Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way we all approach search engine optimisation (SEO). Whether we like it or not, the conversation about AI has come to the forefront at the start of 2023, due in large part to the launch of ChatGPT.
ChatGPT, a large language model developed by OpenAI, is one of the most sophisticated examples of AI technology that is currently available. It is a free resource that can be used to conduct a huge range of tasks and is generating interest around the world.
From writing cover letters and CVs to solving complex maths problems, the possibilities with ChatGPT are almost limitless and it continues to learn based on every interaction. Of course, concerns have been raised about the ethics of using ChatGPT, especially by schools and universities where students have already been utilising the vast power of ChatGPT to generate essays and even dissertations.
In our digital marketing world, there are also lots of opportunities and at Digital Hothouse, we have been experimenting with ChatGPT and exploring the opportunities available both for our own business and also for our clients.
In this blog post, we will explore the use of AI for SEO and how it is changing the landscape in 2023 and beyond.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a machine learning model that can generate natural language text based on input prompts. It is designed to understand and produce human-like responses to queries. The model is trained on a vast amount of data and can generate responses that are highly relevant to the input prompt.
In recent years, AI has been changing the landscape of SEO in numerous ways. As a result, many businesses and content creators are beginning to integrate AI into their SEO strategies, and ChatGPT is one such AI tool that can be leveraged to achieve this goal.
For anyone that has not yet used ChatGPT, the responses can be remarkable and the speed at which they are generated is impressive. It is not without its flaws, however, and we urge caution to any businesses thinking about using ChatGPT as its main content writer but more of that later in this post.
AI and SEO: An Overview
Before delving into the specifics of AI and SEO, it’s essential to understand how AI and SEO are related. Essentially, AI is being used to help search engines better understand and rank content, which in turn is changing the way SEO works.
One of the ways AI is being used in SEO is through natural language processing (NLP). NLP is a subfield of AI that focuses on understanding and processing human language. By using NLP, search engines like Google can better understand the meaning and context of search queries and web content.
Another way AI is being used in SEO is through machine learning. Machine learning is a type of AI that involves training algorithms to make predictions or decisions based on data. Search engines can use machine learning to better understand user behaviour and preferences, which in turn can help them deliver more relevant search results.
The use of AI in SEO
Search engines such as Google are constantly updating their algorithms to ensure that users are provided with the most relevant results for their queries. AI technology is being used to help search engines understand and interpret user queries more accurately.
AI tools like ChatGPT can be used to generate content that is highly relevant to specific keywords or phrases. This can be useful for creating blog posts, product descriptions, and other types of content that are optimised for search engines. By using ChatGPT to generate content, businesses can ensure that their content is highly relevant to the keywords that they are targeting.
In addition to content creation, AI technology can also be used for keyword research. By analysing search data, ChatGPT can identify the most relevant keywords for a specific topic or niche. This can help businesses to optimise their content for the right keywords, which can increase their visibility in search results. Whilst ChatGPT will not provide you with search volumes for the keywords it provides, you can then use your favourite SEO tool to analyse the suggested keywords and identify those most relevant to your business.
Another way that AI is being used in SEO is through the analysis of user behaviour. By analysing data such as click-through rates and bounce rates, AI algorithms can identify patterns in user behaviour. This information can be used to improve the user experience on a website and to optimise content for better engagement.
ChatGPT and SEO: How It Works
ChatGPT is an AI tool that uses NLP and machine learning to generate human-like responses to text-based prompts. It’s a powerful tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, including content creation, customer support, and even SEO.
When it comes to SEO, ChatGPT can be used to generate high-quality, relevant content that’s optimised for search engines. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Identify your target keywords
The first step in using ChatGPT for SEO is to identify your target keywords. These are the words and phrases that your target audience is searching for when they’re looking for information related to your business or industry.
Simply ask ChatGPT for a list of keywords that are relevant to the topic you are writing about and it will return a list of keywords. These will not include search volumes so you will still need to go and do further in-depth research and from there, you can also expand your research and identify topically relevant keywords that you might want to include, helping to give you a comprehensive list of target keywords.
Step 2: Input your target keywords into ChatGPT
Once you’ve identified your target keywords, you can input them into ChatGPT. The tool will then generate a response that’s optimised for those keywords. The trick with ChatGPT is to ask the right questions.
It is all about the way you phrase your input prompt and this can be highly detailed to ensure the most relevant response. You can ask ChatGPT to include the relevant keywords you have identified and even prompt the way the content should be structured, and suggest relevant subheadings for the content piece you are looking to generate.
Step 3: Edit the generated response
Whilst ChatGPT is capable of generating high-quality content, it’s not perfect. You’ll likely need to edit the response to ensure that it’s grammatically correct, factually accurate, and flows well.
This is the bit that still requires the skill of the content writer. ChatGPT does not understand the tone of voice of your brand or that of your clients. It will generate highly cohesive responses based on the data it crawls, however, it does not have a personality or a voice.
You can take the content that has been generated and add your own voice to the piece, adding more depth, personal insights and relevant first-party data to enhance the content created by ChatGPT. We would also always recommend using Grammarly to check the spelling, punctuation and grammar of the generated content.
