Proving to Google Your Content Is Human-Generated

Want your content to rank? Explore proven ways to signal human expertise, originality, and authority to Google’s E-E-A-T framework.

By Kerry Sheahan

The availability of AI content-writing tools might mean businesses can produce copy more quickly or at a higher volume, but do they make it any more effective?

A recent study from SEMrush found that human-written content typically performs better than AI-generated copy in the search engines. The research, which analysed 20,000 keywords and 42,000 blog posts, revealed that content classified as purely AI-generated appeared in position one of Google’s search results just 9% of the time. Content classified as human-written was there 80% of the time.

It makes sense when we consider Google’s own framework for assessing content quality. As part of its E-E-A-T guidelines, the first E focuses on Expertise, informing us that it prioritises “content written or reviewed by an expert or enthusiast who demonstrably knows the topic well.”

Clearly, ChatGPT can’t provide 1,000 words of genuine expertise on every single topic every single time. But how do you prove that your content was a) written by a human, and b) by an expert on the topic?

Let’s take a look at several ways to achieve this.

Stick to what you’re an authority on

Don’t be tempted to go too broad. Think about the unique insights you or your business can provide. What original perspectives can you introduce? Which niche areas can you talk knowledgeably about that few others can?

At Browser Media, we will confidently write about content, SEO or PR. Or - even better - the intersection between these three and how they work together. But I’d be reluctant to write an article solely on Out of Home advertising, or email automation, even though they fit under the wider spectrum of ‘marketing’.

There’s certainly value in providing a content hub where your audience can find everything they need for their journey. But if that includes aspects you don’t specialise in, consider reaching out to contributors who do. It will provide more gravitas, whilst still attracting traffic - a win-win scenario.

Draw on your own data

I often find that clients simply don’t consider the data they have access to. This could be sales or enquiry patterns, such as increasing interest in certain products, or surprising seasonal shifts. Or it might be more about the demographic of your audience - perhaps younger people are beginning to show more interest in products or services that were previously more typical amongst older generations?

You don’t have to give actual figures, just percentage changes. Tying it to market shifts or outside influences is a good way to tell a wider story.

For example, in this article, I might add a stat about an 80% uplift in enquiries mentioning AI, as a way to highlight the mismatch between the preoccupation with AI tools and the actual outcome they’re having.

Nobody else will have this exact data, meaning you’re adding value for the reader, whilst also demonstrating to Google that this is your domain.

Add your own anecdotal experiences

Injecting your content with anecdotal evidence or case studies leaves no question over your expertise on the subject.

It’s also a great way to bring your points to life or explain tricky concepts. You don’t have to name customers or clients, but it helps readers visualise what you’re talking about. They may well also be able to identify with these circumstances.

Think about the questions your sales team gets asked the most, or the conversations you most frequently have in new business meetings. Building this into your content firmly places you as an expert in this area.

People appreciate knowing they’re in safe hands. If a company can show how they’ve overcome different challenges in the past by drawing on their vast experience, that’s a huge advantage, not just from a content perspective, but also when it comes to converting them into sales.

Write naturally

I’ve deliberately not used any AI tools for this article, and if you compare it with other blogs out there, it might seem a bit less ‘slick’.

A classic AI-generated article will typically be written to a reasonable standard, but it can also get a bit ‘samey’ (although it definitely wouldn’t use the word ‘samey’). They tend to be very tight and quippy, which isn’t a bad thing, but this can start to feel a little forced. Add in the infamous em dash, and the overused ‘It’s not [this] it’s [that]’ technique, and it begins to get tiring.

By all means, try to write concisely, but don’t become too obsessed with polished content. Imperfections can actually be refreshing, and signal to Google that your content is either written, or heavily edited by, a human.

Add personality

Yes, ChatGPT, Claude and the likes can write in different tones, but does it actually sound like any human you’ve actually known? No. At least I hope not.

AI has become very good at listening to prompts and making adjustments, but there’s still something very machine-like about its outputs.

This becomes more apparent when we consider various pieces of content together. I can recognise all of my colleagues’ content from the various qualities and quirks they bring to their copy. If we relied solely on AI, we might be able to get the tone we’ve asked for, but there would be nothing tying all their blogs together - I doubt you’d be able to tell who’d written each one, and I think that’s quite sad.

Don’t feel you need to erase all traces of yourself from your content. Your audience appreciates the personality you bring, and you’ll also likely find it performs better in the search engines too.

There’s nothing wrong with using AI tools for content creation, but the most effective copy, that both ranks well and resonates with your audience, still needs a human voice at its core.

About the author

Specialising in content, PR and SEO for the past 15 years, Kerry Sheahan is an Account Director at Browser Media, a digital marketing agency based in Essex. Specialising in Search, we take advantage of online tools, channels and techniques, without forgetting the who, what, why and when.