Why does website copy matter?

Bad copy needs no introduction. We’ve all come across it; that robotic tone of voice, muddled messaging or sloppy grammar.

These common mistakes might seem inconsequential, but they can instil serious doubt in your brand. On the other hand, clear, concise and captivating copy encourages prospective customers to explore and engage with a website.

Here are a few reasons why it’s worth paying close attention to your web copy:

1. Connection. By sharing the story, values and mission behind what you do, you can build an emotional bond with your target audience. The more your messaging reflects your brand persona, the higher your likelihood of attracting and engaging the right customers.

2. Credibility. Alongside accreditations and social proof, proper grammar will help to position your business as professional, trustworthy and dependable.

3. Clarity. Convince users to take action by highlighting your solutions for particular pain points and the advantages of your business over competitors.

4. Utility. Guides, fact sheets and other types of long-form copy can explain every aspect of your products or services. As well as making your customers’ lives easier, this expert information can help bolster your business’s reputation as a market leader.

5. Visibility. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) includes copywriting best practices that aim to boost your website’s position on the result pages of search engines like Google and Bing. Higher rankings equal more eyes on your offerings, so skip this step and your website might disappear into search engine obscurity.

Now that you appreciate the value of solid website copy, it’s time to learn how AI tools can help your team write it.

What is AI?

AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. Essentially, it is a machine or software’s ability to study and ultimately mimic our minds’ cognitive functions. The more AI interacts with people, the more it learns. As a result, these inanimate systems can now carry out tasks that have traditionally been reserved for the human brain.

Without diving too deep into the technical complexities of this fascinating advancement, let’s take a look at its two core categories.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is the sort of stuff you see in movies. Drawing on a broad range of human-like cognitive abilities, an AGI system can tackle any unfamiliar task like a real person.

On the other hand, Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) has been created to solve specific problems, like writing that article you keep pushing back. ANI only performs one type of function – but with more efficiency than we mortals could ever dream of.

Depending on their design and development, AI copywriting tools can fall into either bucket.

How does AI copywriting work?

AI copywriting tools are trained on an extensive dataset of existing online content. Basically, they scour the internet for vast amounts of copy that humans have already strung together.

Then they use machine learning to detect patterns, hone their own linguistic skills and write practically any form of copy. Emails, social posts, Google Ads copy, product descriptions, blogs, landing pages – you name it, AI can write it.

More specifically, Large Language Models (LLMs) are a type of AI trained to predict the next word in a sentence – kind of like predictive text on your mobile phone, but on a whole new level.

That said, LLMs aren’t magic. View an AI copywriter as an incredibly smart assistant, as opposed to some sort of all-knowing being. It has to be trained on data relating to a given topic to gain enough context to write impactful copy.

That’s where you come in. Keep reading to learn how to prompt an AI copywriter for top results.

How to prompt properly

When it comes to AI copywriting tools, speed isn’t the issue. As mentioned above, these powerhouses can produce thousands of words in seconds.

But as with most things in life, it’s all about quality over quantity.

The trick to AI-written copy that converts? Knowing how to prompt.

Just as you would brief a human, you’ll need to give an AI copywriting tool clear instructions and background information on the subject you want it to create content for.

Equipped with these prompts, the AI copywriter will analyse similar content across the internet and rework it into new messaging that fits the bill. The clearer the input, the more accurate the output.

For instance, you could feed the AI copywriter a blog post heading and subheadings, and it would generate an entire article for your review almost instantly. But with no wider understanding to guide its approach, this copy would likely need significant editing to make it publication-worthy.

Long story short?

You should always set clear and concise parameters for the AI copywriter to follow, from tone of voice and target audience to unique selling points and campaign details. That way, it will produce compelling copy angled for the precise application and audience – with minimal need for tweaks.

To get started, use the following AI prompts:

What

Prompt instruction: State the desired action.

Example: Write 10 Frequently Asked Questions and their answers.

Where

Prompt instruction: Clarify the exact location and channel where this copy will be shown.

