AI writing tools have recently exploded in popularity. Part of the reason is that their output has steadily been improving in quality, which has led to more people being enticed to use them. If you work in content production, you’ve likely considering using AI yourself. Maybe you’ve even dabbled with it already, but you weren’t satisfied with the outcome – which is why you’re here. You want to learn how to use AI to write blog posts to get the best results. We got you covered.
🕵️♂️ In this article, you will find:
- What does Google say about using AI to write blog posts
- What can AI writing software do for you
- Best AI tools for creating content
- How to create a blog post using AI (step-by-step)
- Tips on how to use AI to write blog posts
- Examples of useful prompts
Can you use AI to write blog posts – what does Google say
On April 1. 2022, Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, said that AI-generated text is still against webmaster guidelines and considered spam [1]. However, later that April, one of the definitions of spammy text changed from “Automatically generated content” to “Automatically generated content intended to manipulate search rankings.”
Currently, the definition of spammy text with respect to automated content is classified as:
Text generated through automated processes without regard for quality or user experience.
So, if you produce good, useful content, Google won’t really care if it’s a human or an AI behind it. Let’s take a look at how to do just that.
What can AI writing software do for you
You can create good content with the help of AI, with emphasis on the word “help.” For an example of how not to use AI, check out the recent CNET debacle, where help was completely thrown out the window. It’s a perfect case study in why letting AI write your content without human intervention is a terrible idea. However, there is a way to use AI intelligently, by asking it to:
- Generate a list of blog topics
- Write first-draft intros and conclusions for blog posts
- Create different headings and titles
- Summarize the key takeaways of a blog or a section
- Analyze tone
- Break down complex ideas
- Connect some random ideas you have into an easily digestible string of text
You can find prompts that will help you do all of these things later on in the article.
What are the best AI tools for content generation?
Before we get into how to use AI to write blog posts, we should first review the AI software available to us, including the one we’ll be using for our tutorial. Some of the most popular AI writing tools available are:
- ChatGPT
- Writesonic
- Jasper
- CopyAI
- Anyword
- Frase
Since ChatGPT is clearly the frontrunner here, and most of the content generators work on similar principles, we are going to use it to demonstrate how to use AI to write a blog post.
How to use AI to write blog posts
Do research about the topic in advance
Doing research before starting to write will allow you to spot mistakes as soon as they appear, correct them, and adjust the course and the flow of the article. You don’t want an article to go off track somewhere in the beginning because of a wrong fact or made-up statistic.
When doing research, you should think about people who would want to read your blog post, what they’re searching for, what questions they might have, and what their pain points are.
You also need to choose the right keywords to attract visitors. Think about words important to the topic you are covering and run them through keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner.
Brainstorm some ideas and run them through AI
Let’s say you want to write an article about how to manage personal finances better. You could provide a prompt like this:
Ask AI to create an outline
From the list ChatGPT provided, “Financial Freedom Formula: Secrets to Better Money Management” sounds catchy. The next step is to ask for an outline:
The outline provided has ten sections, and it seems that it could be a very useful article to someone searching for information on financial literacy.
Let’s proceed with this outline. The next step is to:
Write the article
You now have two choices:
- use the outline provided by the AI and write the article yourself, or
- use the AI to write the article completely and act as more of a copy editor to guide it.
Since this article is about how to use AI to write blog posts, we’re going to go all-in with the second option. This way you can see for yourself how to navigate through the process and overcome some of the limitations of AI.
Let’s begin by asking what ChatGPT plans to write about the “financial freedom formula” since this is just a made-up term that’s been used by countless authors, marketers, and gurus over the years.
Analyze the suggestion
We can see that some of the topics are overly beginner level and don’t add a lot of value to the article. For instance, explaining the importance of budgeting and having a financial safety net are common knowledge and could probably be removed. Most adults are already aware of these things.
Only in section four does AI start to provide tangible advice – strategies on tackling debt. So, we are going to ask it to omit things that don’t really need explaining.
This is the improved result:
We can now ask our next question – what sources is AI using?
Since ChatGPT and other AI have been documented with “hallucinating”, it’s a good idea to check these sources to make sure they actually exist [2].
