Should content creators use AI?

There's a lot of debate around this topic. One group angrily says no. The insist is takes the humanity out of content and it should never be used. The other group says the opposite, and they're just as passionate. They think AI is the future of content and anyone not using it will be left behind.

I'm not gonna make any moral proclamations today. And I'm not gonna make any predictions about the future either. Instead, I'll just tell you the do's and don'ts of creating content with AI right now. That's what'll be the most valuable to you.

Let's get started...

AI Content Ideas

Don't:

Use generic idea prompts like "Give me 10 post ideas about marketing." Those will give you generic lists of ideas that are either useless or have been written too many times before.

Do:

Use specific idea prompts like "I create content for {audience}. Give me their top 20 pain points and generate 5 post ideas that address each pain point." Those will give you better, deeper, more useful, and more original ideas.

AI Content Creation

Don't:

Use generic creation prompts like "Write me a LinkedIn post about marketing.” Those will give you posts with bad formatting and low value.

Do:

Use specific creation prompts like “Write a LinkedIn post on {specific idea}. Start with a hook, use a conversational tone, format with lists and line breaks, and make it about 200 words.”

Iteration

Don’t:

Settle for the first generation you get (unless it’s perfect). In most cases, it won't be perfect. It'll have some kind of issue that leaves you wanting more.

Do:

Build on that generation. Make edit requests. Request more ideas. Keep the conversation going and get closer to what you want. ChatGPT doesn't complain when you tell it to work more or differently. It just executes. Boss it around a bit.

Copy-Pasting

Don’t:

Copy-paste AI generations. When you do zero edits, you end up with a soulless piece of content. No experiences, no personality, and no real impact.

Do:

Edit everything to add specificity, originality, personality, and personal experiences. Think of AI as a shortcut, not a cheat code to not create.

ChatGPT Premium

Don’t:

Use standard ChatGPT (unless you can’t afford the premium plan). It's a solid tool, but the premium version is better, and it let's you build Customer GPTs that do exactly what you want them to do almost every time.

Do:

Build a custom GPT, play around with the specifications for it, and keep refining it until it writes the way you want it to without needing to request edits or give tons of instructions every time.

Research

Don’t:

Use AI tools for research that matters. Even the best of these tools are famously inaccurate on specific data. You can make them better by adding plugins or using ones with current internet access, but they won't be perfect.

Do:

Use tools for general research (e.g. finding psychological biases) but double check or research elsewhere for specific research (e.g. specific statistics).

Mindset

Don’t:

Think that AI gives you a free pass to be successful without building your skills or creativity. It doesn't, and you don't want it to. If everyone can write the same quality of content, then content success becomes impossible. Be grateful for this. Embrace it.

Do:

Think of AI as an assistant that helps you work better and faster, but know that it won’t work unless you do too. It's low-cost employee. Your brainstorming partner. Your first draft writer. But it's not a replacement.

Is AI The Future Of Content?

I don't know, and I don't care to predict.

All I know is that it's helpful right now, but only if you use it correctly. This article should help you do that.

I hope you enjoyed it.