Table of contents
In the age of AI, “avoiding robotic language” may be thought of as “don’t sound like ChatGPT.” However, “robotic language” can also mean the tone that happens when content is overly optimized for search engines. Especially when natural readability is sacrificed.
Striking a balance between optimizing content for search engines and maintaining a natural, engaging tone for human readers can be a frustrating task for marketers. The pressure builds when trying to improve a website’s visibility while giving the website a fighting chance to rank well. You face the endless cycle of scrutiny from both search engines and readers. While figuring it out can seem like a nightmare, the key that unlocks the dungeon door is a better understanding of search engine optimization (SEO).
Don’t stress about sounding robotic in your writing. Focus on communicating clearly and naturally. Your authentic voice is what will engage and resonate with your readers.
Remember, quality content that flows naturally will always be more impactful. In this two part series, I’ll provide you with some key strategies to balance SEO, natural language, and user experience.
What exactly is robotic-sounding language?
A huge challenge in writing content with SEO in mind is avoiding language that might sound robotic or mechanical. It can be a tricky matter. When creating content for the web, marketers are focused on using keywords and phrases that attract the attention of search engines. The language often becomes too rigid, leading to content that feels unnatural or stilted.
Robotic-sounding language often lakes the flow and tone that makes content more engaging for human readers. Overly repetitive phrases, awkward keyword placements, or oddly worded sentences are all examples.
I say dive deeper than what the data says. Go behind the scenes and ask questions about the product or service you’re writing about. Go straight to Sales, which should know the answers.
What makes your services/product easer to sell? Why is it unique? Where is the benefit for the audience or buyer? These selling points will resonate in your writing.
I think we’re reaching a critical point in content creation. Tools like SEMRush make it easier than ever to create “optimized” content. Just drop your page in and copy/paste all the words into the post, and you have a 9/10 SEO score.
AI Language
AI language models like ChatGPT can write whole articles. You just tell them what you want to say, et voila! A fully functional article – with inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and fake sources.
There are apps that flag those AI articles and plaster them with red, even the areas that are expressly hand written. Now, there are apps that flag so-called “AI words” that have been used and overused. “Delve,” “transformative,” “in essence,” are examples.
While these tools can be helpful, they can also lead to content that feels impersonal and overly polished. They start to resemble the AI providing all the information rather than a human writer.
The Challenge
Use these tools as aids rather than crutches. Just because SEMRush suggests adding a keyword doesn’t mean it should be forced into the text if it disrupts the natural flow. And while AI-generated content can serve as a starting point, it’s up to you to refine it into something that reflects a genuine, human voice.
What are you supposed to do to compete?
First, adding a keyword just because SEMRush listed it isn’t the best practice. This habit can get marketers in trouble if they focus too much on keywords they think will please search engines. Keyword stuffing ring a bell?
When this happens, it can make content difficult to read on a web page. Readers can get frustrated and leave the site, and they don’t usually return. Select your keywords for SEO and social media with care.
And take a deep dive into the rest of this article.
Practice these 5 mindful tips to avoid robotic language.
Avoiding robotic language in your content requires a mindful approach to writing. You have to strike that balance between keeping a natural flow and still optimize for search. Here are some practical tips to help you achieve this balance:
1. Write for your audience first, search engines second.
Your primary goal should always be to communicate clearly and effectively with your readers. Start by crafting content that addresses their needs, questions, and concerns. Once you’ve established a solid, reader-focused draft, you can then layer in SEO elements like keywords and meta tags. This approach ensures your content remains genuine and accessible, rather than feeling forced or overly optimized.
2. Use keywords naturally.
Have you ever stared at an article, trying to figure out how to insert something off-the-wall like “banana shoes for sale in Kentucky” and make it sound natural? If you’re a content creator, you have.
While it’s important to include relevant keywords for SEO, they should never disrupt the flow of your writing. Instead of awkwardly inserting keywords, aim to integrate them seamlessly into your sentences. For example, if your keyword is “best running shoes,” instead of forcing it into every other sentence, try variations like “top-rated running shoes” or “high-quality running shoes.” This prevents keyword stuffing and makes your content more readable.
“You can buy banana shoes in Kentucky for less than your last pair of sandals. Nobody else wants them, but you will, because they’re banana shoes!”
