For months there has been talk of AI writing tools, which are software based on artificial intelligence (AI stands in fact for Artificial Intelligence) that can write text with meaning in seconds.
Artificial intelligence has also made great strides in writing content for marketing, entering the copywriting landscape with force. In fact, ai writing assistants can create content of any kind: graphics, music, etc.
The texts can be blog posts, copy for social media, landing pages. They can be optimized for certain keywords and even can adopt intonations of different voices (tone of voice).
Among the most popular software are undoubtedly Chat GPT or Copy.ai, capable of writing texts in seconds. But beware: in neither case is it a random text generator.
AI apps can be used to create content with meaning, keywords and even a specific tone of voice.
They are also easy to use, because you only need to give a written order (without code, but normally in language, as you would give it verbally) to make different types of content.
Some have cried out for the end of copywriting, but I don’t think this is exactly the case.
In this article I want to talk to you about the pros and cons of using AI for content writing within your marketing strategy and give you some tips for making the best use of it.
How AI Writing Tools Work.
These software programs learn from content and data already available online through a mechanism known as “neural networks.”
Machine learning technology then traces the functioning of the human brain and reproduces it in “language models for dialogue applications.”
That is, they are software that can speak in natural language, the language we use in our conversations.
Among the aspects that are proving most critical in the use of AI-generated content are cognitive bias and discrimination.
AI neural networks mostly learn from data from the US and then Europe. Most of the world is cut off.
So AI would also seem to be learning from widespread prejudices and stereotypes, so much so that the European Commission is already scrambling to prevent real AI-based discrimination.
The risk is that AI will also learn dangerous notions related to denialism, racism, fake news, and the amount of distorted information circulating on the web.
What Google says about artificial intelligence
For a while, Google did not take an official position on the topic. Now, finally, it has published a note on the Google Search Central Blog where Danny Sullivan and Chris Nelson explain how and when to use AI without being penalized by SEO.
In light of these aspects and critical issues, Google has spoken out to say whether or not AI-generated content will be punished in search results.
Therefore, from the marketers’ point of view, it is important to understand whether content generators can be used to produce articles, copy, landing pages, etc.
Until now, it was widely believed that AI-generated content would be penalized tout court, because Google penalizes those who produce content in an automated manner to manipulate search engine rankings.
That is, the ranking that allows the search engine to place a site and its content in a certain position in the SERP.
Instead, the published note tells us that you can do SEO content using Chat GPT and associates, but cum grano salis.
Google penalizes low-quality content that is not useful to users
Google’s view is actually consistent: penalize only content produced specifically to manipulate rankings.
This is low-quality content that adheres to good technological practices such as keyword and metadata optimization, but provides no added value to users.
Instead, for years the search engine has been working to improve search results, with increasingly stringent guidelines for quality raters, increasingly linked to the EEAT paradigm.
This paradigm rewards content that expresses experience, authority, reliability. A focus especially on sensitive issues such as finance, health, etc.
Google’s suggestion for creating SEO content with ai writing tools is as follows:
“As explained, regardless of how content is produced, in order to have optimal results in Google Search one should strive to produce content that is original, of high quality, and designed for people demonstrating EEAT criteria. (…)
Evaluating your content in these ways, whether or not you are using AI-generated content, will help you stay on top of the aspects that our systems seek to reward.”
AI writing tools and SEO content writing: what you need to know
Here are some key points you need to consider when using Chat GPT & co:
- Google has strict rules regarding spam and uses a system called SpamBrain to combat low-quality content that manipulates rankings.
AI should therefore not be used to produce content that is unoriginal and does not add value to users.
Although automation does not violate Google rules, the search engine has been fighting low-quality content and misinformation for years, using both the SpamBrain algorithm and a team of live quality raters; - Regarding biases and Biases that could cause misinformation, Google explains that such content can be produced as much by AI writing tools as by people, and that it has already been working for years to reward only reliable and quality content especially on YLYM (Your Life Your Money) topics;
- If the tools generate original, quality, valuable content that is optimized for SEO, Google will not penalize it. Conversely, if AI is used to create spam content aimed only at gaining a few more positions in SERPs, Google will penalize the page.
What artificial intelligence can do for text writing
Automatic writing apps use an artificial intelligence model based on deep learning.
They learn language from texts already online and are able to reproduce it in a rather sophisticated way.
