Latest news with #contentcreators
Fast Company
4 hours ago
- Fast Company
How to tell if the article you're reading was written by AI
So, we've all been there. You're two paragraphs into a blog post. The headline was catchy enough, the intro kind of made sense, and now your eyes are glazing over. You read over a word, a blurb, a sentence that sounds vaguely all-too-familiar and now you're wondering, 'Wait…did a human even write this?' Odds are, you're not imagining it. AI-generated content is everywhere. It is impossible to escape. While it's efficient, especially for meeting summaries and article recaps, you and I know the best content is the content that feels particularly human. When you spend your days working with AI (and creating comprehensive AI training for your team), you quickly start seeing how it's beginning to give itself away. Here's how to spot AI writing before you waste another five minutes of your life reading machine-generated clickbait. 1. It reads like someone trying to win an argument at a networking event. If every paragraph feels like it's trying to make a strong point without actually saying anything meaningful, you're probably in AI territory. Look out for generic phrases like 'in today's fast-paced world' or 'leveraging innovative strategies.' I've read these phrases so often that it occasionally feels right to use them as filler, like an SAT tutor that teaches your kid three big, impressive terms to use to crush the written portion of the test. Ultimately, this is the biggest red flag that you're reading AI-generated content. 2. There's 0% personality and 100% too much structure. AI content often follows a painfully clean format: intro, subheads, conclusion. The content might include some big words, but it's not fooling anyone. It reads like it went to school and graduated with honors, but never worked a day in the real world. Great for a college essay, not so realistic (nor creative) beyond that. There's no strong voice, no edge—just perfectly average takes. On this note, I'm seriously considering creating a support group for copywriters and marketers who embraced the em dash long before AI came around. While it's become popularized as an AI 'tell' of a blog post or article, too often it's a case of mistaken identity. Tread carefully. 3. It's bland, not very controversial. This flag can be a difficult one to spot in the moment, as it's important to consider varying perspectives and points of view. AI doesn't like to ruffle feathers, so you'll often find it hedging every single opinion. It'll say one thing, then immediately say the opposite to keep the peace. Look out for something along the lines of, 'While X has benefits, it's important to consider the potential downsides of Y.' Let's keep writing about things that may be controversial, with strong opinions and hot takes. When creatives are writing about a particular topic, and aiming to prove a point, it doesn't seem appropriate for them to include the counterargument. Right? You're reading to gain insight and perspective about whatever topic is at hand, not ride the see-saw. 4. The conclusion is weirdly robotic pep talk. If the article wraps with something like, 'As we move into the future, embracing innovation will be key,' congrats, you've hit AI bingo. These vague, motivational endings are a dead giveaway. The conclusion usually feels abrupt, as if AI knows it's necessary for sentence structure but is not willing to spend the time on making it truly meaningful. I rarely see a real person sign off their blogs, newsletters, or other content with such blatant corporate optimism. 5. Your brain feels…untouched. Maybe the biggest tell is how it makes you feel (or not feel). Great writing sticks with you. Even a short blog post can inspire, surprise, or challenge you. But AI-written content, on the other hand, is like a lukewarm shower. Technically fine. Emotionally forgettable. I wouldn't go so far as to claim that specific words, 'key,' 'crucial,' 'robust,' or 'comprehensive' are always AI indicators, but it is true that most writing tools can't resist overusing their favorite buzzwords. Even ChatGPT refers to these words as its 'greatest hits list,' so it's no wonder that my mind is exhausted from seeing them in other's writing. I use AI daily to optimize my workstreams, beat creative blocks, and sharpen my emails. And if I don't pay attention and refine my prompts, my results will be rampant with these 'tells.' Don't believe me? Test it out using ChatGPT. With a little practice, you'll soon be able to spot an AI-generated story from a mile away.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
YouTube is raising the minimum age for live streaming.
YouTube is raising the minimum age for live streaming. As of July 22nd, teens will have to be at least 16 years old to live stream on the platform, according to a support post. If a teen 13-15 years old wants to appear in a live stream, they'll have to have to be 'visibly accompanied' by an adult.
