The prediction that AI (artificial intelligence) could displace between 1 and 3 million jobs by 2050 is causing a lot of uncertainty for copywriters and content marketers.
However, job loss is not the only concern. The table below shows that 42% of people worry that a dependence on AI will have a negative impact on the industry as a whole.
(Image source: Forbes)
There have been a lot of disagreements over whether the use of AI is destroying the quality of content on the web or whether it is a useful tool that can enhance it.
In this article, we discuss whether the rise of AI is posing a threat to copywriters or can be used alongside them to co-create content. We’ll also discuss whether AI-generated content can result in a negative impact on SEO rankings.
What is AI Co-Creation?
AI co-creation is the process of humans using the capabilities of AI to support their work and achieve an improved end result. In the context of copywriting, this means a business can produce content in much less time than it would otherwise be able to by combining the capabilities of AI with human expertise.
Relying solely on AI to produce content for a website is a risky approach that can lead to issues down the line. Having articles or website content that lacks personality and sticks to generic messaging can damage the image of a brand, resulting in a lower engagement rate.
Humans can use AI to expand on their ideas and improve readability, but inevitably, this will never be able to establish the right tone of voice or replicate the views of a business.
Instead of getting AI to generate content that may lack the all-important human touch, co-creation creates a powerful partnership. This strategic approach combines the benefits of AI-generated content with human content, enhancing a business’s output.
Is the Rise of AI Threatening to Replace Copywriters?
When asked if they could detect AI-generated content on the web, 53% of people said they were not confident that they could. Statistics like this are contributing to the web being brimming with speculation over whether AI is going to replace the jobs of creatives, including copywriters.
Since businesses now have the option to produce content without time restraints and the cost of a copywriter, it’s a no-brainer, right? Wrong.
Although AI definitely can replace copywriters, that doesn’t mean it should. The role of a copywriter, a good one at least, is to produce content that aligns with a business, working to a content strategy that has been created in line with larger business goals.
There is no denying that AI is not great for producing large outputs in a short amount of time, whether that be to build a web app with AI or generate quick blog posts, but that alone is not enough. The skills of a copywriter are non-negotiable if a business wants content that shows emotion and thought leadership. AI alone does not provide judgement of a topic, leaving large gaps in content that can result in a pretty empty-feeling article.
Instead of competing with AI, copywriters can use modern capabilities to their advantage. Now that AI content can be integrated directly into WordPress, uploading content and optimizing it for the web is quicker and easier than ever before.
How AI Can Be Used to Support Content Strategies
Now that we’ve established that businesses shouldn’t be solely relying on AI for writing content, let’s explore the ways it can be used to support copywriters in their role.
Ideation
For copywriters who have to churn out large quantities of content, whether that be for articles or new website opportunities, writer’s block can become a real struggle.
When it feels like there are no more possible topics to cover, AI can become a great assistant. Using a prompt that asks for new title ideas on a particular topic can be a great help when brainstorming. Being able to see a range of fresh new ideas can help prompt a brainwave, helping think up some new content opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have been considered.
This approach can be especially useful when working on a content strategy. Once a website has been analysed to establish gaps in existing content and keyword research has been undertaken to find SEO opportunities, AI can come in to suggest ideas that are based around the topics and keywords.
Enhancing existing content
Evergreen content is one of the foundations of SEO. Regularly updating existing content not only ensures that readers are accessing up-to-date information, but also shows search engines that the content is relevant.
This is an area in which AI can prove particularly useful. Since the content already exists, AI can be prompted to incorporate new information. In fact, this also allows an article to be updated by a member of the team who may not be confident in their copywriting skills. For example, if an employee has some updated statistics to share or a new piece of information has been released, they can ask AI to slot the updated text into the existing copy.
Using AI to refresh content can save a lot of time and allow people other than the original writer to make changes. This is a great way to expand the lifespan of a piece of content and maintain SEO rankings without having to create a brand-new article every few months.
Simplifying complex terminology
When trying to write about a challenging topic, it can be hard to find a balance when including industry jargon that may not be familiar to all readers. It is also common for employees who have been in the industry for years to forget that the terminology they are using daily may not be understood by their readers.
AI is a great tool when looking to improve readability. By using a prompt that asks the AI system to make sure the content is suitable for readers with no prior knowledge of the industry, a copywriter can ensure they haven’t gotten carried away with complex language.
By sense-checking content with AI before publishing it, any terminology or acronyms that may have been overlooked can be identified, allowing edits to be made.
Creating a draft outline
Often, starting to write can be the most difficult part, not knowing where to begin. It is important to avoid letting AI do all the work, but it can certainly help establish a strong foundation.
When brainstorming for a piece of content, inputting some bullet points into an AI system can help produce a logical article structure. Once it has suggested a way to group the different pieces of information to create a natural flow, it can be much easier to get started on the writing while sticking to a concise layout.
The Impact of AI on SEO Rankings
In the SEO world, there has been ongoing debate over whether AI-generated content can rank well.
Google itself has actually published some guidelines on whether AI content can impact their algorithms. As we can see in the image below, the overriding message is that their focus is on quality rather than how content has been written, ensuring it provides accurate information that answers common questions asked by users.
(Image source: Google)
It seems that the writing style is not the issue for search engines, but the content itself. If the piece has been created to provide value to the user and answer any questions they had, rather than just creating an article for the sake of having somewhere to stuff keywords into, then search engines will favour it over less relevant sites.
Another common trap to fall into is creating generic content that replicates hundreds of other articles that are already on the web. Once target keywords have been established, it is important that a copywriter checks to see what is already ranking and whether they can add any extra value. By creating unimaginative AI-generated content that doesn’t offer any new insights, search engine algorithms are unlikely to give the site a good ranking.
Is Co-Creation Defining the Future of Copywriting?
Although the rapid growth of AI is an intimidating prospect for copywriters, it does not mean that their jobs are not safe. Instead of trying to fight the use of AI, it is time to use it to their advantage.
As much as technology advances, it will never be able to replicate human emotion and thought leadership. Combining natural copywriting skills with the powerful capabilities of AI unlocks a powerful partnership that can result in top-quality content.
When it comes to SEO rankings, it seems that using AI content itself is not going to cause harm, but a lack of quality can result in dropped rankings. By using AI as a tool and not a solution, a business can focus its efforts on creating content that provides value to the reader.
