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Unless you've been living under a rock, or have never dabbled in writing content for your website, you have probably come across ChatGPT and the new realm of AI-generated content. With advancements in artificial intelligence, content creation may be the most obvious immediate use for AI in the world of digital marketing. But, as with any new technology, questions and concerns will be common. The most common being: "Does Google penalize AI-generated content?" Let's dive into what we currently know from Google and top experts in Search Engine Optimization.

To put it simply, Google's algorithms do not penalize AI-generated content. So we can assume that Google's own bots don't have a secret vendetta against the other bots (at least not yet). Google's main goal is to provide the best user experience by delivering high-quality and relevant content to its users. Whether that content is generated by a human or an AI, Google's algorithm evaluates it based on its relevance and quality, plus other ranking factors. If you are looking for more information on SEO, check out our other blog posts. We are constantly writing up-to-date articles on how to best position your website.

Now, when it comes to Google and AI-generated content, there's a twist! While it doesn't penalize AI-generated content, it does penalize low-quality content, and that includes content that lacks originality, uniqueness, and value. This is where one of the main concerns with AI arises. Depending on the program you're using, AI-generated content can sometimes fall into the trap of being generic, bland, and lacking that human touch that makes a good article engaging and compelling. (Ahem, like this one).

Imagine a blog post that goes like this:

"Welcome to our blog. We sell shoes. Our shoes are good for people looking to walk far distances in a day. Buy our shoes. They are comfortable. Contact us today if you're looking for shoes."

Sounds strange, lame, and robotic, right? That's because some text-generating AI programs are still in their infancy. These bots lack personality, creativity, and humor or style. If you didn't play around with ChatGPT when it first came out, then you don't know how far it's come. But trust us--it was pretty unimpressive. Poorly written content is unlikely to rank well on Google because it's generic and doesn't provide any real value to readers.

As humans, we have the upper hand in creating content that resonates with readers and catches Google's attention. We have that creative flair, that witty sense of humor, and that ability to connect with our audience on a personal level. So, let's embrace the power of being human and make sure that our business's personality and expertise shine through. 

Humor is a powerful tool that can make your content memorable and shareable. It can evoke emotions, spark conversations, and create a genuine connection with your readers. And guess what? Google loves engaging content! When your content is humorous, it's more likely to be shared, linked to, and talked about, which can ultimately improve your website's visibility on Google.

Today, tools like the most up-to-date ChatGPT can actually give you a lot of that, if you know how to ask. The key to using ChatGPT is in the prompt. There has been a lot written about how to squeeze the most out of AI. Bots like ChatGPT can actually be coached to write with a sense of style. But before you start telling it to add in jokes left and right, there are a few things to keep in mind. Humor is subjective, and what might be funny to you might not be funny to everyone. So, make sure you understand your target audience and their sense of humor. Avoid offensive jokes or anything that could potentially backfire and harm your brand's reputation.

Here are some of the best ways to use AI tools to help maximize your digital marketing strategy:

1. Content ideation: Use AI-powered tools to generate content ideas based on keywords, trends, and user intent. If you've hit a mental roadblock, this can help you come up with fresh and relevant topics for your website.

2. Basic copywriting: Utilize AI-powered copywriting tools to create written content, such as simple blog posts, articles, or product descriptions. These tools can generate content quickly and efficiently, freeing up time for other tasks. But be sure to spend time editing and tweaking.

3. Content optimization: AI can analyze your existing content and provide suggestions for optimizing it for search engines and user engagement. These tools can help you improve your content's structure, readability, and SEO performance.

4. Personalization: create personalized content for different segments of your audience. For example, you can take one piece of written content that is targeted at the general public, and use AI to re-write it to be targeted at your repeat customers. 

5. Social media content: generate captions, hashtags, and image suggestions. These tools can help you streamline your social media content creation process and ensure consistency across platforms.

6. Translation: automatically translate your content into different languages, allowing you to reach a global audience and expand your website's reach. These have come a long way since the early days of Google Translate. Give them a try, compare them with your current translator, and go from there.

7. Chatbots: Implement AI-powered chatbots on your website to provide instant customer support, answer frequently asked questions, and assist users in finding relevant information. Be careful with how much autonomy you give the bot though. You don't want it to give out inaccurate information. But chatbots can enhance user experience and save time for both you and your visitors.

Alright, bottom line, does Google penalize AI-generated content? No, but it's not a free pass either. While Google's algorithms do not flag or target AI-generated content, they penalize poorly-written or bad-quality content, including writing that lacks originality and does not provide value. As content creators, it's up to us to ensure that our content, whether human-generated or AI-generated, meets the highest standards of quality and provides value to our readers. Depending on your industry or business persona, incorporating humor into your content can be a fantastic way to make it more engaging, shareable, and memorable. Humor has the power to connect with your audience on a personal level, create a positive user experience, and ultimately improve your content's visibility on Google. So, embrace your human creativity, add some style to your content, and see if people react to it.