Senior Director of Membership, IMPACT
TL;DR
- AI didn’t break content marketing, it exposed weak content.
- Trust is the new ranking factor (for humans AND AI agents).
- “Value-driven content” is now commoditized.
- Original thinking > optimized writing.
- Multimodal content (video + audio + text) is the new standard.
- AI should make you more human, not less.
The Experiment
I sat down with Stephanie Baiocchi, Senior Director of Membership at IMPACT, to understand one thing:
“In a world where AI writes everything… what actually works anymore?”
What followed wasn’t theory, it was grounded, practical, slightly uncomfortable truth.
Observation #1: AI Is Creating a Trust Crisis
The internet is now filled with what Stephanie called:
“A copy of a copy of a copy… more digital waste.”
AI didn’t just scale content. It scaled mediocrity.
What changed?
- People are more skeptical than ever
- Generic “value content” no longer builds trust
- AI answers depend on what already exists (even if it’s wrong)
Insight: Trust is no longer assumed. It must be engineered.
Observation #2: “Value-Driven Content” Is Now Overused
For years, marketers were told:
“Just add value.” Now? Everyone is adding value. Which means… no one stands out.
Stephanie reframes value like this:
- Not just what you say
- But how people can consume it
Today’s value = Multimodal education
- Video
- Audio
- Text
- Searchable transcripts
AI enables this at scale avatars, transcripts, rapid updates.
Insight: Value is no longer content depth. It’s content accessibility.
Observation #3: AI Rewards Original Thinking (Not Better Writing)
One of the most powerful ideas from the conversation:
“ChatGPT gives dumb answers… because it learned from your dumb website.” Let that sink in.
AI doesn’t create truth. It reflects what exists.
So what wins?
- Answering questions others avoid
- Saying what others won’t say
- Showing what others won’t show
This is part of IMPACT’s “Endless Customers” framework:
- Say what others aren’t willing to say
- Show what others aren’t willing to show
- Sell how others aren’t willing to sell
- Be more human than others are willing to be
Insight: AI amplifies originality. It also exposes the lack of it.
Observation #4: AI Is Shifting Content From Human → Agent Consumption
We’re entering a strange phase:
“AI is writing content for AI to read… so it can recommend it to another AI.” Sounds absurd. But it’s already happening. Stephanie calls this:
“Agent-to-agent ecosystems.”
What matters now?
- Consistency across platforms
- Clear business identity
- Accurate information everywhere
These are called trust signals.
Insight: You’re no longer optimizing just for humans. You’re optimizing for AI trust.
Observation #5: AI Should Make You More Human (Not Less)
The biggest misconception:
“AI replaces human work.” The better perspective: “AI frees you to be more human.”
Examples:
- Automate content updates - spend more time in conversations
- Use AI for structure - bring your own perspective
- Scale production - deepen relationships
Insight: The winners won’t be the most automated. They’ll be the most human.
Final Take: What Actually Works Now
- Original opinions > summarized knowledge
- Trust signals > backlinks
- Multimodal content > blog-only strategy
- Human perspective > AI-generated volume
AI didn’t kill SEO. It killed average.
FAQs
1. Is AI-generated content bad for SEO?
Not inherently. But generic AI content that lacks originality, trust signals, and real insights is unlikely to perform well.
2. What are trust signals in AI-driven search?
Consistent business information, credible sources, clear authorship, and accurate data across platforms that both humans and AI can verify.
3. What kind of content works best today?
Content that answers real questions, shares unique perspectives, and is available in multiple formats (video, text, audio).
4. How can businesses stand out in AI search results?
By publishing original insights, maintaining consistency across platforms, and building strong trust signals.
5. Is traditional SEO still relevant?
Yes, but it has evolved. Rankings now depend heavily on trust, authority, and real expertise, not just keywords.
About the Conversation
This article is based on a conversation with Stephanie Baiocchi, Senior Director of Membership at IMPACT, where she shared insights on AI, community, and the future of content strategy.
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