Example: For use on a service page about property settlement on a lawyer’s website.

How

Prompt instruction: Specify the messaging format, tone of voice, word count, forbidden features and any other considerations to note for this task.

Example: Ensure that each FAQ is written clearly in a professional and empathetic tone of voice, optimised as per SEO best practices, and no more than 100 words in total. Do not use emojis, puns or excessive punctuation.

Who

Prompt instruction: Describe the target audience’s demographics and pain points.

Example: Appeal to Australian adults who plan to or have already separated or divorced, and are seeking legal support to ensure their best interests are protected during asset division.

When

Prompt instruction: Confirm the timings for this content.

Example: This copy will be published on August 30th for reading on an ongoing basis.

Why

Prompt instruction: Explain the purpose of this copy. What is the ultimate goal?

Example: Optimise the copy so that this page ranks higher on Google, and encourage website users to book a consultation with the property settlement lawyer.

To make your prompting even easier, we’ve created an AI copywriting cheat sheet complete with a template, recommended approaches for different situations and helpful tools! Click the link below to get your hands on it for free.

Download our free cheat sheet
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Copywriting with ChatGPT

While it wasn’t the first-ever AI copywriting tool, ChatGPT is definitely the most renowned!

But what is ChatGPT?

Founded by OpenAI in November 2022, ChatGPT is an LLM chatbot with an exceptional ability to converse and create content like a human.

So it’s no surprise that this AI copywriter has gained massive traction over the past year. It’s used to deliver written responses such as code, articles, website landing pages, emails, speeches, poems, songs, title tags and meta descriptions. Basically, any piece of content you can imagine.

You can also turn to ChatGPT for competitor and keyword research, helping to devise a solid content strategy before you put finger to keyboard.

How does ChatGPT work?

ChatGPT uses something known as Natural Language Processing to understand exactly what sort of responses we expect when asking a question or making a request.

It generates a string of dialogue that it assumes will answer your question best, based on the data it has been trained on. That includes vast amounts of information from across the internet, including sources like Reddit threads and website blogs.

Additionally, Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF) allows this AI copywriter to fine-tune its answers with each prompt and response you provide. Ultimately, it will follow your instructions and write in a way that’s often indistinguishable from us.

At the time of writing, there are two versions of ChatGPT to choose from: ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4, which is the more powerful, paid version. For instance, it can process eight times as many words, crawl website pages and even understand images.

Learn more about ChatGPT-3.5 versus ChatGPT-4.

How to use ChatGPT

ChatGPT’s conversation-style platform makes it simple for anyone to use, even if you’re an AI copywriting beginner.

To get started, start a conversation by typing up your prompt and sending the message. ChatGPT will respond almost instantly.

From there, you can build upon each piece of information, as this AI copywriter retains previous information in your conversation, tweaking its replies accordingly.

How much does ChatGPT cost?

ChatGPT-3.5 is free, while ChatGPT-4 costs $20 USD per month.

ChatGPT alternatives: 6 more AI copywriting tools to check out

1. Copy.ai

Pricing: Get up to 2,000 words for free every month. Paid plans start from $49 USD per month.

Copy.ai produces nearly publication-ready drafts that only need a touch of manual editing. It follows a pretty similar process to hiring a human: supply a brief that covers the topic and some creative guidance and approve the proposed outline. Then sit back and wait for the results, which only take a couple of minutes to generate.

You can use Copy.ai to write blogs, social posts, emails, and much more. It’s a powerful AI copywriting tool – and the price reflects it!

2. Jasper

Pricing: Get a free trial for up to 10,000 words. Paid plans vary from $24 to $500 USD per month based on word count.

If you’re aiming to keep content consistent across comms and departments, Jasper might just be the solution. This AI copywriting tool excels at crafting content that feels human, and it’s designed with teamwork at its core.

For example, the Jasper for Business plan sports a brand voice analyser to ensure every piece of content matches the tone of your existing messaging.