The moment we give input to the software, it goes and finds the topic information on the web and rearranges it into the form we have asked for.
In fact, a text generator can write articles equipped with keywords (which thus pander to a part of SEO for the search engine), but also posts for social media, landing pages, etc.
After trying to use these tools, I compiled a list of pros and cons.
Artificial Intelligence 5 pro:
- Texts with meaning
- Use of keywords
- Writing speed
- Speed of information gathering
- Modulating tone
Artificial intelligence 5 vs:
- Unoriginal texts with little added value;
- Google penalizes content processed in an automated manner, or focused only on the search engine, while rewarding valuable content designed for people;
- No fact-checking;
- Fair but not excellent readability;
- Modulated tone, but it is difficult to reflect a brand’s personalized tone of voice .
Can AI Writing Tools replace the human being?
Although from time to time we read news about AI going beyond the basic functions for which it is programmed, to date it cannot become sentient. It means it cannot replace human beings in creating content, articles and posts.
Marketers can use AI to speed up work, gather information, get good ideas and insights. However, the work that really makes content marketing efficient remains purely human.
In fact, on any AI-generated content there should be human oversight, both in terms of empathy and fact checking.
This focus allows for effective, human-to-human communication and to correct discrimination, bias, and distorted information through ethical use of the potential of AI-based content generators.
Automatic text generator vs. human being
What does a content generator lack to write text that can truly replace the work of a copywriter? The answer is very simple: what makes communication an extremely human factor.
A text with artificial intelligence lacks panache, empathy, quality, and recognition. At present, AI does not seem to be able to meet these needs that are fundamental to marketing.
I fear that those who prophesied the end of copywriting have gone astray, unless we are talking about somewhat cheesy content that can be easily replaced by a free or inexpensive tool .
Brands that focus on quality content writing and copywriting, on the other hand, will have to rely on professional content writers (and all the other technological tools they carry in their toolboxes) for a long time to come.
The advance of new technologies in AI and Machine Learning cannot be stopped. So, if you cannot beat your “enemy,” it will be a case of making friends with him.
Although I would advise against any company relying on artificial intelligence-based writing tools to create content from A to Z, such software can become valuable allies in simplifying certain aspects of content marketing strategy.
How to use AI Writing Tools in your content marketing strategy
Content creation is the linchpin of content marketing strategy. If you use ai text generation exclusively and publish the content without a review in my opinion you are not doing a good thing. Text as is is too easy a shortcut to be effective.
But there are several ways to leverage the capabilities of these software to make content strategy faster and more effective.
In fact, depending on the commands we give the tool, we can perform actions very different from drafting text.
For example:
- Suggest topics for an editorial calendar for the blog or social;
- Suggest a set of CTAs for the website or landing pages;
- Proofreading automatically;
- Immediately find keywords related to a topic (NB. research should still be deepened with the other tools dedicated to keyword research);
- Focusing in seconds on a new and unfamiliar topic, etc.
Cum grano salis: content marketing strategy works best when it is human
Communicating is an extremely human factor, as it is different from informing.
Communication touches rational and emotional factors, conscious and unconscious levers. It requires the cooperation of both the content writer and those who read and interpret it.
Those who write content know how important this is not only for increasing the number of customers, but also for building a solid, well-positioned brand.
That is why I would never recommend using artificial intelligence for content writing without human work.
Empathy is the key to content marketing success. Only when a brand knows its target audience and buyer personas can it distribute valuable content to address the real needs of its niche.
Critical analysis is also needed in the choice of topics, tone of voice, words, sentences. Everything must be weighed.
Knowing how to communicate means finding the right balance between the goals the brand intends to achieve and the different sensibilities of the readers.
We cannot expect a computer to do this in an automated way-it is a specific responsibility of brands and communication professionals.
Artificial Intelligence can be integrated into this framework as an operational tool that “lightens” some of the slower processes in content strategy planning and implementation.
Build your content marketing strategy with Factory Communication
For us, successful content marketing means making quality content capable of creating a relationship between the brand and its potential audience.
Behind the production and sharing of so much valuable content is the dual goal of increasing sales and improving brand reputation.
This is why companies invest time and energy in a content marketing strategy.
The Factory Communication agency provides a content creation, publishing and sharing service.
We support clients in all preliminary and operational phases of content strategy, with the goal of getting you new potential customers.
Learn more: content marketing with Factory Communication
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