By Jonathan Baker, with insights from Michael DiMarco, EGC’s SEO Manager The age of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the world. The coverage of this technological game changer has, for the most part, focused on benefits and advantages to the workforce. There are potential disadvantages, however, to everything—even AI. The Challenge that Brands Currently Face Brands are noticing a decline in where and how they appear in organic searches. Speculation suggests that AI is the cause of this literal downward trend. In an understatement, brands are understandably concerned. What can they do to avoid getting lost in the sea of AI? How much (or little) will this impact search engine optimization (SEO)? One answer: Increasing and intensifying high-quality content. Indeed, the potential disadvantage caused by AI to organic search can be transformed to a brand’s advantage. Taking High-Quality Content Higher To stay visible, relevant—and above all, findable—in search, brands must double down on enhancing their online presence. This is accomplished through strengthening their foundation through steps that include: 1. Applying Long-Tail Keywords Instead of Shorter, Broader Terms Many online users will easily find quick AI-related results from search. Still, there are times when users need to seek out specific information. This is where long-tail keywords help. Long-tail keywords lead users to more detailed explanations that match their questions. And, once users find answers to their questions by visiting a specific page on a brand’s website, they can learn more through… 2. Original, Unique Content Brands have an advantage over AI where creativity is concerned. Creative thinking make’s a brand’s message unique. The more unique that message is, the greater the chances the brand will be found via search. Assets such as blogs, published surveys, and the leveraging of specific data help make brands stand out and noticed. This unique content may be enhanced through a brand’s demonstration of having… 3. Expertise, Experience, Authority, and Trustworthiness It may seem obvious, but a brand’s own expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T for short) give them a stamp of legitimacy and credibility. These qualifications, combined with original and unique informative content, will benefit brands when it comes to maintaining online visibility. A complimentary touch to presenting this level of credibility is to make it personal… 4. User-Friendly Tone Much has been written about making the online user experience as seamless (read: user friendly) as possible. Being user-friendly may go further by presentation. If online content is presented in a personalized, user-friendly tone, users will sit up and take notice. The talent of “human writing” in comparison to “AI writing” is something users pick up on, whether conscious of it or not. The more human the tone, the better. Providing brands are willing to place extra effort, they will improve their chances of succeeding in organic search, which remains valuable, despite the prevalence of AI. Michael DiMarco, SEO Manager at EGC, sums up this value: This content is still important because it helps to build topical authority for certain subjects. For example, if a brand specializing in weight loss was trying to rank higher for ‘high-protein diet,’ having a robust library of content (including types that would be prime for a zero-click search) sends signals to Google that a website is an authoritative source for information on high protein diets. If you are concerned about your brand’s rankings in organic search, contact EGC. We will devise an effective search strategy to boost your visibility that will motivate users to visit your site—again and again. Be sure to check in next week for the second-half of this blog topic for further, more in-depth insights.
