By Oliver McLean, Senior Digital Marketing Specialist at Backlinkgen.com
When you’ve spent 14 years in digital marketing, worked with over 80 brands — from scrappy startups to global enterprises — and survived every Google update since Panda, you earn the right to say:
“AI content isn’t black or white. It’s about how you use it.”
I’ve seen the evolution of SEO from the days of keyword stuffing and 300-word posts, to today’s era of helpful content, EEAT, and semantic search. Now, AI-generated content has become the newest disruptor — and everyone’s asking:
“Does AI help or hurt your SEO?”
Here’s my take, shaped by real campaigns and real results.
🤖 AI: The Friend We Didn’t Know We Needed
✅ Speed & Scale
AI lets us draft outlines, brainstorm headlines, and even produce first drafts 10x faster than traditional writing.
For brands managing content in multiple languages or markets, AI tools have been game-changing:
- Faster localization
- Cost-effective testing of new topics
- Drafting social captions or FAQs at scale
✅ Inspiration & Ideation
Even after 14 years, I get writer’s block.
AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini help spark ideas, fill content gaps, or rephrase complex topics in simpler language.
It’s not about outsourcing creativity — it’s about accelerating it.
✅ Data Processing
AI helps us transform raw data into:
- Charts
- Summaries
- Insights that humans can edit and enrich
For B2B brands with complex data, this turns stats into stories that rank and resonate.
⚠️ AI: The Foe If You’re Lazy
❌ Lack of True Expertise
Google’s Helpful Content guidelines prioritize original, expert-backed content.
If your entire blog is AI-generated, you risk:
- Thin content penalties
- Fewer backlinks (editors spot generic writing fast)
- Lower engagement (users bounce from shallow content)
❌ Over-Optimization
AI can produce keyword-heavy text that feels unnatural.
Modern algorithms pick up on this — and so do readers.
❌ “Sameness” Kills Authority
AI often rephrases existing web content, which means:
- You won’t stand out
- You risk duplication
- You dilute your brand voice
I’ve seen sites that used AI to flood their blog roll… only to watch organic traffic plateau or drop.
🧩 The Winning Formula I Use for Clients
AI + Human Expertise + Brand Strategy = SEO Impact
1️⃣ Use AI to research, outline, and draft quickly
2️⃣ Add real insights: case studies, quotes, or data unique to your brand
3️⃣ Optimize for humans first, algorithms second
4️⃣ Edit for tone, storytelling, and local context
5️⃣ Regularly update content based on performance and new data
In my campaigns, this hybrid approach has:
- Cut production time by ~40%
- Increased organic engagement by ~30%
- Helped global brands stay consistent across markets
🌍 Why AI Should Be Your Global Ally
For multilingual SEO, AI is invaluable:
- Drafting in local languages
- Adapting tone to cultural nuance
- Quickly testing new content angles in different regions
But final editing must be done by native speakers or local marketers.
🔍 Final Thought from 14 Years on the SEO Frontline
AI is neither hero nor villain — it’s a powerful tool.
Your SEO success depends on how intelligently you use it.
At Backlinkgen.com, we don’t “automate everything.”
We combine AI speed with real human experience — from strategists who’ve helped 80+ brands grow organically.
📈 Want content that ranks, converts, and feels truly yours?
👉 Book a chat with our team. Let’s blend AI and expertise to build your next SEO success story.