Google’s John Mueller does not recommend ‘doubling-down’ on AI content after March update

In a recent exchange on Reddit, Google’s John Mueller offered a cautionary perspective to website owners grappling with traffic declines due to Google’s latest updates. Amidst discussions on how to adapt to the March 2024 core and spam updates, one Redditor’s strategy to massively increase their site’s content using AI was met with Mueller’s stark warning: “This is a bad idea.”

The conversation started with a site owner’s plan to counteract a significant drop in website traffic — from 2,000 daily hits to just 200 — by expanding their article count from 500 to 5,000 with the help of AI. This approach, intended as a solution to recover lost visibility, prompted a response from Mueller, a well-known figure in the SEO community and a Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google. Mueller’s advice highlights a growing concern within the industry about the reliance on AI-generated content as a quick fix for search visibility issues.

Mueller emphasized looking for sustainable and qualitative approaches rather than further “digging deeper” into potentially harmful tactics. He suggested that in some cases, starting anew with a focus on long-term value might be more beneficial than trying to salvage a site through sheer volume of content. “Instead of digging deeper, I’d look around for ways to build something up. Maybe that means discarding the site and building up something for the long run,” Mueller advised.

The original poster’s intention to use AI for content generation reflects a broader trend among webmasters seeking to maintain or enhance their search engine rankings. However, Mueller’s response underlines Google’s stance on quality over quantity, especially in the wake of the company’s latest updates. These updates, which include the March 2024 core update and spam update, introduced new spam policies leading to many manual actions against sites deemed to be violating Google’s guidelines.

Google’s updates often result in fluctuations in website traffic and rankings, as the search engine refines its algorithms to prioritize high-quality, relevant content. The recent changes have sparked discussions within the SEO community about the best strategies to adapt and thrive under the new guidelines. Mueller’s comments contribute to this dialogue, reminding site owners of the importance of focusing on substantive, valuable content creation rather than resorting to mass-produced AI articles.