🤖 Can AI-Generated Content Rank on Google in 2025?
The Short Answer: Yes, But It’s Not That Simple...
As artificial intelligence continues reshaping the digital landscape, a question is echoing louder than ever among marketers, business owners, and content creators:
Can AI-generated content rank on Google in 2025?
The short answer is: yes, it can. But before you start pumping out hundreds of AI-written blogs hoping for a traffic tsunami, it's essential to understand the intricacies involved. Google is evolving too — and it's smarter than ever.
🧠 Google's Stance on AI Content
Let’s start with what matters most: Google’s position.
Google guidelines as of 2025 state:
“Appropriate use of AI or automation is not against our guidelines. This means that it is not used to generate content primarily to manipulate search rankings, which is against our spam policies.”
— Google Search Central Blog
This signals a philosophical shift. Google isn’t inherently biased against AI content — but it is biased against bad content.
That means AI-written material can rank, but it must:
Be helpful and relevant.
Demonstrate E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust).
Avoid manipulation tactics (e.g., keyword stuffing).
📈 UK-Based Case Study: AI Meets Local SEO
To explore how AI content performs in real-world conditions, let’s look at an impressive example from the UK.
Digi-Business UK are UK-based SEO and content marketing agency, they faced a familiar problem: how to scale content production for local SEO without exhausting their in-house resources.
What They Did:
Using SEOmatic which is a comprehensive SEO tool which utilises AI, they generated 800+ location-specific landing pages for a client in the church supply industry.
Each page targeted niche local queries such as “church supplies in Bristol”
Each page:
Used Generative AI to ensure the content was unique, avoiding duplicate content penalties.
Included local contact details and embedded Google Maps.
Utilised internal linking
The Results:
Pages began ranking in top 3 positions within 2–3 weeks in multiple cities.
Increased revenue: An increase in targeted local traffic drove an upturn in enquiries.
Total time saved in production: 248 work days.
Read the full case study here: SEOmatic - Digi-Business UK
🎯 Why AI Content Works (When Done Right)
So, what made this campaign successful?
1. It Solved Real User Problems
Each page answered specific queries that humans were searching for. Not generic fluff, but hyper-local, intent-driven content.
2. It Wasn’t Obvious It Was Written by AI
All content underwent human editing and review to ensure tone, clarity, and accuracy — something that’s often missing from raw AI output.
3. It Followed Google’s Best Practices
Structured data, proper headers, image alt text, and internal links were all in place.
⚙️ How to Make AI Content Rank in 2025: Best Practices
If you're considering using AI to scale your own content, here’s what to focus on:
✅ 1. Quality Over Quantity
Publishing 500 AI-written blog posts won’t help if they’re thin, duplicated, or generic. Prioritize substance, not volume.
✅ 2. Add Human Oversight
Always have a human edit AI content. Fix factual errors, check tone, and improve readability.
✅ 3. Optimize for E-E-A-T
Demonstrate that your content was written with real expertise and experience. Add author bios, cite sources, and include firsthand insights.
✅ 4. Use Structured Data
Implement schema markup (e.g., Article, LocalBusiness, FAQ) to help Google understand your page better.
✅ 5. Monitor and Iterate
Use tools like Google Search Console and GA4 to track performance, update underperforming pages, and test changes.
🔍 Debunking the Myth: Will Google Punish AI Content?
A lingering fear among marketers is that Google will someday penalize AI-generated content. While anything’s possible in SEO, current evidence suggests otherwise — as long as it provides real value.
Google’s Helpful Content System, for example, looks for signs that content was made primarily to help people rather than rank. If your AI content ticks that box, you’re in safe territory.
🕵️♂️ Human or AI? Why the Blended Approach Wins
Here’s the secret sauce: The best content in 2025 is AI-assisted, not AI-only.
You can still write with flair and originality — use AI to break writer’s block, generate outlines, or scale certain formats like product pages or FAQs. But never forget: AI is your tool, not your replacement.
A Fun Challenge: Can You Tell Who Wrote This?
Here’s a question to leave you with — was this blog post written by a human, AI, or both?
(Hint: It might surprise you.)
📌 Final Thoughts
AI-generated content can absolutely rank on Google — if it’s done right. And when combined with human insight, SEO knowledge, and a commitment to user value, it can be a powerful way to scale your visibility, especially in local and niche markets.
There are lots of AI assistants that can help you to generate content for free, Chat GPT and Gemini are great examples of these.
The future of SEO isn’t man vs. machine. It’s man with machine — a collaboration that’s only just beginning.
