How To Create SEO Content in the Age of AI
Hi, my name is Jack Baker and I’m a real human writing this blog. I didn’t know what to do for an intro and instead of turning things over to generative AI, I sat down, rolled up my sleeves—or would have if I weren’t wearing short sleeves—and struggled until I came up with this first person approach that would have annoyed my high school English teacher.
Editor’s note: yeah, I added a couple em dashes to Jack’s intro. I can’t quit them.
Would AI have been easier? Sure. A machine could have whipped up an intro in seconds, but we here at Ivor Andrew don’t accept good enough. We’d never ask you to read something that we didn’t care about enough to actually write ourselves.
Creating content the human way works, but you shouldn’t take our word for it. Recent technical developments in the world of SEO and consumer surveys show that the human approach is still better than AI for generating long-term results.
Recent Google algorithm updates
Search is entering a “New era” with declining clicks, AI Overviews, AI Mode, search agents and expanded personal intelligence, but Google’s fight against low quality content remains the same. The March and May 2026 broad core algorithm updates appear to have placed a greater emphasis on original content, added more scrutiny and sharper controls on scaled AI-generated content and cracked down on users manipulating content to appear in AI Overviews.
Let’s look at some data
In the summer of 2025, one of our clients was concerned about a competitor using AI tools to generate a ton of blog content that was starting to take over their traffic and rankings, including appearing for some of our client’s branded keywords.
Between February and June 2026, they published a ton of AI generated content and started to rank for a lot more keywords.
But then what happened?
They saw a big drop off between July and August 2025. Then started improving toward the end of 2025 and are now, after Google’s March 2026 algorithm update, basically back to where they started. Although they’re still cranking out top quality AI blogs like… just kidding. None of their blogs are worth mentioning.
Things are looking even worse for their organic traffic.
After the March and May 2026 algorithm updates, their domain is attracting even fewer search visits than when they started.
AI = brand trust liability
Beyond SEO, AI content can negatively impact the relationship between your brand and customers.
Over the last year, distrust in brands using AI in content marketing has doubled. In 2026,40% of users said they would trust a brand less if they used AI for most marketing, up from 20% in 2025.
Another survey noted that half of US consumers would prefer to give their business to brands that do not use AI in consumer-facing messages, advertising and content.
So, what should you do?
Create content for people. If you’re publishing to try and game the system, you're doing it wrong. Write for your customers and prospects. Answer their questions, address their concerns and be helpful.
Don’t forget to EEAT. Google rewards high-quality content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.
Quality over quantity. Spending the time to create one great thing will do so much more for your brand online than spinning up a bunch of low-effort content, whether it’s written by AI or not.
Be original. AI can’t create; it can only repurpose what already exists. Adding something new and unique to the conversation will help your brand stand out. And with declining search clicks, you need to be memorable so that people will keep coming back even if they don’t find you in search.
Still want help with your content creation? Talk to us.