author: Gotch SEO

Should You Use Surfer's New AI SEO Tool to Create Content for Google?

Surfer's new AI SEO tool has been making waves in the SEO community. In this article, we will explore the good and the bad of using this tool to create AI content for the purpose of ranking in Google.

The Bad News

Let's start with the bad news. There are a few downsides to using Surfer's AI SEO tool:

100% Plagiarism: The tool crawls the first page of Google, takes information from the ranking results, and creates a cumulative piece of content based on that information. This means that the content is not original and is considered plagiarism. Even if the tool rearranges the content and uses unique sentence structures, it is still taking content from other sources without proper citation.
Encourages Average Content: The tool encourages average content creation because it only looks at the first page of Google and tries to create something based on those results. While this approach can work for less competitive keywords, it is not effective for highly competitive keywords. To stand out in a sea of competition, you need to differentiate yourself from the top 10 and create exceptional content.
SEO is More Than Just Ranking: Ranking is just the beginning. The goal for businesses that sell products or services is to turn traffic into paying customers. If your content is lifeless and does not engage the user or build a connection, you will not achieve the desired outcome. You need content that helps people know, like, and trust you, building rapport and ultimately personal connections with your audience.
Consumption and Engagement: AI content is not great for generating consumption and engagement out of the box. Users buy from people they know, like, and trust. Creating content that generates trust requires direct response copywriting, understanding persuasion, and knowing the sales cycle and the searcher's journey.
Not Ideal for Low Content Availability Keywords: When there is a lack of relevant information about a topic, the tool can struggle to produce quality content. This is especially problematic for granular keywords, particularly on the local level.
Assumes Competitors Are Doing a Good Job: The tool assumes that competitors are doing a good job, which is not necessarily the case. Most pages that appear on the first page of Google are not exceptional, so beating them is not that difficult. Higher competition keywords require better content to rank higher.

The Good News

Now that we've covered the bad, let's take a look at the good news:

It Can Work for Less Competitive Keywords: Surfer's AI SEO tool can work well with less competitive keywords where there is plenty of information available. It can help you rank higher and increase your traffic, ultimately leading to more customers.
It Offers Speed and Efficiency: Using this tool can save you time and make your content creation process more efficient. Instead of spending hours researching, you can create content quickly and easily.
It Can Serve as a Starting Point: The content that is created with this tool can be used as a starting point for further research and refinement. You can use the information provided by the tool to create more unique, high-quality content that can differentiate you from the competition.
It Provides Data-Driven Insights: The tool provides data-driven insights that can help you identify patterns and trends that you may not have noticed otherwise.

Real-Life Examples

To illustrate the impact of Surfer's AI SEO tool, let's take a look at some real-life examples of content that have been produced using this tool.

Example 1: Local Plumber

For this example, let's imagine that you are a local plumber looking to create content for your website. You want to rank for the keyword "Emergency Plumber in Austin, TX."

With this tool, you can quickly create content that covers all the necessary information for this keyword. However, the content will likely be average and may not stand out among the competition. Additionally, the tool may struggle to find relevant information if there are no good examples of "Emergency Plumber in Austin, TX" on the first page of Google.

Example 2: Travel Blog

For this example, imagine that you run a travel blog and want to create content about the "10 Best Places to Visit in Europe."

With the tool, you can quickly create content that covers all the necessary information for this topic. However, the content may lack personality, creativity, and uniqueness. To really stand out in this crowded space, you need to differentiate yourself by offering something new and exciting.

Surfer SEO AI: The Good and the Bad

Surfer SEO AI is a content optimization tool that uses artificial intelligence to generate content based on a keyword and competitor analysis. While it has garnered praise for its speed and efficiency, there are also some limitations to its capabilities. In this article, we will explore the good and the bad aspects of Surfer SEO AI.

The Bad:

Limited Content Availability: Surfer SEO AI does well when there is a lot of content availability on a topic, but struggles when there isn't. It also assumes that competitors are doing a good job, which is not always the case with low competition keywords, resulting in below average content creation.
Zero Differentiation: When a user creates content using this tool, there is zero differentiation between their content and others on the first page of search results, having no unique angle or selling point.
Lack of Experience: For any keywords that require first-hand experience or are further down the funnel, Surfer SEO AI significantly struggles to deliver.

The Good:

Speed: Surfer SEO AI is lightning-fast and can generate content in just 15-20 minutes.
Profitability: It is highly profitable for SEO businesses as it produces better content than outsourced content mills.
Efficiency: Surfer SEO AI saves time and money on content creation as it eliminates the need for a dedicated content writer.

