Ways that SEOs can use A.I. content tools
In recent years, AI content has exploded and is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. Technically, the tools creating content use machine learning, they are so advanced now that they are commonly referred to as AI as the output often appears as though it is written by a human. As a result, many SEOs are using these tools to create content at scale as a shortcut to get high ranking web pages. Whilst there is controversy over whether Google likes AI generated content, there is a huge amount of potential for these tools beyond just writing articles. Check out some of our examples below:
- Keyword research
- Writer's block
- Meta descriptions
- Create schema
- Update CMS
- Finishing touches
- Create videos
- HARO replies
- Just Google it
- Bonus content
Keyword research
Keyword research is the backbone of any successful SEO campaign, but is also one of the most difficult and time consuming. Less experienced SEOs can get this wrong by trying to target keywords which are too competitive or with the wrong intent.
When coming up with article ideas, the hardest part can be inspiration. Sure, we can use tools like ahrefs to give some ideas, but why use the same tools as everyone else? Alternatively, you can use ChatGPT to generate a list of ideas for you. Just go to the dashboard and ask for some article ideas for your niche. The more specific the topic, the less competitive the articles are likely to be. See the screenshot below for simple example:
As with any automated tool, it is worth manually checking these results to see where the opportunity is and what specific keywords to target.
Tools: ChatGPT
Writer's block
We've all been there. You'll have an article ready in your mind and think you know exactly what to say, but as soon as we go to write it up **poof!** youre mind goes blank. When this happens, AI content tools can use natural language processing (NLP) to understand the topic at hand and generate relevant text. Whilst they can technically write the content for you, I prefer to use it to get some ideas. Some examples could include giving chatGPT commands such as providing relevant questions or facts about a topic.
Using paid tools, you can take this a step further. Tools like Robinize can extract relevant information from top ranking competitors to find out what topics, questions and facts will improve your content. Surfer can takes this a step further and actually create an article outline for you so you just need to fill in the blanks.
Tools: ChatGPT, Robinize, Surfer SEO
Meta descriptions
Let's face it, writing meta descriptions is boring. We know they're important, but since they're not a direct ranking factor it can be a bit tiresome filling them out on large websites, especially for the less important pages.
It can be tempting to use a template for meta descriptions, but this would make it difficult to create compelling copy especially over multiple categories. Fortunately, we created a Google Sheet that can create unique meta descriptions for every page instantly. Simply paste in a list of keywords, along with your brand's USP and emotional goal and the AI will do the rest. Check the link below to have a try.
Tools: our meta description generator
Create schema
One way that SEOs can use AI content tools to save time is to to generate schema markup for their web pages. By providing additional information about the content in the form of schema markup, you can ensure that search engines can better understand the content on a website and that the information on them is accurately represented in the search results. There are many different types of schema, such as products, FAQ, local business and articles.
Implementing schema without the help of the CMS is usually straightforward, its simply a case of adding a snippet of JSON into the source code. However, in practice this can be time consuming and will need debugging.
Fortunately, this is another area where chatGPT shows its genius. Let's take FAQ schema for example. To quickly generate the correct schema in JSON format, just enter "generate faq schema for the following questions and answers:" followed by your text then watch the magic happen!
Tools: ChatGPT
Update CMS
When making technical SEO changes, you may often need to change how the website CMS functions. Traditionally, many SEOs will use plugins to achieve this, which is particularly easy to do on platforms like Wordpress. There are several drawbacks to this, including:
- Too many plugins can slow down your website
- Not all plugins are reliable or well-maintained, so they may not work as intended or may cause conflicts with other plugins or theme.
- Some plugins may be free to use, but they may also contain hidden costs or require you to purchase premium features to access certain functionality.
Plugins are popular because many SEOs do not have the technical knowledge or resources to make changes directly on the site. However, chatGPT can show you how to make changes and implement it on your site so you can make significant website changes without resorting to extra plugins.
See this example to convert images to webp in Wordpress sites:
This can work for all sorts of website improvements, the only limit is your imagination.
Tools: ChatGPT
Finishing touches
Tools like Surfer and Frase have been around for a while, and whilst their algorithms aren't as sophisticated as the likes of openai, they still use machine learning to analyse content and make recommendations. They work by taking your target keywords and scraping the top search results to see how competitors are using content and what you can do to rank.
By providing actionable insights and suggestions, such as keyword usage and readability, these tools can help SEOs make the necessary updates to improve their website's ranking in search engine results. In addition, these tools can also help SEOs identify and target the most relevant keywords for their content, ensuring that their website appears in search results for the right searches.
Just be aware that these tools will only get you so far. Whilst they are useful at targeting keywords, when it comes to targeting user intent and providing in depth research, they can be a bit limited. Therefore, we would generally recommend applying these tools to content that's already awesome.
Tools: Surfer, Robinize, Frase
Create videos
Want to expand your marketing efforts into YouTube but don't have the time to write your scripts? Not a problem.
If you've written blog content, you can ask chatGPT to convert those articles into scripts. That way you quickly produce videos which demonstrate your expertise. (I won't be doing this any time soon, I have a face for radio and a voice for silent movies).
Once you've made your movies, why not take it a step further? Number case studies have shown that articles with embedded videos perform better in search. So why not insert your new video into your existing blog post of the same topic to give both channels a boost?
Tools: ChatGPT
HARO replies
This one can be a tough one to get right, but it can be a huge time saver. The problem with services like HARO and Response Source is that by the time you reply to a journalist's request, they've already got the quote they're looking for. So you need to speed up the process.
There's a couple of ways you can approach this. Firstly, there's the direct response method. You see a question, you know the answer, you have the knowledge and you have a quote to provide. Getting it all down in a pitch isn't always the easiest thing to do when you're against the clock. So give your previous replies to an AI tool like ChatGPT, then supply your new quote and let it write a pitch in the style of your previous successful snippets.
There's also a more automated approach. Response Source allows you to see what questions have been asked in your niche in the past. And many of those questions will get repeated when real-world events happen. For example, there will always be a journalist looking for a quote from a divorce lawyer when there is a celebrity break-up. You can source a list of questions and use AI to create a database of answers so you can just copy and paste when you see something relevant. This method is a bit more tricky to get right, and I'd always recommend a manual review before you click send. If not done right, there's a good chance most of your responses will be inaccurate nonsense. But if done right, it can help you get first in the queue for all of those lovely links.
Tools: ChatGPT
Just Google it
You may not realise it, but Google uses some of the world's most advanced machine learning algorithms which are extremely useful for SEOs. Every time you ask it a question, the process it uses to rank websites is similar in principle to how chatGPT answers questions. It has to understand the question and the intent behind it, then use its knowledge of the internet to decide which web pages. New algorithms, like rank brain, BERT or MUM are building on the machine-learning element all the time. So some of the Google-based research that you've been doing for years has been using AI without you actually realising it. So, whilst tools like Surfer and Robinize can analyse ranking content, casting a human eye on it can help provide better insight than any tool can.
Tools: Google
Are you using any other ways to make the most out of AI for your SEO campaign? Let us know.
Bonus content - write diss tracks
ChatGPT will write songs for you, all you have to do is give it a list of things to write about. I asked it to create a diss track about a guy who rejected me from a job, as follows:
I then sent the following to him. I probably shouldn't have done that.