The next step is to generate the article itself.
The first draft came to only 403 words, and it was basically a list of things to do without any further explanation. But we can’t blame AI because we asked it to be concise when we asked it to adjust the layout.
To remedy the situation, we provided the following follow-up prompt:
One of the best things about the latest AI content generators is that they understand and can implement instructions. You can talk to it like you would to a human.
Do not be afraid to experiment. That’s the only way to get results you are satisfied with. After several edits, you will have a complete article.
Edit, refine, and customize the article
Now that you have your AI-generated text, the next step in the content creation process is to edit. This step is crucial because it’s where you “humanize the text” and get it ready for publication.
- Remove fluff, strange-sounding, and repetitive text. AI often gets repetitive, especially when listing benefits or features.
- Break up larger paragraphs. Make the text skimmable.
- Add or remove subheadings. Check if some parts fit better into other paragraphs or if some section deserves a subheading of its own.
- Add images. Choose images that complement the text and provide additional insight into the topic.
- Finally, if you want, you can check if the search engines will recognize it as AI-generated by using tools such as GPTZero. FYI, this is the score our article got:
Tips on getting the most out of AI blog post writing
Never skip the research stage
Familiarize yourself with the subject before asking AI to generate text so that you can spot any AI hallucinations (mistakes) and make corrections.
Edit and proofread everything
Segueing from above, AI can sometimes give wrong information and even draw flawed conclusions. Many content generator tools have a disclaimer about this, and it’s in your best interest to heed the warning.
Make your instructions clear and complete
AI relies on your input to generate a response. Include type of content, context, desired effect, tone, and other factors. Be as specific as you need to be.
Check for redundancy
Look for paragraphs that say the same thing but in different words. This often happens when you ask it to create a bulleted list of features or benefits.
Be different
Most AI content generators work on similar principles and emulate human writing. So it’s natural to assume that their output is similar. That’s why it is essential to stand out, which will often require you to make some of your own edits to the AI-generated text.
How to use AI to write blog posts with good prompts
You don’t have to use standardized commands with AI, so you can make up your own prompts. There are literally millions of combinations. We’re going to list some useful ones to get you started. Feel free to customize them to your needs.
Best prompts for research
- Research [topic] and generate a list of 5 key points.
- Find research that directly supports or refutes an argument related to [topic].
- Explain why [topic] is relevant to current events in a concise and clear manner.
- Create a list of questions that could be used to start a discussion about [topic].
Best prompts for blog post writing
- Make an outline for a blog post about [topic] using [keywords].
- Write an introduction (conclusion) for a blog post about [topic].
- Write a blog post about [topic].
- Give me 10 SEO-optimized titles for a blog post about [topic].
- Write an SEO-optimized Meta Description for this blog post.
- What’s a good example of [topic]?
- Give me a step-by-step process for [topic].
- What are the pros and cons of [topic]? Give the information in a table or a bulleted list.
- Give me a personal example of someone using X product for Y.
- Tell a personal story about [topic].
- Write a blog post about [topic] using [keyword] several times naturally throughout the content.
- Can you delve into the reasons behind [topic]?
- What’s the difference between X and Y?
- What are the benefits of X?
- What are the pros and cons of Y?
- How to…
Instructions for corrections
- Act like an expert in [topic or field of study].
- Present the information in a table.
- Don’t write about [sub-topic].
- Only explain [topic].
- You are a [role-play position].
- Cater your response to [target audience].
- Write a long explanation.
- Create a list of [topics].
Final thoughts on how to use AI to write blog posts successfully 🏁
AI writing tools like ChatGPT can assist you in overcoming writer’s block by generating blog topics, first drafts, titles, summaries, and more. When using AI for blog posts, it’s important to conduct preliminary research, create an outline, generate the article, and then enhance the quality and uniqueness by editing the AI-generated text.
Due to the potential for repetition or inaccuracies in AI-generated content, it is crucial to dedicate time to editing and proofreading.
Finally, to ensure that your content stands out and aligns with your target audience, customize your prompts and instructions for AI.
We hope that you found our take on how to use AI to write blog posts useful.
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