Imagine having a blog on your website that brings you new leads every week. So you compare the top AI writing tools and buy one.
You publish a few AI-written posts but get no results.
Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised by those results (or lack thereof). AI is okay, but it’s not going to beat the thoughts and experiences of a human.
Read on to learn more about the risks and benefits of these tools as well as some alternatives.
Before we get into it, this post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy to learn more.
Why AI Writing Tools Are Helpful
AI writing tools haven’t gained so much popularity for no reason. While I haven’t used them in my own writing, I have to admit there are some things they can be useful for.
Create More Content
The most significant advantage of using an AI tool is that it can create content much faster than you can as a person. If you have a lot of other tasks to do, like teaching private lessons or booking gigs, you may not have time for a blog.
So it seems like using an AI writer would be smart. You could have the machine crank out a blog post in like 10 minutes.
Even as a full-time content creator, I’d love to save time. The idea of being able to write a blog post in minutes sounds AMAZING. And if you’re a slower writer, these tools could save you even more time.
Once you get that content, you can post it on your website or social media, and it can start to make you money or get you more students or clients.
Save Money
I wouldn’t have a job if everyone wanted to write their blog posts. In the past, the go-to option for people who don’t like writing is to outsource the task. A freelance writer would create blog and social content.
We still exist, and I’m more than willing to help you with your blog. But I understand that not everyone has a huge budget. If you’re just starting your music lesson studio, you might want to cut costs.
A lot of AI writing tools cost a fraction of what you might spend to hire a freelance writer. Some tools, like ChatGPT, are even completely free to use.
Beat Writer’s Block
In my opinion, the best reason to use AI writing tools (and really the only reason I’d ever do it) is to help with writer’s block. I’m luck in that I rarely suffer from it.
However, if you’re starting to create content for your business, you may have trouble coming up with what to say. AI isn’t gonna be perfect, but it can help give you a place to start.
Then, you can edit what the AI tool has written so that it fits your brand voice and is accurate. Because AI tools have had a bad reputation for sharing incorrect facts and data.
Why AI Writing Tools Aren’t Worth It
Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, and others have merit. But that doesn’t mean we should treat them as dogma. Instead, there are plenty of reasons why human writing is still the better option.
Algorithm Changes
When AI writing tools initially came out, they may have been a good replacement for a live human writer. But recent algorithm changes mean that’s far from the case.
As of January 2023, Google and other search engines want to see people-first content. And I’m sure there will be even more algorithm changes in the future making AI content less useful for website owners.
So even if your AI-written content did well before, it probably won’t do that well now or going forward. Taking the time to write the content (or hire a writer) is so worth it to keep your website ranking highly in search.
No Human Experience
As people-first content becomes even more important, so will adding elements from your own life experience. That’s something that even the best robot is NEVER gonna be able to do.
But when I write a blog post for this blog or my other blogs, I can use what I’ve learned about the topic. I can share exercises I’ve used to help play the piccolo or what marketing strategies I used when I had my own flute studio.
The best that AI writing tools is regurgitate the content that already exists online. If you want to publish content that’s truly unique, you NEED to add new ideas, and human writers are the best way to do that.
Risk of Misinformation
Another major problem with AI writers is that they can spread incorrect statistics and data. I love a good statistic, and I’ll use them in my blog and social content when relevant.
But what I don’t like is a statistic that is far from the truth. Unfortunately, AI writing tools have been known to pull incorrect numbers when creating “statistics.”
So if you publish that content without factchecking it, you could spread misinformation. And if your students or clients find out, you’ll look bad.
Then, you could lose business. And word could spread, so you could miss out on future work.
Content Spinning
Spun content was a problem long before AI writing tools hit the scene. This basically means you rewrite existing content without adding new ideas or information.
It’s easy to do if you’re a human writing about a topic you don’t know much about. That means it’s also just as easy for AI to take what’s already on the internet and spin it to create a new article.
As I mentioned, new ideas are going to be the thing to set your content apart from other search results. Content spinning won’t get you those new ideas, whether you use an AI tool or write it yourself.