With its expansive collection of templates and cloud-based storage, businesses big and small can effortlessly brainstorm, fine-tune, and greenlight content. Jasper’s document-style platform is simple to use, too. Just provide the details for your desired content, like SEO keywords and tone of voice, and you’re good to go.

3. QuillBot

Pricing: Free plans with limited word counts and basic summary options. Upgrade to premium for $19.95 USD per month to access unlimited word counts.

Looking to update or repurpose an old piece of content? Whether it’s adding to articles, summarising for snappy social media captions or churning out multiple variations, QuillBot makes it easy.

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill AI copywriter. Instead of creating content from scratch based on your instructions, it takes what you’ve got and gives it a fresh twist. Beyond just substituting words, QuillBot can rephrase, simplify and expand your copy.

You’ll also find features like an AI-driven online research tool, a helpful citation producer, and a “co-writing” function to finish your sentences.

4. DeepL

Pricing: Translate up to 3,000 characters on three documents free of charge. Paid plans for unlimited translations start at €7.49 per month.

Ever wished you had a fluent translator in your pocket?

Someone who could pick up on slight nuances and deliver instant translations?

Cue DeepL.

This AI tool isn’t a copywriter per se, but it is a game changer for content translation.
DeepL uses AI to translate your copy while retaining its meaning on a level that previously only human speakers could achieve – but for a fraction of the cost.

It can also translate any type of document, so it’s ideal if you’re looking to break into new markets with different languages.

That said, as with all things AI, it’s still important to double-check the output to ensure accuracy and avoid any public relations catastrophes…

5. Lately.ai

Pricing: Plans start at $99 USD per month for a single user with one social account.

If you don’t need AI to write an article from scratch but would like to repurpose an existing blog into a social post, Lately is your answer.

This AI copywriter offers a quick way to transform long-form copy into short and snappy captions. Simply upload your piece and it’ll present you with several post-ready options.

It does this by analysing your content, pulling out core points and viewing it from different perspectives to produce unique content – as opposed to 15 versions of the same spiel, just slightly tweaked.

This tool works on more than copy, too. Upload a lengthy video and it’ll divide it up into numerous clips perfect for TikTok, Instagram Stories, and even YouTube Shorts.

Last but not least, the Lately app can also link to Hootsuite, enabling you to edit, schedule, and automatically publish posts from within your Hootsuite dashboard. Not bad.

6. Google Gemini

Google Gemini (formerly known as “Bard”) is not a search engine. Unlike Google, it doesn’t provide quick factual answers. Instead, this AI tool is all about deeper, opinion-based insights.

Whereas you’d go to Google for a question like ‘What is the character limit for a meta description?’, you might turn to Gemini to learn ‘Should I invest more in SEO or paid search?’

And it can also help you with content creation. Google Gemini receives prompts and performs text-based requests like copywriting and translating. It uses the LaMDA LLM, which is trained on external knowledge sources like web data and public discussions.

In other words, the copy supplied by Gemini is based on up-to-date information on Google Search. It also evolves with your feedback to deliver accurate messaging in the desired tone.

That said, this experimental chatbot is still a work in progress so its features might be too limited for your AI copywriting goals. Try it out here.

AI copywriting risks: Why you should always review the output

Reliance on the quality of input

With many AI copywriters, including ChatGPT, the quality of its responses rely on the quality of your prompts. Typically, the clearer the instructions and more detailed the context, the more precise and engaging the content.

For example, here’s a vague prompt that gives ChatGPT little background and direction.

Is Sourdough Sisters a bread product or a bakery? Where is it? What channel will the copy be shared on? Who should it appeal to? What is the intended action for them to take? What should the tone of voice be?

With such a lack of information to work off, ChatGPT produced a generic response that doesn’t speak to anyone in particular and lacks substance when it comes to offers, features and helpful information.

Now, let’s take a look at how its output improves with a more comprehensive brief:

While this content still needs some tone tweaks and fact checks before publication, it’s a far stronger starting point than the first version.

No truly unique content

While AI copywriting technology is no doubt incredibly powerful, it won’t generate any genuinely unique content. Rather, these machines analyse existing online copy written by humans and rework it to deliver something fresh.

