I haven't had my second cup of coffee yet, which means I'm operating at 50% brain capacity. But my work doesn't stop because my brain isn't cooperating. I still need to write this blog post.
Instead of re-caffeinating too early (and risking the jitters), I decided to get an assist from AI to help me brainstorm, outline, and SEO-optimize this article. AI won't do my job for me, but it can definitely help.
With AI by my side, it's almost like I've had that second cup of coffee. Almost.
Why use AI as a writer?
I first started leaning on AI to break through writer's block. When I'd find myself needing a new blog idea, instead of procrastinating by petting my cat Winnie, I'd turn to AI to help get my creative juices flowing.
As I became more comfortable with AI, I realized it could streamline and speed up my entire writing process—from brainstorming to editing. AI isn't ready to take my job (I can't get it to generate anything I'd actually send to my editors), but it does allow me to get that content to my editors faster and with fewer errors. AI is making me better at my job.
5 ways to use AI as a content marketing writer
When I was growing up, I romanticized the idea of being a writer. I pictured writing award-winning stories with a calligraphy pen in a treehouse—alone. But being a writer is so much more than just writing, and AI gives me an assist in any areas of writing that I struggle with.
1. Brainstorm new blog ideas
AI can generate new content ideas based on keyword searches, trends, and audience preferences. This helps generate fresh concepts that can be transformed into content that gets views and clicks. When I'm stuck and need brainstorming assistance, I turn to Google Bard, which is internet-connected and connected to Google Keyword Planner.
I'll input a prompt like "Brainstorm blog ideas about AI for writers new to AI. Include recent trends and content with top audience engagement. Format it as a table."
I use these ideas as a starting point—thinking through how I would shift these ideas and write about these topics in my own voice. Or if I don't like any of the ideas, I'll do some prompt engineering to get better outputs.
For example:
Give me blog ideas about how writers can use AI to get ahead and not become obsolete. Include examples of how other people are writing about it. Organize it in a table.
Give me blog ideas for writers who are new to AI and know nothing about it, but don't want to lose their job. Include specific examples of how writers can plug AI into their writing process.
Brainstorm a list of 10 creative blog ideas that center around writers using AI. Frame all the ideas in a positive way that highlights the benefits of AI for writers.
2. Consolidate and gather research
AI is my go-to for research consolidation because it can efficiently process large amounts of data, pinpoint key points, and present them concisely. Since I already use Bard for other parts of my writing process (and it pulls current data), I go back to Bard to help with my research.
I enter a prompt like "how are writers currently using AI?" and it automatically summarizes what I'd otherwise have to wade through in Google.
With this initial (albeit very basic) research, I can dive deeper into specific topics by entering more prompts into Bard, such as "give me more information on how writers use AI for editing" or "are there any studies that show how helpful AI is to writers?".
When I'm ready to look deeper into sources powering these answers, I can click the Google it button at the bottom of the response and read more.
Tip: You can also use AI to summarize a lengthy article or report, allowing you to digest the information quickly.
3. Generate blog outlines with SEO-optimized headers
At this stage of my writing process, I jump into a different AI tool, Writesonic. Before generating my outline, I'll use its SEO Keywords Generator.
This provides me with the volume of traffic, keyword density, and estimation of monthly visitors top-ranking sites would get from a keyword.
I'll usually double-check the keywords I want to rank for, cross-referencing them with SEO tools like Ahrefs and seoClarity. Once I finalize my keywords, I'll plug them into Wordsonic's AI Article Outlines generator.
From here, I'll use the outline as a jumping-off point, adjusting the tone and phrasing to match my voice.
The next step is the actual writing process, which is where I take over completely. I've tried to use AI to write entire articles for me, but I end up having to rewrite everything anyway. But once I'm done with my draft, I come back to AI for editing.
4. Wordsmith tricky sentences
For editing, I like to use Notion AI because it has a few prompts that I find really helpful: specifically, "Make shorter" and "Make longer." (Plus, I already use it for task management.)
I always update or rewrite the copy I get back, but it's helpful when I feel stuck on a sentence and need something to help me find a new way of looking at things.
And Notion isn't the only tool that can do this—there are a lot of other AI writing tools that can help you wordsmith your sentences. For example, if I'm not getting what I need out of Notion AI, I'll jump over to Writesonic, which also has prompts that help you write the perfect sentence.
5. Use AI for editing and proofreading
Editors can catch typos—but they shouldn't have to. To allow my editors to focus on human-necessary tasks like article structure and tone, I always run my writing through an AI grammar checker first.
There are several AI-powered grammar and spelling checkers that can quickly detect and correct errors in the text—and it's likely you're already using some sort of AI-powered app. I use the Grammarly plugin to edit and proofread my writing before sending it to my editors.
Grammarly works with Google Docs, making editing easy. It will underline the grammatical error, and I can right-click to fix it.
Other popular editing tools include ProWritingAid and Hemingway. And sometimes, when working on a particularly long, complicated blog post, I'll use Writesonic's editing capabilities in conjunction with Grammarly's. It helps me find extra peace of mind, knowing I haven't left any silly typos for my editors.
How to use AI ethically as a writer
If AI replaced content marketing writers, every marketing email would sound the same, and everyone's business slogan would be some version of the same cliche. And not that I don't want to be reminded that "anything is possible," but the human touch is what helps a brand stand out. As AI becomes a part of everyone's writing workflow, we need to make sure a human eye still reviews the content.
To use AI ethically as a writer, consider the following tips:
Be transparent: If AI generates significant portions of your content, inform your readers. You can mention this in the author's note, within the text, or as a disclaimer at the article's end.
Prioritize quality control: Ensure your content meets your quality standards. Don't depend solely on AI-generated content. Use it as a starting point and infuse your voice, style, thoughts, and insights.
Verify facts: AI, although seemingly accurate, is prone to errors, misinformation, and hallucinations. Always double-check the information it provides.
Avoid plagiarism: AI-powered tools use other people's writing and research to generate their responses and can sometimes paraphrase other people's writing. Be sure to proofread any AI-generated content for plagiarism and credit the original sources.
Monitor bias: AI tools can exhibit biases, just like humans. When generating ideas and content, check that the recommendations aren't slanted toward a specific group or demographic.
When you keep these ethical considerations in mind, you maintain your credibility, individuality, and trust as a writer—instead of becoming a robot.
Use AI to write faster, better content
I believe the future of writing is with AI, and now is the time to hop on the AI exploration train. Using AI tools intelligently can enhance your writing quality, save time, and increase your productivity. You can become even more relevant and competitive as a writer. Why wouldn't you take advantage of a robot that acts like a second cup of coffee? I know I'm going to.
