No doubt you’ve heard the internet buzzing about the new AI copywriting program ChatGPT and how it’s going to be the best thing since sliced bread for content creation. For some, it will be! And that’s fine! For others it probably shouldn’t, and I’m not saying that because I like to rain on people’s parades.
As a copywriter, I of course have thoughts on artificial intelligence scootching next to me while I do my job. It’s been quite the topic of conversation around here so I’ve had time to reaaaaaaaally think about it. Let me go ahead and break down the good, the bad, and the ugly to get this party started.
The Good
Small businesses with less than five employees may find this tool extremely helpful. They likely don’t have a marketing team in place and are wearing a lot of hats at once, trying to manage everything. If they need to whip up a press release, I can see how OpenAI would be beneficial–just write in the key points, click a button, and voila! A press release that is 95% complete, less a few specific details.
New and scrappy businesses can knock some copy out with a chatbot and it will be fine. But ONLY fine because it will lack pizazz. It can get them through with their content marketing until they grow enough to hire out to expand their brand.
I look at it this way: ChatGPT is like TurboTax. It’s good for your run-of-the-mill taxes that aren’t complicated that you can do at home. Is there any human interaction? No. Are real human accountants still very-much needed for people with larger tax issues and want to discuss details with a professional? Of course and for good reason.
The Bad
Copywriting is all about connecting with the ideal audience on a human and emotional level through text. Have a service or product to sell? Appeal to the customer, plain and simple. Marketing agencies and copywriters dive deep with the client to find their brand voice and brand tone, developing a relationship over time. Robots, uh, don’t.
AI can’t ask questions like “Where does your ideal client like to shop?” or “Would you say you have two ideal clients based on your different services?” Those answers are important because they hone in on specifics that affect the client’s marketing. If the marketing isn’t fine-tuned, it’s like sending messaging out into the wind, hoping the one who will pay for your services finds it. But likely won’t.
When brands and businesses hire professionals to do the work, they get professional results. Marketing consulting agencies know what’s needed and how to achieve it, and can laser focus on the right style and strategy to lead to conversion. And conversion means MONEY. (YAY!)
The Ugly
To get right to it, originality stems from the human experience. Emotion, warmth, and passion are lived, and any brand should want those qualities when representing them. Plus let’s not forget that integrity plays a large role in marketing and messaging as well, which comes from people and not robot overlords.
No matter what ChatGPT says about being able to hit tone and cadence, I think it’s going to obvious when a brand is using a robot for their marketing. Stand out with personality in brand voice, infuse it with human connection, and get people with heartbeats to elevate the message.
