Learn how to generate high-quality content creation using AI tools and unlock productivity at scale. Understand strengths, and limitations and get helpful tips.
The curse of the blank page paralyzes writers of all levels. Staring at a fresh document while the minutes tick by without typing a single letter feels like torture to anyone tasked with an entire content creation process.
But what if artificial intelligence could help? New AI-powered tools promise to break through writer’s block and churn out blog posts, social media captions, and other marketing content with just a few prompts.
It sounds too good to be true. Can these robots really produce high-quality, engaging material from thin air? The truth lies somewhere in between. AI content generators clearly have limitations but also offer exciting possibilities if used strategically.
This comprehensive guide will explore both the potential benefits of relying on artificial intelligence tools that can help with any type of content ideas and content creation tools for 2023.
How to Choose the Best AI Writing Tool for Your Needs
The content creation process is undergoing a revolution powered by artificial intelligence. An array of AI writing assistants now exist that can generate original content with entire blog posts, social media posts, social media content, marketing emails, and more with just a few prompts. But not all AI for content creation tools are created equal.
To reap the productivity benefits of AI content generation, you need to choose the right tool for your specific needs. Follow this guide to identify the top options and select the best match that fits your needs.
The Top AI Writing Tool Contenders
Many AI content creation tools stand out from the pack and deserve consideration. Use AI content tools to generate content faster based on their function:
| Tool | Strengths | Limitations | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jasper | Best AI content for Long-form content, accuracy, Google Docs integration | Can be slow, limited creativity | Subscription plans starting at $39/month |
| Copy.ai | Optimized for marketing copy, flexible pricing | More basic AI model | $0.04 per word, free limited version |
| Rytr | SEO-focused, built-in plagiarism checker | No free version | Plans from $29 – $89/month |
| ChatGPT | Conversational, versatile, free version | Errors, slow training | Completely free but limited |
How to Write the Best Prompts for AI Content Generation
You’ve chosen the best AI content creation tools. But now comes the real test for AI writers – giving it effective prompts that produce high-quality content.
Crafting the prompts you feed into an AI content creator tool is just as important as selecting the content generation tool itself. Follow these best practices to write prompts that extract engaging content with full value from your artificial intelligence and help content reach its full potential.
Why Prompt Engineering Matters
AI generation tools are only as good as the prompts you give them. Their output comes directly from your input. For content marketing strategy, content marketers must make sure to take the time to engineer excellent prompts as it pay off tremendously.
Well-crafted prompts:
- Provide clear instructions
- Give the AI to generate the necessary context
- Define requirements and parameters
- Lead to a more accurate, useful content
Poor prompts result in:
- Irrelevant, off-topic content
- Inaccurate or nonsensical text
- Stylistically inappropriate writing
- Wasted time generating subpar output
Prompt engineering is a skill that gets easier over time as you optimize based on performance so plan your content strategy well.
Steps How to Write High-Quality Effective Prompts
Follow these best practices when formulating prompts for your AI assistant content writing:
| Goal | Example |
|---|---|
| Clearly state purpose and goals | Write a 300-word blog post intro that grabs the reader’s attention and builds interest in the topic for an audience of small business owners. |
| Provide background context | The blog post is about pricing strategies for small e-commerce businesses. Key points are knowing your costs, analyzing competitor prices, and assessing customer willingness to pay. |
| Specify parameters | Write the intro in a casual, conversational style with creative analogies a reader can relate to. Use a second-person point of view. |
| Include examples | Here is an intro we love for reference: [Insert example intro] |
| Guide away from bias | Write in an inclusive style without stereotyping based on demographic factors like age, gender, or race. |
Common Prompt Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Off-topic, irrelevant content | Re-assess the relevance of the background context provided |
| Inaccurate or nonsensical text | Provide more factual information to keep AI grounded |
| Stylistically inappropriate writing | Be very specific about the desired tone and parameters |
| Content misses the mark | Include example content or templates to guide AI |
How to Effectively Integrate AI Content Into Your Workflow
AI writing tools promise to automate content creation like never before. But simply plugging in these tools without a plan leads to wasted time and poor quality output.