3. Vary your sentence structure.
Robotic language often comes from repetitive sentence structures and phrases. To keep your writing dynamic, mix up your sentence lengths and styles. Use a combination of short, punchy sentences and longer, more detailed ones. This variation not only improves readability but also helps maintain the reader’s interest throughout the piece.
4. Use a conversational tone.
One of the most effective ways to avoid robotic language is to write as if you’re having a conversation with your reader. Use contractions, ask questions, and include transitional phrases that guide the reader through your content.
For example, instead of saying, “It’s essential to optimize content for SEO,” you might say, “So, why is optimizing content for SEO so important?” This approach makes your writing feel more personable and engaging.
5. Edit with fresh eyes.
After drafting your content, take a break before revising. Returning with fresh eyes allows you to spot areas where the language may feel stilted or mechanical. As you edit, read your content aloud to catch awkward phrasing or overly complex sentences. This practice helps your writing flow naturally and sound like it was written by a person, not a machine.
How do you balance SEO with natural language?
Striking the right balance between SEO and natural language is crucial for creating content that ranks well without sacrificing readability. Here are key strategies to help you maintain this balance:
1. Prioritize readability metrics.
While SEO tools often focus on keyword density and optimization scores, readability metrics should be equally prioritized. Use tools like the Flesch-Kincaid readability test or Hemingway Editor to ensure your content is clear and easy to read. These tools highlight complex sentences, passive voice, and overly technical language, helping you refine your content to be more reader-friendly.
If you’re a marketer, let me just say this. Before you stick your nose up about readability metrics, think about it. If visitors can’t understand your content, what good is it for them to be on the page?
2. Use Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords.
Okay, that was kind of a joke. Today’s version of LSI are semantic keywords. Semantic keywords create richer, more varied text that still signals relevance to search engines. For example, if your primary keyword is “digital marketing,” semantic keywords might include “online advertising,” “SEO strategies,” or “content marketing.”
Why do we care about semantic keywords? Because they’re both highly relevant and also expands the meaning of “digital marketing”.
3. Focus on content quality over keyword quantity.
It can be tempting to cram as many SEO keywords as possible into each piece of content, but this often leads to robotic-sounding language (and just bad writing). Instead, focus on creating high-quality, informative content that naturally incorporates keywords where they fit. Search engines increasingly prioritize content that provides real value to users over content that simply hits keyword targets.
4. Be thoughtful with your meta tag optimization.
Meta tags, including titles and descriptions, are essential for SEO, but they should also make sense to human readers. Craft meta descriptions that accurately reflect the content of your page while enticing users to click through. Avoid stuffing these tags with keywords; instead, focus on providing a clear, compelling summary of what your content offers.
5. Test and iterate.
Balancing SEO and natural language is an ongoing process that requires testing and iteration. Monitor the performance of your content using analytics tools, paying attention to metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rates. If you notice that content with high keyword density has a high bounce rate, it may be a sign that it’s too robotic and needs to be revised for better readability.
Since we’re on the topic of robotic language…
How can you use AI to the best advantage and still avoid that robotic language?
AI is a powerful tool in content creation, but it’s important to use it in ways that enhance your writing. In other words, without falling into the trap of producing robotic, impersonal content.
When not used carefully, AI-generated content can lead to some of the very issues this article addresses, such as overly optimized, stiff language. Yet, there’s no doubt that AI is here to stay, and that it has a monstrous amount of potential to streamline your job as a content creator.
Artificial intelligence doesn’t mean it can’t be wrong.
AI can sometimes exacerbate the problem of robotic language. Here are some common challenges:
- Fake sources and misinformation: AI models may produce content that includes fabricated information or citations. This can undermine your credibility if not carefully checked.
- Over-optimization and keyword stuffing: AI might prioritize SEO targets at the expense of readability, leading to content that feels stilted or overly formulaic.
- Text lacks emotional resonance: While AI can generate text, it often lacks the nuance, empathy, and creativity that a human writer brings. This can result in content that feels detached or generic.
Given these potential pitfalls, it’s vital to approach AI-generated content with a critical eye. Always read, double-check, and edit anything produced by AI. This includes plagiarism checks, fact checks, and checking for errors due to misunderstanding your prompt. This is the only way to ensure it aligns with your standards for quality, accuracy, and tone.
