Looking to offload your search engine optimization task load to an AI model?
After using ChatGPT’s paid subscription for well over 1,560 hours (and that’s a dramatically low estimate), I can confidently say that it can’t and shouldn’t replace the work of an SEO – not yet.
Anyone can do SEO. In the same sense, anyone can be a bookkeeper. They just need some basic training. It’s a simple job, but it tends to be tedious and incredibly time-consuming.
ChatGPT can technically do both of these jobs: SEO and entry level accountant.
At what level of competence?
Here’s my experience.
I’ve used ChatGPT, and some of Claude and Merlin, for a myriad of SEO-related tasks. It makes TOO MANY small errors that pile up.
Even after feeding it clear and well-organized data from a CSV file, it would get numbers wrong or reference variables incorrectly.
Breaking Down the Myth of LLM Productivity
Think about the day-to-day tasks that an SEO does.
Now think how long it would take to teach a new employee on how to do it, specifying exactly what you want, and the parameters of your task.
See what I’m getting at?
By the time it takes you to carefully write a qualified, accurate prompt chain that gives the LLM clear and understandable context clues so it can avoid hallucination and egregious factual errors, you might as well have done it yourself!
It’s faster.
Furthermore, if you have to validate every small detail that the software outputs. It begs the question of whether or not you should use it at all!
Now you’re wasting even more time by reviewing the output and checking for mistakes. Unbelievable.
The AI panic that plagues our current zeitgeist, which is akin to a sort of frenetic, manic hysteria possessing the minds of corporate America, is simply fueled by investor greed. It’s overvalued. No – worse – it’s a bubble.
The reality is, LLMs are akin to a glorified auto-correct software that convinces you it’s doing real thinking. It has convinced many people.
Devastating, I know.
This throws a massive monkey wrench into the entire idea of using AI to be more productive for organic search marketing.
AI Software Can Still Help You Do SEO Work
Yes, it has its problems. But don’t get me wrong…it’s a good assistant.
ChatGPT has been a valuable tool for me, both personally and professionally.
ChatGPT can help you do SEO. You should do the majority of work yourself.
Use ChatGPT to Assist You With Menial Tasks
Gathering and sorting data
Summarizing articles and vast stores of information
Generating new content ideas
The BEST Way to Use ChatGPT for SEO (Yes, It’s Possible)
1. Content Ideation
I constantly use ChatGPT to give me new content ideas based upon buyer intent and customer pain points.
What does your customer need? They want your [y] solution to [x] problem.
ChatGPT can generate high-quality content ideas that you can work off of.
2. Competitive Analysis
Use the top-ranking content in your niche/industry and have ChatGPT analyze it for strengths and weaknesses. Identify gaps in the content.
Now, create your own content asset by addressing these gaps and offering a unique content angle to beat the competition. Easy win.
3. Gathering Industry-Related Research and Source Links
Let ChatGPT gather academic research for your topic.
If the source links are related to your industry, you can begin to use these as potential backlink opportunities.
4. Generate Meta-Descriptions Across Multiple Pages
Although I’m against using ChatGPT to create original content, it can do a great job at quickly churning out numerous meta descriptions with your primary keyword, powerful CTA, and precise language.
5. NLP Keyword Clustering & Keyword Research
It’s an LLM. Language semantics is its forte. Use that to your advantage. Feed it the top keywords from a Google search, as well as related searches, and People Also Asked sections and ask it to generate a list of relevant NLP keywords.
Use this list in your existing content by incorporating it in there yourself, or by having ChatGPT take your existing blog or web page copy and insert the words in places where it still sounds natural.
Ready to Start Outranking Competitors?
Book a call today to get real, measurable results for your domain. I can help you identify the exact issues limiting your visibility (Maps, reviews, on-page, content) and what to fix first.