What happens if you fill your website with only AI-generated content for six months?
We tested this scenario on an internal site to see how it would perform. The results? Let’s just say they were a wake-up call.
Traffic dropped dramatically — from about 1,600 views to just 350. Keyword rankings followed the same downward trend, proving that relying solely on AI content can have a serious impact on your site’s visibility.
So what went wrong?
While Google’s 2024 core update is one of the first to directly warn against AI content overuse, it’s long been understood that Google values original, high-quality content. And now it’s becoming clear: if your site is suddenly flooded with generic, AI-written posts, your rankings may take a hit.
Quick Backstory on this site:
We created a website for general legal information for a few practice areas to test the search waters a few years back and house some meaningful links to our business. To our surprise, with professional legal content (pre-AI), it ballooned in traffic. While we weren’t using it for lead gen purposes for Civille, it felt appropriate to test out the legal space with AI content using this site. While we obviously believe in utilizing real written content in legal, we were completely open to the results… and they were not good.
Keep in mind, that this may not be everyone’s experience. But it was ours, and it was very real. Of course there are always other factors in play with search. But the one consistent was a switch from human to AI content, and an increase in volume.
Learn More About Civille Websites
How Google Might Detect AI-Heavy Sites
- Volume Anamolies: A sudden surge in blog posts or page updates can be a red flag. If you’ve been regularly posting once or twice a month – or not at all – and you suddenly are pumping out 20 posts a month, that trend that aligns with the emergence of AI is easy to spot.
- Prompt Simplicity: Prompted posts often follow predictable patterns, and without human input, your content may feel repetitive. And if you are only doing one prompt and then hitting publish on whatever is spit out, it’s pretty obvious.
- Missing Unique Value Prop: AI can’t replicate your unique tone, insights, or authority — and over time, that lack of real value becomes obvious to both users and search engines. Your business has something unique to offer. AI content with basic prompts can’t possibly speak to it.
Should You Abandon AI Altogether? Not at All — Be Strategic
Used the right way, AI is still a powerful tool. Here’s how to use it without harming your SEO:
- AI Keyword Research: It can complement your existing tools to uncover new content opportunities.
- AI Outlines: Save time by letting it structure content, then add your personal expertise. Often, building the “bones” of a post is the toughest part of writing. With AI’s help, you can make sure your time is spent on the important part.
- At Least Add Flavor: If you want to have AI write more of your post, at least consider rewriting the intros and conclusions to stand out from bland, template-like content. Anyone who has used AI for some time can see an AI written “In Conclusion” from a mile away.
- Utilize Muti-Tiered Prompt Engineering: Feed the AI your past posts, tone direction, or topic frameworks for better quality drafts. Once it understands your tone and company a bit more, send it through multiple tiers of prompts to ensure you are getting what you want. And make sure to proof it!
- Balance AI and Human Content: Don’t let AI take over — mix in your own voice and insights regularly. Even if you have full AI posts on your site, make sure to write some of your own.
Our Approach at Civille
In the legal marketing space, we pair smart tools with subject matter expertise. Our content is written by paralegals, attorneys, and legal writers who know how to bring real authority and clarity to complex topics. This not only supports SEO but ensures the content resonates with real clients. When working in legal, you need to be careful that what you are providing not only brings user and SEO value – but is accurate and, well, legal.
There’s no shortcut when it comes to effective SEO. If you’re hitting “generate and post” on AI content over and over, you’re likely doing more harm than good. Instead, invest in content that provides real value for your audience — and use AI as a support tool, not a replacement.
