Non-Commodity Content: What It Is and Why Your Business Needs It

Helpful content remains important for SEO, but as more of it is created at scale, attention is shifting towards content that is not only helpful but also original. You may have come across the term ‘non-commodity content’ lately. If you’re wondering what it is and what it means for your business, read on.

This blog will cover:

• What is non commodity content?
• Commodity vs non commodity content: what’s the difference?
• Why non commodity content matters for SEO and AI search
• Examples of non commodity content
• How to create non commodity content step by step
• Optimising non commodity content for AI search and AEO
• Common mistakes that keep content “commodity”
• Non commodity content: FAQs

What is non-commodity content?

In simple terms, non commodity content is content that is unique to your business because it is produced using your own data and experience. It goes beyond surface level “10 tips” posts and AI generated content, and focuses on real situations, decisions and questions your audience actually faces.

By contrast, commodity content is generic and interchangeable. It tends to summarise information that is already available, so a competitor (or an AI system) could publish something very similar with minimal effort. If your article disappeared tomorrow and could be rebuilt just by skimming the current SERP, it is probably commodity content.

As AI Overviews and other answer engines get better at summarising basic information, non-commodity content is becoming more important. Generic answers are increasingly handled directly in search results, while distinctive, experience led content is what still earns clicks, citations and leads for UK businesses.

You can think of non commodity content as content that is:

• Built on your own data, customers and experience
• Specific to your niche, location or way of working
• Backed up with evidence such as stories, numbers or screenshots
• Written for people first, but structured so search and AI can understand it (clear headings, direct answers, internal links)

Commodity vs non-commodity content: the key differences

Before you can improve your content, it helps to understand the difference between commodity content and non commodity content. Use the table below as a simple framework to review your own pages and spot where you could add more of your own insight.

Commodity content is not automatically “bad”. Most sites need straightforward pages that cover the basics and explain key terms.

The key is not to stop there: for your most important topics, landing pages and lead generating articles, you want to move closer to the non-commodity column so they stand out for people and in AI powered search.

Why non-commodity content matters for SEO and AI search

Digital content output is at an all-time high, largely due to the rise of AI. A lot of websites are producing large amounts of content without any structure or strategy.

When AI is used to create content, it often uses existing content to learn about the topic and write the article, meaning that it’s essentially creating an echo chamber of what already exists.

This is why human input is necessary when using AI for content creation. Humans bring the “experience”, the earned knowledge from being experts in their field. This input can take an okay piece of content from okay to great.

When you inject that experience into a content piece, it provides something new: real, genuine insight that only somebody who truly understands the topic could provide. This is the content that will cut through the rest, and will most likely earn mentions across AI-powered search.

Google and AI search

Google recently published its AI Optimisation Guide, where it doubled down on its preference for original, human-first, helpful content. It also advises against using any fad techniques to appear in AI Overviews/AI Mode (such as creating separate content pieces to address every possible way a user might conduct their search), stating that this could end up violating their scaled content abuse spam policy.

Basically, it confirmed that good, core SEO principles, coupled with genuinely helpful content, are the way to go. This is something that we’ve been saying at LOCALiQ UK since the launch of AI Overviews.
The goal of having this type of content is to ensure that your website actually earns a click. More top-level, generic queries will likely be summarised in the AI overview and, most likely, result in a zero-click search.

Answer engines and E E A T

Another reason non-commodity content is especially important is that answer engines and AI assistants will often look for clear and reliable sources that demonstrate the core principles of E E A T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness).

Non-commodity content naturally showcases all of these qualities, particularly experience and trust signals.

Examples of non-commodity content for UK businesses

In this section we’ll provide some examples of what non-commodity content might look like, including some of our own content.

Example 1: LOCALiQ’s UK Digital Marketing Statistics and State of Digital Marketing Report

Each year we publish our UK State of Digital Marketing Report. This is a report built on our own independent research, with input from hundreds of local UK businesses.

Alongside this, we publish a UK Digital Marketing Statistics blog that also utilises our own research to provide at a glance marketing stats.

What makes this non-commodity? As we carried out the initial research, the data is unique to us. AI wouldn’t be able to create this data from scratch, and whilst other websites might attempt to do their own version, it would end up being different to ours because the data sets and businesses surveyed would likely be different.

It’s also unique in the fact that it’s entirely created with data from UK businesses and is published with a UK based audience in mind.

These two pieces continue to generate traffic, backlinks and downloads throughout the year. So, whilst they’re hard work to produce, they’re a good example of how well non commodity content can continue to pay off over time.

Example 2: A behind-the-scenes project story for a local business

Imagine a local trades business whose blog is full of “5 reasons to service your boiler” type posts that could appear on almost any competitor’s site. The topic is relevant, but nothing in those articles reflects how they actually work with customers in their area.

A non-commodity alternative would be a page like “What actually happens when you book a boiler service with us”. It walks through a real job from start to finish: how the booking came in, what the engineer checked first, a couple of genuine issues they found, how long it took, what it cost, and what the homeowner wished they had known earlier. It might include photos from the visit (with permission), common pitfalls they see in local properties, and a simple checklist customers can use next time.

The subject (boiler servicing) is common, but the detail is unique to that business: their process, their customers’ questions, the types of properties they see. That is the kind of specificity and lived experience that turns a commodity topic into non-commodity content.

Example 3: A “we’ve crunched the numbers for you” explainer

Another strong format for SMEs is a simple, numbers‑based explainer built from your own client data. For example: “Is it cheaper to repair or replace your [product]? We’ve crunched the numbers.”

