Content Intent & Value: What AI Evaluates Beyond Keywords

Information gain measures how much unique, new value your page adds relative to existing pages on the same topic. Content length measures total word count. A 600-word page with original research, first-hand examples, and data points not found in other results has high information gain. A 3,000-word page that restates what other pages already cover has low information gain. AI rewards information gain, not word count.

Yes, if it precisely matches the intent of the target query and delivers a complete, specific answer. A query with a narrow, well-defined answer does not need 2,000 words. A glossary definition, a direct answer to a specific question, or a focused comparison of two options can score well at 300–500 words if every sentence adds value and the answer is complete. The failure mode is a 300-word page that leaves the user’s question partially answered.

Search your target query and study the format of the top 5 results. If most results are long-form guides, your content should be a long-form guide. If most results are comparison tables, your content needs a comparison table. If most results are listicles, structure as a list. The SERP format reflects what format satisfies that query’s intent. Deviating from that format requires strong justification.

AI authorship is not directly penalized. The penalty applies to lowest-quality AI-generated content — output that is unreviewed, factually unreliable, lacks original perspective, and mirrors existing content without adding value. AI-assisted content that is reviewed for accuracy, enriched with original data and first-hand experience, and clearly better than existing results is not penalized. The question is not who wrote it but whether it provides genuine value.

Google’s Helpful Content system applies a site-wide signal when a significant portion of a site’s content is deemed unhelpful — written primarily for search engines rather than users. This site-wide signal depresses all pages on the domain. A site with a Helpful Content penalty will see reduced AI citations across all pages until the underlying low-quality content is removed or substantially improved.

Data point density is the ratio of specific, citable facts (numbers, dates, named sources, specific product details, study results) to total paragraph count. A page with high data point density has at least one specific fact per paragraph. To improve it: replace vague claims with quantified statements, cite the source of every statistic, add named examples rather than generic examples, and include comparison data such as X is 2.4x more likely than Y.

Update frequency depends on content type. Evergreen definitional content: review annually, update dateModified any time a factual detail changes. Trending or platform-specific content: review every 90 days. Pricing and commercial content: update whenever prices or features change. Always update dateModified in Article schema when you make substantive changes. Never update dateModified without making actual content changes.

For AI comparison queries, yes. AI cannot include your product in a pricing comparison if it cannot read the price from your HTML. Pages with visible pricing are selected for commercial comparison queries at a much higher rate than pages with gated pricing. If your pricing is intentionally hidden, accept that those pages will not appear in AI-generated comparisons and focus on other query types where your content can compete.