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Last Updated November 10, 2023
AI writing tools can streamline the content creation process to boost productivity and efficiency. Learn the advantages of AI-generated content and how to effectively integrate it into your marketing strategy.
High-quality, consistent content is the foundation of every successful marketing strategy.
It’s a powerful component that helps build brand awareness, boost SEO rankings, and generate more qualified leads and conversions.
But where we once relied solely on human content creators, companies today are learning how to leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the content creation process.
Tools like ChatGPT, Copy.ai, and Jasper are now helping business owners deliver a wide variety of content in a way that’s less time-consuming and more cost-efficient.
However, as any artisan or skilled professional can tell you, a tool is only as effective as the individual using it.
Here, we’ll explore the benefits of AI-generated content.
With help from HawkSEM Lead Strategist Austin Lewis, we’ll also highlight some of the best ways to explore incorporating AI writing tools into your overall content marketing strategy.
Where AI content creation platforms really shine is in their ability to create ideas and topics as well as develop outlines, summaries, and rough drafts. (Image: Adobe Stock)
What is AI-generated content?
As the name implies, AI-generated content is content that is written (or designed, in the case of images and video) by a computer instead of a human being.
Most of us are familiar with the term artificial intelligence from books and movies that have explored the concept of machines that can imitate human thought and behavior.
In terms of AI-generated content, the definition is a little less cerebral.
A better term is actually machine learning.
AI content tools rely on algorithms (created by humans) to guide them in carrying out a specific task. An algorithm is essentially a set of instructions with built-in parameters to help the AI tool complete the goal.
This is incredibly helpful if, say, you need to quickly generate a group of ad headlines or a blog outline with an SEO-friendly title and headers.
Of course, to write the actual blog, a living, breathing content creator is still your best bet.
Let’s talk about why.
When does AI work best for content?
At a time when thoughtfully crafted and relevant content is more important than ever, using AI technology and learning language models (LLMs) to help with content creation is a strategic move.
That is, as long as you know how and when to use it to your best advantage.
Lewis finds that the top advantages of leveraging AI in content are using LLMs and SERP data points to reverse engineer content set up to succeed, and the ability to scale.
The most important thing to remember is that AI writing tools, when prompted to generate content, will draw upon content that already exists.
And where will they find that content? You guessed it: the internet.
In mere seconds, the algorithm used to create the AI platform will crawl through millions of web pages to extract and paraphrase the information it finds into a “new” piece of content.
So, why not just ask ChatGPT to write you a 2,500-word article on any given topic?
Because paraphrasing can lead to a possible plagiarism issue if Google thinks your copy sounds a little too similar to someone else’s — and that can tank your SEO ranking.
Instead, where AI content creation platforms really shine is in their ability to create ideas and topics as well as develop outlines, summaries, and rough drafts.
In other words, they can help eliminate writer’s block and keep the content machine churning.
They’re also great at taking your existing content and repurposing it, especially to use as social media posts, email subject lines and body text, and for advertising copy on paid traffic sites such as:
Expert tips for leveraging AI in content marketing
To find out the best and most efficient ways to leverage LLMs in content marketing, we turned to Lewis, who has extensive experience in using these tools and platforms thoughtfully, strategically, and ethically.
1. Invest time into building custom GPTs
“I’ve helped Hawk pioneer a custom GPT process that significantly enhances the efficiency of production teams across all marketing channels,” says Lewis.
“Using traditional GPTs will almost always produce content that looks like it was created by LLMs. You must invest in the process of building custom GPTs that are 100% on-brand and excel at routine digital marketing tasks.”
He adds that, if you work with Hawk, our team will build a custom GPT for your team to use throughout the life of our engagement.
2. Keep a spreadsheet
Lewis also recommends creating a spreadsheet to track the tools you have tried, the hypothesis, the test or application, and their efficacy.
“There is an ocean of options,” he explains, “so you have to treat them all as independent experiments and have a means for tracking the scientific process in a concise format.”
