Category: Writing Tips

I just participated in a webinar that shocked me: “Will AI Tools Replace Salespeople?” AKA “Will AI Tools Replace Content Marketers like Me?” If it takes 15 minutes to write a blog versus 2 hours, why write a blog? Artificial intelligence allows you to type in several prompts which the bots use to churn out a first draft in moments. With a few more prompts, AI edits the blog to your liking. It’s like having a copywriter at your side – a writing assistant with access to more knowledge than you could ever comprehend.
My mind raced: Should I use AI to write marketing content? Why not? How? But the thought that shocked me even more was this: Will my clients use AI instead of me? Is human writing, either ghostwritten or byline copy, now obsolete? Will I be out of a job?

AI Churns Out Marketing Material

In case you’re new to AI, its use is already widespread. The webinar I watched focused on ways AI is used in sales. AI completes tasks like researching prospects, developing personas, and taking notes at virtual meetings. Additionally, AI produces content marketing material. For example, AI drafts emails, website content, social media posts, customer letters, product descriptions, blogs, proposals, marketing presentations, and on and on. AI can develop everything from a catchy subject line to a 600-word blog. Where does that leave me? Instead of fighting AI, it’s best to leverage it instead. Let computers do what they do best, and humans do what we do best. Instead of comparing my worth to a computer’s, I need to look at what value I bring to the table as a human being.

The Value People Bring to Marketing

First of all, as a professional writer, I understand the nuances of language. Because of this quality, my blogs and website content have a conversational tone. My writing encourages readers to settle in for a good read and hopefully, join the conversation. Words aren’t used out of place, which is a telltale sign of computer-generated text. Second, my instincts allow me to write and structure text in a way that flows, transitions, and reaches the audience on a personal level. After 15 years working in journalism and marketing, I developed the intuition for writing in a way that people want to read it.

Original, People-First Content Writing

Third, my writing is original, not duplicated in hundreds of other places online. The anecdotes and brand messaging are mine or my client’s, not computer-generated and impersonal. Google loves helpful, reliable, and people-first content. According to Google, original content is one of the key best practices to improve a website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and ranking on Google Search.

Creativity & A Personal Touch

Fourth, creativity is another advantage I have over a computer. Of course, marketing content isn’t written like a poetry book or spy novel. Yet compelling creative writing trumps automated text every time. A human touch helps to engage a human audience. Along those same lines, a human writer builds rapport with an audience. From what I see, AI language models are getting really good at word flow and tone, but AI always struggles with personalizing content for a small businesses and organizations. Unlike AI, I can have a conversation with clients to get them thinking about a target audience, theme, and first-person accounts. I know my clients and their businesses, so I offer them a personal touch. Truly, that’s a big advantage I have over AI. AI can’t understand the person or organization I’m working with the way that I can.

Trustworthy & Authentic Interactions

When readers see my byline month after month, they feel a connection. As a writer and reader, we form a relationship. Of course, anyone in business knows the value of relationship-building. Computers can’t show empathy or camaraderie like we can as humans.

Lastly and probably most importantly, is trust. Trust plays such an important role in starting and maintaining relationships. People buy from brands they trust, and authentic, personal interactions build that trust. AI isn’t always good at differentiating between true and false information. I can ask AI to write an article, but the information in the article might be totally wrong. Erroneous information damages a client’s credibility and destroys trust.

AI is a Tremendous Tool But Not My Replacement

So, despite my knee-jerk reaction, I’m confident that I won’t become a dinosaur in the age of artificial intelligence and machine learning. AI presents tremendous tools for small business marketing and management, but AI isn’t a replacement for the human marketing teams – or little ol’ me. That’s a relief! Let’s get together, human to human, to talk about content marketing.

I have been correcting people’s grammar since I was a kid, and I turned this annoying habit into a career. Editing is one of my favorite things to do. Previously, while working as a newspaper editor, I edited hundreds of news briefs and newspaper articles every week. Editing became so natural that I edited in my sleep. Lest you think I was sleeping on the job, let me explain. Sometimes, I’d wake up at night, dreaming that I am writing and editing the news. Proofreading certainly comes easily to me.

