What is Auto-Generated Content?
Automatically generated content, or "auto-generated" content, is content that is created using a program or code without human intervention. It is primarily used to manipulate Google’s search results and is considered a black-hat SEO tactic.
Examples of Auto-Generated Content
Google provides several examples of auto-generated content:
- Text that makes no sense to the reader but contains search keywords.
- Text translated by an automated tool without human review or curation before publishing.
- Text generated through automated processes, such as Markov chains.
- Text generated using automated synonymizing or obfuscation techniques.
- Text generated from scraping Atom/RSS feeds or search results.
- Stitching or combining content from different web pages without adding sufficient value.
Auto-generated content violates Google’s quality guidelines and can lead to a manual action for your website.
Is Auto-Generated Content Important for SEO?
While some auto-generated content may appear convincing at first glance, it often reveals itself through jumbled and incoherent language, unnecessary synonym replacements, and simple scraping of search results to rank for certain keywords.
Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Risks
Automatically generating content might provide short-term gains in search rankings, but it is not a sustainable strategy. Google prioritizes content that provides value and a positive user experience. If users visit your website, encounter robot-written content, and immediately bounce, your rankings will suffer. Especially in competitive niches where high-quality content is expected, auto-generated content is unlikely to provide even short-term results.
Google's Algorithm and Penalties
Google’s algorithm is continuously improving. Auto-generated content is on their radar, and using it poses a high risk of receiving a manual action, which could result in your website being hidden or even banned.
Write SEO Content Instead
SEO content (landing pages, blog posts, and videos) is designed to rank in search engines like Google. The difference between auto-generated content and SEO content is that SEO content is intended to rank on Google but is written for people.
Steps to Create SEO Content
1. Find a Promising Topic
Identify what your target audience is searching for. For instance, if you have a coffee subscription brand, your audience may look for brewing tips, creamer comparisons, or coffee travel guides. Use tools like Ranktracker’s Keyword Finder to discover keyword ideas.
2. Determine the Search Intent
Writing according to the user's search intent is crucial. Analyze the top-ranking pages for your keyword based on the three C’s:
- Content type: If top-ranking pages are mostly non-blog content (e.g., product pages, category pages), choose a different topic.
- Content format: Match the format of the top results (e.g., how-to guides, listicles, news articles).
- Content angle: Identify common angles in top-ranking pages (e.g., “quick,” “cheap,” “simple,” “top”).
3. Write the Copy
Start with an outline to write with purpose. Include top and related keywords in your outline headers. Use tools like Ranktracker’s SERP Checker to find related keywords. Write informally and use simple language for better readability.
4. Work on Its Visual Aspect
Make your content visually appealing. Break up text into digestible paragraphs and supplement your writing with images and videos. This helps to break up the text visually and provides multiple ways for readers to consume the information.
By focusing on creating high-quality, original content that provides value to your audience, you can build a sustainable SEO strategy that improves your rankings and drives organic traffic.
For more information on ethical SEO practices, refer to sources like Google’s Search Central Blog and Ranktrackers Guide to SEO.