While Surfer SEO AI has limitations in certain areas, it is still a valuable tool for content creation when used correctly. It is important to conduct qualitative analysis of competitors and find a unique angle before generating content with Surfer SEO AI. Additionally, it's important to understand that the tool's proficiency is highly context-based and nuanced. Users should focus on top-of-the-funnel content as well as informational content where Surfer SEO AI can certainly help. Lastly, it's vital to remember that the content validated by visual proof, since it must demonstrate the experience, and just copying the opinions of people on the first page might not be enough.

In summary, when used appropriately, Surfer SEO AI can be a highly efficient and profitable tool, but it should be utilized cautiously with a good understanding of the limitations and a unique angle.

Using AI Content Tools for Creating Better SEO Content

Creating SEO content can be a daunting task and can eat up a significant amount of resources and time. However, with the advent of AI-powered content creation tools like Surfer AI and Jasper, creating high-quality SEO content has become more accessible and cost-effective. In this article, we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using AI content tools for SEO content creation.

Benefits of Using AI Content Tools for SEO Content Creation

Cost-effective: Using AI content tools is more profitable than hiring writers. Content creation agencies can cover their clients’ needs more affordably, while small businesses can finally create decent and optimized content without breaking their budget.
Time-effective: Writing high-quality content could take hours and even days. AI content tools significantly cut down the time required to create decent content.
No Language Barriers: Hiring native speakers could be challenging for businesses who require multilingual content. By using AI content tools like Surfer AI, businesses can create content in a foreign language that sounds naturally written by a native speaker.
Solid Base: Such tools provide a solid base of content that can easily be edited, injected with expertise, and made more relevant to a brand.
No Writing Skills Required: AI content tools come in handy for companies that do not have in-house writers or writers who are not very good at writing.
Exceptional for Informational Content: AI-powered content tools are great for creating informational content and satisfying the content intent of SERPs.
Ideal for Churn and Burn Strategy: AI content tools are the way to go for fast and short-term content creation strategies, i.e., churn and burn.

Drawbacks of Using AI Content Tools for SEO Content Creation

Inconsistency: AI content tools can be inconsistent and may produce content that is not relevant or optimized for a particular keyword or SERP, especially for high commercial intent queries.
Lack of Creativity and a Personal Touch: AI content tools are not humans and lack the creativity that comes with being human. They may churn out articles that lack a personal touch unique to human-written content.
Limited Content Formats: AI content tools are ideal for informational content, but they may not be suitable for other content types, such as product descriptions that require a more persuasive tone.
Quality of Content: The quality of AI-generated content may not match the quality of human-written content. Content that is unique, engaging, and informative may still require a human touch.

Using AI to Generate SEO Content: A Surfer review

When it comes to creating SEO content, one of the biggest challenges is striking a balance between creating content that is both informative and engaging while also being optimized for the search engines. In recent years, many SEO professionals have turned to AI-based tools such as Surfer to help them generate content that meets both of these objectives.

Surfer offers a number of tools for generating optimized SEO content, and one of the most popular is its Content Editor feature. The Content Editor allows you to input your target keyword and then generate a list of suggested content based on the top-ranking pages for that keyword.

Once you have a list of suggested content, you can use Surfer's AI-based writing tools to generate your own unique content that is optimized for the search engines. As you generate content, you can use Surfer's built-in NLP analysis tools to optimize your content even further.

The Benefits and Limitations of AI-Based SEO Content

The use of AI in generating SEO content offers a number of benefits, including:

Saving time and effort: Rather than spending hours researching and writing content, you can use AI tools to generate content quickly and easily.
Improved optimization: AI-based content generators can help you create content that is more optimized for the search engines, helping to improve your rankings and drive more traffic to your site.
Improved readability: Many of these tools also include features designed to improve the readability and engagement of your content, making it more likely that readers will stick around and engage with your site.

However, it's important to note that using AI to generate SEO content is not without its limitations. Despite the claims of some marketing professionals, AI-generated content is not a magic wand that will solve all of your SEO problems. Some of the limitations of AI-generated SEO content include:

Lacking specificity: As shown in the examples above, AI-generated content can be quite general and lacks specificity, which can make it less engaging and informative for readers.
Lack of personality: AI-generated content can also lack the personality and voice of a human writer, which can make it feel impersonal or even robotic.
Limited creativity: While AI can help you generate content that is optimized for the search engines, it's unlikely to come up with truly unique or creative ideas on its own.

How to Get the Best Results from AI-Based Content Generation

To get the best results from AI-based content generation, it's important to keep a few key things in mind:

Use with caution: AI-based content generation should be used as a tool, not a replacement for human creativity and expertise. Use it to generate ideas and optimize your content, but don't rely on it exclusively.
Edit and optimize: Once you've generated your content, take the time to edit and optimize it for your specific audience and goals. Use Surfer's NLP analysis tools to identify areas where your content can be improved, and make the necessary changes to ensure that your content is engaging, informative, and optimized for the search engines.
Add personality and creativity: While AI-generated content can lack the personality and creativity of a human writer, there are ways to infuse your content with some personality and human interest. Use real-life examples, case studies, and anecdotes to make your content more engaging and relatable to your readers.