3. Don’t get left behind
The adoption of new tools can be scary or intimidating, especially when they can create what feels like a seismic shift in the industry.
However, Lewis says ignoring or opting out of these emerging technologies could be detrimental to your brand.
“AI is not here to totally replace marketers; it’s here to augment us,” he says.
“The marketers who will thrive are the ones who learn how to train, prompt, and collaborate with AI tools in ways that are consistent with their brand, their values, and their goals. Your voice still matters; AI just gives you a louder microphone.”
Using AI tools early in the content creation process can help you brainstorm ideas about what to write and jumpstart the creative process. (Image: Adobe Stock)
5 benefits of AI technology for content creation
Now that we’ve laid out our pro tips, let’s dig into the main benefits this tech can have on your strategy.
1. A boost in productivity
Feeling stuck? Using AI tools early in the content creation process can help you brainstorm ideas about what to write and jumpstart the creative process.
Just provide them with a topic cluster, and most tools can quickly generate several different title options, as well as outlines, article headings, and even metadata.
AI technology can also save time on research by gathering information and resources faster than a human typically could.
However, just be sure to fact-check the information provided and always confirm that sources are cited correctly.
2. Improved accuracy
Quality copy should always be free of errors. After all, the copy you choose is often the first thing a potential customer sees when they view your ad, visit your social media accounts, or land on your website.
However, human eyes may miss things, even after reading something several times.
AI tools can help detect and correct grammar and punctuation errors, as well as offer suggestions for new words or phrases to eliminate redundancy.
3. More precise search engine optimization
SEO-optimized content offers a considerable advantage for businesses trying to build their online presence and reach more potential customers.
Better online visibility means more traffic to your website, which ultimately results in more quality leads and sales.
AI platforms can help by delivering high-performing keywords and generating meta descriptions and article headings to help your content rise to the top of the rankings.
They can also be used to come up with relevant hashtags for social media posts, which in turn can benefit SEO.
Further reading: How to Do Keyword Research: Tools to Use + Proven Tips
4. Increased efficiency
Less time spent brainstorming ideas, coming up with the framework for written content, proofreading that content for accuracy, and optimizing it for SEO means an overall efficiency boost to your content marketing efforts.
Content creators can spend less time focusing on the technical components of a piece and more time creating engaging content that speaks to your target audience and aligns with your overall marketing goals.
5. Cost effective
Because AI writing tools streamline the content creation process so effectively, cutting down on the time it takes to brainstorm, research, outline, write, and proofread content can help reduce overall marketing costs.
As a result, you may find yourself with a little more wiggle room in your marketing budget to explore other outlets.
Top 4 challenges of AI content generators
Even the most effective and efficient tool has its drawbacks, and the same can be said for AI writing tools. Below are some of the challenges of working with these platforms.
1. Struggles with context and tone
This is especially important in digital marketing, as both context and tone play an important role in cultivating brand identity.
Human content writers create copy with emotion and often draw upon their past experiences to craft engaging copy that resonates with the unique needs of an audience.
The machine learning algorithms behind AI tools lack the emotional intelligence needed to pull this off convincingly.
Natural language processing (NLP) — which aims to remedy this problem and allow computers to think and speak in a manner more similar to humans — is built into many AI content generators.
However, the technology still has a long way to go.
2. Not always 100% accurate
As advanced as AI writing tools have become, they are not infallible. The content they produce may still require human assistance, especially when it comes to grammar, composition, and factual accuracy.
Just as you would any other piece of written content for your website, landing pages, and other marketing channels, AI-generated content should still be reviewed by human eyes.
This remains the most reliable way to catch things like misspellings, punctuation errors, incorrect facts, and poor sentence structure.
3. Expensive, especially for larger teams
Yes, AI-generated content can help to streamline the content creation process and keep marketing costs low.
However, like many SaaS platforms, the majority of AI platforms used to create that content typically charge a monthly or annual fee.
