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As the web fills up with AI-generated noise, both searchers and search engines are getting wary. Creating and sharing content has never been easier, thanks to generative AI. But with the bravado of large language models and the carelessness of some publishers, it’s becoming trickier to spot good info from bad.

This dynamic is shifting how Google and users filter content. Trust is no longer a given, as it’s something that must be earned. As SEOs and marketers, our top priority is to break free from the default blocklist and secure our place on the allow list.

Google’s Anti-AI Hedge

With the internet overflowing with content—much of it AI-generated—it’s tough for users and search engines to assess the accuracy and trustworthiness of information. Google is on a mission to weed out that AI slop.

In the past year alone, we’ve seen five core updates and three spam-specific updates, all with a strong focus on EEAT. As these updates roll out, indexing for new sites has slowed down significantly, leaving many pages stuck in the “crawled but not indexed” category.

Detecting AI content is no easy feat. Some AI-generated content is helpful, just as some human content can be downright useless. Google aims to keep its index clean of erroneous or repetitive material, but the bad stuff increasingly mimics the good.

So how does Google tackle this tough challenge? By playing favorites. Rather than scrutinizing every single article, Google has opted to elevate big, trusted brands like Forbes, WebMD, TechRadar, and the BBC in search results.

These big players alone have added around 85 million organic pageviews in the last year. It’s simpler for Google to manage a few large content brands than to sift through hundreds of smaller ones.

By promoting trusted brands, such as those with a solid track record, Google can effectively shield many search results from the dreaded AI slop. Of course, this approach comes with its own downsides, like the rise of “Forbes slop,” but Google seems to consider it the lesser evil.

User-generated content sites like Reddit and Quora have their own built-in quality control, thanks to upvoting and downvoting features. This allows Google to outsource some of the moderation burden. Reddit and Quora have ranked in an astonishing 579 million organic pageviews in the past year.

In light of the vast amount of content being produced, Google appears to be adopting a default blocklist strategy. This means it distrusts new information by default while favoring a select group of trusted brands and publishers. As a result, smaller publishers find themselves on the default blocklist, while giants like Forbes, Tech Radar, Reddit, and Quora enjoy their elevated status.

Also Read:

• Optimizing for Google’s playground: swinging into the future of search
• Targeted Marketing – The Need to personalise marketing efforts

Why Google Favors Big Brands Over the Rest

Google’s boost button for big brands might be a quick fix while they tweak their algorithms. But it highlights a bigger trend. In the pre-AI days, brands were trusted by default. They had to work hard to lose that trust—like publishing something shady or getting facts wrong.

Now, with brands churning out AI-generated content, we default to suspicion. New brands are often seen as guilty until proven innocent. In this age of information overload, many brands will land on the default blocklist.

Earning a spot on the “allow list” takes work.

Google is turning to gatekeepers—trusted sources that verify content credibility. Individual searchers are doing the same.

Our goal? Become one of those trusted gatekeepers.

How to Earn Trust in a Trustless World

Today’s new brands start with a trust deficit. The old marketing playbook—just publishing helpful content—isn’t enough to escape the blocklist.

The game has changed. Strategies that worked for giants like Forbes won’t cut it now.

Brands need to go beyond sharing information. They must clearly show their credibility and care about the content they produce.

Here’s how:

1. Be selective: Don’t try to cover every topic. Focus on what you know best. Your reputation will benefit from knowing when to hold back.
2. Align Content with Your Business Model: Avoid affiliate spam. Your content should build trust, not raise red flags.
3. Ditch “Content Sites”: Many sites hit hardest by Google’s algorithm updates existed just to monetize clicks. Create content that supports real products.
4. Clarify Your Motivations: Be upfront about who you are and why you’re creating content. Transparency builds trust.
5. Add Unique Value: Inject something fresh into your content. This can be simple—conduct experiments, put in more effort, and draw from personal experiences.
6. Feature Real People: Let authors show their faces. Encourage them to share their credentials through photos and bios.
7. Build Personal Brands: Turn your faceless company into a recognizable name associated with real people.
8. Leverage Google’s Gatekeepers: If Google trusts Reddit content, consider sharing your ideas there.
9. Become a Gatekeeper for Your Audience: What does it mean to be a trusted source? Limit what you share, curate content carefully, and stand behind everything you publish.

Conclusion

The blocklist is more of a mental gym than an actual list. It helps us grasp how AI content is shaking up the search landscape. The internet has become a bit of a cesspool thanks to AI-generated content. Everything that pops up now carries a whiff of suspicion. The big question is: how do you win back the trust of both Google and those savvy searchers?

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