8 Ways To AI-Proof Your Content

AI is on everyone’s lips.  All the talk is about what AI can do and what it is going to be able to do. Some people even have it taking over the whole world, sending humans into a life of servitude to machines and computer systems.  Should we fear the future?  

If you’re a content creator, here’s some good news.  This article discusses the things that AI can’t do in terms of content creation and gives you some tips on how to AI-proof your content for years to come.  

The first thing to remember is that the technology for AI relies on what’s already out there.  It’s all historic – there’s nothing new.  Importantly, AI doesn’t do subjectivity.  It has no life experience and it has no soul.  It’s also most definitely infringing on other people’s copyright and is mind-bogglingly expensive to run.   

We all know about Google’s focus on E-E-A-T and content that demonstrates experience, expertise, authority and trust which is written by real people and which demonstrates all of these elements puts AI-generated content in the dust.  (Check out this article on Google’s Helpful Content update and why the search engine giant puts such value on human-generated content) 

Of course, all of that may change, but for now, here are 10 things you can do which will AI-proof your content.   

8 ways to AI-proof your content 

1. AI can process vast amounts of information at extraordinary speeds and store it, so it can answer queries like ‘What is Panadol?’ very quickly and very efficiently.  But does it really understand what its answer means?  No.  Which is why AI is not so flash at providing decent responses to queries like ‘Should I go to the hospital instead of taking Panadol?’ 
2. Great content is written by experts who have a deep understanding of a subject and whose copy is enriched with personal anecdotes, verifiable facts and nuances to craft a persuasive, compelling and engaging read.  The AI world is nothing like our kaleidoscope world.  Theirs is black and white. 
3. People ask questions and for some queries they look to video for solutions.  AI can’t create real-life videos.  It hasn’t got a personality, so it’s at a huge disadvantage when it comes to engaging visual delivery of information.  
4. Put some soul and quirkiness into your content.  Why do so many people find Gordon Ramsay so compelling?  Why do we tune into shock jocks?  Or read articles that challenge or even offend our sensibilities?  It’s because there’s nothing ordinary about them.  They’re not run-of-the-mill bland – like AI-generated content (although it probably sees itself as top-notch!). I don’t know about you but if you have ever used ChatGPT to create content, the word “top-notch” always seems to creep its way in there.  
5. Bring more mixed media into your content.  Use imagery to encourage more scanning and scrolling.  Everyone’s in a hurry.  They scan and skim over content and they won’t spend time on reams of dull text.  So show people the story and mix things up with images that ‘wow’ and use graphics and charts to illustrate and enhance your text. 
6. Turn your long-form written content into video or audio.  Podcasts, audio summaries, ‘how-to’ videos, motion graphics, even a talking head giving a ‘heads-up’ on an in-depth topic – these are all things that AI can’t do and they’re all things that will spice up your content.     
7. As mentioned, AI doesn’t do subjectivity, intuition or nuance.  It doesn’t have instinct.  And as people become more discerning about what they look for and engage with online, there are opportunities for creating pieces that appeal to multiple audiences.  An example could be an in-depth comparison-style article which investigates the pros and cons of an item or of a process from different perspectives (eg the different user groups’ goals, preferences, budgets etc).  Great design and great presentation are key though – and personalised input counts for everything. 
8. Don’t settle for same-same stuff.  Make sure your content is better in every way than any competing copy – with more images, more helpful instructions, more useful tools and more creative elements.  Produce content that focuses on ‘how’ not just ‘what’.   

A last word on how to beat AI at content creation 

We don’t know where AI is going.  That’s a fact.  But we do know that it’s a big part of the future.  And we also know that for the moment, there are lots of things that it can’t do so we can still beat it.   

By humanising content, adding personal experience, insight and intuition and by including multiple smart and engaging ways for users to interact with content, we can make it better than the machine-produced stuff.  For the moment. 

For more insights into the world of content creation and how to use it effectively to boost your online presence, get in touch with me, Karen Dauncey at The SEO School.  I promise you an abundance of real-life experiences and deep personal insights – nothing artificial here! 

Karen Dauncey

Karen Dauncey has been working in SEO since 2003. She specialises in helping businesses get found online through Google using Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) She is the founder and creator of The SEO School an online SEO Course to help teach business owners how to do their own SEO. She regularly delivers educational programs for both Local, State and Federal Government and is an advisor for the ASBAS Digital Solutions Program. Karen’s passion and commitment to help small business owners get found online is the driving force behind her online school, making SEO advice accessible to all with free resources and online courses.

Karen's wealth of SEO knowledge and practical digital marketing experience comes from running her own SEO and Google Ads agency, Blue Cherry Online Marketing since 2008. Karen has optimised over 1000 websites, managed millions of dollars' worth of spend on Google Ads and has a solid understanding of the constantly shifting industry of digital marketing and SEO. This gives her a unique advantage when it comes to being able to recommend the right online marketing strategies for your business. This gives her a unique advantage when it comes to being able to recommend the right online marketing strategies for your business. She was recently recognised as an SEO Expert for the popular course creation platform, Kajabi as well as appearing on ABC Radio
for her expert opinion on the ACCC's investigation into search engines.

Karen has attended search engine conferences in London, Stockholm, Adelaide and Sydney, and was also invited to attend a pilot Business Coaching Course at Google’s Head Office. She has a Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the UK.

She is also the co-owner of the Digital Experts Directory, an online directory for female serviced-based businesses to promote their business (with a great backlink for SEO).

To keep up to date with the latest in SEO, join her Facebook group The SEO School Community or follow her on Facebook or LinkedIn.