AI content on your website: is it allowed by Google?

Can You Use AI Content on Your Website According to Google (2026)?

You want better website copy fast: your menu, set menus, about page, FAQs. But you keep hearing: "Google penalizes AI-written text."

That is usually not true. Google does not penalize AI in itself. The catch is: if you use it the wrong way (lots of thin pages that add little), you can become less visible.

Give me 5 minutes. Then you will know what is allowed, what is risky, and how to apply it safely on a hospitality website.

Short answer: yes, AI content is allowed (if it helps)

Using AI-generated text on your website is allowed in most cases. Google mainly looks at: does this page genuinely help the visitor? Not whether you wrote it with AI, a copywriter, or yourself.

What Google actually looks at: usefulness and quality (not the tool)

If someone searches for "tapas restaurant near me," "lunch in Haarlem," or "paella night Valencia," Google wants to show pages that:

• are clear (what you offer, where you are, when you are open)
• are accurate (prices, days, allergens, address)
• match the query (no vague story, but real information)
• build trust (who you are, what guests can expect)

If AI helps you write a solid first draft faster and you then turn it into a page that is truly accurate for your business, you are usually fine.

When AI content does become a problem

AI becomes risky mainly when you use it as a text factory to quickly produce lots of pages that do not really add anything. Think of:

• 60 almost identical pages for 60 towns ("restaurant in ...") while you only have 1 location
• blog posts that are just generic fluff ("Why dining out is fun") with nothing about your place, your approach, your tips
• copy with mistakes (opening hours, prices, allergens) that nobody checks

Then Google may interpret it as content created to rank, not to help guests. And that is exactly where you are more likely to run into issues in 2025-2026.

Google's rules in plain language (Search Essentials and spam)

Google says it roughly like this: AI is not the problem. Low-quality, misleading, or useless content is the problem. Especially now that AI is everywhere, Google is extra alert to pages made just to grab quick traffic.

"Scaled content abuse": creating lots of pages for rankings is risky

In plain English: if you produce pages at scale mainly to get found, it can backfire.

A hospitality example: you have AI generate a page for every city in the Netherlands titled "best tapas in [city]," while your restaurant is in Utrecht and all those pages reuse the same text. That feels fake to visitors, and Google is getting better at spotting it.

"Little value": text without your own value or experience is risky

A text can be grammatically fine and still be worthless.

Examples of low-value content on hospitality websites:

• "Welcome to our restaurant" without atmosphere, photos, a menu, or explanation
• "We use fresh ingredients" without examples (which dishes, which suppliers, what makes it different)
• "Perfect for groups" without group sizes, options, and how reservations work

If you use AI, you almost always need one extra step: add your own information. Otherwise it stays generic copy that could appear on 1,000 other websites.

Why "AI vs human" is not the point

Google wants a page to be reliable and helpful to the guest. A human can write nonsense too. And AI can also produce clear, useful explanations. It is about the end result.

Think of it like the kitchen: it does not matter whether you make a sauce with an immersion blender or a whisk. If it splits and tastes bland, nobody wants it. If it is good, it is good.

Practical checklist for hospitality: how to use AI safely

AI can genuinely save you time, for example for a first draft of pages or for writing FAQs clearly. But you are still responsible for what gets published.

Choose pages where AI works well (basic info, explanations, FAQ)

AI is useful for:

• explanation pages like reservations, private dining, groups
• frequently asked questions ("Can we bring our dog?", "Do you have high chairs?", "Is there a terrace?")
• the basic structure of a blog post ("5 tips for a business lunch at our place") and then you fill in the real details

Always add your own hospitality details (photos, prices, opening hours, how you work)

This is the most important step. Make the page yours with things nobody else can copy:

• real photos of your venue, terrace, and dishes (not just stock images)
• your current prices or clear starting-from prices
• accurate opening hours
• how reservations work (phone, form, deposit yes/no)
• how you handle groups (maximum size, menu agreements, timing)
• your story: why this concept, what your specialty is

Check facts (allergens, prices, days and times, location) before publishing

AI can sound convincing and still be wrong. In hospitality, that is especially sensitive.

Always double-check:

• allergen and cross-contamination wording (better too cautious than too absolute)
• prices (especially for menus and set packages)
• days and times (until what time is the kitchen open?)
• address, parking info, accessibility
• availability ("Valentine's menu only on February 14") and whether that is actually true

Make it a hard rule: do not publish without checking.

Keep it human: write the way you would explain it to a guest

The best hospitality copy sounds like you are explaining it to a guest.

Bad (too generic):
"We offer a culinary experience with high-quality ingredients."

Good (human and specific):
"Love Spanish tapas to share? Then you are in the right place: patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo, and our homemade albondigas. Prefer a quieter meal? Reserve a table inside and we will happily seat you in a calmer spot."

Use AI for the baseline if you like, but then add your voice and details.