4 Website Editing Options

So, when a client asked me to edit her webpages, I jumped at the chance. But first, we had to agree upon terms. Essentially, I needed to know the type of editing to do. Thus, I gave her four options:

1. Proofread and edit for grammar and sentence structure
2. Style and format for consistency and readability (For example, some pages have multiple fonts.)
3. Reword from a customer’s perspective (I wrote a marketing blog about this.)
4. Reword for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by using keywords in text, headings and subheadings

Content Marketing Solutions

My client requested all of the above. Here’s why:

• Webpages need to be free of grammatical and spelling errors. Essentially, organizations lose credibility with their audience if their webpages contain errors.
• Webpages also need to be inviting, designed with a clean and fluid layout that attracts the eye and encourages browsing.
• Websites that are easy to read keep visitors engaged, making them more likely to act. Readability requires short sentences, active voice, and conversational writing.
• Website content needs to be client-focused, telling the client’s story, addressing the client’s concerns, and offering a solution.
• Search engines like Google crawl and index the internet. The keywords on websites match the search terms that users type into a search bar, and text allows search engines to show the website on a results page.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Both text and images tell a story, but search engines read text only, not images. My client’s Home page showed a banner image with text written within the image. Although the text looked appealing and included keywords, the text wasn’t searchable. The bots indexing the internet read this as an image only, ignoring the keywords inside. Therefore, for the best results, keywords should be published as text separate from images. Additionally, images should have alt text. Alt text is a written description of what is depicted in a photo. This text allows search engines to crawl and rank a website while also assisting visually impaired readers understand what’s displayed on a webpage.

Proofreading & Editing Webpages

Proofreading and editing webpages are more complex skills than they seem at first glance. That’s why it helps to work with a content marketing professional with years of editing experience. Contact me today to get started.

To read more about website writing and content marketing, visit How to Write a Wicked Webpage.

Content writing for websites is a little bit like going on a blind date.
Anyone who has been on blind date knows the importance of asking good questions – because the alternative is awkward silence. Good questions lead to good rapport, good conversation, and perhaps, a meaningful relationship.
Here is a list of questions I developed as a starting point for writing website content, especially for the Home page and About Us page.

1. Name of business?
2. Meaning behind the name?
3. Name of Owner/s?
4. History of the business?
5. What problem do your clients face?
6. What solution do you provide?
7. Owner’s experience?
8. Certifications?
9. Training/Education?
10. Insured and bonded?
11. Mission statement/goals?
12. Motto or catchphrase?
13. Advertising messages?
14. Key words people might use in online searches?
15. Selling point: why different than competition?
16. What’s the approach you take with clients?
17. Primary target audience?
18. Secondary target audience?
19. Service area?
20. Locations (home office, branches)?
21. Directions to home office/branches?
22. What do you want customers to do? Call? Email? Visit you in person? Something else?
23. Number of staff members?
24. Selling point of staff members: What makes the staff stand out?
25. Service/product offered? What are their four top benefits or features?
26. What’s your price point? How does your price compare to the competition?
27. Advantages of working with you (quality product, save time, better than do-it-yourself, etc.)?
28. Hours or by appointment only?
29. Awards and recognition?
30. What did I forget that’s important?

I’ve found this questionnaire to be a great place to start when I develop website content for a client. Follow-up questions help to clarify the information, and additional research helps to add detail and industry-specific language. My goal is to engage readers in content that’s meaningful to them, making them more likely to act in a way that meets my clients’ business objectives. Good content can increase traffic to a website and reduce bounce rates.

Where have you been all my life? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you published one article or launched one email campaign and people flocked to your business to buy your product or service? You were a godsend – just what they needed at that very moment. Instead, your message is greeted with silence. Don’t be discouraged, because one and done isn’t going to cut it. You’re in this for the long-haul, because content marketing is all about building relationships over time.

Be Patient

Here’s how content marketing makes an impact. As prospects see more articles, emails, and posts, they begin to view you as an expert. You’re someone to trust. They grow familiar with you over time and learn more about your brand. They read more of your articles and see themselves in your stories. Instant gratification certainly would boost egos, but that’s not what typically happens with blogging or email campaigns. Relationships take time to marinate. Realistically, you don’t just meet someone one day and propose the next.

Put Yourself in Their Shoes

In content marketing, what’s important is putting yourself in your prospects’ shoes. What do your prospects struggle with? What are their pain points? Once you have identified their struggles, you can craft a response. What solution or “cure” you can offer to ease their pain? Similarly, what information can you share that will make their lives easier? Instead of talking about your business, write about what’s happening in theirs.

People don’t mind reading emails or articles as long as the topic is interesting and relevant. Above all, you want a prospect to sees themselves when they read your newsletter, email blast, or blog. Essentially, you tell their story better than they tell it themselves. Therefore, focus of content that’s enriching, more than selling and promotional. Remember that persistence pays off.

Content Marketing Makes an Impact

So, if your team is struggling to find the time or the right words to connect with prospects, consider calling in reinforcements. Writer to the Rescue is a content marketing professional with experience in writing and marketing. Consider taking content marketing off your plate and calling a writer to your rescue. To read more about content marketing, check out How Good Content Builds Your Customer Base.