If blindly copying, pasting and publishing this content straight from the AI platform, you could run the risk of plagiarism.

But there is a simple solution.

A healthy dose of human editing can give this messaging the originality it needs while ensuring every paragraph aligns with your brand’s voice (more on this below!).

Built-in biases

Remember that AI copywriting tools like ChatGPT are typically trained to be useful, harmless and honest. While these biases are built into the machine for our benefit, they can also be limiting in certain circumstances.

For example, the bias to be harmless can result in an avoidance of negativity.

Initially, that seems like a plus, right?

Most of the time, it is. However, these limitations can also affect the framing of a piece of content that is supposed to be neutral, cautionary or intended for creative storytelling purposes.

To ensure the AI copywriter writes content from the right angle, it’s important to provide explicit instructions on the direction it should take.

Incorrect answers

As AI copywriting software is trained to deliver content that feels right to us humans, its responses can make it seem like the output is correct when it’s not. OpenAI even warned about this limitation in the platform’s launch announcement.

For example, a research study by Purdue University found that 52% of ChatGPT’s answers to software programming questions were wrong, despite being comprehensive and well-articulated.

ChatGPT can serve up inaccurate answers if it doesn’t understand the question’s context, focuses on the wrong element of the question or fails to appreciate the situation’s nuances. After all, its insights rest in the data it has been trained upon, and resulting biases.

Importantly, if using an AI copywriter, it’s your responsibility to ensure the validity of its content with a diligent fact-checking process. In other words, critical analysis of its output is key.

Sharing false information with your customers or followers could damage your business’s reputation beyond repair, and potentially lead to costly legal action.

Off-brand tone

For lots of content – title tags, meta descriptions, FAQs and policies, to name a few – a particularly strong brand voice isn’t the main focus. Rather, copy revolves more around communicating the core facts, featuring key selling points and including the right SEO keywords.

In other cases, tone makes all the difference to a customer’s experience and connection with your business. From value propositions and blogs to social posts and emails, content that serves to tell your story and engage your audience needs messaging that reflects your brand. That way, it’ll be more likely to grab and hold the right reader’s attention.

The obstacle?

AI can assess and understand immense amounts of data with unrivalled speed. However, it’s not as inherently creative or emotional as a human.

Therefore, while you can feed it directives on how you want copy to sound and feel, you’ll usually have to go through each piece of AI-generated content afterwards to zhush it up and make it yours.

For example, given they’re trained on what’s already out there, AI copywriters are probably going to suggest commonly-used CTAs like:

“Get a quote”

“Call now”

“Learn more”

These are short, clear and get the job done. In many cases, they work really well. But personalised CTAs have been shown to encourage three times as many clicks as generic alternatives. And it’s all down to messaging that attracts and resonates with the user.

Clunky phrases and grammar

One study reports that scientists only spotted 68% of fake ChatGPT-generated research paper abstracts presented to them, believing the other 32% were real.
This is a pretty impressive result! That said, it also suggests that well over half the time, AI-generated content can be identified as just that – not written by a human.

One reason for this is that AI copy often features awkward wording. While it might use the right grammar and vocabulary, the possibility of strange sentences or odd phrases makes proofreading a necessity.

On the other hand, maybe its sentences string together smoothly but its spelling and grammar need work. For instance, the AI copywriter could be using American English but you want your text to be for Australian readers.

So, no matter how much faith you have in this AI copywriting software, always double-check its flow and make sure there are no typos.

Invisible watermarking

Curious readers can already check whether copy has been written by AI using free online tools. But now, OpenAI has taken detection one step further. Their researchers have created cryptographic watermarking that will help flag content created by AI copywriters, such as ChatGPT.

Invisible to the naked eye, this watermarking is embedded into ChatGPT content and designed to overcome algorithms that prevent detection. It can be used as proof of AI copywriting down the line to discourage academic plagiarism, propaganda and impersonation.

This is something to bear in mind if you plan to pass off AI copy as your own. Moving forward, it’ll be far more difficult to maintain that this content was written by a human.

