{"id":29762,"date":"2023-01-12T22:00:11","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T22:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/12\/can-chatgpt-write-your-b2b-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-01-12T22:00:11","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T22:00:11","slug":"can-chatgpt-write-your-b2b-copy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/12\/can-chatgpt-write-your-b2b-copy\/","title":{"rendered":"Can ChatGPT write your B2B copy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Follow B2B copywriter David McGuire as he tries ChatGPT for the first time, to see if it\u2019s ready to write B2B content.<\/h3>\n

Right at the end of 2022, all the copywriters stopped typing for a moment, and listened. Beneath their feet, a low, seismic rumbling heralded a shift in the landscape. Tectonic plates realigning. Open AI\u2019s ChatGPT<\/a> had arrived \u2013 and it was coming for their jobs.<\/p>\n

For as long as I\u2019ve been a B2B copywriter, people have been talking about the day we\u2019ll all be replaced by generative AI. Consensus said there was nothing to worry about: computers might take the grunt work out of writing subject lines or social posts, but longer formats were safe; AI can\u2019t read, so it can\u2019t write in a way that feels authentic or meaningful.<\/p>\n

Oh, my sweet summer child\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Now, there\u2019s talk of AI writing entire blogs. Ebooks. Scripts. In seconds, for free. And \u2013 most shocking of all \u2013 they might not actually be terrible<\/em>, or even awkward. You\u2019d still need a copywriter to edit and polish the results, but a job that once took hours might just be minutes now.<\/p>\n

Can it live up to the hype? As a professional copywriter \u2013 with a 13-strong writing team to feed \u2013 I need to know, so I\u2019m about to open ChatGPT for the first time. If you like, you can follow along to get my honest, unfiltered thoughts.<\/p>\n

Before logging in<\/h4>\n

That intro was a bit much, wasn\u2019t it? The tectonic plates and stuff. Perhaps I was subconsciously trying to write the kind of blog an AI couldn\u2019t. Maybe I feel like I have a point to prove.<\/p>\n

For the most part, though, I\u2019m not worried. AI needs source data to feed on<\/a> so, in one sense, it\u2019s very skillful plagiarism. Useful for playing catchup, but if you want to create content that\u2019s genuinely new \u2013 for example, thought leadership that contains (gasp) actual leading thoughts<\/em> \u2013 somebody needs to talk to a subject matter expert, spot the angle, and tell the story. That\u2019s a job for a human.<\/p>\n

Still, if AI handles the simple stuff, how are we going to train new copywriters? There are lots of industries where automation has created a training gap \u2013 because the easier jobs are where people practice. These skills could get rarer in future.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, I guess other skills \u2013 like writing an AI prompt that delivers good results, and knowing where to spot the weaknesses in AI-generated copy \u2013 will be things we\u2019ll all need to learn.<\/p>\n

I feel for the SEO industry, though. What happens to search engine marketing if (as the inventor of Gmail predicts<\/a>) people stop using search engines altogether, and ask the AI for answers instead? Come to think of it, what will it mean for websites, if Google becomes obsolete? That\u2019s real<\/em> disruption.<\/p>\n

(Could \u201cAIO\u201d even become a mainstream marketing discipline? You heard it here first\u2026)<\/p>\n

Logging in<\/h4>\n

ChatGPT comes with a warning that \u201cthe system may occasionally generate incorrect or misleading information and produce offensive or biased content\u201d. So at some level, the AI needs a human handler at the very least. (How long until the first scandal where a time-pressured marketer pumped out AI-written content without checking it first?)\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s obvious, common sense stuff. Let\u2019s see what this new toy can actually do<\/em>\u2026<\/p>\n

After two minutes\u2026<\/h4>\n

Oh, OK. So this<\/em> is what the fuss is about. Already, I have 596 words of reasonable (if a bit bland and uninspiring) blog content.<\/p>\n

I decided not to ask the AI to write about AI writing; it feels like everyone does that. So instead, something that involves a bit of technical knowledge, without being unfair\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWrite an 800-word blog post introducing the five most important content formats for B2B marketing\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The first few attempts generate an error message (which I\u2019d say was a victory for the human copywriters if I\u2019d never had to line manage one). Then, right before my eyes, it starts writing. Fast.<\/p>\n

To be honest, the intro is repetitive and so-so:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to B2B marketing, one size does not fit all. Different content formats can be more effective at different stages of the sales cycle, and for different types of audiences. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to the five most important content formats for B2B marketing, and provide tips for how to use them effectively.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not wrong, exactly \u2013 and the point about the sales cycle and audiences is spot on \u2013 but it opens with a clich\u00e9, and that repeated \u201cdifferent\u201d doesn\u2019t really work. I\u2019ve definitely read worse from real blogs, though.<\/p>\n

But when it gets into the meat of the content, it\u2019s clear, focused, and accurate. Top of the format list, it picks blog posts (I would too).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBlog posts are a staple of B2B content marketing. They allow you to showcase your expertise and provide value to your target audience, whether it’s through industry insights, thought leadership, or practical tips and advice. When writing a blog post, it’s important to keep in mind that B2B buyers are often looking for information to help them solve a specific problem or challenge. Therefore, your blog post should be focused, well-researched, and informative.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s direct and relatively easy to read (a couple of long sentences, but the Flesch Reading Ease<\/a> score is 53; way ahead of a lot of B2B content). Most importantly, it\u2019s good advice. And it\u2019s backed up with four bullet-pointed tips on how to make your blog post effective and engaging. Nice touch.<\/p>\n