Content that is extra sensitive in hospitality (do not use blind AI here)

Some pages are so important that you should never let AI run unsupervised.

Menus and allergens (mistakes cause real problems)

A mistake in a menu is not just annoying, it can go seriously wrong.

• Only publish allergen info if you are truly sure.
• Do not make hard promises your kitchen cannot guarantee.
• Do you work with changing daily specials? Say so.

Promotions and packages (seasonal info, availability, terms)

Packages are often the first thing people click: high wine, business dinner, paella night, Valentine's.

This is where AI copy often goes wrong, because:

• terms are missing (minimum 2 people, reservation required, deposit)
• dates and times are incorrect
• prices become outdated

A quick note on seasonal pages: a winter menu or Valentine's menu can work well for visibility, but only if you keep it current. Do not leave an old page live with outdated prices and times.

Opening hours, reservations, and parking (local trust signals)

This is trust information. If it is wrong, people bounce.

• opening hours, including holidays and adjusted hours
• how reservations work (online, phone, confirmation)
• parking and accessibility (paid or free, bikes)

Transparency and trust: do you need to say AI was used?

You do not have to put "this was written with AI" on every page. Most guests mainly want it to be accurate and easy to read.

When it is smart to add context (for example, "checked")

It can be smart to add something somewhere (for example at the bottom of a blog post) like:

• "This page was reviewed and updated in [month/year]."
• "Prices and opening hours are checked regularly."

Simple, but it builds trust.

What you should show instead: who you are and how you work

If you want to build trust, show this clearly:

• real photos, not just nice words
• your team, or at least a real story
• how it works at your place: reservations, groups, dietary requirements
• clear ways to contact you

And if you notice your site has become messy because of quickly pasted text, it is sometimes better to rebuild the foundation properly. If you want someone to take a look with you, you can always get in touch.

Frequently asked questions

"Will I be penalized if I use AI for blog posts or pages?"

Not automatically. You are not penalized just because you use AI. The risk is low-quality or misleading content: lots of repetition, little original value, or text with errors. Use AI as a starting point, not the final product.

"How much does it cost (time or money) to properly review AI text?"

Expect time more than money. For a standard page (for example reservations or groups), you are often looking at 20 to 45 minutes to:

• add your facts
• make the tone sound human
• proofread everything

Menus and packages take longer.

"Can I do this myself or should I outsource it?"

Many owners can do this themselves if you keep it small: one page at a time.

Outsourcing is smart if:

• you do not have time to review and verify
• your site is technically messy
• you want a clean, trustworthy baseline quickly

Not sure? A short review is often enough to decide what makes sense. You can always reach out via get in touch if you want someone to look with you.

"How do I know if my site has too much AI?"

It is not the number of AI-written texts that is the problem, but the number of pages that:

• look too similar
• say very little
• have not been updated
• have no unique details

If you click through your site and think, "This could literally be any business," that is a signal.

"What if AI gets something wrong (prices or allergens)?"

Then it is your responsibility toward the guest. So add a simple rule to your process: AI can suggest, you decide what goes online. With allergens: better short and correct than long and risky.

Quick self-test: is your AI content Google-proof?

7 yes/no questions

Pick one page on your site and answer these:

1. Does this page genuinely help a guest make a clear choice or take action?
2. Is there information that is specific to my business (not generic)?
3. Are opening hours, prices, address, and reservation info accurate?
4. Is there at least one concrete example (dish, approach, atmosphere, route, process)?
5. Does it read like we are telling it ourselves, in normal language?
6. Has the page been reviewed in the last 3 to 6 months (especially for promotions)?
7. Was the page made to help guests, not just to get found with filler text?

If you answered yes 6 or 7 times, you are usually safe.
If you answered no 4 times or more, this page should be improved.

What to do if you have already published lots of AI pages

If you have already put a whole series of AI pages live:

• Pick the 10 most important pages (menu, reservations, contact, groups, packages, opening hours).
• Improve those first with real info, photos, and clear terms.
• Pages that add nothing: merge or delete.
• Create seasonal pages (winter, Valentine's, summer) only if you will actually maintain them.

Better 15 strong pages than 150 vague ones.

Mini action plan (30 minutes) for your own website

Choose 1 page to improve

Pick something guests search for every day, for example:

• Reservations
• Menu
• Groups and private dining
• Parking and directions

AI as the first draft, you make it real

• Have AI produce a first draft of max 400 to 700 words.
• Then add your facts: prices, times, process, atmosphere, real details.
• Read it out loud. Does it sound like you? If not: simplify.

Publish and check again 1 month later

After one month:

• Are you getting more questions that are already answered on the page? Then the text is still not clear enough.
• Are you getting fewer basic questions? Then the page is doing its job.
• Any changes (prices, hours, promotions)? Update immediately.

Book a free advice call of up to 30 minutes: I will review 1 to 3 pages on your site and tell you honestly what is or is not smart with AI content according to Google, plus your next best step.