/ Web design
Should I use AI to write my website copy?
For research, outlines, and first drafts — yes. For finished published copy without human editing — no. Google's Helpful Content system detects it, and readers notice.
/ 01
The short version
AI is a fantastic copy tool if used properly. It's a disaster if you paste ChatGPT output straight onto your homepage. The right approach is human-led with AI assistance.
/ 02
Where AI genuinely helps
- • Research and topic clustering
- • First-draft outlines
- • Rewriting for tone consistency
- • Generating FAQ variations
- • Meta description drafts
- • Alt text at scale
- • Translating between UK and US English
/ 03
Where AI copy fails
Homepage hero copy. Founder story pages. Case studies. Anything requiring specific business knowledge or personality. Anything requiring genuine insight rather than surface-level advice.
/ 04
The Google problem
Google's Helpful Content Update explicitly targets low-effort AI content. Sites publishing unedited AI content en masse have seen 40–90% traffic drops. AI-assisted content edited by an expert is fine; AI-authored content isn't.
/ 05
Where RIOT fits in
We're a small Colchester studio helping UK SMBs get your website copy right without agency waste or freelancer flake. If you've read this far and you want a second opinion on your specific setup, book a 20-minute call and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth doing anything at all.
We work with clients across Essex, Suffolk, London and the wider UK — and remotely with brands abroad. No lock-in, no monthly retainer minimums, no pretending your problem is bigger than it is.
/ FAQs
Common questions
Will Google penalise AI content?
Not automatically — but low-quality AI content gets caught by their quality algorithms fast.
What's the right workflow?
Human brief → AI draft → human rewrite with real POV → human polish. AI as tool, not author.
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