How to Prevent Your Content from Becoming Collateral Damage to AI

#Chatgpt has led to a raft of "#AI is coming" hysterics in the content world. Unfortunately, all these takes get a key prediction wrong.

AI isn't just coming.?

It's arrived and forced #contentmarketers to rethink strategies. For long, #b2bcontentmarketing has relied on building content in separate clusters and using that link juice to target competitive search keywords.

AI's arrival will render this strategy useless since a machine can define, target, and create SEO-oriented content much faster than a human. You're about to experience a rude shock if your content is based on #seo -driven research.?

Here's how you can avoid becoming collateral damage in the AI revolution.

Focus on differentiation

AI's arrival does not mean SEO is dead. While it will saturate vanilla search results, SEO will evolve, and Google will reward content that brings something unique to the table. For example, using the skyscraper strategy (where you use existing articles as a base and add content incrementally) will not deliver results.

Differentiation is one of the best ways to outrank tough competition in SERPs. Take risks with your content. In a sea of similar pieces, unconventional approaches are bound to win.

• Give your experts a voice -?Many B2B blogs try to incorporate SME-driven content but fail to go all the way. Typically, a writer creates a draft and improves it with SME input before publishing. Instead, begin the content creation process with an SME interview and let the content flow from there. This approach demands more work. However, you must move beyond "typical" to stay competitive.
• Rethink content angles -?Copycat and skyscraper content will have you restating existing conventions. Instead, flip your content's angle on its head. For example, instead of talking about "the X ways to make more money," examine what you can do to ensure none of the X popular ways work. This example uses the mental model of inversion (or backward thinking) to generate a unique perspective. Get creative with angles, and you'll easily differentiate your content.
• Explore more formats -?Reformatting existing content is a great way to tailor your message to everyone's unique learning abilities. Reformatting is also a great way to differentiate yourself. You can either deliver existing information in a different format ( a short-term fix) or rethink existing approaches and deliver it in a new format (tough, but a long-term solution.)?

Forget the machine

Examine popular SERPs, and you'll receive a sea of machine-oriented content. Sure, there's utility for the human reader, but that's an afterthought. Most B2B content strategies continue to place SEO relevance ahead of the value a prospect receives.

Here's a common scenario. You have to choose between two topics:

1. A highly searched keyword indirectly connected to sales conversions.
2. A keyword that has no searches but enables sales directly.

Most #b2bcontent teams will choose the first option. The first topic's SEO relevance makes it easier to measure effectiveness. However, your content's objective is sales, not pretty metrics.

A formulaic SEO and content strategy approach will have you playing into AI's hands. Instead, put the human being back in focus.

Here's why.

• AI will become more human-like.?Google currently penalizes machine-like content while not objecting to machine-generated content. The message is clear: Humans matter, and your content must deliver value to them, no matter who or what created it. Trying to game SEO by following templated tactics or dodgy backlinking strategies will get you nowhere.
• Utility comes first.?Content doesn't exist to entertain. It must deliver value. A formulaic content approach will have you catering to the machine's intent instead of solving the problem the human being has. For example, how often have you included a less-than-relevant "what is.." section based on Google's LSI keywords to rank higher in search?
• Content must drive revenue and leads.?An intense focus on pleasing the machine will have you prioritizing the wrong goals. You'll be chasing pageviews instead of generating more revenue and leads. SEO is just a distribution channel. It isn't content marketing.?

Begin with distribution

Most content teams struggle with distribution. However, this struggle happens because they classify distribution strategy as a separate step. Content ideation and distribution are joined at the hip.

When brainstorming content ideas, decide where you'll distribute your content. You cannot create a single piece of content and distribute it across different channels. For instance, if you're distributing an infographic through LinkedIn, you must tailor your content for that channel.

That infographic might not work well behind a Google Ad. Every channel has its quirks, and your content must take these into account.

• Different content for different channels?- One size fits all distribution will bring results on one channel and lacklustre engagement on others. Plan distribution when planning content, not as a separate step.
• Validate your content with a pilot list -?Test your content's relevance by sending it to a few people first. Gather feedback, and make changes if needed. This method validates your content angles before you rush down the wrong path.
• Distribution forces you to differentiate -?Prioritizing distribution forces you to ask whether you'd be happy sending that piece of content to people and asking for feedback. You'll automatically produce content that is helpful to your audience.

AI is the end of formulaic content

AI is not going to replace high-quality content creators anytime soon. However, you might be at a disadvantage quickly if you don't shift your content strategy. Understand that SEO is a distribution channel, not a replacement for content strategy.

By aligning yourself with your human audience, you'll create content that gives you the results you want.?