The Trap of the "Magic Button"
I was talking to a landscaper in Chermside last week who was frustrated. He’d spent his weekend using ChatGPT to write twenty different pages for his website—one for every suburb he services. He thought he’d cracked the code. He figured by Monday, his phone would be ringing off the hook with new enquiries.
Two months later? Nothing. Crickets.
He asked me, "Why is Google ignoring me? I put the content up there just like the experts said."
The truth is, most of what you hear about using AI for your business is rubbish. People think it’s a 'magic button' for free marketing. They think they can churn out thousands of words, flood the internet, and wait for the cash to roll in.
But here is the reality: Google isn't stupid. And more importantly, your customers aren't stupid either. If your website sounds like a robot wrote it, people won't call you. They’ll click the 'back' button and call the bloke down the road who sounds like a real person.
Why "Robot Content" is Bad for Business
When we talk about AI content detection, small business owners often get bogged down in the technical side. They worry about "AI detectors" or "algorithms."
Forget all that. Here is what actually matters to your bank account:
1. Google wants to show helpful results: Google’s entire business depends on giving people good answers. If they start showing generic, robotic fluff, people will stop using Google. So, they have built very smart systems to identify content that has zero "human" value. If your site is just a copy-paste job from an AI, Google will simply stop showing it to people. 2. Trust sells, generic talk doesn't: Imagine you need a plumber because your hot water system just burst. You find a website that says, "We provide comprehensive plumbing solutions for residential dwellings in the Brisbane metropolitan area using industry-standard protocols." Then you find another one that says, "Burst pipe in Coorparoo? We’ll be there in an hour to get your hot water back on so you can get the kids to school." Which one are you calling? AI tends to write like the first example—boring, stiff, and completely forgettable. 3. The "Originality" Factor: AI is essentially a high-tech parrot. It looks at what is already on the internet and remixes it. If you use it without any tweaks, you are putting out the exact same message as your competitors. You aren't giving anyone a reason to choose you.
How to Use AI Without Getting Penalised
I’m not saying you shouldn't use AI. At Local Marketing Group, we use it every day. But we use it as a power tool, not the carpenter.
If you want to grow your business, you need to understand the basics of marketing automation so you don't waste time on things that don't work. The goal isn't to replace your brain; it's to speed up the boring stuff so you can focus on winning more jobs.
1. Use it for the "First Draft," Not the Final Word
If you’re struggling to stare at a blank screen, ask the AI to give you an outline. Ask it for five common questions people ask about roof restoration in Brisbane. Then, take those questions and answer them yourself in your own voice.Talk like you’re explaining it to a mate at the pub. Use local landmarks. Mention the humidity in Queensland. That "human" touch is what keeps people on your page and gets them to pick up the phone.
2. Focus on "Real World" Proof
AI can’t go to a job site in Indooroopilly. It hasn't seen the specific termite damage common in old Queenslanders. It doesn't know how hard it is to park a truck in the CBD.When you add these real-world details to your website, you prove to Google (and your customers) that you are a real local business. This is the best way to ensure your content is seen as "original." You can even use AI tools for ads to help target the right people once you have that solid, human-written foundation.
3. Stop Worrying About "Detection" and Start Worrying About "Value"
I see business owners buying expensive software to see if their text "passes" as human. It’s a waste of money. Instead, ask yourself: "If I were a customer, would I find this helpful?"If the answer is no, delete it. If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track. Google rewards "Helpful Content." That’s the only metric that matters for your long-term growth.
The Cost of Getting it Wrong
I’ve seen Brisbane businesses lose 50% of their website traffic overnight because they tried to cheat the system with low-quality AI content.
When your traffic drops, your phone stops ringing. When your phone stops ringing, you start stressing about payroll. It can take six months or more to recover from a Google penalty. Is saving a few hours of writing really worth losing six months of leads?
Compare that to the cost of doing it right. Hiring a professional or taking the time to edit your own content properly might take more effort upfront, but it builds an asset that makes you money for years.
Where AI Actually Wins for Small Business
If you want to use AI to actually make money, don't use it to write fake blog posts. Use it to improve your customer service and sales process.
For example, we've seen massive success for local tradies using AI sales assistants to answer enquiries when they are on a job. That is a practical use of technology that leads directly to more bookings. It doesn't risk your Google ranking, and it actually solves a problem for your customers.
What You Should Do First
If you’ve already put a bunch of AI content on your site, don't panic. But don't leave it as is.
1. Audit your main pages: Look at your Home page and your Service pages. Do they sound like you? Or do they sound like a textbook? If it’s the latter, spend 20 minutes rewriting the first few paragraphs of each. 2. Add local context: Mention your service area, local weather conditions, or specific Brisbane suburbs. This is the "secret sauce" for local SEO. 3. Add photos of your work: AI can't fake a photo of your team standing in front of your van in a Brisbane street. These images tell Google you are a legitimate local operation. 4. Stop the "Volume" game: One great page that actually helps a customer is worth more than fifty AI-generated pages that nobody reads.
The Bottom Line
Marketing your business in Brisbane is getting more competitive. Everyone has access to the same AI tools. If you do what everyone else is doing, you’ll get the same mediocre results.
At Local Marketing Group, we believe in using technology to give you an unfair advantage—not to cut corners that eventually lead to a dead end. Use AI to brainstorm, use it to organise your thoughts, and use it to handle your admin. But when it comes to the words that represent your brand to your customers, keep it human.
It’s the difference between a website that just sits there and a website that actually grows your business.
Want to know if your website is actually working for you or just taking up space?
We help Brisbane businesses cut through the noise and get real results. Let’s have a chat about how to grow your sales without the gimmicks.