“Siri, write this blog post for me…please?”
Don’t you wish it were that easy to create marketing copy? We get it. Writing, strategizing and designing takes some serious time. And it can also be frustrating (writer’s block has entered the chat).
As humans, we like to seek out the easy button. And thanks to some seriously smart people (like good ol’ artificial intelligence pioneer John McCarthy), we now have access to tech that can do everything from taking voice commands to helping you write your copy.
Yes, AI copywriting is a thing. There are AI copywriting tools for creating briefs, generating blog ideas and even writing content. But, before you go download a tool or five, you must know the truth:
AI copywriting tools should never replace your content creation efforts. They should support them.
Humanity Will Always Have a Place in Copywriting
“No complete blog post creation.”
Recently, we dove into a few published reviews about AI copywriting tools. And a common con tied to some of these tools was that they didn’t write full blog posts. What?!
We know that technology exists to make things more efficient, especially business things. We also know that content creation takes work. A single blog post can take a few hours to write and additional time to format and publish. But, guess what…
It’s worth it.
Even though AI copywriting tools are increasingly intelligent, they can’t write a complete, ready-to-publish blog post that reaches its full potential.
AI copywriting tools can’t create content that truly connects with your audience without your input.
HubSpot’s recent report, The State of Content Marketing 2021, states that content personalization and valuable content are critical components for content marketing.
Content should be personalized to your audience’s desires, needs and likes. It should calm their fears and deliver solutions that compel them to act. It should show empathy and tell the truth—things a machine just can’t do.
For these reasons and more, humanity will always have a place in copywriting.
4 AI Copywriting Tools to Boost Content Creation
Again, AI copywriting tools should support your content creation efforts, not replace them. They’re a great way to make certain processes more efficient, giving you more time to dedicate elsewhere.
Here is a selection of AI tools with features we think might be useful to help boost your content creation efforts:
1. Content Harmony
We’re sure you’re no stranger to the content brief. And although they’re priceless to a copywriter, they can feel like a frustrating step in the process. Content Harmony is a data-driven brief creation tool that helps you analyze keywords and search intent, create briefs based on that research and then share briefs seamlessly.
2. Google Docs
Yes, we said it: Google Docs. If you don’t use it for creating content, we encourage you to consider it for many reasons, from shareability to easy collaboration. One of our favorite features is Smart Compose. This tool uses machine learning (AI’s funky sibling) to predict what word you’re going to type next.
As you type inside a Google Doc, Google will suggest words to write next and all you have to do is hit Tab to accept the suggestion. While this may not save you hours of work on each project, the seconds will add up.
3. Text Optimizer
Wondering why a certain blog post from a competitor is ranking higher than your own on the same topic? Keywords may be a factor. Text Optimizer is a tool that uncovers keywords used on a web page and can also help you identify underutilized keywords in your copy.
4. Grammarly
We love Grammarly around here. Using advanced AI and natural language processing (NLP), Grammarly analyzes your copy to not only find spelling and grammatical errors but also help you check your content’s tone, quality and more. Simply paste your copy into Grammarly and the app will do the rest.
Notice we didn’t include any “article spinners” here. That’s because we believe high-quality content is unique and well planned. Trust us when we say that quality content is worth the human-driven effort.
Does Your Copy Still Connect With Human Life Forms?
No matter what AI tools you use to create your copy, you must ensure each piece still connects with who matters most: your human audience.
While you can use a machine, you shouldn’t sound like one.
Here are some tips:
- Know your audience: Dig deep into who your audience truly is. What kind of content do they read? What message resonates with their needs and desires? What pain points of theirs do you help alleviate? To make this even easier, create ideal customer avatars for each of your key audiences. Then, each piece of content you craft should be read through the lens of your ICA. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t get published.
- Tell don’t sell: This is far from a new concept, but it’s truer now than ever. Instead of trying to sell your services or product, simply tell your story. Tell your audience how your product or service will change their lives. Tell them why you do what you do. Doing so will help them build a connection with you and connection leads to conversion.
- Write like you’re speaking to a friend: Robotic copy isn’t compelling. And it definitely won’t convert. Instead, write your copy like you’re speaking to a friend over coffee. This helps to keep your content more conversational and less full of jargon.
Even the Future of Copywriting Requires a Clear Message
Will AI copywriting tools ever replace humans when it comes to content creation? We don’t believe so. You still need to define a clear message and understand your audience. If you’re struggling, we can help. Reach out to the Word Nerds today!
