When it comes to AI, most people are in one of two camps – they either LOVE it or hate it. The idea of robots scraping all the content on the web to give us the answers to literally any question we have is a little scary…and also, amazing? It’s a weird line. But here’s what I do know: AI can be tremendously helpful when it comes to your website’s SEO. You just have to know how to use it…and how not to.
Let’s dive in. Even if you’re totally new to SEO, you can see a big impact from these tips.
Tip #1: Use AI to Kickstart Keyword Research
AI platforms like Chat GPT can really streamline the keyword research process when you know how to use them well.
Ok, so let’s say you’re a family photographer in Nashville, TN (where I live!). You’re already going after some keywords on your home page, like “Nashville family photographer” and “Middle TN family photographer,” and you’re ranking for those terms (go you!). But you’re planning to update your content and you want to increase the number of keywords you’re ranking for.
Enter Chat GPT.
Here’s an example of the prompt I used:
Chat GPT gave me 15 other keyword ideas. That’s pretty amazing. Just remember, Chat GPT is not giving you ANY information about how valuable these keywords actually are, which is crucial for you to know before you start incorporating them into your page. Ideally, you’d put these into your favorite SEO keyword tool (think Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, or SEMrush) and then choose which ones you’d like to go after based on the keyword difficulty (AKA, realistic for your website to rank) and searches per month (AKA, enough searches that it’s worth your time).
Here’s another example. Let’s say you’re really happy with the way your website is performing in organic search, but you want to keep expanding by writing new content that boosts your domain authority and expertise on Google.
This is so helpful, even with my very basic prompt. This screenshot only shows three of the ideas, but Chat GPT gave me 15 topics. Maybe you only like two of them or maybe you could see yourself writing about all of them! Either way, this is a great way to brainstorm new content (again, bonus points if you look at the search potential and prioritize your blog schedule with that in mind.)
Tip #2: Use AI to Outline Content
So you’ve got your topic, let’s go with the second one from the example above.
Chat GPT can give you a complete blog outline, with multiple points and content you could pull in for each section. Even if you don’t use all of it, these are some great ideas and definitely could help you clear some writer’s block.
Here’s an example with a basic prompt:
You could use this same process for landing page content. Let’s say you’re working on a sales page for your new online course:
If AI would expect to see this kind of content on a course landing page, most likely real people would too. Outlines like this can really save you time!
Tip #3: Use AI to Generate Ideas for Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions aren’t hard to write, per se, as long as you know what you’re going for. But since it’s important for each page on your website to have its own unique meta description, this can be a really time consuming task. A lot of pages = a lot of meta descriptions.
This free Ahrefs meta generator tool makes it a lot easier. Just describe your page and voila, it will give you three variations to choose from or customize on your own.
Tip #4: Use AI to Write Schema Markup
If your business involves recipes or products with reviews, you’re probably already familiar with schema and how important it is for your SEO. If you’re a lifestyle blogger or wedding planner, you may have no idea what I’m talking about and that’s totally ok. Simply put, schema markup is code on your website that helps search engines understand the content on your page.
When you have schema markup on a product page, for instance, Google will show the information in search results like this:
So if I wanted Chat GPT to write schema markup for me, it can! Here’s what that can look like:
This is a really basic example, and you can see that Chat GPT took a lot of liberties with the information I did not include. So while you still have to be pretty detail-oriented and specific to get the right schema for your website, Chat GPT can help you set it up way faster than writing it from scratch on your own.
Don’t: Copy and Paste AI Generated Content
Just don’t! Google is smart. It knows how to spot AI content, and that’s the opposite of what it wants to reward. A copy and paste strategy can be totally helpful to get the ideas flowing when you sit down to write. But your content has to have your unique opinions and expertise if you want to rank.
This has been a huge theme of what Google wants to see in 2024. Google’s most recent algorithm updates have been all about rewarding content that is unique, opinionated, and personal. And Chat GPT just can’t deliver that. Filling up your website with vanilla, summary-style content that AI has pulled from a variety of websites doesn’t set you apart.
So lean into what makes you YOU when you write. Bonus points for including your own hot take on an issue, quotes from leaders in the field, or a story about your personal experience that sets you apart as a trustworthy and reliable expert.
Don’t: Write for Search Engines
When you start thinking about SEO and using AI, it all starts to feel very techy and maybe even formulaic. Ok, if I do x and y and z, then Google will like my website and then I’ll get on page 1 and then I’ll get 1,000 page views per month.
But here’s the part you can’t forget: We can talk all day about search engines and Google and AI and tech improvements, but what it really boils down to every time is real people having real experiences on your website.
So, yes, there is a technical framework that you need for your website to be visible on Google. But once you have that framework in place, things get simple.
It really just boils down to this: What would a helpful human do?
Does your blog clearly answer what a real searcher would be looking for when they type this question into Google? Is your website navigation clear and organized? Do your meta descriptions on Google make your ideal client want to click and learn more? Do you make it quick and easy for them to purchase?
As much as AI can help support these goals, I’m here for it. If it allows you to spend more time writing and less time outlining, that’s a win. If it means you can find keywords faster so you can spend more time figuring out how to address those keywords in a meaningful and helpful way, that’s a win. If it means you can automatically generate the unique schema markup you need that helps readers get all the info they need faster, that’s a win.
So I’m taking the wins where I can, and I hope these tips help you implement them into your business too!
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