After ten minutes\u2026<\/h4>\n

Reading on, the AI repeats the same feat for the next two items on the list: case studies<\/em>, and ebooks<\/em> and whitepapers<\/em>. Well-chosen formats, with reasonable advice about how and why you\u2019d use them. Not necessarily the most important or groundbreaking tips, but plausible enough.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m beginning to sweat a little, but then a couple of odd things happen.<\/p>\n

\u201c4. Webinars<\/em><\/p>\n

Webinars are a great way to engage with your target audience in real-time and provide value through educational or informative content\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Leave aside the minor issue about hyphenating<\/a> \u201creal-time\u201d; in 2023, choosing webinars as the fourth most important B2B content format is flat-out weird. Clearly, the AI has read the sales pitches amid the content, and can\u2019t tell fact from (possibly biased) opinion.<\/p>\n

To be clear, there\u2019s nothing wrong with webinars per se. But they\u2019re a strange choice ahead of, say, videos, infographics, native social content, email, or research reports. What\u2019s more, the advice is beyond obvious:<\/p>\n

\u201cChoose a topic that is relevant and valuable to your target audience\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cInvite industry experts or thought leaders to speak as panelists\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cPromote the webinar in advance through email marketing, social media, and other\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, thanks for that. Would never have guessed.<\/p>\n

And then, weirder still, the content just\u2026 ends. No fifth item, no conclusion, and 204 words short of the length I\u2019d asked it for. 596 words is, apparently, your lot.<\/p>\n

(Also, despite advising blog writers to \u201cUse internal and external links to provide additional context and credibility\u201d, it included no links to sources.)<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not miss the bigger picture, of course. A computer just wrote three-quarters of a readable, plausible-looking blog post on a specialist topic, in two minutes flat. That\u2019s pretty damned impressive, and this is only the beginning.<\/p>\n

But honestly? It wasn\u2019t an especially valuable piece of content \u2013 for obvious reasons, it lacked originality, judgement, and thought. I don\u2019t see how AI can bridge that gap.<\/p>\n

After an hour\u2026<\/h4>\n

I\u2019ve heard ChatGPT prompts get better with iteration, so I\u2019ve been trying to force the AI out of its usual writing style, and seeing if I can get it to come up with something more original and maybe even usable. So far, I\u2019ve tried\u2026<\/p>\n

Prompt: \u201cWrite edgy B2B marketing thought leadership\u201d<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Result: \u201cAre you looking to shake things up and try something new? If so, it’s time to embrace your inner rebel and think outside the box…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I wonder if the fact it\u2019s resorting to clich\u00e9 is a failure of the system, or actually a really good impression of what most so-called \u201cedgy\u201d B2B thought leadership is actually like?<\/p>\n

Prompt: \u201cMake it bolder\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Result: \u201cIf you really want to make your B2B marketing stand out, you need to go above and beyond the usual tactics. That means being bold and daring, and not afraid to take risks\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The copy itself isn\u2019t really any different from before. But once again, I\u2019ve read these words \u2013 or words very like them \u2013 a thousand times since working in this industry. Perhaps it\u2019s not the AI\u2019s fault.<\/p>\n

Prompt: \u201cWrite in an informal, chatty style about B2B thought leadership\u201d<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Result: \u201cHey there! Are you tired of the same old B2B thought leadership? Do you want to mix things up and try something different? If so, you’re in the right place…\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Yikes; that\u2019s pretty cringesome. Weirdly, it then reverts to the same old \u201cGone are the days when a white paper or case study was enough to showcase your company’s expertise. In today’s attention economy, you need to be bold and daring to stand out from the competition.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

OK; it\u2019s time to bring out the big guns\u2026<\/p>\n

Prompt: \u201cInclude swearing\u201d<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Result: \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but using swear words in your B2B marketing is considered a bad idea and can make you appear unprofessional. Instead of using swear words, there are plenty of other ways to make your marketing content edgy and attention-grabbing without resorting to offensive language.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Apologies, Doug Kessler and Maureen Blandford; the AI has spoken. Let\u2019s see if suggesting a writer can make it change its style\u2026<\/p>\n

Prompt: \u201cWrite about B2B content marketing in the style of Caitlin Moran\u201d<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Result: \u201cB2B content marketing is like a good bra \u2013 it’s essential, it can make or break your day, and you don’t really appreciate it until it’s not there\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a decent impression, but look beyond the surface and it\u2019s pretty meaningless. Yes it\u2019s funny and oversharey like Caitlin, but actually none of those three things are true of B2B content marketing at all. Ironically, the analogy does not hold up at all.<\/p>\n

Also, I notice the information being shared in each article is strikingly similar, and expressed the same way over and over. At first, I was impressed that it could offer a small handful of B2B content tips \u2013 but there\u2019s not enough to sustain more than a single article.<\/p>\n

In conclusion? AI is impressive \u2013 but good content still needs a writer<\/h4>\n

When I think about my own writing team, and the work we do for B2B tech firms, I haven\u2019t seen much here that will save us much time. Yet. But these are only the first steps.<\/p>\n

Right now, ChatGPT feels like a parrot, repeating learned phrases without understanding what they mean. It’s an undeniably impressive trick, but it\u2019s not writing. It just has the appearance<\/em> of writing.<\/p>\n

If your B2B brand wants content that summarises other content without getting too specific, AI can do that in a clear, informative way \u2013 but it feels a long way from writing content that cuts through. And, now beige, identikit content has just effectively become free to produce, it could be that standout<\/em> content is about to be more important than ever.<\/p>\n

Writing that still takes skill, thought, and \u2013 above all \u2013 empathy. Until a computer can replicate that, there\u2019s a place for time, training, and humans.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n