In terms of pricing, while most AI writing tools offer a free starter plan that allows for so many characters or words per month, businesses then need to pay for a subscription plan.
Such plans may cost anywhere from $20 to $50 monthly, with additional fees tacked on if you exceed the number of “seats” (i.e., individual users allowed).
For example, Jasper costs start at $59 per month for the Pro plan (the lowest tier).
4. Can be viewed as lazy or not credible if unedited
Lewis puts it plainly: “If you don’t customize your output, it can come across as AI/lazy.”
And he’s right — people have begun calling out content they deem as blatantly AI-generated with no thought put into editing or modifying the content to make it more professional, accurate, and authentic.
Even if you ask these LLMs to use your brand voice, you’ll still need someone to edit the content for clarity and tone, as mentioned above.
The last thing you want is for your brand to go viral for the wrong reasons, such as publishing unedited AI content.
“It’s content assistance,” says Lewis, “not content replacement.”
Top AI tools for content creators
By now, everyone has heard of — and most content creators have used — ChatGPT. But the popular tool created by OpenAI is just the tip of the iceberg.
In the past few years alone, dozens of AI writing tools have emerged.
These tools can help marketers and business owners brainstorm content ideas and develop engaging copy for all digital marketing formats, from social media content and ad copywriting to product descriptions and long-form content.
Below, we’ll dig into some of the top AI tools currently available, all of which are relatively easy to use and offer a broad range of automated copywriting tools and templates.
Several also allow you to choose a specific tone of voice for your copy. One mimics the tone of your brand, while others are particularly helpful for creating SEO-optimized content.
If you are considering adding an AI writing tool to your content marketing platform, this list should provide a helpful starting point.
Jasper
Jasper is one of the most popular and robust AI writing tools on the market. Though on the high end in terms of price, it offers a wide range of automated copywriting tools and templates.
Plus, it integrates seamlessly with other AI tools, including Grammarly.
Rytr
Fans of Rytr say the platform is easy to use and works well for short-form content and outlines, as well as idea generation.
One of Rytr’s standout features is a Chrome extension that helps to finesse and improve copy in real time.
Copy.ai
Copy.ai also works well for short-form content. It offers numerous templates to help marketers create everything from YouTube ad scripts to emails and press releases.
Their unlimited plan is also relatively affordable, making it a popular choice for small businesses.
Writerly
Reviews of Writerly praise its speed and versatility. The platform stands out in terms of idea generation and concise content (such as for social media posts and product descriptions), and SEO.
However, some users say the content is repetitive and lacks human emotion.
Writesonic
Overall, users praise Writesonic for its comprehensive template library, which facilitates the creation of both short-form and long-form content.
It excels at optimizing content for SEO and allows users to set their preferred tone of voice. It also features an editing component that suggests text improvements in real time.
Additional AI content tools
Other well-known AI content creation tools that use automation technology to create different types of content include Anyword, Sudowrite, Wordtune, AI-Writer, and WordAI.
In addition, users praise Frase and GrowthBar for their ability to assist with SEO-optimized content that enables businesses to rank higher on search engine results pages.
Lewis also recommends Clearscope, Surfer, and custom GPTs tailored to your business.
The takeaway
According to the AI Marketing Benchmark Report 2025 created by Influencer Marketing Hub, more than 35% of marketers have used AI for marketing content creation (down from 44% in 2024).
Does that mean AI will replace content creators in the future?
The short answer is no, at least not anytime soon.
There’s no denying that AI writing tools are smart (and getting smarter). But they’re still not a replacement for human writers, editors, and proofreaders.
Leveraging AI technology to streamline your workflow and marketing processes has its benefits. For one, you can curate high-quality content in support of your marketing campaigns.
As a full-service digital marketing agency, HawkSEM uses a multitude of AI marketing tools and platforms to enhance, not replace, the human touch that comes from our team of experienced industry pros.
These allow us to help you tell the story of your brand and create a unique customer experience along the way. Discover how.
This article has been updated and was originally published in November 2023.