Have you wondered if ChatGPT could solve all your content problems?
Here's where AI-generated content is awesome -- and when writing for your business or personal brand requires an authentic human touch.
Have you wondered if AI can help you create content for your personal or business brand?
After all, AI writing sounds fast, easy, and sexy.
As someone who pioneered SEO writing around 25 years ago, you can imagine that I have opinions about AI content.
And they’re not all bad (!)
For instance, typing prompts into ChatGPT like, “summarize this post for Facebook in a lighthearted style using emojis and hashtags,” can get my brain in gear.
If you need headline ideas, you can prompt ChatGPT to create some you can tweak and test. Or, you can use AI to develop loose article outlines or see email copy variations. Heck, even YouTube video descriptions.
Sometimes, it’s nice to see a few examples to jump-start your brain and get into the flow.
Sure, refining your prompts isn’t as fun (or creatively satisfying) as the back-and-forth you could have with a real person. But ChatGPT allows us to clear the mental clutter and develop ideas – which is pretty sweet when you work alone.
Plus, it can make you a more efficient writer if you use the tool correctly. As long as you know that the content ChatGPT gives you is a starting point — not a final draft.
So yes, get to know ChatGPT. See if (and how) it helps you brainstorm content for your business and personal branding. But if you’re wondering…
Can you trust ChatGPT to write content for your personal brand or business?
Well, that’s a different story.
For instance, I read an article outlining how ChatGPT can write SEO content. From keyword selection to the actual writing, the author recommended ChatGPT do it all.
This is shitty advice. Don’t do this. Just…don’t.
I’ll talk about SEO writing in a future newsletter, but suffice it to say that AI shouldn’t randomly choose keywords for you and add them to the content. SEO writing is more than shoving keywords into the content.
It requires human intervention if you want to do it well.
(How to write top-positioned content is one of the things we’d discuss during my Slow Branding Jump Start program. Two beta spots are available – scroll down for more information.)
Also, from the geeky SEO perspective, there’s nothing “unique” or “authoritative” about AI content. People won’t link to it or recommend it.
The content is – at best – basic, which means it won’t position.
You deserve more than basic content.
Google is looking for authoritative content that best answers the reader’s query. Since ChatGPT is regurgitating content found elsewhere, it can’t weave in expert quotes or recent statistics – or do anything that makes the content stand out.
Creating content that won’t position doesn’t make sense — even if it’s free and easy content.
I’m not even counting the numerous inaccuracies found in AI content. For instance, this came from a ChatGPT-generated bio.
Heather's story began in the late 1990s when she worked for an advertising agency. She was tasked with writing copy for various ad campaigns, but she quickly realized that she had a talent for writing SEO-friendly copy.
Other than my start date, the rest is false. I only worked for an agency during a misguided diversion in the early 2000s that lasted five months. And I had a “talent” for writing SEO-friendly copy because I was the first person to discuss it.
Plus, the bio is freakin’ dull. And wordy. There’s no Zany Heather spark.
AI content won’t give you a compelling turn of phrase that makes you smile. Your readers won’t read a ChatGPT article and think, “Wow, this person gets me.”
Here's my biggest gripe about ChatGPT for personal and business branding.
AI content has no soul.
If you want to transform from invisible to unforgettable, you need to sprinkle your authentic self into everything you write. That’s the Slow Branding way.
You slowly uncover your authentic voice – and use it to share your expertise.
Yes, people will connect with your facts and how you present your content. But what they’ll really connect with is the brand voice behind the content.
Think about how many newsletters you read because the writing makes you smile and gives you something to ponder.
Sure, we’re busy and want to learn things quickly — but we also want to feel something. Even if that something is as simple as, “Wow, I guess other people go through this too.”
That kind of precisely targeted, emotional content would be rough for ChatGPT to replicate.
I can’t see companies feeling cozy with letting ChatGPT write their high-money sales pages or white papers or using them to replace salespeople who generate millions of dollars annually.
Some things require a personal touch.
How can readers sense your personality – or how can you connect with your readers – if a robot creates your content?
You can’t.
Remember that inaccurate bio snippet? Compare that to the bio on my Charisma Boost site:
"In the mid-90s, I quit my dead-end marketing coordinator job and went all-in on the World Wide Web. I built a successful online business through the power of a glitchy AOL dial-up connection, where I wrote website sales copy and freelanced for online magazines. Little did I know that my gamble on the WWW would result in a life-changing career. Together, with a core group of extraordinary professionals, I helped start the SEO industry and nurture it into its current state.”
Different, right? One version has zip and personality. The other version is…boring.
ChatGPT gives you junk food content. It’s quick and easy – and nutrient-free. Is it okay sometimes for some things? Sure. But not often.
What does ChatGPT say about how it works for personal and business branding?
Because I had to ask – here’s the answer it provided.
As an AI language model, I can assist with providing information and generating responses to a wide variety of questions, including those related to personal and business branding. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is not a substitute for a comprehensive branding strategy that involves careful planning, research, and execution. While ChatGPT can certainly provide some useful insights and suggestions, it is ultimately up to you to develop a comprehensive branding strategy that meets your unique needs and goals.
At least ChatGPT got that one right.
What do you think?
How are you using ChatGPT now? Do you feel AI writing provides an authentic brand experience? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
Does Slow Branding resonate with you, and you're a mid-career professional? I'd love to know more about you! Please contact me and ask for the application. If I can help, we’ll set up a time to chat about Slow Branding is the right choice for you.