Google's John Mueller said that using generative AI to create blog posts and content for the purpose of getting backlinks is "almost certainly against Google's spam policies." He said this in response to a complaint that this was being done on their site, outsourced by their SEO firm to a third-party.
This came up Bluesky where Becca Harrison posted that her SEO firm outsides link building to a company that generated content and blog posts using generative AI for the purpose of getting backlinks. To make things even worse, the content they produced were "factually incorrect" and "also in ethical opposition" to her professional beliefs.
In which, John Mueller of Google replied, "It's frustrating to hear - did you manage to get it deleted? This is almost certainly against Google's spam policies too."
Here is Becca Harrison full post:
Today I learned that the company providing my project’s web support has been outsourcing SEO ‘back link’ provision to a third party that’s used gen AI to create web pages and blog posts as if authored *by my project*. Not only are they factually incorrect, but also in ethical opposition to my work.The gen AI pages - all designed to improve my website’s SEO - insist that gen AI can help filmmakers be more environmentally sustainable in various aspects of production. This is genuinely terrifying (because it’s untrue) and could potentially cause reputational damage.
I really wish everyone jumping on the generative AI bandwagon would step back for a hot minute and do some critical thinking. Even thirty seconds should do the trick.
She is hopeful that the content is removed within 24 hours of her giving notice but this just shows you that you really need to be in the know of what your SEO and/or marketing teams are doing for you. Just don't pay the fee and not understand what is being produced for you.
Forum discussion at Bluesky.
