Recognize commodity content
Commodity content restates common knowledge with interchangeable examples and no accountable source of experience. It may be grammatically clean and technically relevant, yet still leave the reader with nothing they could not obtain from dozens of other pages or a general-purpose assistant.
- The advice applies identically to every industry and situation.
- Claims have no examples, sources, or observable method.
- The page expands definitions without helping a decision.
- The author could not explain how the recommendation was tested.
Add information only your source can provide
Useful differentiation comes from real constraints: what failed, what changed, what an audit revealed, how a team chose among options, and what evidence would change the recommendation. These details are valuable because they narrow uncertainty rather than decorate the page.
- Include a worked example with inputs and reasoning.
- Explain an exception that changes the usual advice.
- Publish a small original dataset or documented observation.
- Show the decision criteria, not just the final choice.
Choose depth by reader need
A basic definition can be short. A risky migration guide needs safeguards, tests, and rollback considerations. Do not inflate a simple answer to hit a word target, and do not compress a consequential process into seven cheerful bullets.
- Match detail to risk, complexity, and reader skill.
- Use progressive disclosure for optional technical depth.
- Link to supporting guides instead of repeating whole sections.
- Remove paragraphs that do not change understanding or action.
Run the replaceability test
Before publication, ask whether the page could be swapped with a competitor's article without anyone noticing. Then identify the specific examples, language, evidence, and judgment that make it recognizably yours. If the answer is only branding, return to the source interview.
- Highlight each claim supported by first-hand knowledge.
- Highlight each claim supported by an external source.
- Review all unhighlighted advice for unsupported filler.
- Make uncertainty and limitations part of the useful answer.
Official references
- Google: Optimizing for generative AI features: Google explains RAG, query fan-out, measurement, agentic experiences, and why ordinary SEO fundamentals still apply.
- Google: Creating helpful, reliable, people-first content: Google provides questions for evaluating experience, expertise, sourcing, authorship, and audience value.
FAQ
Is introductory content always commodity content?
No. A clear introduction can be valuable when it reflects real audience needs, uses accurate examples, and leads to useful next steps.
Do original opinions need evidence?
Opinions should be labeled as judgment and supported with the experience, assumptions, or evidence that produced them.
Should old generic articles be deleted?
Review whether they earn traffic, links, or user value. Improve, merge, redirect, or retire them based on evidence rather than deleting them automatically.
Keep the Next Step Small
Use the related guides to confirm what the page needs. Ask for support only when the change reaches code, templates, or server settings you do not want to guess at.
Contact Your SEO Wizard