Use AI to enhance, not replace, your writing.
AI can be a valuable ally in your content creation process if used strategically. Here are ways to leverage AI while keeping your content engaging and human-centric:
- Ideate and brainstorm your content: Use AI to generate ideas for topics, headlines, and content angles. This can help you brainstorm more creatively, giving you a broader base to work from when crafting your content. (“Hey Chat, how many ways can I approach the topic of writing quality, content that doesn’t sound robotic?”)
- Create article outlines: AI can assist in structuring your content, helping you organize your thoughts and ensure that all key points are covered. This can be particularly helpful in avoiding the mechanical repetition of ideas and ensuring a logical flow.
- Draft the initial content: While AI can produce drafts, think of these as starting points rather than final products. Use AI-generated text as a rough draft that you can refine and polish to ensure it sounds natural and authentic.
- Optimize the content: AI tools are great for suggesting keywords and meta descriptions. However, always review these suggestions to ensure they fit seamlessly into your content without disrupting readability.
Balance your AI use with the personal touch.
To avoid the pitfalls of robotic language, combine AI’s strengths with your own creative input:
- Personalization: After AI generates content, infuse your voice into it. Edit the text to add personal insights, anecdotes, or a conversational tone that makes the content feel more relatable and engaging.
- Critical Editing: Be vigilant about reviewing AI-generated content for accuracy, tone, and flow. Ensure that the final piece reflects the nuances of human communication rather than a purely data-driven output.
- Adaptation: Use AI to help you tailor content for different audiences or platforms, but always adjust the tone and style to fit the context. This prevents your content from feeling too uniform or detached.
Out-of-the-box thinking: Creative AI uses to avoid robotic language
While AI’s mainstream uses are well-known, here are some innovative ways to use AI that can help you avoid robotic language:
- Interactive content creation: Use AI to create interactive content, such as scenario-based learning modules or choose-your-own-adventure articles. This approach allows readers to engage more deeply with your content, making it feel more dynamic and less formulaic.
- Dynamic voice and tone adjustments: Experiment with AI tools that allow you to adjust the tone and style of your content on the fly. For instance, AI can help you shift from a formal tone to a more conversational one depending on the audience, keeping the language fresh and engaging.
- AI-powered content personalization: Use AI to analyze user data and create personalized content that speaks directly to individual preferences and behaviors. By tailoring content to specific audiences, you can avoid generic, one-size-fits-all language that often feels robotic.
- Real-time content updates: AI can help you keep content up-to-date by automatically suggesting revisions based on the latest trends or data. This ensures that your content remains relevant and engaging over time, without losing its natural tone.
By integrating AI thoughtfully into your content creation process, you can harness its power without compromising the human touch that makes your writing resonate. AI should be seen as a tool to enhance your creativity and efficiency, not as a replacement for the nuanced, authentic communication that only a human can provide.
Ready for the challenge of human, relatable, marketable content?
It’s an essential task. Walking that tightrope between search engines and human readers is challenging, but somebody has to do it. You can create content that resonates with your audience while still performing well in search rankings. You have to make sure you include clear communication, natural language, and thoughtful SEO practices.
Avoiding robotic language is not just sidestepping AI-generated tones. It’s preserving the human element in your writing. Our online world is getting inundated with the type of content that checks the ranking boxes. Yet, a lot of it isn’t good content, and it doesn’t resonate with the target audiences.
It was written to resonate with humans by an AI that doesn’t understand humans. Fights for the same keywords, because our ranking programs tell us what keywords should be used (because everyone else is using them). Tells us how long or short a page should be, because the competitors have an average x number of words and phrases.
The only way to stand out to the potential customer is to present yourself differently. Prioritize your audience’s needs over the length of an article. Choose keywords based on what you’re actually offering instead of becoming click bait competition. Use a conversational tone and actually talk to your readers (hi, there!).
Remember, the ultimate goal of search engine optimization is not just to drive traffic but to provide genuine value to your audience. When you keep this goal at the forefront of your content strategy, you’ll navigate the complexities of SEO with confidence, creating content that stands out in both search engines and in the hearts of your readers. Robotic writers need not apply.
Stay tuned for part two of this article next week: SEO Strategies and Best Practices: Balancing Optimization with User Experience. See you there!
