Can AI-generated content rank?

Google provides a clear answer to this:

What counts is the result – in other words, high-quality content that offers users genuine added value. Whether the content was created with or without AI is irrelevant. In line with this, a study by Semrush shows that AI-generated content has even made it into the top 10 of the rankings. However, quality remains the decisive factor.

According to Semrush, the hybrid approach – that is, combining human input with AI – delivers the best results. AI ensures efficiency, whilst humans provide expertise, verification and quality.

“AI helps us work faster. But speed is no reason to lower quality standards. Content that really stands out continues to be heavily influenced by human input.” (Ana Camarena, Head of Organic Content Strategy at Semrush)

So that’s good news for all the excellent copywriters amongst us. If we want genuine quality, we still need real experts to deliver it.
Incidentally, what Ana says aligns perfectly with my own opinion and experience from various projects.

For example, I follow the70/30 split: 70 per cent input from me, 30 per cent from AI.

Automating content 100 per cent and publishing it without human oversight is not an option for me. If just one source is made up – which, as we regularly see, does happen – then it becomes not only problematic from a technical point of view, but also embarrassing. AI can provide support. But it cannot replace human experience. Moreover, content generated purely by AI is generally quite interchangeable.

In my view, the more AI there is, the more important the human element becomes. Although that may sound a bit paradoxical

When it comes to creating the content itself, I follow the quality framework I developed myself:

The WERTE Framework¹ by Inga Roser.

In brief:

W – Knowledge
The content must be factually accurate. That is the foundation.

E – Authenticity
The text is authentic, original and written in a personal style, and is in keeping with the brand’s tone.

R – Rhythm
Create new, user-relevant content on a regular basis. Continuously review and update existing content where circumstances have changed.

T – Depth
The text should under no circumstances be superficial and should explore relevant aspects in depth.

E – Expertise
Your own opinion and experience gained from projects and practical implementation make all the difference. This also ensures that the content is not easily replaceable.

Note: Of course, this depends on the content format. If a piece is intended more as a news article, brevity is key. Padding it out unnecessarily would not be productive. If, on the other hand, it is a well-researched specialist article, then the focus is naturally on detailed content with references to sources, references to studies, etc. It’s best to define your own fixed quality criteria for each content format in advance.

You’ll find detailed information on my WERTE Framework by Inga Roser in a separate post shortly.

I would never leave ‘reading and writing’ entirely to AI. Especially when I’m writing about a topic, I want to research it thoroughly and build up additional expertise. Verifying sources tends to broaden one’s understanding of the subject. That’s often where the best insights into a topic emerge.

AI helps, of course, but we should continue to think, check and evaluate things for ourselves. Otherwise, in the long run, this is more likely to lead to ‘artificial dumbing down’.

Sources:
https://www.semrush.com/blog/does-ai-content-rank-in-search-data-study/https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content?hl=de#ask-who-how-why