Follow this guide to seamlessly integrate artificial intelligence into your content workflows. Learn when to use AI versus human writing, and strategies to combine efforts.
When Should You Use AI Writing Tools vs Humans?
Choose the best fit for the task based on relative strengths:
Use AI for:
- First drafts and outlines
- Repetitive or template content
- Data-heavy reporting
- Personalizing content
Use skilled writers for:
- Final edits and proofreading
- Highly creative writing
- Emotionally compelling stories
- Complex explains or analysis
AI tools can also help tirelessly generate reams of initial content. Humans shine when they apply creativity, strategy, and judgment.
AI for Outlining and Drafting
AI tools can rapidly research and write content outlines on any topic. Use them to:
- Create the outline – AI can digest research and then map out sections and flow in minutes.
- Write rough first drafts – AI tools can help get initial content on the page, then refine it.
- Personalize drafts – Generate multiple drafts tailored to different audiences.
Humans for Enhancing and Proofing
Bring in experienced writers later in the process:
- Add unique voice and style – Give content style and flair that reflects your brand.
- Perform final edits – Fix grammatical errors, tighten the language, and refine structure.
- Fact check details – Verify the accuracy of facts, quotes, and statistics cited.
Collaborative Human and AI Workflow
A collaborative approach that blends AI and human effort produces the best AI-powered content results.
AI Stage: Outlines, drafts, repetitive/templated content
Human Stage: Refine structure, voice, accuracy, creativity
Examples:
- Human writes prompt -> AI generates outline -> Human develops outline into draft
- AI writes first draft -> Human edits and expands draft -> AI adds variations
Adjust the mix based on your goals, timeline, and resources. Find the optimal balance for your content needs.
Expanding Short-Form Content
AI tools excel at fleshing out short content snippets into longer-form content.
Examples:
- Expand social media captions into blog posts
- Turn product descriptions into detailed buyer guides
- Build press release bullets into feature articles
- Develop one-liners in ads into landing page copy
Repurpose and build on your existing short-form content. AI can rapidly generate hundreds or thousands of supplemental words.
Automating Repetitive Content
AI is perfect for automating high-volume repetitive content needs.
Examples:
- Category product descriptions
- Location pages for franchises or real estate
- Employee bios and headshots
- Event listings and details
Feed the AI templates and let it churn out large batches of standardized content. AI can rapidly personalize and adapt it as well.
How to Optimize Content from AI Writing Tools
So you’ve generated a draft piece of content using your new AI writing assistant – now what? Don’t just accept the initial output as the finished product. Instead, learn how to optimize AI-generated content for quality and effectiveness.
Follow these best practices to refine AI drafts into polished content ready for publishing:
Fact-Checking Details
Scrutinize key facts, statistics, quotes, and other specific details in AI content.
| Element to Verify | Methods | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Key facts | Cross-reference against known reliable sources | Confirm historical dates, scientific facts |
| Statistics | Check primary/original source, recalculate if possible | Verify % against the latest survey data |
| Quotes | Check quote matches original wording, is attributed properly | Compare quote source material |
| Claims | Run through fact-checking sites like Snopes or Politifact | Fact-check suspect statements |
Fix Grammar, Spelling, and Awkward Phrasing
AI tools are imperfect – expect grammar mistakes, typos, repetition, and clumsy sentences.
| Issue | Solution | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Disconnected sections | Add transition sentences between topics | Bridge product features and pricing sections |
| Poor organization | Add descriptive section headers | “Pricing Model” header before pricing details |
| Illogical sequence | Rearrange paragraphs and sections | Move background context before key points |
Ensure Logical Flow and Structure to Generate the Desired Result
Double-check that content flows logically and sections connect naturally.
