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Does ChatGPT-generated text hurt your SEO?

June 24, 2025

ChatGPT has proven to be a powerful tool for SEO and content marketing. It helps with research, idea generation, and writing. However, it's important not to rely on AI alone, as it has its limitations. The best results come from combining human creativity with AI support. Since AI depends on the data and guidance provided by humans, it may sometimes draw incorrect conclusions.

What Is ChatGPT-Generated Content?

ChatGPT-generated content refers to text created by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. This model uses deep learning algorithms and has been trained on a large dataset of text to understand grammar, writing styles, and language patterns.

ChatGPT plays an important role in helping users create quality content and generate ideas. When given a prompt or topic, it can produce clear, relevant, and human-like text. While it offers valuable assistance, it's important to remember that the content is based on AI training and should be reviewed by humans for accuracy and context.

Google’s Official Stance on AI-Generated Content

Google supports the use of AI-generated content as long as it is helpful, original, and created with transparency. These two factors—usefulness and transparency—are key for content to be considered acceptable under Google's guidelines.

Google itself uses AI to improve its search engine and enhance user experience. AI-generated content can help provide more relevant information and support the development of tools like the Search Console. However, Google cautions against the overuse of AI, as it can sometimes produce inaccurate or unrealistic data. AI should be used as a tool to support human efforts, not to replace authentic, original content.

Importantly, using AI to manipulate content or deceive users goes against Google’s policies. Companies should not rely entirely on AI and must ensure the content remains accurate, trustworthy, and valuable to users.

When AI Content Can Hurt Your SEO - From an SEO Expert’s Perspective

AI-generated content can negatively affect SEO when it is used carelessly or without human input. While AI is useful for creating outlines, keyword ideas, and first drafts, relying on it entirely—without proper editing—can result in low-quality, unoriginal, or even inaccurate content. This can hurt your website’s search engine rankings.

As digital marketers, it's essential to use the right keywords in your website, blog, or other content to improve visibility in search results. Most internet users only pay attention to the first 5 to 10 search results, so ranking on the first page is critical. To achieve this, companies should strategically use AI as a tool to support SEO efforts—while ensuring all content is optimized, accurate, and tailored for both users and search engines.

"We tested ChatGPT-generated content as blog posts for one of our clients. Initially, some of the pages ranked on the second page of search results, but after a few weeks, most of the blogs dropped completely out of the top 100. This didn’t happen with just one blog - we tested multiple posts, and the pattern was consistent. That’s why, at FlyingElephant Digital Marketing Agency, we always rely on content developed by human writers," says Kumanan Arjun, Digital Marketing Expert.

When ChatGPT-Generated Content Can Help SEO

ChatGPT-generated content can be a valuable asset to your SEO strategy—especially when combined with your own insights, expertise, and creativity. By customizing and refining AI-generated output, you can produce content that aligns with SEO best practices, remains authentic, and connects effectively with your audience.

AI can help gather information from various sources and present it in a structured way, making it easier to develop informative and engaging content. For SEO writers, ChatGPT can introduce new ideas and uncover lesser-known information, enhancing both the quality and depth of the content.

When the content is unique, relevant, and tailored to match user intent, it can significantly support your SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings.

Best Practices: Using ChatGPT Without Hurting SEO

Using ChatGPT for content creation can be highly effective, but if not managed carefully, it may negatively impact your SEO. To make the most of AI while protecting your search rankings, follow these best practices:

  • Personalize & Humanize the Content: Add your own insights, brand voice, and tone to ensure the content feels authentic and relatable.
  • Maintain Originality (Avoid Duplicate Content): Always check for uniqueness. Avoid publishing generic or repetitive content that may already exist online.
  • Prioritize E-E-A-T: Focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—key factors Google uses to evaluate content quality. Always follow Google’s EEAT framework to rank faster and maintain your site rankings.
  • Keyword Optimize Naturally: Use relevant keywords strategically and organically without overstuffing or forcing them into the content.
  • Include Meta Tags & SEO-Friendly Structure: Write effective meta titles, descriptions, and use proper headings (H1, H2, etc.) to improve readability and indexing.
  • Keep Content Fresh: Regularly update your content to stay relevant and maintain search visibility.
  • Do Not Over-Automate: Avoid relying entirely on AI. Use it as a starting point, but review, edit, and refine the content manually.
  • Test and Track Performance: Monitor how your AI-assisted content performs using tools like Google Search Console and Analytics.Adjust as needed for better results.

Tools to Check AI-Generated Content Quality

  • Quillbot: A favorite tool at our SEO agency—you can upload your content and detect AI-generated content even with the free version.
  • CopyLeaks: Detects AI-generated text and checks for plagiarism, ensuring content originality and authenticity.
  • GPTZero: Specializes in identifying AI-written content, widely used in academic and professional settings for verification.
  • Originality.ai: Designed for marketers and SEO professionals, it detects both AI-generated content and plagiarism in a single scan.
  • Grammarly: While not an AI detector, it improves the overall quality of your content by checking grammar, style, and readability.

Wrap

Yes—ChatGPT can hurt your SEO if its content is copied directly without personalization or proper human editing. Unedited AI text can lead to low-quality, generic, or inaccurate content, which may harm your site's SEO performance.

AI is a helpful tool, but it's crucial to understand how and where to use it effectively. As content creators and marketers, it’s our responsibility to ensure that AI-generated content is optimized, accurate, and tailored to both search engines and real human readers.

Looking for professional seo content services for your business? We at FlyingElephant provide the best seo content writing services​ that rank your site faster and better. Our team of experts is here to help you craft winning digital marketing strategies tailored to your business goals. Reach out to us today and take your brand to new heights!