
- 5.3% of top-ranking webpages featured content that had an AI Detection score of 100%.
- 9% of top-ranking webpages featured content that had an AI Detection score of 80%.
- 27.5% of top-ranking webpages featured content that had an AI Detection score of 20-50%
- 54.7% of top-ranking webpages featured content that had an AI Detection score of less than 20%.
How Often Do AI-Generated Webpages Appear in the Top 10 of Search Rankings?
As the study states, “Position 1 has the highest share of low-AI-content pages and the lowest share of very-high-AI-content pages.” But, “AI content becomes more common further down the SERP, but still appears in higher positions.” It should be noted that each top-ranking position still featured heavily AI-generated content, with position 1 including 8-12% of webpages with ≥ 80% AI content.
Why Don’t Heavily AI-Written Webpages Rank Higher?
The study speculates that increased AI usage can lead to poor content. It’s possible that a heavily AI-written webpage will not create content that follows EEAT standards, leaving you with subpar webpages. Some of the key issues AI writing can bring to your content include the following: monotonous writing, lack of evidence / data, hallucinations, and no new information.
Still, this isn’t to say that there aren’t outliers. In one sample of the study, some webpages that scored 100% on the AI Detector tool were also in the top 3 ranking positions.
Are Human-Written Webpages Still Ranking on Google?
As previously mentioned, more than 55% of webpages that scored less than 20% on the AI Detector tool were featured in the top search rankings. While AI usage continues to rise worldwide, it’s clear that human interference is still needed.
Need More Help with Your Content? Contact Boston Web Marketing, New England’s Largest Independent Digital Media Company, Today!
Boston Web Marketing can help you with our top-rated digital marketing services. Since 2009, our team has been rated as Boston’s #1 Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Website Design, and Social Media Management company. Whether you’re looking to write better content or rank higher on Google, we’re ready to help. To learn more about our digital marketing services, or to receive a free website consultation, contact us using the form on our website or call us at 857.526.0096. We’ll be in touch soon.