Chat GPT vs. the human touch: Why you still need a copywriter for your business

If you haven’t heard if it, Chat GPT is a powerful tool developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text in an instant. When it first came out on the market, I saw other copywriters quaking in their boots. One LinkedIn post after another, all fearing ‘AI is taking our jobs!’.

After initial stomach flip of a panic, I stared this new-fangled tech straight in the face and had a little go with Chat GPT myself. I asked it to write 50 words on a new restaurant. And the result? Underwhelming. Yes, I was impressed at the technology itself, but the outcome didn’t worry me. Instantly I could see how I would have written it better, removed the repetition, tailored it to the audience, made the call to action stronger. The list goes on, let’s just say any fears of being replaced by AI fizzled away.

Which leads me to a question I’ve heard more and more lately:

“Why hire a copywriter when I can just use Chat GPT?”

Yep you’re right, why not hand over your business and your livelihood to AI? I’m guessing you’ve never been stuck at a self-serve checkout at the supermarket? Waiting for help with an ‘unexpected item in bagging area’ error message and a light flashing. Holding up the queue while you wait for one of those, what are they called again, oh yeah, human staff members, to come and save the day. Technology is brilliant, when it works.

The thing is I don’t think it should be viewed as being anti-technology to say you don’t want Chat GPT to take over the world. After all, here I am writing this on my snazzy laptop, from notes I’d written on my fancy iPhone, not dipping my quill into an inkwell! I’m not against progression in technology or the many amazing things that it can do to help our busy working lives. I’m certainly not denying that the possibilities Artificial Intelligence throws up are impressive.

Human connection vs. Artificial Intelligence

Here's where you’re missing a trick when you use AI over a real life copywriter

Chat GPT albeit very clever, has loads of limitations:

·       No emotional intelligence – it can’t understand you and your business

·       It doesn’t have your customer in mind when writing

·       It won’t write in your brand’s tone of voice

·       It can’t draw from experience - what has/hasn’t worked in the past

One more thing to watch out for with Chat GPT – it currently sources information from January 2022 if you only use the free version! If you pay for Chat GPT Plus then it’s working with more recent data from December 2023. So, you’ll still need to fact check everything it writes or better still, ask a real life up-to-date human being to write it for you!

And where the technology lacks the most? Chat GPT can only put out what you put in.

Now if you’re a marketing expert with years of experience of writing solid briefs under your belt, then great. You might be able to input the right prompts to get the best content out the other side. You also might be able to proofread really well and see where you could make the copy even stronger. But for most business owners this is not the case.

Even if marketing is your forte, copywriting might not be. Some people get so blinded by the output ‘oh how clever that it wrote this so quickly’ that they don’t properly read the finished article. Ask the questions, does this sound like something my business would normally say, does it really speak to my target customers, does this actually make sense or is it robotic waffle?!

On the flip side get a copywriter in to write the copy and you’ll benefit from all this:

·       A listening ear with important discovery stage to form a detailed brief

·       Insight into your business and what it needs from a copy perspective

·       Consideration of your target audience

·       Copy that’s on brand and in your tone of voice

·       Competitor comparison

·       Collaboration - an expert to bounce your ideas off

·       Rounds of amends to get your copy perfect

Collaboration is key

You can’t replace that human connection

A copywriter will get to know you on a personal level to understand your business needs. They’ll ask who your customers are and tailor the copy to target them. They’ll find out what your competitors are saying and help you to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Most importantly, a human copywriter can tap into emotions, listen to your feedback and produce compelling and engaging copy that meets your brief. I’ve cried, laughed, been scared, felt angry and I can pull from any of these real emotions to write copy that makes your reader feel something.

Copywriters also deep dive into research for every copy project. Whether it’s to discover keywords for your online content or to consider the competitor landscape, they’ll make sure your marketing messages are coming out on top.

Chat GPT doesn’t truly know anything. It only knows what you put in. This is exactly why I view it as a tool and not a replacement. With no emotional intelligence or ability to empathise - both critical parts of copywriting, you’re missing out if you just rely on AI to write your content.

One last thought. When you jet off on holiday, whilst you know that autopilot can be used to fly the plane, you feel safe in the knowledge that a human pilot is in charge, am I right?

 

I’m Christie, a real-life copywriter using my human hands to type compelling copy and content that will make a real difference to your business. Get in touch at christieforcopy@outlook.com with your next copy project.