Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a hot topic for a while now and raised plenty of intrigue and concerns. When it comes to creating digital content, the relationship between AI and copywriters is definitely interesting. Initially, copywriters and other creatives experienced widespread fear that AI would make some skills obsolete. However, recent trends paint a different picture.
Human creativity and expertise offer unique value, and copywriters aren’t just enduring but thriving alongside AI advances. This not only highlights the irreplaceability of human copywriters but also the fact that they can actually use AI to improve the creative process. The notion that human writers are being helped (not replaced) by AI is a fresh perspective. Let’s explore!
The State of Play with AI & Human-Made Content
ChatGPT hasn’t been around for long, but it swiftly impressed the masses and concerned those fearing obsoletion. However, the current best practice for AI and human content creation is more of a cohesive, supportive relationship. AI tools complement and, in many ways, enhance human creativity.
Semrush’s “Think Big with AI” 2024 report shows that AI is widely used for a vast range of tasks by small and large businesses. Check out these stats from the report:
- 67% of small businesses already use AI for content and SEO
- 65% of companies achieve better SEO results thanks to AI
- 99% use other tools for content and SEO in addition to AI
While AI can efficiently create content, it lacks the in-depth insight, cultural awareness, and emotion that people possess. These key traits stem from unique experiences, backgrounds, interests, and more—you know, all the things that make an individual an individual—whereas AI’s blueprint for content is information and inputs. Granted, you can achieve authenticity with AI to a certain extent, but it requires a collaborative relationship with humans.
A New Google Algorithm is Set to Shake Things Up
Many quickly assumed that AI content would take over, leaving us humans in the dust. Not in a Terminator way, don’t worry. However, a recent Google algorithm update penalises subpar AI-generated content. Based on Google’s evaluations, the combination of this update and their previous efforts will reduce low-quality, unoriginal content in search results by 45%.
This shift in Google’s algorithm is a big moment, as it signals a preference for copywriters’ nuanced, quality-driven work. Not only validating the value that human creativity brings to the table but also giving copywriters more confidence about their professional future.
The introduction of AI may have shaken things up, but it doesn’t mean businesses no longer need copywriters. On average, there are 18,100 searches per month for the term “copywriter” over the last 12 months, which is higher than the average seen for comparable AI content-focused keywords.
The Value of Long-Form Content
AI is great at quickly creating short-form content, providing enough detail and natural language to suit various needs—such as blogs for SEO. However, attempting to create long-form content, rich in detail, with purpose and clarity, while maintaining a brand’s tone of voice and style… good luck with that. Taking into account the Google algorithm update, using AI for long-form content could be problematic for how well it is received by an audience and from an SEO perspective.
Did you know articles between 900 and 1200 words attract 21% more traffic and 75% more backlinks than those with 300 to 900 words? Put simply, Long-form content performs better.
With this in mind, producing high-quality, long-form content is hugely important for online visibility. If you currently use AI tools to produce content and hope to do the same for long-form blogs, expect to be penalised for it.
Using AI to Create High-Quality Content in 2024
Ultimately, the best approach for using AI to create content is a collaborative effort. By leveraging AI’s automation and data processing combined with human creativity, you ensure that content is high-quality and resonates with its intended audience.
At Peaky Digital, we always look for new tools and ideas to increase quality and efficiency. So naturally, we’ve dived down the AI rabbit hole to see what the fuss is all about. Our specialists discovered that while it is indeed a great tool for creating content, it’s absolutely not a replacement for copywriters.
AI is awesome for topic ideation, first drafts, blog structures, and more. It provides copywriters with a springboard to introduce their own expertise and crucial elements such as brand tone of voice. Many brands use casual, conversational tones and sometimes the occasional swear word—that’s just not AI’s cup of tea.
Instead, use AI to get your structure and ideas for content, such as headings or topics, and then let your copywriter do what they do best. This combination of human creativity and AI efficiency is fantastic for saving time and increasing productivity. The time saved can then be spent perfecting articles, ensuring they’ll engage the intended audience and satisfy SEO requirements.
Best Practices for AI-Augmented Content
Fine-tuning
While AI generates the content automatically, it’s a good idea to review, refine, and rewrite your content. AI often feels robotic and cold, with minimal awareness of how you communicate with your audience. Don’t get us wrong; the content can be good, but it’s just important to make critical changes to ensure readability, clarity, and quality.
Experiment with prompts
Generally, AI tools use input prompts or keywords to help guide the “writing” process. Much like any tool, it’ll take some getting used to, and that’s okay. It’s an ideal opportunity to experiment with inputs and learn how to get the most out of AI. From our experience, it’s the experimental stage that teaches the best practices and types of inputs that work best.
So take your time, have a chat with your new AI friend and see what content you can produce.
Incorporate a personal touch
Every writer has subtleties and nuances to their writing, which AI tools simply can’t recreate. Well, maybe something similar, but not authentically human. It’s important to remember that your copywriters have unique insights, personalities, and humor that can breathe life into all types of content.
These tiny details make writers and their work incredibly valuable. AI helps you create the basic structure, but human creativity, intuition, and personality make it stand out and resonate with your audience.
Stay updated with AI-related SEO
A recent Google algorithm has shifted the sands of AI content creation. And this by no means is the end of that tale. Algorithm updates are unpredictable and can be a headache; ask any SEO specialist. This is unlikely the last AI-related update we’ll see, so it’ll pay to stay up to date to ensure you continue to create content that delivers results.
Pitfalls of 100% AI-Generated Content
“ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.” This delightful, welcoming message is right underneath the input box on ChatGPT’s dashboard, showing that AI can indeed make mistakes. If you’re relying on 100% AI-generated content and fail to perform any of the best practices mentioned above, your content may be riddled with mistakes. And that’s just one of the potential pitfalls.
Quality and potential plagiarism
AI tools rely on data and algorithms for content, and while this proves super beneficial for covering the black-and-white aspects of topics, those subjective grey areas lack the depth of human imagination. Additionally, AI content draws information from similar sources and often re-words it. While this may not necessarily harm your SEO efforts, it does impact the value content offers your audience.
Algorithms against artificial intelligence
As we mentioned, a recent algorithm has thrown a spanner in the works for 100% AI-generated content, and it likely won’t be the last. Previous updates have penalised content created purely for SEO ranking, which is the purpose of a lot of short-form AI content. This stricter analysis of SEO content, combined with Google’s efforts to penalise sub-par AI content, means it’ll be an uphill battle to increase your online visibility with 100% AI-generated content.
This is where AI-enhanced content provides an efficient yet ethical solution. AI tools create base content using information such as an initial input to tell the tool what you need, a title, a content description, a call to action, and target keywords. From here, you should enhance the content with your brand’s tone of voice while tailoring the style and structure to suit your audience.
Sorry, but inputs can’t replicate human creativity
Genuine creativity enhances the appeal of all content, making it more engaging and shareable. When readers feel a connection to an article or blog, they’re more likely to engage with it, whether it’s sharing it or following a call to action. However, AI currently lacks the emotional intelligence necessary to generate content that resonates with varying audiences. Its primary function is integrating facts into a structured outline.
AI doesn’t grasp the nuances of user search intent or common yet important aspects of the human condition, such as opinions, morals, aspirations, and more. You know, all the fun stuff! These play a vital role in shaping narratives and crafting content that can inform and offer value for readers and, of course, your business.
