AI is everywhere in search, with tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews serving up quick, surface-level answers. But here’s the good news: as long as people are searching, there’s still a real appetite for content created by humans with real-world experience.
If you want to win in organic search today, your edge is authenticity. AI can churn out summaries and standard advice at insane speeds, but it will never be able to replicate the nuance, emotion, or trust that comes from firsthand experience. The best content in upcoming months and years will be unmistakably human by centering around stories, insights, and expertise that only real people can provide.
How do you create content that stands out in today’s AI-dominated world?
Pick the right topics. Using frameworks like “BARS” (buyer’s journey?; answerable by AI?; ranking for keywords we can rank for?; able to drive enough search volume?) to identify topics where human perspectives are more valuable, like reviews or advice. These are the types of areas where searchers will scroll past AI overviews because they want real stories, not generic summaries.
Show your face (and voice). Add videos to your site and put the original writers at the forefront of the content. When readers can hear from real people, they trust your content more and therefore increase engagement. Video content will also help drive traffic to social media channels and establish even better relationships with consumers.
Share opinions on topics that demand a unique perspective. Focus on topics that lack consensus or benefit from personal experiences. AI does well with consensus, but real life experiences are what readers want when they bypass AI results.
Measure real impact. Go beyond just clicks and rankings. Track engagement metrics like video retention, time on page, and scroll depth to make sure the content you’re making is what users really want.
3 Responses
Great points! While AI can provide quick answers, people still crave authentic, human-driven content. Sharing personal stories and opinions, plus measuring engagement, can help your content stand out and build trust.
This blog really did a great job of cutting through the AI hype that’s been going around and reminding us that real, human content still matters and honestly it does maybe more than ever now. AI can handle some of the quick answers, but cant compete w human authenticity, and expertise, and personality that will truly stand out in the end of things.
I love the idea of tracking how far users read on a page. This would be done with something like Microsoft Clarity I assume. Its a great way to see if you are delivering to customers what they want or not