While we don’t use AI output here at Gooey Digital (all our content is very much human-generated!) it is a matter of curiosity to many. By its nature, however, AI can only replicate what already exists – aggregating what it’s learnt, and replicating patterns in a way that mimics human thought and creativity.
For savvy brands, the sudden influx of AI-generated content is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd, and elevate their content beyond the humdrum. But how does one differentiate their content in the age of AI?
Over the last year or two, you would have had to move to a small cave in the Mariana Trench to avoid hearing about the growth of AI. Every software under the sun seems to be AI powered, and predictions about its impact range from terrifyingly apocalyptic to positively utopian.
We won’t join in on all the soothsaying (it’s far too easy to be proved wrong). Instead, let’s explore the AI tools that exist right now – and particularly the role of ChatGPT and Gemini in written content creation.
Thoughtful use of AI can be beneficial, but tread with care
It’s important to remember that AI as it currently exists cannot truly reflect on the information it gives. Instead, it looks for patterns in the information it’s been fed, regurgitating those words in predictable – if infinitely complex – ways. Creating content with AI may seem as simple as writing a one-line prompt and hitting copy/paste, but we wouldn’t recommend this approach for any serious brand content strategy.
The growing sophistication of AI-generated content may have raised the bar in terms of what you can produce with very little effort, but that bar has been raised for everyone. ChatGPT is no longer a well-kept secret, and simply meeting the minimum standard will not be enough to stand out or be memorable as a brand. A lack of scrutiny when using generative AI tools can also lead to mistakes – and not just factual errors.
For example, it has been demonstrated that it is possible to prompt AI to write a convincing-sounding essay based on a flawed premise – an impressive read to someone unfamiliar with the subject matter, but immediately recognisable as nonsense to anyone who is.
The performance of AI-generated content
The jury is still out on how search engines and social media platforms will treat AI-generated content, largely because most of them are encouraging it. Everyone from Facebook to TikTok is enigmatic when it comes to explaining how their algorithms work, while Google, Bing, and X all have their own AI content generators. Despite this, Google has gone so far as to state that while AI content is not inherently penalised, a lack of human oversight of AI content will affect how it is treated in search results.
Whether written by a human or AI, Google and other search engines take a dim view of content that contains misinformation, does not contribute positively to user experience, utilises “keyword stuffing”, or treats complex questions in a shallow way. All of this tends to be more likely with AI-generated content.
Tools like ChatGPT can be great for assisting in arduous writing tasks, such as creating hundreds of short product descriptions for similar items or quickly producing different variations on a theme. It also can help people interrogate ideas. As things stand, however, it just can’t be leaned on without a layer of quality control.
It’s also not ideally suited to long-form writing, needing multiple prompts to push an article past 1000 words. If you do, it will only be as good as the information it is provided with. Increasing the quality of AI content requires a single, sustained conversation with a solid bedrock of branded content (for example, great website copy, blogs, or social media posts) to learn from, helping it replicate your unique brand tone of voice.
You’ll get the most out of AI by thinking of it as a sounding board and writing assistant, not a writer in and of itself. Brand content should always be created with care and fit into a wider strategy, something AI cannot currently understand. If your content gets lost in the AI-noise of competitors using exactly the same tools and prompts, or is immediately identifiable as AI-generated by readers, it is likely to do more harm than good.
So how do you stand out as a brand amongst AI-generated content?
Tools like ChatGPT have removed the barrier to entry for creating clear, readable content, but none of that content is extraordinary. Pushing beyond ‘good enough’ to ‘a truly engaging content strategy that delivers business growth’ takes a little extra sparkle.
Whether you create software or sell cupcakes, every businessperson builds a bank of insights, expertise, and knowledge just by working hard in their field. The tacit requirement to keep on top of trends, deal with the daily demands of customers, and deliver your product or services gives you exclusive knowledge that goes beyond an AI’s dataset.
It’s easy to underestimate how valuable our insights are simply because we’re familiar with them. We often have conversations with our own clients where, just by explaining how they conduct business, we hang off their every word. This industry insight and know-how is part of the wallpaper to them, but is extremely compelling to anyone outside of it.
When it comes to content creation, it’s this buried treasure that AI is unable to replicate. To take the cupcake example, ChatGPT can provide several examples of creative ways to decorate a cake, but it can’t explain the inspiration behind your best-selling product, whether it’s a family recipe, or the result of years of personal experimentation. When you can only repackage content that already exists, you’re eliminating the details that are personal to your business.
The first example may not trigger any plagiarism checkers, but it’s providing information that’s been a simple Google search away for decades. The second has a unique human thread that will connect with readers, and tell them something about your business. This is the core question with AI: what is it giving you, and how can this be improved and personalised? Can it be made more interesting, and offer more insights? Does it fit into your wider content strategy, and does it have a higher purpose?
You should also carefully consider your target audience, picturing the person your content is speaking to, and asking questions about their preferences and pain points. All written content will build your brand in your audience’s mind, and AI-generated content can muddy this picture. Anything that seems generic, careless, or misunderstands their needs will reflect poorly.
In the age of AI, the key to differentiating your content lies in embracing the human elements – that buried treasure – that AI can’t replicate. Your unique experiences, insights, and personal stories can’t be replicated by AI, and nor can their impact. It’s these that will unlock the true power of your brand’s narrative, and resonate at a deeper level with your audience – nurturing a level of brand awareness that fulfils your long-term objectives.
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Building a content strategy that delivers on business goals and produces content that sticks is a challenge we relish here at Gooey Digital – and one we know time-poor business owners often need support with. We take the time to understand your business, absorb your insights and expertise, and help you achieve your ambitions. If you’d like to find out more, contact our helpful team.