New Report Reveals the Top AI Content and SEO Trends for 2024

January 31, 2024

In 2024, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a dominant force in reshaping various industries, including content marketing and SEO.

Sixty-seven percent of businesses already use AI for content marketing and SEO, and 78% are satisfied with the results.

Do you want to join them and stay ahead of this trend?

Our report, "Think Big with AI: Transforming Small Business Content Marketing" provides an in-depth analysis of how small businesses are using AI to create great content.

The study analyzed over 2,600 businesses globally providing critical insights into the current state and future trends of AI in content marketing.

We also talked to 8 industry experts, surveyed 700 consumers, and generated a library of 600+ AI content prompts.

So, what did the study reveal?

Key Findings from the Research

65% of businesses generate better SEO results thanks to AI.
67% also see an improvement in content quality when using AI.
68% get a higher content marketing ROI due to AI.
37% of companies that don’t use AI don’t understand how it works.
93% review their AI-generated content before publishing it.
The majority of consumers tend to prefer AI-generated copy.

In other words, businesses using AI tools report higher effectiveness in their content marketing efforts and better results in attracting organic traffic.

While all this counters concerns about AI-generated content, there are trends and best practices that are essential for anyone wishing to achieve positive results when using AI.

Let’s unpack some of them.

1. AI Empowers Human-Centric Content

“At MIG, we’ve actually embraced AI to revolutionize the way we write. Not to save time or costs, but to improve the quality of what we do. We use AI to help us understand our audience better, spot the most important trends, and find data and research that would normally take us more time. All this helps us to spend more time on what we do best: writing.”

Michael Brenner, Content Marketing Leader and Founder, Marketing Insider Group (MIG)

The best content is written by humans for humans, but AI can be your best friend for a good first draft, breaking through writer’s block, or rewording clunky copy.

This trend underscores the symbiosis between AI's analytical power, human creativity, and a focus on your audience—ensuring content remains relatable and engaging.

2. AI Elevates the Need for a Great User Experience

“Now that content isn’t always created by humans, it’s more important than ever to demonstrate that there was some human involvement. Google, with a continuing focus on E-E-A-T, underscores how important this is. Soon, we’ll all have a new competitor in the SERPs: Google’s Search Generative Experience, which displays AI answers for many search queries. To compete against that, content marketers should provide experiences that can’t be easily replaced by simple AI summaries.”

Kyle Byers, Director of Growth Marketing at Semrush

More than ever, brands should focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) when creating organic content.

Some of the tactics you can implement are leveraging original research and sharing real-life experiences—while using AI to boost and streamline this process.

interactive elements in your content, as well as make it well-structured and personalized.

3. AI Drives Personalization and Authenticity

“In 2024, content marketers need to practice bringing our most human selves into our work. We need to show up with vulnerability, transparency, and candor. Let’s recognize the power of our lived experience and share personal stories and lessons—instead of citing overused case studies and simply relaying the stories of big names and even bigger brands.”

By Melanie Deziel, Speaker, Author, Co-Founder of Creator Kitchen

In 2024, we're seeing a shift where marketers use AI to create content that connects more deeply and authentically with audiences. This trend reflects the growing importance of delivering personalized experiences in content marketing.

When creating content, search deep within your own career, company, and community for remarkable stories to tell. And use AI as your personal content assistant.

4. AI Acts as a Catalyst for Organic Growth–When Done Right

“Our research confirms that AI offers unprecedented benefits for companies wishing to grow their online presence. This is especially true for small businesses looking for a competitive advantage. But can you simply lay back and fully rely on AI to create high-ranking content for you? Probably not.”

Margarita Loktionova, Content Marketing Lead at Semrush

AI-generated content can and will help you rank in search—and this is confirmed by the real-life experiences of real small businesses.

But, as with other related areas, it’s key to maintain human oversight.

Google maintains a neutral stance on AI-generated content, focusing on the relevance, comprehensiveness, and originality of the content rather than its AI origins. So, it’s best to create a collaborative approach, combining AI tools with the expertise of subject matter experts and writers.
AI tools like ChatGPT are versatile in generating ideas, clustering keywords, and optimizing content for SEO. However, they usually require support from additional research and real-time data, such as keyword specifics and search intent.

5.AI Video, Audio, and Other Formats Are on the Rise

“In 2024, we are going to see the rise of AI-supported video content. A lot of people might read that and immediately think I’m talking about AI animation and AI-supported effects on the back of Midjourney. But in reality, I’m talking about top-to-bottom AI-created video experiences that include everything from talking head videos that are actually synthetic avatars using synthetic voice to AI-powered webinars.”

Ross Simmonds, CEO of Foundation

AI image and video generators are among the top tools businesses are looking to try in 2024.

And other AI content tools continue to grow in popularity.

For example, small businesses are especially keen on AI tools for podcasting. They automatically repurpose podcast episodes into transcripts, show notes, blogs and social media posts, newsletters, video clips, and more.

Chat with AI to Explore the Report

The best part?

You can enhance your experience with this report by using our interactive AI Chat feature.

It’s integrated directly into the report, allowing you to engage in a dynamic conversation about its contents.

Ask any question related to the report, and the AI will analyze the information to provide immediate, accurate answers.

For example, you can ask to summarize the key findings from the report or ask direct questions, such as “How many businesses are already using AI for content marketing?"

You can delve deeper into specific areas, like the AI industry survey results or the latest trends shaping AI in content marketing for 2024.

Start Building a Better Strategy Today

As we step further into 2024, it's clear that AI is not just a fleeting trend in content marketing and SEO—it's a transformative force.

Semrush’s "Think Big with AI: Transforming Small Business Content Marketing," report reveals that businesses leveraging AI for content creation and SEO are not only staying ahead of the curve but are reaping significant benefits.

From improved content quality to better SEO results and enhanced ROI, AI is proving to be a transforming tool for businesses—-especially small ones seeking a competitive edge.

However, this doesn't mean AI can replace the human touch. The findings emphasize the importance of human oversight, creativity, and understanding in making the most of what AI offers.

It's not about replacing human content creators but about enhancing their capabilities.

AI, when used wisely, can act as a catalyst for organic growth and elevate content marketing to new heights.

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