Is ChatGPT Replacing Copywriters?

AI isn’t coming for your job—at least not anytime soon. 

In the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve isn’t just an advantage; it’s a necessity. As marketers, we constantly seek innovative tools and strategies to connect with our audiences, drive engagement, and ultimately, achieve our business goals.

In this pursuit, AI has emerged in full force, offering opportunities for content creation and efficiency. Of the hundreds of AI programs available today, this conversation is centered around language processing AI models, and specifically ChatGPT.

Why? Because ChatGPT is by far the most popular generative AI tool today. Also, I’m a copywriter—you’ll have to ask the design folks about Midjourney and Adobe Firefly. 

Should We Be Concerned?

I’ve heard my job will be the first to go. But in case you were wondering, I’m not worried. AI has potential as a helpful addition to the marketer’s toolbelt, but creative teams can rest easy. ChatGPT is no advertising genius. 

What is ChatGPT?

I could tell you myself, but instead, I went straight to the source. Here’s what ChatGPT had to say:

Well, it’s not particularly humble. But to dismiss ChatGPT’s pitch as complete overconfidence would be to miss its usefulness as a resource. For marketers like myself, ChatGPT can indeed be “a potent tool for a wide range of applications.”

Ways to Use ChatGPT for Content Creation

SEO Meta Descriptions

One of ChatGPT’s strengths lies in its ability to condense information. This function can be useful for summarized content like SEO meta descriptions. If you’re new here, SEO, or search engine optimization, consists of optimizing web content for search engines to understand—and users to find—your site.

Meta descriptions are a crucial component of SEO, providing a concise summary of a webpage’s content to users in search engine results pages.

Marketers can prompt ChatGPT with a webpage’s content, target keywords, and desired tone, allowing the AI model to generate meta descriptions that entice users to click through to their website—albeit with a bit of editing. 

Essentially, AI can do the heavy lifting, condensing webpage copy into bite-size pieces and saving you hours of pouring over content yourself. 

Article & Blog Outlines

ChatGPT can also be a useful resource for outlining articles and blogs. By providing key information and topics to ChatGPT, marketers can receive structured outlines to serve as a foundation for their content. 

With main points, subtopics, and even suggested headings, these outlines can help marketers organize their thoughts. ChatGPT can even get the writing process started by filling in the outline with suggested content. 

Let’s be real, ChatGPT’s outlines require some human touch to bring them to life. But, they can serve as a helpful starting point, saving time and effort in the content ideation phase. With ChatGPT’s assistance, marketers can expedite the outlining process and focus their energy on crafting compelling narratives.

Now, the question all you SEO wizards are wondering: Does Google penalize AI-generated content? The short answer: Nope. Google rewards expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—however it’s produced.

Generate Ideas & Brainstorm Copy

My personal favorite use for ChatGPT is as a brainstorming resource. Need a synonym for “exciting” that starts with “S”? Here are ten options. How about ideas for unique ways to connect with Hispanic Americans on social media? Done. 

ChatGPT is a virtual assistant trained on more data than you could imagine. Marketers can input prompts or questions related to goals, target audience, or content theme, and receive a wealth of “creative” suggestions in return. Keep reading to see why “creative” gets the air quotes treatment. 

Whether it’s brainstorming new campaign concepts, generating social media post ideas, or simply finding the right word for a catchy slogan, ChatGPT can provide a fresh perspective and spark inspiration.

What ChatGPT Can’t Do

Up-to-Date Information

While ChatGPT excels in processing and generating vast amounts of text data, one limitation is its inability to provide up-to-date information

ChatGPT relies on pre-existing data and training, so it’s not equipped to offer the latest news, trends, or cultural lingo. When seeking timely information, it’s essential to supplement ChatGPT’s responses with additional research or verification from reliable sources. 

The same goes for factual information. Not everything you see on the internet is true, and ChatGPT isn’t all-knowing. Luckily, it’s kind enough to remind users of that.

Deliver Copy That Stands Out

ChatGPT also falls short when it comes to producing copy that stands out. While it can provide coherent and grammatically correct content, it lacks the human touch and creativity necessary to produce captivating, memorable copy.

Okay, I’ll admit it was a tough ask, but oof…

Effective copywriting often requires a deep understanding of the target audience, the ability to evoke emotion, and a unique voice that resonates with readers. 

ChatGPT can serve as a useful tool for generating initial ideas or drafts. But ultimately, it’s up to human copywriters (thankfully) to refine and elevate that copy to ensure it captures attention and leaves a lasting impression.

Replace a Creative Team 

While ChatGPT is a useful tool for generating content, it can’t replace the ingenuity and expertise of a dedicated creative team. Compelling marketing requires more than just stringing together words—it demands creativity, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of the brand and its target audience.

ChatGPT lacks the ability to conceptualize original campaigns, develop innovative strategies, and tell brand stories. By contrast, the diverse perspectives, skills, and experiences brought together in a team creates the perfect environment to do just that. 

Sure, AI can augment the creative process, but it comes nowhere near replicating the synergistic energy and human touch that a creative team brings to the table.

Here’s the Verdict

Is it time to replace creatives with a prompt jockey at a desk with ChatGPT? Definitely not. AI has a long way to go before it can produce truly relatable, creative, human content. And when that day comes. we’ll probably have bigger things to worry about. 

But should you be using ChatGPT as a marketer today? In this humble copywriter’s opinion, only if it complements your process. If recruiting the help of ChatGPT makes you more efficient at creating effective content, add it to your toolbelt. If leaning on AI means losing that edge, you’re better off without it.

As a creative in marketing, human insight is your superpower. And even 45 terabytes of text data can’t compete with that.

Written By

Nathan Kvamme

The Infinite Agency is an integrated advertising agency designed to drive brand growth through data driven insights, inspiring creativity, and connected experiences.