The Future of SEO Content
Considerations and pitfalls of using AI for SEO content generation
Your webinar speaker
Table of Contents
What has Google been up to?
Google algo updates, how Google determines content helpfulness
Google’s mission statement
“Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
Evolution of Google’s content algo updates
How Google calculates “helpfulness”
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Technical
SEO
Links, topical authority, quality content, brand
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User engagement signals
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How Google calculates “helpfulness”
Relevant backlinks (domain authority)
How Google calculates “helpfulness”
Related subtopic rankings (topical authority)
How Google calculates “helpfulness”
Quality content (knowledge graph)
How Google calculates “helpfulness”
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User engagement signals
?
?
?
How Google calculates user engagement
SERPs that conclude search journeys
How Google calculates user engagement
#1
#1
#1
#2
SERPs that conclude search journeys
How Google calculates user engagement
75% no further search
SERPs that conclude search journeys
what is
what is
what is
50% no further search
recipe
benefits
recipe
<
How Google calculates user engagement
Only one <title> & above the fold experience
Serve the most engaging above the fold experience
Information gain
What the heck is information gain, and why is it important?
What is information gain?
Concepts and entities on the fringe of Google’s knowledge graph
Information gain and SERP similarity
Certain topics have a high amount of SERP similarity
this is the answer
agreed
+1
same
Information gain and SERP similarity
Beat SERP similarity with relevant information gain
#1 answer
Entity-rich content matching fringes of knowledge graph�
#2 answer
what is X
what is X
Information gain and SERP similarity
High confidence SERP similarity produces Featured Snippets
99.99%
Information gain and SERP similarity
Certain topics have a high amount of SERP disparity
this is the answer
nope, I disagree
wrong!
how about this?
Information gain and SERP similarity
50% no further search
Disparity = more aggressive Google sampling
result #1
result #2
result #3
25% no further search
result A
result B
result #1
<
Information gain and SERP similarity
Shortcut rankings by presenting new search perspectives
#1 answer
Perspective that prevents further searches
#2 answer
should you X?
what is X
Information gain and SERP similarity
what�how to�top / best
Shortcut rankings by presenting new search perspectives
0%
25%
50%
75%
?
chaos
insights�experience�unique pov
why �why not�how it works
featured snippet
99.9%
Topic Lifecycles
Content decay and search intent shift
Search intent / topics evolve over time
?
?
?
Search intent / topics change over time
1 year ago
1 month ago
1 month from now
1 year from now
The farther future
Content decay results from search intent shift over time
Search intent / topics change over time
[bone broth], Google search in May 2023
#2
Search intent / topics change over time
Google Trends > [bone broth] > interest peaks 01/2019
Search intent / topics change over time
[bone broth], Google search in March 2019
#1
Search intent / topics change over time
what is bone broth
top bone broth benefits
does both broth have benefits?
I drank bone broth, here are my thoughts
Search intent / topics change over time
[bone broth]
why?
what?
how?
best
Search intent / topics change over time
informational
research
commercial
transactional
∞
Search intent / topics change over time
[bone broth]
why?
are we sure?
who can we trust?
what was your experience like?
top benefits
Search perspective frameworks
What do searchers want to know at different stages of the topic lifecycle?
Search perspective: consideration
#4
best for: how to X, challenging topics (eg. diets, learning new things)
Search perspective: consideration
[topic]
how?
how to do X
common mistakes while doing X
reasons not to do X
things to consider before X
Search perspective: consideration
Best for: how to do X, challenging topics (eg. diets)
Search perspective: experience
best for: X review, consumer-related topics (eg. travel, consumer packaged goods)
#2
Search perspective: experience
[topic]
review?
X alternatives reviewed
I tried X and here’s what happened
Search perspective: experience
Best for: consumer packaged goods, reviews, travel
Search perspective: contrarian
best for: trendy / new topics & industries, questionable research, bold claims
#2
Search perspective: contrarian
Best for: trendy topics, questionable topics, bold claims
Search perspective: contrarian
[topic]
benefits
X benefits
Should you actually X?
Does X has benefits?
Search perspective: expert
best for: [how to X], [X is good / benefits], [X best practices / tips]
#1
Search perspective: discussion
best for: is it okay to do X, alternatives / reviews, should I X
#6
Search perspective: current events
Best for: depends on current events
#4
Search perspective: predict the future
Best for: depends on your subject matter expertise
Ranch-style SEO
top benefits
[bone broth]
does it have benefits?
here’s what experts have to say
I tried it and here’s my experience
Future of SEO Content
Thoughts on AI content, video, topical shifts and more
GPT & AI content for SEO
GPT & AI content for SEO
99%
95%
70%
Current AI models are sophisticated autocompletes
GPT & AI content for SEO
Current AI models are sophisticated autocompletes
The quick fox jumps over…
🤖 (AI content) 🤖
the lazy dog.
99.99%
GPT & AI content for SEO
Small inconsistencies in short writing produces small discrepancies
Sentences 1-5 (0.99)^5 = 95%
GPT & AI content for SEO
Small sample data in newer topics (or long form content) produces large discrepancies
Sentences 1-5 (0.90)^5 = 59%
Google’s updated view on AI content for SEO
Future of SEO content
Produce better content with relevant information gain on SERPs that are high similarity
#1 answer
Entity-rich content matching fringes of knowledge graph�
#2 answer
what is X
what is X
Clearscope for entity optimization
Information gain and SERP similarity
Shortcut rankings by presenting new search perspectives
Shortcut rankings by presenting new search perspectives
#1 answer
Perspective that prevents further searches
#2 answer
should you X?
what is X
Clearscope content inventory for monitoring
Search perspective frameworks
Search perspective frameworks
Future of SEO content - video
Google owns YouTube
best for:
Rise of video content for SEO: high barrier to entry, normalized consumption