ChatGPT vs. Content Marketing: Finding the Sweet Spot Between AI & Human Connections

We need to address the elephant in the content marketing room: artificial intelligence (AI). Over the past few years, AI started gaining traction in the industry due to technological advancements, particularly in natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML), which led to the development of sophisticated tools like ChatGPT—an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. The intelligent solution can answer questions and assist with writing tasks, from emails to code.?

This opens the door to seemingly unlimited possibilities regarding its use and function in business, and while that's great, it is also challenging for obvious reasons. There are crippling concerns regarding the ethics and humanness of organizations that use solutions like ChatGPT to produce their marketing content, which is significant enough to at least poke holes in their authority and thought leadership.?

But this stems from a lack of understanding of what this tool can and cannot do. Those who solely rely on it for their marketing content are not maximizing their potential, and those who believe that ChatGPT will entirely replace human creatives and marketers are missing the point by a long shot.

According to research by Capterra , 82% of marketers say that AI-generated content is just as good, if not better, than human-generated content. But although they say the content is clear and easy to read, 49% of them rated it the least successful way of generating accurate and error-free content. And so we can clearly see from this that AI is not a foolproof marketing tool, and it is still rather fallible.?

AI’s impact on content marketing

To give credit where credit is due, ChatGPT is a groundbreaking innovation that sparked a transformative shift in the way creatives and marketers produce their content, allowing them to streamline the creative process from generating new ideas to analyzing available data. Its impact on the industry is nothing short of remarkable. In fact, to confirm this, we asked ChatGPT directly about its impact on the industry.?

In response, the intelligent chatbot claimed to “have the potential to significantly impact content marketing both in the present and the future” by assisting content marketers in “generating high-quality, engaging content quickly and efficiently” which would end up saving them valuable time and effort.

It also claimed to “help marketers tailor their content to specific target audiences. By analyzing user data and preferences, [it] can provide insights into what type of content is likely to resonate with different segments of the audience. Marketers can leverage this information to create personalized and targeted content strategies that drive better engagement and conversions.”

In conjunction with content creation and personalization, the chatbot said that it can also “play a role in optimizing content for search engines” by suggesting relevant keywords, assisting with meta tags, and providing content recommendations for higher search rankings. And “by ensuring that the content is well-structured and organized” it can also help improve the visibility of said content. Its capabilities are also multilingual, so it can also “help content marketers reach global audiences by creating multilingual content.”

Last but not least, ChatGPT told us that it can “process and analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns, trends, and insights. By analyzing customer behavior, content performance, and market trends, [it] can provide valuable data-driven insights that inform content strategies and decision-making processes.”

Rather intriguing, the AI concluded its response with a forecast:

“Looking to the future, AI models like me are likely to become even more advanced, allowing for more nuanced and creative content generation. However, it's important to note that ethical considerations and the preservation of the human touch in content marketing will remain vital. AI should be seen as a tool to augment human capabilities and enhance creativity, rather than a replacement for human marketers. With the right balance, AI can empower content marketers to achieve new heights of effectiveness and efficiency.”

The human touch on content marketing

Throughout its response, the AI was very clear regarding its function, repeating the word “assist” each and every time it presented its capabilities for content marketing. And that is exactly how it should be used, as an assistant in streamlining the creation of marketing content or the creation of a marketing campaign likewise.?

In this sense, AI language models like ChatGPT can be efficiently used by content marketers to leverage their human expertise and experience not only for ethical reasons but also because, without a skilled content creator at the helm, the tool can only do so much. As disclaimed by it, ChatGPT “may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts.” The solution is known to make things up sometimes or get confused when fed too much data or too much context, so a critical thinker will always be needed to verify the content generated by it.?

And although it is quite advanced in generating human-like responses and cohesive texts, it also repeats the same words excessively and transitions from one paragraph to another rather abruptly. Once again, the human touch is needed to edit any piece of AI-generated text to ensure that the content is smooth, the information is correct, and that it overall makes sense to anyone who reads it. And sometimes, for some content marketers, this process can take just as long (if not longer in some cases) than the traditional content creation process.

But, as predicted by the tool itself, AI language models like it will become more advanced in the future, and perhaps these issues will be sorted as it continues to learn from the creatives that feed it. Until then and even after, critical thinkers and creatives will still be indispensable to ensure that AI-generated content is top-notch, readable, valid, unique, and not the result of what might be deemed as misinformation or even stolen intellectual property from competitors because when things are too similar, it becomes unclear who copied who and authenticity and credibility are compromised.

There are still nuances in AI-generated content that can only be spotted, amended, and elevated by a trained eye. For example, if a non-creative professional uses AI to generate text, they might not be as observant as a content creator or marketer who is a skilled writer and critical thinker, and who may also have an educational or experience background in communication sciences. And so, solutions like ChatGPT can only provide minimal value for organizations without a content marketing department or a content marketing partner who can validate the content. But it can provide maximum value to their content marketers given that they use the tool ethically and critically.

How content marketers can use AI

According to research by HubSpot, 33% of marketers use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate ideas or gain inspiration while others use it to write copy (28%), create marketing images (26%), summarize texts into key points (25%), and translate texts into different languages (23%).

Undeniably, AI can be used to help with content generation or tasks adjacent to content creation but it must be noted that the content generated will only be as good as the prompt or outline given to it. Sometimes, working on the prompt or outline takes quite a bit of time, and even then, the content still needs to be proofread, edited, and validated.