In this type of piece, the business sets out a few realistic scenarios they see all the time, such as repairing older equipment versus installing a new model. They use typical costs, timeframes and common issues from their own jobs to show when repair makes sense, when replacement is better value in the long run, and what hidden costs customers often overlook. They can then round this off with a short checklist to help people decide which route is likely to be right for them.

Plenty of generic blogs compare options in theory. What makes this non‑commodity is the way it uses real‑world assumptions and patterns from that business’s own work, plus clear guidance based on what they see day in, day out. An AI tool can write general pros and cons; it cannot easily replicate those specific examples, numbers and recommendations without having access to the same experience.

How to create non-commodity content step by step

You do not need a huge content team to create non commodity content. The key is to start with what you already know from your customers and campaigns, then build that into a focused, well structured piece.

1. Mine your own sources first

Before you open Google, look at what is already in your business. Collect FAQs from emails, call logs, sales conversations, reviews and existing reports. These questions and comments are your best clues about what people actually want to know, and they give you a head start on creating content that reflects real experience rather than generic search results.

2. Choose one narrow scenario

Next, decide exactly who the piece is for and what decision it should help them make. For example, “a café owner choosing between upgrading their website or investing in local ads” is much more actionable than “how to market a business”. A narrower scenario makes it easier to add specific advice, examples and caveats that feel genuinely helpful.

3. Decide on your unique angle

Based on what you’ve gathered, choose the thing only you can add. That might be a pattern you see in your data, a step by step workflow you use internally, a “we tried this so you don’t have to” example, or a view that goes against the usual advice. This becomes the thread that holds the piece together and stops it becoming another generic guide.

4. Draft with evidence and detail

When you write, build the article around specific examples, numbers, quotes and screenshots instead of abstract tips. Show how something works, what it looks like, and what happened before and after. The more concrete you can be, the harder it is for an AI tool or competitor to replicate your content without having done the same work.

5. Structure for humans (and AI)

Use clear, descriptive headings and subheadings so readers can skim and so search engines can understand your page. Answer key questions directly in the first sentence of each section and add internal links to related resources so people (and AI systems) can explore the topic in more depth if they need to.

6. Final checks for clarity and trust

Finally, check that your claims are supported and the tone is easy to follow. Make sure key expertise signals are visible, such as an author bio, a short note on why your business is qualified to talk about this topic, and links to any data sources you’ve used. Small touches like this help both users and AI tools see your content as credible.

Optimising non-commodity content for AI search and AEO

Google’s AI Optimisation Guide makes it clear that AI search is still search. If your site already follows core SEO best practice (crawlable pages, sensible internal linking, descriptive titles and meta descriptions), you’re already in a good place for AI Overviews and other answer experiences.

Once you have non commodity content in place, a few extra touches can make it easier for AI powered features and traditional search to understand and surface your pages:

• Answer the core question early: Give a clear definition or answer in the opening paragraph so AI systems and users can quickly see what the page is about.
• Use natural, question led headings: Mirror how people actually search, for example “What is non commodity content?” or “How can small UK businesses create non commodity content?”.
• Make sections self contained: Aim for each H2 or H3 to read like a complete answer to a sub question, so AI features can confidently pull out just the relevant part of your page.

Finally, your strongest non commodity pieces can be repurposed into LinkedIn posts, email content, webinars or guides, giving your expertise more chances to be seen and referenced.

Common mistakes that keep content “commodity”

Most commodity content falls into a few predictable traps. Once you know what they are, they’re much easier to avoid.

• Starting with “what ranks” instead of “what we know”: Relying too heavily on SERP research and AI tools often leads to safe but samey content that simply rearranges what is already out there. Use search as a sense check, not the main source of ideas.
• Trying to write for everyone: Topics are framed so broadly (“how to market your business”, “how to get more leads”) that you can’t offer anything specific or practical. Narrowing the audience and scenario almost always improves the usefulness and uniqueness of the piece.
• Avoiding commitment: Many blogs list options without taking a clear stance, recommendation or “this is what we would do in your shoes”. Non commodity content usually includes some opinion or judgement based on real experience.
• Thin use of experience: Saying “in our experience” without adding stories, numbers or examples doesn’t actually prove anything. You need to show that experience on the page for it to count.
• Only making light updates: Only tweaking headlines or intros on old posts, without adding new insight, data or examples, leaves them firmly in commodity territory. When you refresh content, look for ways to bring in fresh experience, new stats or clearer recommendations.

How LOCALiQ can support your content and SEO

As a multi award winning digital marketing agency with UK wide reach and local offices, our team brings together SEO, content marketing and digital PR to help businesses get found, trusted and chosen.
If you would like to explore how your content and SEO could be improved, you can request a free SEO audit or contact us to discuss content, SEO and digital PR support tailored to your market.

Non-commodity content: FAQs

What does “non commodity content” mean in SEO?

Non commodity content is material only your business could realistically produce, because it’s built on your own data, experience and opinions rather than just rephrasing what’s already ranking. It’s specific, evidence based and harder for competitors or AI tools to copy.

How do I know if my existing blog posts are commodity content?

Ask yourself: if this post disappeared tomorrow, could a competitor or AI tool recreate something very similar just by reading today’s search results? If the answer is yes, it’s probably behaving as commodity content.

Should I delete all my commodity content?

Not necessarily. Some commodity content can still attract useful traffic, but your time is usually better spent improving important pages with more specific examples, data and recommendations than deleting everything and starting again.

Meet the Author

Leah Davies

Leah is a marketing manager with over 10 years of experience in advertising and marketing. She holds a Diploma in Digital Marketing and a specialist certification in Social Media, both awarded by the DMI. Leah helps businesses build stronger connections with their audiences through smart and effective digital strategies.

Other posts by Leah Davies