Content writing in the age of generative AI

Image by Faisal Mehmood from Pixabay

With so many generative AI tools available now to help with written content generation, you may be confused about how much human input is still required. Here’s my perspective.

If your business is like most, creating and delivering original written content is an essential function.

The right content can help you build brand identity and establish authority and credibility within your industry. It can also help your business gain and maintain your customers’ trust, especially when your content educates and informs.

Importantly, well-written content is vital for search engine optimization (SEO) and visibility. Content that answers the questions your customers are asking will improve your search engine rankings.

With the advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI), you may be tempted to rely solely on tools such as ChatGPT, Jasper, Scribe, GrammarlyGO or Wordtune to create the written content your business requires.

I suggest this would be a mistake. While generative AI may be a useful aid, the writing it generates is unlikely to have the same impact as inventive, persuasive content developed by a talented, professional human.

Here are my suggestions for writing content that’s better than anything an AI tool can produce.

1. Know your audience

Within your business, you have first-hand knowledge and experience that enables you to understand your customers’ needs, wants, preferences and pain points. This understanding can help you customize your written content to ensure it resonates with your target readership every time.

You can also tailor your content to learn more about your audience. Add questions, calls to action and perhaps even polls to interact with readers and elicit their feedback. Such interactive content can also help you build a sense of community with your readers.

2. Demonstrate your unique perspective

As an expert in your industry and location – and within your business – you have fresh, personal insights, perspectives and solutions that no generative AI tool can imitate.

By drawing on your individual experiences, you can infuse your content with viewpoints and angles that are uniquely yours – enabling you to connect with your readers on a more human level.

The most effective content reflects an individual human personality and voice. Think of your favourite authors, from Jane Austen to Malcolm Gladwell. Their writing could not have been created by anyone else.

3. Craft imaginative, persuasive narratives

Generative AI is not yet able to compete with creative humans in its ability tell an engaging story.

A tale, well-told, can help you demonstrate a complex idea in a way that readers can relate to and remember. Stories are also superior to a list of facts in terms of stimulating human emotions.

Your narratives can be told in captivating, creative ways. Experiment with innovative writing techniques and unexpected angles to add an extra element of surprise and appeal.

For even more power, imbue your stories with the principles of persuasion, as articulated by Robert Cialdini – reciprocity, scarcity, authority, consistency, liking, social proof and unity.

4. Include accurate, up-to-date research

The information that generative AI provides is not always accurate. Nor is it always up to date.

By taking the time to research the latest statistics, examples and case studies from reputable resources, you can ensure your content will be comprehensive and persuasive. Authoritative, acknowledged research gives you the confidence to advance stronger arguments, knowing you have the evidence to back them up.

The inclusion of recent examples also adds interest, specificity and relevance to your content.

5. Optimise your content

Generative AI tools can provide a useful starting point when it comes to optimising content for SEO. However, you need to give it detailed instructions, which can be time consuming and is not always effective.

Perhaps, in the near future, AI will be more intuitive in its ability to respond to your SEO requirements. In the meantime, you still need to know how to incorporate relevant keywords and write targeted meta descriptions to ensure your content is discoverable.

AI as a useful accessory

Writing original, persuasive content in the age of generative AI requires a more creative and strategic approach than you may have taken in the past.

This is not a bad thing.

AI can assist your writing and enhance your content development by helping you to develop ideas and structure your arguments. It helps you to elevate the quality of your content writing to a much higher level.

However, you also need to ensure your content reflects your individual voice and perspective. That’s why AI should be seen as an aid, not a replacement.

Want to find out more about improving your written content? Contact me to see how I can help.