For as long as digital marketers have chased search engine rankings, content optimization has been their guiding star. In its earliest forms, it was straightforward—add keywords, tweak meta descriptions, and cross your fingers. But the SEO landscape is evolving fast. Generative AI is reshaping content creation, and Google’s algorithm is becoming increasingly sophisticated, prioritizing quality over quantity. At the forefront of this transformation is Jon Gillham, founder of Originality.ai, a platform redefining how we evaluate and create online content.
Gillham’s journey through the content trenches—building and selling content-driven businesses—gives him a pragmatic lens. His take? Traditional optimization strategies are outdated. The days of relying solely on keyword density and optimization scores are numbered. If content creators want to thrive in today’s digital ecosystem, they must embrace a new mindset: one rooted in originality, information gain, and human value.
From Checklists to Clone Wars: The Evolution of Optimization
Once upon a time, tools like Yoast were game-changers. They taught us to include the focus keyword in the title, slug, and intro paragraph. As competition stiffened, more advanced tools emerged—Surfer SEO, MarketMuse, Clearscope—all of which promised to reverse-engineer what ranked and hand you the formula. These platforms gamified content creation, encouraging writers to chase the perfect score rather than provide value.
The result? A tidal wave of sameness. Article after article rephrasing the same top-10 results, offering nothing new to the reader—or to Google. As Jon Gillham puts it, these systems were “rewarding sameness” while Google was increasingly rewarding uniqueness.
The Pitfall of Optimization Scores
While scoring tools have their merits—they provide structure, consistency, and a sense of direction—they also come with serious drawbacks:
- Writers begin optimizing for tools, not people.
- Content becomes templated and robotic.
- Nuance, originality, and real insight take a back seat.
- Over-optimized content can now actually hurt your rankings, not help them.
Google’s Helpful Content Update made one thing clear: content that merely summarizes or imitates what’s already out there is no longer enough. To stand out, your content must add something.
Information Gain: The New Gold Standard
Gillham emphasizes a concept that should be central to every content creator’s approach: information gain. This isn’t about regurgitating facts—it’s about enriching the web with new, useful, and unique contributions.
That might look like:
- Original data: A small test, user survey, or personal case study.
- Free tools: Spreadsheets, checklists, or calculators that solve real problems.
- Visual aids: Infographics, side-by-side comparisons, and screenshots that clarify complex ideas.
- Firsthand experience: Honest reviews and insights that can’t be Googled elsewhere.
This kind of content has staying power. It engages readers and aligns with what Google wants to serve its users.
A Radical Shift: Moving Beyond Keywords
Gillham’s team at Originality.ai has taken a different approach entirely. Rather than advising writers which keywords to use, their AI evaluates how likely a piece of content is to rank based on deep analysis of successful patterns—not surface-level tricks.
Think of it like SEO’s version of a black box: the system can’t tell you exactly what to write, but it can tell you whether your content is likely to meet the quality bar. This reflects Google’s current methodology: a holistic, contextual evaluation rather than a mechanical checklist.
It’s a harder model to game—but a more accurate one.
Adding Value Without a Big Budget
You don’t need a Fortune 500 content budget to implement this. In fact, small-scale content creators have more agility—and often more authenticity. Here are a few low-lift ways to add real value:
- Test a product or tool and share your honest results.
- Create a free resource that complements your article.
- Interview an expert or share a unique point of view.
- Use screenshots or visuals to walk readers through a process.
Even modest insights can create major differentiation—especially in an ocean of AI-written fluff.
What Sets Great Content Creators Apart
It’s not perfect grammar or elegant prose that separates top performers. It’s expertise and passion.
Writers who truly understand their subject avoid generic fluff and dig into what really matters. And when they care—when they’ve lived the experience—they create content that resonates. As Gillham notes, it’s better to edit a knowledgeable expert than to rely on a skilled writer with nothing to say.
Final Thoughts: The Future Belongs to the Bold
Content optimization isn’t dying—it’s evolving. We no longer need more of the same. We need better. We need content that surprises, delights, and informs. The kind that only real people with real experience can create.
As AI continues to flood the web with derivative content, Google is turning its gaze to what’s real and remarkable. That’s your opportunity. Don’t just optimize—contribute.
So, skip the race to 10 mediocre posts. Focus on creating one unforgettable one. That’s how you win the future of SEO.
