Introduction
Since 2021, I have attended the last 3 Friends of Search (FoS) editions. So it was obvious that I would also attend their 10th edition, along with my colleague Cedric Trekels, Who is our Team Performance Leader.
As mentioned, FoS is focused on SEO and SEA, so as a SEO Specialist, I focus exclusively on the SEO part and all the insights and trends that were mentioned during FoS. Interested in the SEA blog?
Is AI replacing marketers?
In the previous FoS there were no specific themes, however, this year there was one namely: AI. Many marketers call it the future of marketing; while others see it as its death. So opinions are still divided but the experts already have an idea of what the next 5 years look like.
With the rapid rise of Chat GPT and Bard, AI is even more prominent than before. The interest in using AI for SEO was always very high, but so were the doubts about its functionality. Most speakers talked about the problems and benefits of AI in SEO and what it could mean for marketers in the future::
AI problems:
The biggest problem with Chat GPT is that the future is still unclear. We don't know if there will be more restrictions on the use of AI in SEO or less. Also, often the content that Chat GPT uses is not 100% accurate. This then contradicts Google's "Helpful Content Update" (Dec. 22) and "Core Update" (March 23).
Helpful Content update:
Helpful Content update implemented in December 2022 focuses on content quality and reliability, in other words, E-E-A-T.
Core update:
Core update include major changes to Google's algorithm to improve results improve. They generally focus on E-E-A-T or Experience, Expertise, Authority and Reliability.
Lily Ray, in my opinion the best speaker during FoS, spoke about "Creating Helpful Content in the Age of AI and E-E-A-T ". She dove into the "Helpful Content update" and the "Core update" and what it means now that AI is on the rise.
The problem Google has with AI is that AI does not create its own "original content." It pulls it from other sources, and therein lies the problem. How do we know if these sources are reliable? Is Chat GPT 100% accurate?
This is why value creation and entities will become much more important as AI becomes more advanced. AI-generated content will flood the Internet because it is seen as the "quick fix. This means that E-E-A-T will become an important part of quality content. Barry Adams perfectly articulates why as a marketer you should use E-E-A-T in your content. "Customize and personalize your content with your own experiences and recommendations otherwise you are writing like an ******* AI"”
So looking at the issues, we find that AI is not currently the way to optimize your SEO. But there are benefits of AI that the speakers also addressed.
AI benefits:
As mentioned above, there are also benefits to using AI in your SEO strategy. But then you have to use AI as a tool to improve your SEO and not to set up your entire SEO strategy.
- Faster content creation
- Setting up basic content
- Spelling and content checks
- Expanding content
AI is a very useful tool that can help you perfect your SEO strategy, but at this stage it will not replace any marketer.
Conclusion:
The 10th edition of FoS was a success, there were unique and in-depth opinions on AI and SEO.
But the most important conclusion in my opinion was that E-E-A-T will become even more important in the future. AI will be a useful tool to build content strategies, but it cannot do it for you. Content must contain E-E-A-T which AI does not provide (yet), therefore AI will not replace marketers.
