Does ChatGPT Hurt Your SEO?

AI is everywhere, writing product descriptions, blog posts, emails, social media captions, in fact, we talk about it a lot in our blog. In fact, nearly 90% of marketers are already using AI tools like ChatGPT, and nearly all of them say it helps them churn out content faster. That’s a big deal. But faster doesn’t always mean better. So let’s address the elephant in the room: Is AI-generated content (ChatGPT) killing your SEO?

Short answer? No, not if you know what you’re doing. But AI used the wrong way? That’s a different story.

In this post, we’ll unpack how Google treats AI content, what ChatGPT nails (and what it fumbles), and how to use it smartly so you don’t end up sabotaging your own search visibility.

What Is AI-Generated Content?

At its core, AI-generated content is text, images, video scripts, or entire landing pages that are whipped up by a machine, typically a large language model like ChatGPT. It's not a human sitting down with a blank Google Doc and a cup of coffee. It's code pulling from billions of data points and predicting what comes next in a sentence. And that’s amazing! But also kind of risky. Because while AI is efficient, scalable, and can fill up a blank page faster than you can blink, what it doesn’t do well on its own, is deliver originality, brand nuance, or verified facts. And when you're talking about SEO, quality isn't optional.

What Does Google Think About AI Content?

Google doesn’t care who writes the content, it cares whether it’s any good and adds value to the user. Google has even gone on record saying that AI-generated content isn’t automatically bad. What matters is whether the content is helpful, relevant, and trustworthy. If it checks those boxes, it can rank. If it doesn’t, it won’t. Simple as that.

And how does Google figure that out? Through its E-E-A-T framework:

• Experience – Is the content written by someone who’s actually done the thing?

• Expertise – Does it sound like the writer knows what they’re talking about?

• Authoritativeness – Do others recognize this source as credible?

• Trustworthiness – Can I trust this content, this site, this person?

AI content can meet those standards but only when a human makes sure it does.

Where ChatGPT Shines And Where It Stumbles

Let’s give the robot some credit first, it’s doing a lot of things really well. Like:

✅Speed – You want 2,000 words in 5 minutes? Done.

✅Idea generation – Need blog post titles, angles, or keyword lists? It’s a machine-powered brainstorming partner.

✅Consistency – It won’t forget your tone, style, or formatting rules (unless you ask it to).

But... here’s where things get tough:

🚫 Unoriginal thinking? - It’s pulling from patterns. You’re not going to get fresh takes or hot opinions.

🚫 Spotty accuracy - ChatGPT can “hallucinate” facts, quotes, and even fake studies.

🚫 No brand voice - It doesn’t feel like you unless you do a lot of editing.

The bottom line is that it’s great at starting a draft but not always great at writing a final one.

But I have crafted some great prompts that can help ChatGPT sound more human and write in your voice. You can find those here.

Does ChatGPT Content Hurt SEO?

As I mentioned earlier, ChatGPT doesn't necessarily hurt SEO so long as you are putting a human touch to what you use it for.

AI content hurts SEO only when it’s:

• Sloppy

• Repetitive

• Factually wrong

• Lacking depth

• Overstuffed with keywords

• Copy-pasted without editing

But that’s not because it’s AI, it’s because it’s bad content. And bad content doesn’t rank. If you use ChatGPT to write generic copy and post it as-is, Google will sniff it out in a second. But if you treat it like a first draft and polish it with human creativity, editorial judgment, and SEO knowledge? Then you have nothing to worry about.

Use ChatGPT Like a Partner, Not a Publisher

Using AI responsibly means treating it like a junior copywriter who works fast but still needs your input. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Fact-Check Everything - Especially numbers, laws, and niche details.

• Don’t Publish First Drafts - Even if it sounds okay, AI output needs structure, tone, and SEO tuning before it’s ready to go live.

• Scan for Plagiarism - Most of the time it’s original, but it’s still good practice to run a quick check with tools like Grammarly or Copyscape

• Show the Humans Behind It - Add bylines. Link to your LinkedIn. Show experience. Google loves content that clearly comes from real people.

How to Turn AI Drafts Into SEO Gold

If you’re using AI to help write content, and there's nothing wrong with that, it’s gotta be a tag-team effort. Here’s how to do it right:

Add What Only You Know

Your expertise is your edge. Sprinkle in real-life examples, client stories, internal data, or case studies. Give Google (and your readers) something AI can’t fake.

Use Keywords Like a Human

Don’t shove in keywords like you’re stuffing a Thanksgiving turkey. Work them in where they make sense. Let ChatGPT help with suggestions, then rephrase awkward sentences so they flow.

Break It Up for Real People

AI loves long blocks of text. Your readers don’t. Break things down with subheadings, bullet points, short paragraphs and a little breathing room.

Edit for Voice and Vibe

You’ve got a brand personality. Make sure it shows. Add humor, clarity, emotion—whatever makes it feel like you. If it sounds like a robot, it reads like one too.

Related: How to Format a Blog

Final Thoughts: ChatGPT Isn’t the Enemy. Mediocrity Is.

AI isn’t some black-hat SEO scheme or ticking Google penalty bomb, it’s a tool. How you use it is what makes or breaks your SEO. If you let ChatGPT replace your thinking, you’ll get "AI slop" that tanks your traffic. But if you use it to support your thinking and then layer in strategy, storytelling, and expertise, you will get a serious edge. So don’t be afraid to hit that “Generate” button. Just don’t forget to follow it up with your own touch.

Here at Open World Digital we’ve got the strategy, the tools, and the human brains to make it all work. Let’s talk.