Google March 2024 Core Update – What Level of Manual Improvement Is Needed for AI-Generated Content to Still Perform?

The Google algorithm’s latest core update is live and has already shaken up the SEO industry! 

On March 5th, 2024, Google announced the March 2024 core update and new spam policies. The update is being rolled out as we speak, and will take up to a month to fully be implemented due to updates to several systems within the core ranking system. Be that as it may, Google’s Helpful content system has also been incorporated as part of the core update. 

This update incorporates the Helpful Content System into Google’s core ranking algorithms, placing a stronger emphasis on user-focused content. Websites providing helpful content are rewarded, reinforcing Google’s commitment to accessible, relevant information while reducing visibility for content that doesn’t meet user needs. 

As AI technology continues to evolve, the question that comes to everyone’s mind is: What level of manual improvement is required to ensure that AI-generated content not only survives but thrives in the eyes of Google’s algorithms? 

But before answering this question, let’s look at the March 2024 core update and new spam policies. 

Overview of Google’s March 2024 Core Update and New Spam Policies: 

The March 2024 core update is more complex than Google’s typical core updates, involving modifications to multiple core systems. It marks an evolution in how Google determines the helpfulness of content. 

This Google update is a commitment to reducing unhelpful, low-quality, and unoriginal content in search results by 40%.  

Since Google uses multiple systems to determine trustworthy and helpful information, they have improved their core ranking systems to perform this goal and to show more helpful results to users.  

In this Update Google will prioritize: 

• Helpful Content 
• Original & Insightful Content 
• Well-Written & Informative Content 
• Content that Aligns with User Search Intent 

What You Need To Know About Google’s March 2024 Core Update: 

• Name: Known as the Google March 2024 Broad Core Update. 
• Launch: Rolled out on March 5, 2024, around 12 pm ET. 
• Rollout: Will take about a month to complete, with multiple updates to various core systems. 
• Targets: Affects all types of content. 
• Effect: Rather than penalizing websites, it rewards high-quality pages. 
• Global Impact: Influences search results worldwide, across all languages and regions. 
• Impact: Google anticipates a 40% decrease in low-quality, unoriginal content in search results. 
• Impact on Features: Alters Google Discover, feature snippets, and more. 
• Recovery: Websites affected should review their content in light of Google’s advice on core updates. 
• Algorithm Refreshes: Google may periodically adjust the algorithm without explicit communication, potentially explaining recent unconfirmed updates. 

With this note let’s have a look at Google’s New Spam Policies. 

Google’s New Spam Policies 

Google’s new spam policies are designed to address practices that can negatively impact the quality of Google’s search results. It has three new spam policies against bad practices we’ve seen grow in popularity: expired domain abuse, scaled content abuse, and site reputation abuse.

1. Expired domain abuse

• Expired domain abuse involves purchasing an expired domain name and repurposing it primarily to manipulate search rankings by hosting content that offers little to no value to users. 
• Such practices can fool users into visiting websites that vary from what they’re looking for and therefore do not provide helpful content to users. 
• For example – Buying an expired domain that used to be about healthcare and turning it into a website that markets doubtful products without any actual health benefits.

2. Scaled content abuse

• Scaled content abuse refers to generating numerous pages using automated tools for the primary motive of manipulating search rankings and does not aim to help users. 
• This abusive practice can bombard the internet with useless, duplicative content, making it more challenging for users to find related and helpful information. 
• For example – A website that automatically generates hundreds of articles, blogs, etc., about different topics without delivering real insight or valuable information. 

3. Site reputation abuse

• Site reputation abuse affects high-authority websites that host third-party content with minimal editorial oversight. 
• This occurs when third-party pages are published with little or no involvement from the host site, solely to manipulate search rankings by leveraging the host site’s ranking signals. 
• Such third-party pages, including sponsored, advertising, partner, or other independent content, are created without significant oversight from the host site and provide little to no value to users. 

It is very clear that this update is targeting practices like “scaled content abuse,” “expired domain abuse,” and “site reputation abuse.” Google strategically aimed at curbing mass publishing spam, preventing the repurposing of expired domains for SEO benefits, and halting reputable websites from manipulating search engines through questionable content practices. 

Google’s Evolving Standpoint on AI-Generated Content: 

While Google is penalizing the sites producing vast quantities of AI-generated, low-quality content optimized for search engine rankings, the focus now shifts completely to the overall quality of content, irrespective of the techniques of how the content is created. 

Google Search Vice President Pandu Nayak emphasizes the value of generative AI as a tool for creators but draws the line when content is created solely to manipulate search rankings. The new spam policy underscores the importance of prioritizing content that serves users over content generated for the sole purpose of improving search rankings. 

Google Search’s Guidance on AI-Generated Content: 

Google’s guidance remains consistent: reward high-quality content, regardless of how it is produced. Their ranking systems are designed to reward original, high-quality, people-first content demonstrating expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).  

Primarily, Google recognizes the positive role of automation, including AI, in generating helpful content but the key lies in differentiating between content created for user benefit and content generated only for search ranking manipulation. 

The Role of Manual Improvement in AI-Generated Content: 

Now getting back to answering our question, what level of manual improvement is required to ensure the effectiveness of AI content in the eyes of Google’s algorithms?  

The answer lies in comprehending the boundaries of AI and addressing them through manual refinement. While AI excels in efficiency, it lacks the minute wisdom and creativity inherent in human thought processes. 

Therefore, an active and strategic manual effort is essential to humanize AI-generated content, ensuring it provides valuable information to users. This can be achieved by incorporating examples, personal experiences, expertise, and visual elements into the content. 

Furthermore, AI tools are unable to verify the 100% authenticity of content with complete certainty. Accordingly, it is crucial to meticulously audit each result, eliminate duplicative information, and transform the content into a storytelling rather than a sheer collection of words. 

Tips to Humanize AI Content 

1. Content Optimization: One way to humanize AI-generated content is through manual content optimization, which involves examining AI-generated information manually for coherence, relevancy, and intelligibility. modifying the wording, organization, and tone to suit the subject and target audience.

2. Fact-checking: Ensuring that the content is accurate to maintain credibility and reliability. 

3. SEO Enhancement: To increase visibility and optimize material for search engines, include pertinent keywords, meta tags, and headers. 

4. Engagement Enhancement: Adding interactive features, eye-catching imagery, or intriguing storytelling to AI-generated content to boost reader engagement. 

5. Quality Assurance: Extensive inspections to find and fix typos, grammatical mistakes, and formatting problems that could lower the content’s overall quality.

The landscape of content creation is evolving rapidly, and the 2024 spam update from Google raises the bar for quality and relevance. Striking the right balance between AI automation and manual intervention is crucial for success in Google Search. Investing time and effort into manual improvement not only aligns content with Google’s evolving standards but also fosters trust and credibility with both search engines and audiences. 

Conclusion: 

In the age of AI-generated content, maintaining the right balance between automation and human intervention is pivotal. As we wrap our heads around Google’s updates, the key takeaway is clear: Manual improvement is the backbone that ensures AI content remains effective in delivering helpful, valuable and trustworthy information. By adopting this approach, you can stay ahead of the curve, meet Google’s evolving benchmarks, and continue to thrive in the dynamic digital landscape.