Step 4: Publish the content on your website
Once you’ve edited the response to your satisfaction, you can publish it on your website. By creating high-quality, relevant content that’s optimised for search engines, you can improve your website’s visibility in search results and drive more traffic to your site. A recommendation by Google is to include a line in your content piece to let visitors know that the content piece has been created using AI or that AI has contributed to the content piece for total transparency.
Of course, SEO goes way beyond simply creating content pieces such as blogs or product pages. You can also use ChatGPT to help to generate page titles, meta descriptions, and even schema markup.
Benefits of using ChatGPT for SEO
There are several benefits to using ChatGPT for SEO. Here are just a few:
- Time savings: Creating high-quality content that’s optimised for search engines can be time-consuming. By using ChatGPT, you can generate content quickly and easily, freeing up more time to focus on other aspects of your business. If you are working on a new website and you need to generate page titles and meta descriptions for lots of new pages, ChatGPT can also save you time by providing you with the initial ideas that can then be edited as necessary.
- Improved SEO: By generating content that’s optimised for your target keywords, you can improve your website’s visibility in search results and drive more traffic to your site. ChatGPT is not an SEO specialist and can only provide information based on the prompts that you use. Whilst AI is undoubtedly changing the way SEO is carried out, it is there as a support rather than a replacement for the years of experience and expertise that SEO and digital marketing specialists bring.
- Consistency: Using ChatGPT can help you maintain a consistent voice and tone across all of your content, which can help build your brand and establish trust with your audience. It should be noted, however, that this consistency will also be the same for any other business that purely relies on ChatGPT or other AI tools to generate their content. We are huge advocates for creating unique, personalised content and whilst ChatGPT can help to generate ideas, it is not a substitute for high-quality content writing.
How AI is changing the SEO landscape in 2023 and beyond
The use of AI in SEO is still relatively new, but it’s clear that it’s changing the way businesses approach SEO. As we move into 2023 and beyond, it’s likely that AI will continue to play an increasingly important role in SEO. Here are a few predictions for how AI will change the SEO landscape in the coming years:
1. Personalisation
One area where AI is likely to have a significant impact on SEO is personalisation. As AI algorithms become more sophisticated, search engines will be able to better understand individual user preferences and deliver search results that are tailored to their needs.
2. Voice search optimisation
Voice search is becoming increasingly popular, and it’s likely that AI will play a crucial role in optimising content for voice search. By using NLP and machine learning, search engines will be able to better understand the nuances of spoken language and deliver more accurate results.
3. Hyper-local targeting
AI is also likely to play a significant role in hyper-local targeting. By using machine learning algorithms, search engines will be able to better understand the nuances of local search queries and deliver more relevant results to users.
4. Enhanced user experience
Finally, AI is likely to play a significant role in enhancing the user experience of websites. By analysing user behaviour and preferences, AI algorithms will be able to deliver more personalised content and recommendations, leading to a better overall user experience.
A note on this post
How meta. A post about the use of AI for SEO, created using AI. At Digital Hothouse, we have been playing around with ChatGPT to see where we can add value for clients. Two of the key areas we have found it to be most useful are in generating both keyword ideas and topic ideas for clients.
Whether it’s for blog posts or product/service pages, ChatGPT has helped us to create some initial ideas that we have then been able to follow up on, using other tools in our SEO suites such as SEMrush or Stat.
We have, like most agencies, also played around with content creation and so far, we have mixed thoughts on this. Whilst some of the content generated has been helpful, we have found it requires a lot of editing and that most times, it is easier to research and write the post from scratch as we know the tone and the target audience so the posts tend to flow much better.
That’s not to say that ChatGPT (and Bard from Google) will not be used by us moving forward. I guess it’s more to say that we would urge caution with how the tools are used. Don’t become reliant on them as it is important to create bespoke content for your own business or for your clients, retaining a strong sense of personality.
This post, for example, probably includes around 20-30% of content generated by ChatGPT. It’s the factual information that doesn’t require personality – just the facts. The rest has all been written by me, hopefully showcasing my own writing style and personality and using the tools at my disposal to speed up the content creation process where relevant.
One thing I have recently used ChatGPT for was the creation of over 100 page titles and meta descriptions for a client. I still needed to edit them to ensure they were grammatically correct and all made sense, however, I really like that I could specify a character or word count and the tool would stick to that, making the process of generating those titles and descriptions much quicker than it would have been had I been writing them all from scratch myself.
Summary
In conclusion, the use of AI in SEO is changing the way businesses approach search engine optimisation. ChatGPT is one such AI tool that can be used to generate high-quality, relevant content that’s optimised for search engines.
By using ChatGPT and other AI writing tools, businesses can save time and money on content creation and SEO services while also improving their website’s visibility in search results. Looking forward to 2023 and beyond, it’s clear that AI will continue to play an increasingly important role in SEO, and businesses that embrace this technology will be well-positioned to succeed in the years ahead.
So go on, give it a try. We would love to know how you get on.