“Hey, ChatGPT, can you draft a whole article for me?”
Unfortunately, we sometimes brief our AI assistants like this, forgetting that they are assistants before anything else. They can help us, enhance our final product, work way faster and do the dirty job…but they shouldn’t do it all. AI writing tools are handy for getting ideas moving, but not quite ready to run your whole brand unsupervised.
AI can produce paragraphs in seconds, but they may sound dull or flat. The difference between using AI for copywriting and using it to write everything is the difference between copy that gets attention and text that get skimmed and forgotten.
The best results don’t come from abracadabra-ing THE magic prompt. They come from combining good strategy, clear brief and thoughtful editing. That’s the AI content writing method we use at Beyond Communications, and it’s built to work for SEO and GEO alike.
Why most AI content writing falls flat
AI is good at creating a blueprint, building the spine of your article, and producing a strong base for you to work with. But it doesn’t know your audience as well as you do and has a tendency to be generic and lack the taste that can make your brand stand out. The less you give AI to work with, the more AI-generated content has to fill the gaps with déjà-vu content.
Think of AI as a talented junior writer on their first day. They might be quick and full of ideas, but they still need a good brief, a bit of guidance, and someone to check their work before it goes out into the world.
The method to write great copy with AI
Here’s the process for content writing with AI, step by step. Each one builds on the last, so skipping ahead is usually where things go wrong.
Start with strategy, not a prompt
Before opening an AI writing tool, decide what the copy needs to achieve. Who are you trying to reach? What do they need to know? What do you want them to do after reading?
When you understand the goal and the reader of your copy, you can give your artificial assistant clear direction instead of asking it to “make something good” and crossing your fingers.
Brief the AI like you’d brief a junior writer
Give the AI the essentials: who the audience is, what the content is about, the main message, the tone of voice and any important details it must include. If there are facts it shouldn’t invent or topics it should avoid, say so. The more transparent you are, the clearer the result will be.
“Write something friendly about our service” leaves a lot of room for guesswork.
“Write for busy small-business owners, explain how our service saves them time, and keep the tone warm and straightforward” gives the AI all the information it needs to give you something precise and relevant.
Build your way to a final draft
Rather than asking AI to write the whole article from the get-go, build your copy brick by brick. Start with brainstorming, move on to the headlines, work through the first paragraph and settle on a tone of voice and writing style.
Use your brand guidelines and examples of your existing copy to help it understand how you sound. The rest of the copy will then come naturally, and the AI will be able to craft something that is way closer to what you have in your head. Then edit out repetition, stiff phrasing and any lines that don’t feel natural. Refrain from using famous AI writing patterns.
A full draft can look finished at first glance, even when it’s full of generic wording and boring sentences. Start with options, keep what’s useful, reshape the rest: even AI-assisted writing benefits from a second draft and feedback.
Optimise your AI content for SEO and GEO
Search-friendly copy starts with understanding what your audience is looking for. Use clear headings, answer the reader’s questions and explain your subject in language that makes sense. Squeezing search terms into every sentence makes the copy harder to read, and no one wants a paragraph that looks like a search bar having a meltdown.
Useful, accurate content needs your expertise and judgement. Don’t publish a draft just because it contains keywords. Give people a genuine reason to read it.
Human final polish
Before publishing, read the copy with a human eye. Ask yourself: Does it sound natural? Is the point easy to understand? Is the tone enticing? Does it have a clear next step?
A final human edit helps make sure the copy is not only correct but also enjoyable to read. That’s the difference between a draft that’s technically fine and one that feels like it was written for a real person. Before publishing, your copy needs to check the box “I’m not a robot!”
What AI is great at in content creation and what it isn’t
AI is your friend when it comes to brainstorming, organising information, creating a first draft or exploring different ways to express an idea. It is an absolute time-saver, but not a replacement for understanding your customers, making strategic decisions or knowing what your business can genuinely promise.
Only you have the necessary experience and relationship with the audience. By writing with AI, you can build your copy faster, but you need to know what you’re building. You are the architect; AI can be the engineer.
Can AI content writing match your brand voice?
Your brand voice is how your business sounds wherever people encounter it, from your website to your emails. It might be warm, knowledgeable, playful or direct. Whatever tune you choose to sing, it should feel consistent and recognisable.
AI can follow your voice when you give it clear instructions and examples. You might show it a piece of copy that feels right and explain what makes it work. Still, a voice guide isn’t a magic spell. Check every draft and change anything that doesn’t sound like something your business would actually say.
Does AI content writing help or hurt your SEO and GEO?
AI can help with parts of a thoughtful content process, such as planning a structure, exploring reader questions or making an explanation easier to follow. But using AI doesn’t automatically make content more visible. Google has been clear that it rewards helpful content and penalises content made primarily to game rankings. The same logic applies to AI search engines. They cite what is useful.
Focus on creating relevant content. Search optimisation should support a good reading experience, not get in its way.
How Beyond Communications uses AI the right way
At Beyond Communications, we see AI as a tool that can support good content writing, not replace the thinking behind it. It can help us explore ideas and make parts of the AI content creation process more efficient, while strategy, accuracy and brand voice stay in human hands.
Get in touch with us or explore our copywriting services to find out how we can bring your brand to life with its own, unique voice.