Where AI truly stands out for marketers is in the brainstorming phase of content creation. There is nothing worse for a creative than running out of ideas and staring at a blank document. Here is where AI can come in and help brainstorm content ideas and explore different angles on a topic. By interacting with the chatbot, writers can gain inspiration to develop fresh and engaging content on relevant topics. This can help overcome creative blocks and ensure a steady flow of creativity.

Marketers can also ask the chatbot to read the content they already created and help them structure it better. As a content optimization tool, AI can be very helpful and help them differentiate between their texts, especially if they deal with similar topics and run out of ideas on how to make one text stand out from the other.?

And so, as long as it is used in conjunction with human expertise and creativity, AI can help devise a holistic and effective approach to content marketing that ultimately maximizes results.

How humans make a difference

It’s one thing to employ AI for generating ideas, copy, and content optimization, but another to give it full ownership over your content. There are some things that make humans accountable for the content, and the same things limit the capabilities of what AI can and cannot create, at least for now.?

Subject matter expertise: Content marketers are generally deeply knowledgeable about their subject matter and have expertise that allows them to think critically about their work and understand complex topics, industry trends, and audience needs. They can apply their expertise to curate, interpret, and contextualize information in a way that AI models may not fully grasp, which enables them to create content that is insightful, unique, and tailored to their specific audience.

Creativity and originality: AI models generate content based on patterns and existing data. But if you want your content to be creative and original, you need a content writer to do that. Creative thinkers can elevate content generated by AI or otherwise to put things into perspective, engage the target audience, and communicate information in a way that resonates. And this ultimately stands out in a world where AI has taken the spotlight in conveying brand messaging.

Tone and voice: Although some AI chatbots can generate human-like texts, the distinct tone and voice of a brand are harder to emulate. Content creators can more easily and consistently infuse their writing with a tone and voice that resonates and reflects their brand identity. They also have the ability to adapt and evolve their style to suit different platforms, communication channels, and customer segments. And this is important to enhance the overall emotional impact of the content.

Contextualization and adaptation: The context in which content is consumed is the key to producing content that is actually relevant and relatable. While AI may not have the full context or get confused when too much of it is offered, skilled content creators don’t have this issue. In fact, they thrive on context because it enables them to adapt their content to different mediums, channels, and target demographics, ensuring that the message is effectively communicated in the right format.

Emotional intelligence: One thing that AI does not have but content creators do is emotional intelligence. And the lack of it makes content fall flat whether your audience is B2B or B2C; it limits your organization’s ability to connect with people on a deeper level and thus loyalize and strengthen relationships with them. To create content that resonates emotionally, you need content creators who understand the emotions of their readers surrounding their challenges and needs and can craft content that speaks to those emotions. This human element fosters trust. And that is invaluable.

While AI is a good assisting tool in the brainstorming or optimization phase, and while it can be very helpful for short-form content, when it comes to deeply insightful and long-form content, it can only do so much. Such long-form content like whitepapers, expert guides, research reports, webinars, and educational assets for live events, to name a few, is usually the content used in the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey when prospects are likelier to convert into customers.

The content produced for this stage must be an authentic example of thought leadership. Otherwise, it can severely damage a brand’s reputation and authority. This is when brands can truly shine by showcasing their know-how and expertise, and this can only be achieved with the help of skilled content marketers and subject matter experts who proactively participate in every stage of the content creation process, from researching to writing.

The future is intelligent, not artificial

As AI continues to evolve and permeate every nook and cranny in the business landscape, it will inevitably saturate the ToFu (Top of the Funnel) content, which is the initial touchpoint responsible for product awareness and problem-solving but it is also the stage when a buyer is least ready to convert.?

And since companies like Google and Microsoft have begun incorporating AI, such as Google Bard and Bing, into their search algorithms, users at the top of the funnel are being served an abundance of comparative product articles, reviews, how-to guides, and product information, often without needing to click on a website, making them even unlikelier to convert.

Faced with this emerging reality and audiences who can tell the difference, companies want their content to stand out now more than ever before. They want their audience to recognize their humanness and trustworthiness. And they have a chance to accomplish that in the middle of the funnel or the consideration stage, when the buyer persona may already be a lead and part of the target audience. The content they consume at that stage is much different from ToFu content; it is hyper-targeted and consists of longer-form pieces, from whitepapers to research reports and others, all of which involve significant contributions from a dedicated team of content marketers, writers, editors, and subject matter experts.

AI’s limitations prevent it from creating such hyper-targeted content, and so this creates an opportunity for organizations to foster trust with their audience by producing expertly crafted assets via their in-house content marketing team or a trusted partner. They can also achieve this by tapping into a network of experts on a certain topic and producing valuable research reports with fresh data and insights that AI cannot produce, and unearthing new approaches to do something better or more effectively.?

With the right partner or in-house team, organizations can also produce podcasts, videos, webinars, and live events that create the opportunity for people to truly meet; brain-to-brain, perspective-to-perspective, human-to-human, and thus prove their authenticity and validate their thought leadership. To make the most of this opportunity, they can always use generative AI as their brainstorming assistant to elevate the content experience for every segment of the target audience.

And so, while AI can be an effective tool in the hands of a thoughtful human, the future of content marketing is not generated by it. Rather, the present and future of content marketing hinge on facilitating genuine conversations among people in communities built and nourished by subject matter experts and engaged participants.