6 Checkpoints to Outrank AI Slop on Google
Beat commodity content flooding search with Danny Sullivan's 6 checkpoints: proprietary evidence, firsthand experience, specificity (replace adjectives with numbers/names/dates), point of view, LLM test, and information gain. Top Google result for 'compare countertops' scores just 9/100.
Differentiate Commodity from Non-Commodity Content
Commodity content—factual, widely available info requiring no expertise—dies in AI search because LLMs generate it effortlessly, flooding Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Non-commodity content wins by being unique: only you could write it, grounded in original voice, expert takes, proprietary data, and firsthand experience. Test like HubSpot founders Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan: if a yoga studio could claim it, it's generic. This framework from Google’s Danny Sullivan (shared at a private SEO event) ensures your content ranks by providing value AI can't replicate.
Apply 6 Checkpoints to Build Ranking Content
Checkpoint 1: Proprietary Evidence. Use your unique data/photos. Commodity: 'Top 10 things to consider when buying running shoes.' Non-commodity: 'Why this customer's Brooks Ghost 15s collapsed after 402 miles: wear pattern analysis'—includes 4mm deeper compression on right heel, forefoot strike photos only your store has.
Checkpoint 2: Firsthand Experience. Share 'I did, I saw, I built' stories. Commodity: '7 tips for first-time home buyers.' Non-commodity: 'Why we waived the inspection and saved $15,000: a look inside the sewer line' with personal video.
Checkpoint 3: Specificity. Replace every adjective with a number, name, or date. Commodity: '2024 kitchen trends.' Non-commodity: 'Marble vs. grape juice: why I refused to install stone for a family of five'—dripped juice/turmeric on Calcutta, Viola, Taj Mahal quartzites March 14th, 24-hour stain photos for Hendrix family (3 kids under 7).
Checkpoint 4: Point of View. Take a stand to alienate some, attract others. End sections with 'I believe,' 'I won't,' or 'I disagree.' Commodity: 'Marble or quartzite—which is right for you?' Non-commodity: 'I won't install marble in a house with kids'—walks away from jobs with 3 kids under 10 after too many etched surfaces; quartzite or nothing.
Checkpoint 5: LLM Test. Ask if ChatGPT/Claude could write it from training data. Commodity: 'How to choose running shoes for foot type.' Non-commodity: 'We x-rayed 47 customers' feet—here's what the arch type shoes chart gets wrong' (proprietary x-rays challenge common advice).
Checkpoint 6: Information Gain. Deliver new insights not in Google's top 3 results—Google your headline pre-publish and circle 3 unique facts. Commodity: 'How to win a bidding war' (best offer, personal letter). Non-commodity: 'We ran 41 offers in 2025: personal letters lost more (31% acceptance with vs. 54% without), contradicting conventional wisdom.
Validate and Fix with Free Grader Tool
Demo on #1 Google result for 'compare countertops' (Great Lakes Granite): scored 9/100 for lacking proprietary data/experience/perspective. Fixes: Pull 2-3 customer projects (slab name, household, why steered differently); add 'what we see in our shop'; stance like 'For 80% of Detroit homeowners, we recommend quartz/quartzite'; replace Zillow citations with your data; document real Fantasy Brown install. Kill fluff like 'cascade of dream, decorative filler' or 'surface will bear witness to stories/memories.' Use the free 1-100 scorer for blogs/landings/newsletters—it flags issues and gives targeted recommendations to unseat AI-generated competitors.