Tips on Using AI in Writing
As an experienced marketer and writer, I feel confident in my ability to craft compelling content. One of my goals as a business owner is to stay current in my knowledge of marketing trends, so I’m often listening to podcasts and articles that cover whatever has been going on in the marketing space.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (does anyone still use that expression?), you’ve heard the term “AI” (Artificial Intelligence) thrown about for a couple years at least. I’m not even close to an expert on AI, but I do have experience using a couple different AI content generators – think ChatGPT, Gemini, Pilot, or similar.
Regardless of the AI content generator you’re using, here are my tips on how to get the most value out of AI-generated content.
Start wide, then narrow
Especially if the topic I’m searching on is something I’m not familiar with, I’ll start with a very general command and then narrow it down. For example:
General: Write a few paragraphs on marketing trends in 2024.
Specific: Write a paragraph on affiliate marketing and its potential impact on revenue for a small business.
By starting with the broader request, I can get my bearings, learn a little, and search on my own if I see something that I want to confirm. Then, I can either use that general content as inspiration for something I write myself, or I can continue to narrow the focus of my AI commands into something more specific until I’m ready to take over.
Always fact check
AI content generators take their content from – you guessed it – the internet. And, spoiler alert, not everything on the internet is true. So, don’t be a part of the problem. Before you use any information that you get from AI, fact-check it. Use your search engine of choice to make sure the information you’re planning to share came from reputable sources.
Make it your own
When I first read through what an AI chatbot spits out, it’s pretty clear to me that a robot wrote it. Typically it’s missing a level of style or tone that a human touch would add. So, don’t be lazy and just copy + paste the content from AI. Use it as a jumping off point to write your own content in a way that sounds uniquely you.
TL;DR
AI is great for generating content quickly and easily. By starting out broad and gradually narrowing your prompts, fact-checking content before posting, and adding personalized touches to the content, AI can truly help you work smarter, not harder.