| Issue | Solution | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Disconnected sections | Add transition sentences between topics | Bridge product features and pricing sections |
| Poor organization | Add descriptive section headers | “Pricing Model” header before pricing details |
| Illogical sequence | Rearrange paragraphs and sections | Move background context before key points |
Add Brand Voice and Style
Generic content won’t resonate. Customize it to reflect your brand’s unique voice.
| Goal | Methods | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Use brand terminology | Incorporate branded phrases and slogans | Include our motto in the conclusion |
| Match brand tone | Mirror casual/formal/humorous style | Use conversational tone like our blog |
| Add brand narratives | Include relevant anecdotes about brand origin | Tell founder’s journey story |
Plagiarism Checks
AI could pull text from elsewhere. Use plagiarism tools like Copyscape to compare against existing content.
| Tool | What It Compares | Usage | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copyscape | Crawls web for duplicates | Paste content or enter the URL to scan | $0.02 per search |
| Grammarly | Checks against 8+ billion web pages | Checks as you type or can scan documents | Free basic, Premium from $12/month |
| PlagiarismChecker | Compare with web sources | Upload or paste content to scan | $7.95 per 1,500 words |
Most offer some free checks or trials, but unlimited use requires paid plans. Factoring the pricing into your choice allows you to select the most cost-effective plagiarism checker for your usage level.
Strategies to Iterate and Refine AI Content
Treat initial drafts as a starting point. Continuously refine output through multiple generations.
| Tactic | How To | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Provide feedback to AI | Clearly highlight strongest and weakest elements after review | “The introduction is strong but the conclusion needs work” |
| Use AI to rewrite itself | Generate variations on the initial draft with feedback | “Rewrite this conclusion to be more compelling” |
| Mix and match outputs | Combine favorite parts from multiple AI drafts into one | Use introduction from Draft A, body from Draft B |
| Refine prompts | Add more context, examples, and requirements based on drafts | Give more desired specifics after reviewing initial tries |
| Adjust AI settings | Change length, creativity, tone settings | Increase creativity for bland drafts |
| Try different tools | Some AI excels at long-form, others at short | Switch from general to long-form specific tool |
How to Choose Compelling Topics and Angles for AI-Created Content
Your AI writing assistant can churn out content at lightning speed, but garbage in still equals garbage out. Without an engaging topic and angle, content won’t resonate no matter how fluently it’s written.
Follow these tips to find and develop compelling topics and angles to feed your AI:
Trending Themes That Attract Readers
Stay on top of hot trends and ride the wave of reader interest by covering:
- Viral current events – Tap into zeitgeist moments people are discussing like Wordle or ChatGPT.
- New product releases – Release date tips and “first look” reviews attract early adopters.
- Controversial debates – Add your take on the latest divide like AI art controversies.
- Notable anniversaries – Commemorate important milestones with a retrospective.
- Anticipated projects – Get ahead of highly anticipated films, albums, or games.
Fresh Angles That Stand Out
Put a new spin on evergreen topics:
- Spotlight underserved niches – Meet the needs of overlooked or marginalized groups.
- Regionalize it – Localize with city-specific data and businesses.
- Myth busting – Separate fact from fiction on common misconceptions.
- Behind the scenes – Give insider access readers crave.
- Contrarian hot takes – Respectfully challenge prevailing mainstream narratives.
Thought-Provoking “What If?” Scenarios
Speculate on hypothetical futures and scenarios:
- Future forecasting – How will tech like AI change society?
- Alternative histories – What if key moments in history played out differently?
- Lifestyle changes – How would your day change if you switched careers or countries?
- Psychology experiments – Pose “what would you do” situations that reveal human nature.
Actionable Advice and How-Tos
Provide practical tips and tactics readers can apply:
- DIY tutorials – Step-by-steps for home projects.
- Productivity hacks – Shortcuts to improve efficiency.
- Skill-building – Learn languages, instruments, crafts, cooking.
- Money-saving guides – Slash expenses and live frugally.