It’s up to you and your team to decide whether this matters to your customers – some care, but most don’t, as long as it’s still useful.

Plus, you can always use an AI-generated disclaimer like:

‘This article was generated using ChatGPT before being carefully edited and fact-checked by an experienced member of our team, {Name, Role}.’

Elements like this will help you to provide human-first content. Read on to learn more about this approach and why it’s important for SEO

When to take advantage of AI copywriting tools

With the above considerations in mind, it’s important to understand that AI copywriting isn’t always the right answer – and it’s rarely, if ever, sufficient on its own.

That said, this technology shines in certain situations if you know how to harness it! Here are its most valuable applications for digital marketers and copywriters who want to get the job done in less time.

Bulk content

Ready to scale up your content production?

AI copywriting tools can research and write far faster than humans, delivering thousands of words in a matter of seconds.

So, if you need to create bulk content, like product descriptions or title tags, then an AI copywriter can get it done quickly. Meanwhile, your people can dedicate themselves to the more complex marketing and messaging tasks that matter most.

As explained above, it’s still essential to double-check AI copy for quality control purposes before it’s published, but you’ll save time overall.

Writer’s block

AI copywriting software can be a godsend when you’ve hit a creative wall. Instead of wasting time with writer’s block, make the most of a tool like ChatGPT to give your brainstorming the boost it needs.

For example, writing unique, succinct and optimised headlines that will capture the target audience’s attention is no easy feat. While you likely won’t publish any word-for-word suggestions from an AI copywriter, it’s an awesome resource for inspiration when starting with a blank slate.

With appropriate prompts (think tone of voice, target audience and topic descriptors), these tools can provide any number of headline recommendations to play around with until you land on the ideal combination of words for your website page.

From adjectives and pain points to keywords and sentence structure, these ideas will at the very least help to lay the foundations for your opening message.

And once you’ve written a headline that ticks all the right boxes, you can use it to give the AI copywriter more context for the page’s body copy.

Will AI copy impact my website’s SEO?

AI copy won’t impact your SEO if you use it correctly. Google has finally announced that this type of content is within their Webmaster Guidelines so long as it’s high quality, original and useful.

In other words, it needs to be human-first content that provides real value to users through a satisfying experience and effective solutions. So, make sure your AI copy is accurate, unique, honest, helpful and reliable.

And as for spam, Google actually updated its developer page to clarify the criteria.

In October 2022, it stated:

Will AI take over copywriting?

No. AI will not take over copywriting. However, it will change how human copywriters work.

An AI copywriting tool can research and write an entire article in seconds – but that doesn’t mean it’s ready for publication. As mentioned above, this approach comes with multiple limitations that in turn necessitate fact checks, tone of voice tweaks and other nuanced tasks that are best left to human minds.

In other words, there will always be value in having someone sentient to review, edit and fine-tune AI copy for quality control.

Think of AI as a copywriting assistant, who can deliver the time-consuming first draft practically instantly so that we humans can concentrate on what truly counts: turning browsers into buyers. That includes providing the right prompts beforehand, as well as injecting your brand’s personality afterwards.

Hire a human copywriter who can use AI to your advantage

The key takeaway?

AI copywriting is a serious game changer and time saver. It can accelerate digital marketing tasks and provide amazing support when you know how to use it.

But it won’t erase the need for human copywriters.

Because when it comes to connecting with your customers and quality control, you just can’t beat a real brain (yet, at least). Often, the best strategy is to combine the speed and power of AI with the fluency and creativity of, well, us.

If you’d prefer to leave this critical messaging in the hands of talented humans instead of only chatbots, our living and breathing wordsmiths are ready to write.

At Redback, we offer end-to-end, in-house website copywriting services. From SEO articles and service pages to social media ads and emails, we’ll make sure your story sparks action.

That means leveraging the latest AI tools for topic research, optimising for search engines and embodying your brand in every sentence.

To get the ball rolling, call today on (02) 4005 0167 or send us an online enquiry.