‘What can ChatGPT do for a copywriter?’ It is the spring of 2023 when I ask this question to Google. Initially, I get very few relevant answers. When I change the question to: ‘Will ChatGPT replace copywriters?’, many results do appear. One article says yes, the other no. I notice that many articles are negative about the ChatGPT phenomenon. It is seen as nothing more than a language model that cannot judge for itself, lies through its teeth and where all texts resemble each other. You cannot use ChatGPT if you want to write unique content.
How can AI replace real people?
Let me take you back in time once more, to that spring of 2023. To that moment when I ask Google if ChatGPT is going to replace copywriters. Because it makes me a little nervous. What can ChatGPT do at that moment? Very little. It is still in its infancy. Just like Bard (now Gemini) from Google.
I ask the predecessor of Gemini in July 2023 who Saskia Maaskant is, and if he can tell me something about her. That should work, given the large amount of information available about me online. I post the answer on my socials, with the following comment: Well, Beedle the Bard. That’s quite a tale. Only the first paragraph is correct. Period.
So it’s no wonder that I – like many other professional writers – am getting the creeps from the ‘threatening competition’ of AI. How on earth can AI replace real people if it lies about everything and writes in such stiff, unattractive sentences?
The Americanization of the Dutch language
There is another thing AI does that really annoys me. Partially automated, sponsored ads on social media, with bad translations of American English advertising texts. In August 2023 I dedicate a post to it on my socials, when I see one from Dr. Martens passing by: “You asked for it. We listened. Our Jarick is finally back in stock. But don’t wait long. They won’t be available for long.”
I ask my followers the following critical question: “Do you also notice the influence of AI, especially in translations? Are you, like me, afraid of the loss of our beautiful Dutch language and well-written texts?”
The loss of our beautiful, authentic language
I am genuinely afraid of losing our beautiful Dutch language. Yes, I am a member of Our languageand yes, I am one of the language police. I detest unnecessary anglicism that creep into our sentences. And I hate clichés. I myself like to puzzle endlessly with language.
Being able and willing to be creative with language and being able to do magic with words is a must if you are a professional (text) writer. So it is not so strange that I am – at first – afraid of ChatGPT and wholeheartedly agree with everyone who writes something negative about it. I love online articles that give examples of ‘stupid, one-sided answers’ and rule out that AI can really be a competitor of professional text writers. Because that is what I want to read about AI. I want to hear that confirmation.
ChatGPT continues to evolve
But then something changes in the tone of all the media I follow about ChatGPT. In the fall of 2023, my social media timelines are suddenly full of free e-books for the best prompts. By giving ChatGPT the right prompts you will get better answers, I learn.
I keep clicking on those – so hated by me – sponsored ads about ChatGPT and even follow a free webinar. Because there is always that little voice in my head that asks me: ‘What can ChatGPT do for copywriters?’
The webinar opens my eyes: if you don’t get on board now, if you don’t immerse yourself in ChatGPT as a copywriter, you’ll miss the boat. During Christmas dinner I tell an uncle that I really need to immerse myself in AI. That it’s comparable to not wanting to switch from a paper brochure to a ‘brochure website’ as a marketer in the late 90s. (And that while the first website only went online in 1991!)
What can ChatGPT do for copywriters?
By nature, I am very eager to learn. I liked going to school. I was the type who would take courses at Frankwatching in her spare time . During the first quarter of 2024, I took a few courses on ChatGPT and practiced extensively with it. I am convinced that it will help me and my business, but also my customers. Don’t think that this article was written by ChatGPT, because it wasn’t. I don’t write my texts or articles with AI. However, I do now let myself be supported in certain areas, which allows me to deliver better work.
For example, I let AI summarize (source) texts for me. That saves a lot of time. I can’t wait to have ChatGPT take boring, repetitive work off my hands. I am also currently investigating whether I can train ChatGPT to write texts in my writing style and language use. I want to use that for web shops.
That’s not so strange: larger and well-known webshops have been filled in this way for years. And that is often visible, because the software that is used is not always as smart as ChatGPT already is. Because it is so important that content is authentic – certainly for your findability – I can use this method to provide irresistible, authentic content in no time.
ChatGPT is criticized by copywriters
In the past months I noticed that the use of AI is often ridiculed and criticized by (text) writers. Especially on LinkedIn. There I see a lot of similar prompts and also many ‘bad’ answers come along. And then a: See? ChatGPT can’t write like a human and it definitely can’t replace copywriters.
I have now delved into it so much that I know that the image that is being painted is too one-sided. Copywriters can manipulate their followers on their socials just fine, but for how long?
It is understandable that they make such posts about ChatGPT, because they are now where I was a year ago: at the point where I knew nothing about AI.
Very dangerous: responding to AI discussions as a copywriter
Recently I found myself on a dangerous path. Up until then I had always stayed out of all discussions surrounding the use of AI. Very consciously, because in my field people immediately form an opinion about you if you express yourself in a somewhat positive way about it.
I once dared to comment on such a post that gave an example of ‘ChatGPT versus a professional copywriter’. The prompt: ‘Assume the role of a seasoned copywriter and evaluate this brand story on spelling, phrasing and sentence structure.’ Not surprisingly, ChatGPT didn’t come out very well.
My response to the post was: ‘But doesn’t every good copywriter need a good editor? Why are you asking him to take on the role of an experienced copywriter instead of an experienced editor?’ I then went on to advise that you should not only tell ChatGPT what role to take on and what to do, but also preferably who you are, what your expertise is, who the target audience of your piece is and what the objective of your piece is. Normally you would also do that with a real editor. They can’t edit a piece out of the blue to edit.
You will need to refine your editing question. And – in short – you will need to learn how to use ChatGPT well. ChatGPT is so much more than just giving ‘good prompts’. You can talk to it, discuss it and let it refine itself. You can train it.
You give thumbs up to posts written entirely by ChatGPT
The reactions to my comment were not kind, but also not profound. I tried to explain that you can use AI as support and that it really cannot replace a professional copywriter, but that the post was not about that at all. It was about whether AI was able to do good editing on a piece of text. (And, to be honest: no, ChatGPT cannot replace an editor either.)
There were also fierce reactions like ‘Using ChatGPT is cheating’. And I was accused of accusing the author of the post of not being able to prompt properly. I decided not to respond to that, because I recognize the fierce reactions and the deep-rooted fear so well.
But most of all, I noticed how few substantive reactions there were to the post. There were a surprising number of thumbs up. Nothing in our world of social media is as easy and meaningless as giving thumbs up. You do that without realizing it, even on posts that are written entirely by ChatGPT, I guarantee you that.
ChatGPT will not replace copywriters but help them
Is it wise for a copywriter to stay far away from ChatGPT and bury his head in the sand? Is the fear of AI that many copywriters have justified? Should we establish what the differences are between a real copywriter and ChatGPT? Or should we ask ourselves ‘What can ChatGPT do for copywriters?’
Where one says ‘Shoemaker, stick to your last’, I choose not to do this. I consciously choose to follow all developments regarding ChatGPT closely and to educate myself in it. To practice with it. And at the same time I choose to remain a member of the language police and of Onze Taal. To remain authentic and creative. And to continue writing irresistible texts, blogs and books.
Do you recognize the fear and prejudice against ChatGPT? And are you open to learning how to use ChatGPT? Do you think ChatGPT can support copywriters?
Source: www.frankwatching.com