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Phone Arena
Google's new app might stop you from making your next regretful purchase
There's a new app from Google and this one is all about saving you from those regretful online purchases. You know, the ones you return right after trying them on because they just didn't look right? Earlier this year, Google Shopping introduced virtual try-ons for clothes using your own photo – and now, Doppl takes that to a whole new level. The new experimental app builds on that tech, letting you try on outfits using photos or even you spot a look you love on Instagram, your favorite creator or even in a thrift shop window, just snap a pic, upload it to Doppl and you'll see how it might look on you. But it doesn't stop there – Doppl also uses AI to turn static outfit images into short videos. So, instead of just seeing how something might look in a still photo, you get a more dynamic, realistic feel for the outfit in motion. That is a pretty big upgrade from traditional virtual try-ons. Video credit – Google You can also save and share your looks, which is going to be huge for content creators. Imagine showing off endless outfits you never even bought. I believe Reels and TikToks are about to be packed with Doppl-created fashion videos – because why not flex a fresh look without spending a dime? Doppl is still in its experimental phase under Google Labs, so don't expect perfection just yet. The fit, textures and how the clothes look might not always be spot on. But that's the whole point of Labs – test things out, get feedback, and improve from there. Right now, Doppl is only available in the US for both iOS and Android. And sure, some fashion retailer apps already let you virtually try on clothes, but Doppl feels different. It's not tied to any one brand, it gives you way more freedom to test looks. Plus, the AI video feature makes a big difference. Being able to see how an outfit moves on your body could help you decide if you really like it – before it ends up sitting in a return it could also be a win for sustainability. Fewer blind buys and fewer returns mean less waste. That said, generating all these AI videos… you know, that does take some serious computing power. Still, it's a cool glimpse at how far Google's AI has come and how it's starting to show up in everyday things like how we shop. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
YouTube Will Soon Stop Some Children From Live Streaming
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. YouTube is making a series of changes this year to try and better protect children on its service. The latest change is children under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to live stream directly to an audience on their own. According to a change announced on the company's Help pages, and spotted by Android Authority, YouTube will soon move the minimum age for live stream performers from 13 to 16. Children between 13 and 15 can continue to be in live streams, but they need to be accompanied by an adult who is visible in the footage. The adult also needs to be added as a channel manager or owner, and they need to use their account to start the stream. YouTube's announcement says, 'Additionally, live streams featuring 13 to 15-year-olds who are not visibly accompanied by an adult may have their live chat disabled and the account may temporarily lose access to live chat or other features. In the future, we plan to take down these live streams and the account may temporarily lose its ability to live stream.' The changes will take effect from July 22. YouTube also shared advice for teens who plan to live stream. The advice is similar to the company's child safety policy, and it points to things like using privacy settings on a stream, and not sharing personal information such as where they live or go to school. This is all part of YouTube attempting to improve child safety across its platform. Earlier this year, YouTube announced it would begin testing machine learning algorithms to work out when a viewer is lying about their age. YouTube's rules say you must be at least 13 to use the main app, while anyone younger is encouraged to use YouTube Kids. These new machine learning tools predict when a child is using the platform and lying about their age using activity such as the content they've watched. If it identifies a child is watching, it will change its algorithms to make sure the child doesn't see any inappropriate content. It's currently unclear if YouTube is actively experimenting with this, or whether it's still yet to launch.
Telegraph
7 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Keyword cannibalisation: what is it and how do you fix it?
As SEOs and digital marketers, we rely on keyword optimisation to rank our content higher in search results. The more keywords we cover, the better our overall search presence will be. Because of this, it's very easy to fall into the trap of producing numerous pieces on the same topic, hoping that Google will choose one to rank highly. However, this approach can and will lead to keyword cannibalisation issues and ultimately reduce the chances of any single page ranking well. Here, we'll break down what keyword cannibalisation is, how to avoid it, and how to fix it using SEO tools and best practices. What is keyword cannibalisation? Keyword cannibalisation is when similar content on different pages of your site compete for the same keyword. In instances of cannibalisation, pages will be in conflict with each other for one spot on the SERPs. Typically, the end result is that none of the pages rank well for the target keyword, significantly impacting performance and preventing your website from reaching its full potential. Some examples of keyword cannibalisation Imagine you're planning a hiking trip and need a reliable pair of trainers. You head to Google and search for 'best trainers for hiking'. Among the top results, you find two articles from the same website, one titled The Best Trainers for Long Hikes, and the other The Best Trainers for Long-Distance Walks. Although both titles align with your search intent, it may be difficult to decide which is most relevant and up-to-date. Google views this scenario in exactly the same way. When its crawlers encounter multiple articles from the same site targeting nearly identical keywords, it can cause confusion. This overlap may be interpreted as duplicate content, potentially resulting in lower search rankings and a loss of authority and trust for the site. How keyword cannibalisation impacts performance It's easy to see why keyword cannibalisation is harmful, but understanding why it undermines your site's SEO is key to resolving the issue: Internal competition Instead of one strong page ranking highly, Google may distribute authority across several weaker pages, meaning none of them perform as well as they could have done individually. This weakens your overall visibility. Reduced authority Each page ends up competing for clicks, backlinks and user engagement metrics, such as dwell time. As a result, your potential link equity and authority are diluted across multiple pages, reducing the ranking strength of each piece of content. Confused search intent When your pages overlap, it becomes unclear to Google which page is the best answer for a search query. This confusion can result in lower rankings for all the competing pages and a poor user experience, as visitors may struggle to find the most relevant content on your site. How to fix keyword cannibalisation Addressing keyword cannibalisation involves refining your content strategy to ensure each page has a distinct focus and purpose. Here's how to fix it: Audit your content Start by conducting a full content audit using tools such as PiDatametrics or Google Search Console. Look for multiple pages ranking for the same term, or pages with very similar content that could confuse search engines. Consolidate similar content If you have multiple pages covering the same topic, consider consolidating them into a single, detailed resource. Use 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new page to preserve link equity and ensure a seamless user experience. Revise content focus There will be times when instead of merging content you can repurpose it. In these instances, review the content to ensure each page targets a distinct keyword and serves a unique purpose. Use keyword variations, different angles, or more specific long-tail keywords to differentiate the pages. Use canonical tags In cases where merging or deleting content isn't possible – for example similar product pages on an e-commerce site – use canonical tags to signal to Google which version should be treated as the primary source. This helps avoid internal competition in search results and consolidates ranking signals. Optimise internal linking Use internal links strategically to signal to Google which page is most authoritative for a particular topic. For instance, if you want one article to rank as the definitive guide for 'best hiking boots', link to it from other related pages, using relevant anchor text. This strengthens the internal hierarchy of your content and boosts the targeted page's chances of ranking higher. Create a content strategy Once you've resolved existing keyword cannibalisation issues, prevent them from recurring by developing a content strategy that maps out target keywords and topics for each page. Regularly review and update this strategy to ensure your site remains well-structured and SEO-friendly. Final thoughts Keyword cannibalisation is a common pitfall, but with the right approach it's completely manageable. By auditing your content, consolidating where necessary and maintaining a structured content strategy, you'll not only resolve internal competition but also strengthen your site's overall SEO performance. Focus on creating unique, high-quality content for each keyword to ensure that every page is optimised to reach its full potential.