Counterintuitive Insights
Challenge assumptions and surprise readers:
- Present data that contradicts prevailing beliefs.
- Debunk stereotypes with facts.
- Explain the flaws in widely accepted theories.
- Reveal unexpected historical connections.
With a compelling angle, your AI content will hook and engage readers right from the headline.
How to Improve Subject Matter Expertise for AI-Generated Content
One limitation of today’s AI writing tools is their lack of true subject matter expertise. But you can take steps to expand their knowledge over time:
Provide Background Context
Prime the AI with key facts, concepts, and vocabulary on the topic:
- Definitions – Explain specialized terminology
- Core concepts – Highlight key frameworks and principles
- Influential works – Identify seminal research papers and books
- Current state – Summarize the landscape and state of the field
Build a Knowledge Base
Create a searchable database of reference materials:
- Relevant articles and papers – Compile academic and authoritative sources
- Quotes and statistics – Curate a collection of key data points and quotes
- Company information – For corporate topics, provide org charts, product specs, etc.
- Multimedia – Gather related graphics, videos, podcasts, etc.
Conduct Automated Research
Leverage the AI’s own abilities to analyze and summarize learnings:
- Literature reviews – Have AI read and summarize papers on a topic
- Statistical analysis – Perform meta-analysis of survey results
- Connections – Identify non-obvious relationships between concepts
Tap Subject Matter Experts
Conduct quick interviews with internal SMEs or external consultants to educate the AI.
With a thoughtful knowledge development plan, an AI’s expertise can scale exponentially. But ultimately there is no replacement for human wisdom and judgment. Use AI as an ally, not an oracle.
How to Combine AI Content Creation With Other Business Functions For Maximum Impact
Integrating AI content creation into other business functions magnifies its strategic value. Here are ways to combine automated content with marketing, communications, social media content creation, and operations:
Promotion and Outreach
AI tools are helpful it can be used to draft unique pitches for influencers, journalists, and bloggers tailored to their interests.
Advertising
- Generate ad copy tailored to customer demographics and intent
- Create hundreds of ad variations for A/B testing
- Ensure advertising aligns with landing page messaging
Email/Newsletter Marketing
- Personalize one-to-one transactional emails with customer data
- Populate recurring newsletter content like “Featured Product” sections
- Draft targeted lead nurturing email sequences
Customer Support
- Automate responses to common questions for faster service
- Generate personalized replies using previous interactions
- Create FAQ docs and user manuals
Internal Documentation
- Update company handbooks and wikis
- Create AI-assisted interactive training guides
- Generate localized documentation for global teams
| Function | AI Content Applications |
|---|---|
| Promotion | Personalized media pitches |
| Advertising | Ad copy generation and testing |
| Email marketing | Personalized, segmented campaigns |
| Customer support | Automated, tailored responses |
| Documentation | Interactive guides and manuals |
The applications are vast – nearly any business process involving writing is ripe for AI augmentation. Take advantage of the technology by strategically embedding it across functions.
Key Takeaways on Using AI Tools for Content Creation
Artificial intelligence represents an evolution in how marketing and business content is produced. As the technology continues advancing rapidly, now is the time to start integrating AI tools strategically into your SEO content workflows.
With the right platform that matches your needs, well-crafted prompts, and thoughtful integration, AI can help companies scale and create high-quality content production. It excels at repetitive tasks like outlines, drafts, and templated content, freeing up human creators for more strategic work.
But using AI for content should augment, remember that AI helps improve not replace content writers, the irreplaceable human elements of creativity, storytelling, and meaning. Maintain responsible oversight and governance to minimize risks of over-reliance. Treat AI as a collaborative partner, with humans still guiding strategy and vision.
The productivity benefits of AI content creation are real but not magic. Success requires carefully applying the technology to suitable use cases and measuring business impact. To discuss how AI tools could create content faster, and boost your social media marketing, book a demo today. The future is here – let’s seize it together.