Devaluing Human Writers
Of course, I’m biased because I’m a freelance blogger. But the rise of these AI writing tools is going to devalue those of us who’ve spent the time learning how to write for the web.
AI tools have already advanced to the point of passing MBA exams and even medical board exams. These tools are smart, and they’ll only get smarter the more we use them.
I’m lucky in that most of my clients are against the use of these tools. But I’m sure there are tons of people out there who are willing to cut corners.
Alternatives to AI Writing Tools
Clearly, I’m not a fan of these tools. But even if I’m being objective, there are multiple alternatives that are way better.
Writing Content Yourself
If you enjoy writing or want to start, I’d suggest you write your content yourself. A great place to get started is simply by writing your own Instagram captions since they’re pretty short.
Once you get used to that, you can start to write more long-form content for a blog on your website.
Writing your own content is the most cost-effective option. It does take time, but you can make sure it fits your brand voice.
What’s more, you don’t even have to be a writer. I’ve gained many opportunities from writing my blog, not just a freelance career. So if you’re looking to grow your business, start writing content.
Hire a Writer
Musicians are some of the busiest people out there. You have to teach private lessons, do gigs, and handle admin tasks. That doesn’t even begin to cover any personal obligations.
If you’re short on time, I’d recommend hiring a writer. But don’t just hire any writer. Hire someone with experience in the music industry so that they can invoke their own human experience.
A generalist writer won’t be much better than an AI writer, especially as those tools get better and better. Lucky for you, I specialize in writing music and music industry content.
Work With an Agency
Another option is to hire a content creation agency. I’ve worked with a few on the freelancer side, and some serve all industries. The nice thing about that is you don’t have to look for an individual writer.
BUT you also aren’t guaranteed to have an industry expert write your content. It could be a musician who writes on the side. Or it could be someone more interested in sports, cryptocurrency, or some other irrelevant subject.
Hiring an agency can work, but you have to be careful. Sure, you’ll get more support, but I’d recommend spending the time to find the best writer for your business.
Blogging Tools That Are Actually Worth It
If you’re looking to simplify your blogging process, there are some tools I’d recommend. They aren’t perfect, but they’re a heck of a lot better than AI writing programs.
Grammarly
Okay, I admit it. Grammarly is an AI tool, but it’s an AI proofreader, not a writing tool. The most it can do on the writing front is provide suggestions for how to phrase things.
It’s up to you to write the content. But it’s still a robot, and the suggestions it makes aren’t always correct. I frequently ignore “corrections” Grammarly suggests.
You have to combine your own knowledge of grammar and spelling with a bit of common sense. So take Grammarly with a grain of salt. But I still like to use it to make sure my content doesn’t have a ton of stupid mistakes.
Canva
For every blog post of mine that I write, I create a blog graphic. I use Canva to do this so that it’s super easy to share the blog posts on Pinterest. After a post goes live, I just have to grab the link, paste it in Pinterest, and share it.
Having a graphic also helps draw attention on other social platforms, like Facebook. So when you share your post, you may get more people to click on it, thus driving more business.
I also use Canva to create other visuals for my blog and brand. So even if you don’t plan on blogging that much, it’s a fantastic tool.
Google Keyword Planner
Another one of my favorite tools is the Google Keyword Planner. It’s part of AdWords, but you don’t have to run PPC ads to use it. I set up an AdWords account, and I can review keyword metrics.
The tool is free to use, and you can see how competitive a keyword is. It will also tell you about how many people search for the keyword per month. I recommend combining high search volume with low or medium competition.
When I have a post idea, I’ll make sure to choose a keyword with those metrics. That way, the blog post will have a better chance of ranking highly on Google.
Human Writing Beats AI
Before you invest in some top AI writing tools, you need to know the pros and cons. Sure, they may save you some time and money. But they aren’t going to fool people or algorithms for long.
If you want content that will rank in search results and help get you clients and students, you NEED to find some alternative. And if that alternative is hiring a music writer, I’m here for you.
Contact me to learn how I can help grow your business’s online presence!
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