A Blog Writer’s Take on ChatGPT
The tech world has hit us with another viral sensation that people can’t stop talking about: ChatGPT.
I first saw the talk of this tool on TikTok (where I get all of my news, of course) and then a friend asked me if I had tried it out yet.
She was pretty excited about this new tool and showed me how all she had to do was ask the bot to write a blog post about a certain topic for her niche.
In just a few minutes, she had a 500 word blog post right at her fingertips.
Pretty cool, huh?!
Wellllll, as a blog and email writer, I have mixed feelings about this tool because I firmly believe that no robot will ever be able to replace human writers for good.
I’ll share more on that in just a minute, but for now let’s dig into what exactly ChatGPT is and how it works in case you aren’t familiar.
What Is ChatGPT?
Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, aka ChatGPT, is a free online tool launched by the San Francisco based OpenAI.
The program uses artificial intelligence (AI) to respond to various questions that people ask.
If “transformer” in the name doesn’t give it away… it’s basically a robot.
It can answer questions, write text, compose music, write song lyrics, play games and apparently even simulate an ATM. I have so many questions about why that’s necessary, but nevertheless…
It’s clear that the development of this tool is very robust and at one time in my life it probably would have excited me a lot more.
It sort of reminds me of that Disney Channel movie Smart House - I used to think that was the coolest thing ever, but looking back I realize now how creepy that actually is.
While I’m all for technology and tools that can save you time, I’m not fully convinced that ChatGPT is the solution to content writing in your business.
How Does ChatGPT work?
When I first heard about the tool, I had soooo many questions.
How can something like this even work? If I type in the exact same question as someone else, will we get the same answers? For writing purposes, how is it not considered plagiarism?
As I started my research, I gathered that ChatGPT essentially takes what is already out there on the Internet to craft its answers to your questions.
This USA Today article described it as a tool that can “reinvent everything from online search engines like Google to digital assistants like Alexa and Siri.”
And that sentence alone is what stopped me because it’s essentially taking what HUMANS have already created and is simply reiterating it.
Like what?!?!
While this might be okay for fact based information, as a blog and email writer for business owners, I encourage people to create content that is much more than that.
If you’re using this tool as a means of content writing without adding your own knowledge and expertise on a subject, you are doing your audience a massive disservice!
My Honest Thoughts on ChatGPT as a Blog Writer for Business Owners
In all honesty, I think that ChatGPT is another “easy button” that’s promising the world shortcuts to things that really matter - ESPECIALLY your voice.
Content writing in your business shouldn’t just be something that you do each week for the sake of doing it. It’s not a checklist item and it’s not the place to cut corners.
Instead, it’s a way for you to genuinely serve people by helping them solve problems, giving them your insights to certain things regarding your niche and truly being a resource that people can trust.
My copywriter friend and mentor, Danielle, said it so well in her recent Instagram post.
“The quality of your writing reflects the quality of your thinking. Your output is only as good as your input.”
Meaning, your thoughts and insights on things are specific and unique to you and that’s what makes your content truly stand out.
Can ChatGPT help you generate ideas? Sure!
But don’t let the temptation of “saving time” keep you from having a real human to human approach in your content. People want and need that and they will seek out the person who provides that!
There will be a very obvious difference between the person who is simply reiterating bland and generic topics versus the person who is going the extra mile to see what their audience really needs and is taking the time to deliver on that.
Your time IS valuable and spending it in the right place and on the right things is super important, which is why changing your mindset around what your content is truly for is so important.
I think we’ve gotten away from the true meaning of content in business and it’s now viewed as something we just have to do.
We live in a “post 3 times a day” advice world and I truly believe that’s what has caused so much burn out around creating content.
It shifted from “show up to serve” to “show up so you can grow your audience” and when you place that kind of pressure around it, of course you’re going to view it as a chore.
So, instead of living in this mode of just posting to post (whether that be on social media, your blog, emails, etc.) I hope you’re encouraged to be intentional with your content and approach it in a way that really helps people - even if that means you don’t post as often (I promise that’s okay 🥰).
And if you truly don’t have the extra time to create long form content in this way, it may be time for you to consider outsourcing!
There is a way for someone else to come alongside you and help you create content in a way that:
✔️ drives sales in a genuine way
✔️ gives ultimate value to your current AND future audience
✔️ positions you as an expert and go-to source in your industry
As a blog writer and strategist for business owners, I help people do ALL of those things through my services — and I can help YOU too! Here’s a few ways we can work together:
⭐️ The Manuscript | Custom Blog Strategy — a good piece of writing is only as strong as its manuscript. This custom blog strategy service is designed for business owners who want to start blogging - or finally make it a consistent, strategic part of their marketing strategy.
Includes:
Kickoff call to discuss your blog goals, ideal audience, & desired publishing schedule for the long term
Custom blog strategy creation WITH defined blog content pillars, a quarter’s worth (up to 12) blog topics tialored to your goals and audience, PLUS ideas for how to repurpose your blogs on other platforms
Strategy delivered via Loom
30 days of Slack support so you feel confident putting your strategy into action WITH the option to submit one piece of writing for review per week
⭐️ Press Week | Blogging Sprint – every good author knows that a good press week is the secret to getting your audience’s attention. This Press Week is your fast-track to a ready-to-launch blog, giving your website readers irresistible content to binge on day one.
In just five days, you'll get six strategy-driven blog posts so you can hit the ground running and finally start putting blogs first, socials second.
The Schedule:
Monday – We’ll kick things off with a strategy call to talk strategy and map out topics.
Tuesday & Wednesday – I’ll dive into writing while you focus on running your business.
Thursday – Your six blog posts arrive in a Google Doc, ready for your review.
Friday – I’ll make any final edits and tweaks based on your feedback, so you can press publish as soon as you’re ready!
⭐️ Hot Off The Press | A-la-carte Blogs – Hot Off the Press is perfect for business owners who need high-quality blog content on a flexible, as-needed basis.
Whether you want a Natty Writes trial run before committing to ongoing blogging, need a few extra posts to support a launch, or just want some fresh content without a long-term commitment, this service delivers polished, strategic blog posts right when you need them.
You bring the topics and ideas, and I'll bring them to life with content that’s hot off the press and ready to publish!
New to my world? Nice to virtually meet ya. 👋 I’m Natalie, but everyone calls me Natty (you can too) – blog and email writer for creative business owners and service providers.
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