Should you use ChatGPT to write your website’s copy?

Well, that depends.

But before I explain who should be investing in a copywriter, and who should be saving pennies with ChatGPT, let’s ask the robot himself. Herself? Themself?  (note to self: must ask robot to clarify pronouns).

And I’ve gotta be honest, I was thrilled by its response. 

Not just because it’s saved me a lot of time on this blog, but because our reasoning was beautifully aligned. 

Maybe robots and humans can coexist peacefully after all. 

I’ll let the movie directors know. 

Here’s what ChatGPT had to say 🤖: 

Should I Use ChatGPT for my website’s copywriting?

1. Quality and Creativity: 

Copywriters are professionals trained in crafting compelling and persuasive content. They can bring their expertise, creativity, and industry knowledge to create engaging copy tailored specifically for your brand and target audience. While ChatGPT can generate text, it may not possess the same level of creativity, strategic thinking, or industry-specific knowledge as a skilled copywriter.

2. Personalisation: 

Copywriters can work closely with you to understand your brand’s unique voice, values, and goals. They can capture the essence of your business and effectively communicate your message to your target audience. ChatGPT may require more fine-tuning to match your brand’s style.

3. Efficiency and Speed: 

ChatGPT generates content quickly, suitable for tight deadlines or a large volume of text. However, the generated content may still need editing and refinement.

4. Cost: 

Copywriters have upfront fees but can provide a better return on investment with high-quality content. ChatGPT may be initially cost-effective, but consider potential costs for editing and refining.

5. Collaboration and Iteration:

Copywriters allow for direct collaboration, iterative feedback, and meeting your expectations. ChatGPT lacks dialogue and real-time response capabilities.

Now back to me (the old-fashioned human)…

So I know what you’re thinking: Marisa, you’re lazy. You’ve lured me into reading this blog post and hi-jacked it with ChatGPT content. 

Welcome to the future. 

But that’s part of the point. Although limited, ChatGPT is glorious. It’s a time-saving, well-written, super-smart side-kick that can generate content quickly and help you brainstorm. 

It’s a godsend for literally any business who needs to produce content…and that’s all of us. 

But 🍑 

It’s not a person. 

It can’t come up with never-been-done-before ideas, show-stopping creativity, or drum up new LOLS. It also doesn’t have the ability to get a nuanced take on your brand, or the market.

So yes, it’s a content generator, but it can’t be a comedian, a psychologist OR a strategic copywriter. 
What it can do, however, is level the playing field, so everyone can have access to good quality, conversational writing. 

SO WHO SHOULD CONSIDER USING CHATGPT TO WRITE THEIR WEBSITE COPY?

1. Service-based freelancers who are just starting out 

If you’re a service-based freelancer, or a small business who’s just starting, you absolutely can get away with not hiring a copywriter to write your website. Why? 

a) Your business will likely be word-of-mouth to begin with

You’ll likely be starting out with real life contacts – family, friends, people who have followed you on social media for a while. Because of this, your business can initially tick along quite nicely with a very basic website, simple messaging, or *GASP* no website at all. 

b) You can use ChatGPT and get a copywriter’s advice instead

There are a gazillion FREE articles out there on how to write your website’s copy. 

The best one is here *wink*.  Use it to hone your ChatGPT generated content, and ask ChatGPT to help implement the steps, because with ChatGPT the prompts matter.

And if your budget allows? Write your website’s copy with ChatGPT, and invest in a consult from a copywriter who can give your copy. The best one is here, *double wink*. 

2. E-Commerce Small Businesses…maybe

Ok, there may be a veiled warning in that title, but I think you do have to be more considered. Not fair though, is it? It doesn’t seem like there’d be much to your website, because there’s like 5 words on your homepage. 

But it’s actually the opposite. 

There are soooo many products on the market right now, and chances are that the world doesn’t know it needs yours. What makes yours different? Mostly, that’s gonna come down to marketing. And personality. And a unique brand voice.

Things like website banners, product descriptions, strip headings and microcopy such as the text that says ‘slow-clap for your wardrobe’ after you’ve clicked ADD TO CART.

So YES, you can use ChatGPT to help develop your copy, and brand voice to begin with. But to really make strides with your BRAND, a real brain is what you need.

Which brings us beautifully to the next point….

WHO SHOULDN’T CONSIDER USING CHATGPT TO WRITE THEIR WEBSITE COPY?

1. Any business that’s ready for growth

Strategic messaging and having a unique voice matters, because to stand out, you need to be unique. 

And those who win the battle for attention, win the sales. 

Your brand will need a human mind to grapple with the creative nuances and vision of your brand as a whole. ChatGPT simply can’t do this. 

Because, it’s a database, not a brain. 

Well, *technically* it’s not a database it tells me, but it has access to a large body of text and knowledge it’s been fed with until September 2021. So it’s a knowledge interpreter, and it’s trained to read patterns of information that have already been created. 

So if you’re after wonderful, new, hair-brained ideas, ChatGPT isn’t your sausage. 

2. Any business who needs psychology and strategy to sell (ethically, I might add). 

It’s the old case of ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’, and this applied to me before I became a copywriter. 

I knew I could write, but I had NO idea how intense the whole thing was. The strategy, thought, psychology and creativity that applied to every word across an entire website from the:

• website banner
• Headings (kill me)
• All the actual words written
• the layout of the navigation bar
• the microcopy (mini pieces of writing)
• The CTAs (calls-to-action)
• The predicted user journey throughout the website
• the way eyes track, read and scan a website
• the minimisation of friction (effort) for a user
• the psychology of structuring your offer

AND MORE.

Basically, there’s a difference between knowing how to write and knowing how to write to make sales.

And that’s the skill of a good copywriter. 

And ChatGPT only has the information it’s been fed (which is, I might add, IMPRESSIVE), so we can’t expect it to strategise, be creative and be a visionary for the next big thing…your brand, obvi). 

So if your brand’s ready to disrupt the marketplace? ChatGPT’s a big no for website copywriting. 

3. Any business who’s ready to get a unique + consistent brand voice and personality. 

It’s no secret that what makes brands stand out is a consistent brand voice. 

It’s your brand’s personality, and it’s the way it speaks *every single time* it interacts with customers. 

Think website, Instagram captions, stories, Twitter, packaging copy, emails and more. 

Lots of words.

If you’ve already got a killer voice, ChatGPT can help you define it, but if you’re not confident with words, want to carve out a unique slice of your industry, then a copywriter’s what you’ll need.

It’s called a brand voice guide. The best one is here, *triple wink, elbow nudge*, and it’s a tailored service that works with your brand to establish how you’re gonna talk.

And most importantly, how you’re gonna make your customers feel.

SO THAT’S ALMOST ALL, FOLKS.

ChatGPT is a helpful friend that’s here to stay, but it’s not an all purpose copywriter. It’ll help businesses get cracking with some good quality words on their website, but to stand out in the market, you’re gonna need something unique on your website.

And for that? 

You still need a human.

Oh, and one last thing….

Gender neutral.