Improving Your Content with AI-Based Tools

As content creators, we are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our work and make it stand out in a crowded digital landscape. One way to do this is by using AI-based tools such as Surfer, which can help us optimize our content for search engines and improve its overall quality.

Using Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs for Real-Life Examples

One of the key benefits of using Surfer is that it can automatically optimize your content using NLP, saving you a lot of time and effort. However, it is important to remember that this is an automated process and there may be flaws and mistakes. To make your content unique, you can use real-life examples that are specific to your website using tools such as Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.

Things Surfer Doesn't Do Well

While Surfer is a powerful tool, it does have some limitations. For example, its frequently asked questions section may not always be relevant to your content. It is important to review this section carefully and remove any irrelevant questions.

Rearranging and Injecting Experience into Your Content

In addition to using Surfer, it is also important to inject uniqueness and personality into your content. This can be done by rearranging your content to satisfy user intent better and providing first-hand experience and opinions. By doing this, you can improve the performance of your content and make it more trustworthy and relevant to your audience.

Beating the Competition with Unique Content

It is possible to create high-quality content without relying solely on AI-based tools. By doing your research and creating unique content that stands out from the competition, you can rank higher on search engine results pages and attract more traffic to your website.

Overall, using AI-based tools like Surfer can help you save time and improve the optimization of your content. However, it is important to remember that these tools are not perfect and should be used in conjunction with other strategies to create high-quality, unique content.

Crafting Engaging Content: The Importance of Unique and Thoughtful Writing

When it comes to creating high-quality content, there are several factors to consider. In addition to conducting thorough research and providing valuable insights, it's important to think about the way you present your ideas. One aspect that many writers overlook is the structure and style of their writing.

The Differences Between Traditional and Engaging Writing Styles

Traditional writing styles often rely on lengthy paragraphs, complex language, and few questions. However, engaging content is characterized by short and concise sentences, thought-provoking questions, and a clear and compelling message.

When comparing the two styles, it becomes clear that a more engaging writing style can significantly increase engagement and conversion rates. By keeping your readers' attention, you can establish yourself as a subject matter expert and gain their trust and loyalty.

The Importance of Uniqueness and Personal Experience

One way to make your content more engaging is to infuse it with unique and personal experiences. This can include examples, anecdotes, and insights that are specific to you and your perspective. These elements can help to set your content apart from others and show readers that you have a unique perspective on the topic.

The Role of AI in Content Creation

While it's important to incorporate personal experiences and unique perspectives into your content, it can be challenging and time-consuming to manually create engaging content. This is where AI tools like Surfer come in - they can help writers to identify the most engaging writing styles and structures based on successful content in the same niche. This can save writers significant amounts of time and increase their chances of creating engaging content.

The Importance of Investing Time in High-Quality Content

Lastly, it's important to note that creating engaging content does require a significant time investment. However, the payoff can be immense. By creating high-quality and thoughtful content that resonates with your readers, you can establish yourself as a trusted authority in your field and increase your conversion rates.

The Pros and Cons: Using Surfer SEO to Optimize Your Content

Surfer SEO is a great tool to use in optimizing your content. It is an AI-powered tool designed to provide insights on how to make your content rank higher on search engine results pages. However, like any other tool, it has its pros and cons.

The Pros

Surfer SEO performs an extensive keyword research to help you target the right audience.
It allows you to understand the intent behind the keyword by analyzing the first page of search engine results.
Surfer SEO analyzes your competition to help you create unique and high-quality content.
It helps you differentiate your content from other existing pages.
It can be a useful tool to build a foundation for informational content that is towards the top of the funnel.

The Cons

Surfer SEO may struggle to optimize content with low content availability.
It may give inaccurate information if not properly fact-checked.
Blindly trusting the AI may result in content that is not accurate or relevant.
It may not be necessary to use Surfer SEO for certain keywords.

Overall, it is worth giving Surfer SEO a try but it is important to take note of its limitations and use it wisely. Here are some additional steps you can take to optimize your content:

Conduct extensive keyword research to ensure that you target the right keywords.
Understand the intent behind the keyword by studying the first page of SERPs.
Differentiate your content from your competition by finding unique angles and injecting your own experiences.
Edit and refine your content before publishing it.
Promote your content through high-quality relevant links and social signals.

While Surfer SEO is an excellent tool, it is important not to solely rely on it in optimizing your content. By following these additional steps, you can increase your chances of ranking higher on search engine results pages. Try it out and see how it works for you! If you're interested in signing up for Surfer SEO, feel free to use my affiliate link below.