What about AI?

Many a copywriter are losing contract jobs to AI. 

Whether it’s the economy or the shrinking size of end-of-year marketing budgets, many companies are choosing to experiment with artificial intelligence apps, like ChatGPT or OpenAI, instead of hiring a copywriter. 

And who can blame them? It’s cheaper, less drama, quicker response time, and generally more cooperative than dealing with a real-life person. How many times have you had to wait on a contract employee because they get too busy or something comes up unexpectedly in their personal life. All too often, I’m sure. 

But guess what. AI doesn’t have a personal life. That computer, that app, is always sitting there ready to work and tackle its next assignment. 

Plus, it’s kind of fun to play around with AI. Ask it a few questions and see what it generates. I have one friend who uses it to design practices plans for the youth football team he coaches. Someone else I know had it list all the movies he should watch to be a certified movie buff. A neighbor had it create a list of all the family-friendly activities to do with her kids as the weather changes. 

If you offer the right prompt questions and general guidelines, your returns are actually pretty decent. Impressive even.

And if tech prognosticators are correct, AI’s capabilities and output will only get better.

But still. 

It’s still better to just hire a copywriter.

Because yes, AI tools can craft an email. Or landing page. Or whatever you want it to. 

But copywriting itself is still an art and a craft. And it requires a certain level of creativity and strategy that most tools haven’t yet been able to replicate. 

Here are a handful of reasons why AI can’t quite replace a good copywriter. 

It has zero emotional intelligence

Lesson number one in just about any copywriting course is to understand the reader’s emotions. Not just understand the emotions, but to fully empathize with the reader’s perspective. What problems are they experiencing? What further issues does this cause? How would the audience’s lives be better with the use of the given product or service? If the copy doesn’t reflect a true understanding of the client’s issues and emotions, which requires self-awareness, societal awareness, and relationships, it’s going to fall flat. Most copywriters have an unofficial degree in psychology; they understand how to persuade people to act and evoke the right responses. 

It can’t foster creativity 

Sometimes a good piece of copy is so unique and brilliant that only a one-of-a-kind human could have come up with it. Like witty sarcasm, nuanced allegory, or playful banter between two actors—with clever, contemporary slang that AI isn’t familiar with. Something written from the perspective of the family pet. Or an inanimate object. And if it’s not written just so, it sounds silly or ridiculous. It’s a major turn-off. 

It can’t further your brand voice 

You know the voice and the character with which you want to reach your clients and customers. Can AI match it? Maybe not. But an accomplished copywriter who’s familiar with your company, your mission, and your values can. In fact, if you’ve used the same copywriter or marketing agency for most of your emails, website copy, blogs, and social media, and then you suddenly downgrade to AI, a savvy reader will be able to tell. In fact, most human readers will be able to distinguish the difference. 

It can’t execute your marketing strategy 

Your marketing strategy has evolved over the years. It’s grown with you, and it changes depending on your company’s unique set of circumstances, the season, or even current events. It takes a human to craft the right sales copy from the perspective of your marketing strategy. AI can generate words and sentences, but a human brain has to be aware of intent—how to frame the message so you can capture the attention of your customers.

It can’t adapt to context and choice of media

It doesn’t understand culture, values, or current events. I write blogs differently than I write white papers, which I write differently than I write social media posts and newsletters and website copy. My tone changes. Sometimes I’m writing to established, loyal customers and other times, like in ad copy, I’m calling out to anyone and everyone within earshot. Does AI know how to make those subtle shifts in tone, familiarity, and attitude? I submit that it does not.

It can’t edit for perfection

Even the best writers get writer’s block sometimes. And in those instances, why not try AI? It might help to get a skeleton framework on the page. Get the ideas down. Communicate the main message. And then, a good copywriter can polish it to perfection. They might have to do a little more research, add in some citations or good quotes, check the facts, select the perfect word and more. Remember that the aim of good copy is to persuade. So even if AI helps generate the bare bones of your copy, it takes that intangible human skill and experience to twist it and form it into something really meaningful and useful. 

It can’t reinforce with that human touch

Even if you really want to use the tools, it takes a human to know just what to ask the bot. Just how to phrase the prompt questions and instruct the right guidelines. Ask for the right tone and emotions and context and brand voice. Since AI is new technology and we’re all relative novices at it, it might take a few attempts before you garner the desired output. 

In other words, you might as well just pay a copywriter to do it. Whether that copywriter uses AI or their own human brainpower, it still takes time from a trained, skilled professional to manipulate the words into something that speaks to the audience in the desired fashion.

Regardless, AI is not going away. We can’t even “pause” it, like some world leaders are calling for. It’s real, it’s big, it’s exciting, and it’s going to change the world, for better or worse. Embrace it. Roll with the punches. Adapt.

Maybe the role of copywriters shifts a little. Evolves. Instead of pouring blood, sweat, and tears into crafting the perfect piece of original content, we’re now the curators of that content—bringing it from dry, lifeless robot jargon to something juicy and sappy that calls our human readers to act, click, buy, and stay engaged with our clients. 

Who knows? It’ll probably save us copywriters time. Instead of struggling with writer’s block for hours on end, we can now use that time to scour the thesaurus for a stronger synonym, adjust the sentence structure, or tweak the AI prompt so that it tugs a little tighter on those readers’ heartstrings. 

The point is that AI is not an enemy of, nor even a replacement for, a good writer. It’s just another tool in our toolkits.

Are newsletters worth it?

Are newsletters worth your time and money?

Well, the short answer is yes. If you do it right, of course. Don’t waste the opportunity!

Overall, sending an email newsletter a few times a month is yet another way to talk to your customers and ideal clients. It’s another chance to get your name in front of them and to communicate your message. Make your name recognizable, something they can reference when they do have a need for your business.

Think about the most frequent marketing emails that show up in your own inbox on a regular basis. Not spam, just the regular old promotional emails. 

There’s a reason you haven’t unsubscribed from them yet. It’s because, even if you don’t read the whole newsletter all the way through each time, you know there’s some valuable information in there. Even your most loyal customer might not have the time to pore through the email just this second, but they’re going to keep it in their inbox for that moment when they do have a few extra moments. Or when they’re curious about that compelling subject line.

Quality always trumps quantity 

Just like with anything—food, alcohol, exercise, silly jokes—there’s a point of diminishing returns when it comes to the frequency of your newsletters. One to four quality newsletters per month is optimal. Too many overwhelms your readers, to the point that they’ll get irritated, automatically deleting them without even glancing at your subject line, let alone the first feature of the newsletter.

Invest in a quality design with a few repeat features—perhaps an interview with an employee, some satisfied customer testimonials, a longer-from article or blog, tips and advice, hints at upcoming sales or discounts, and relevant links to your website. Then surprise them occasionally with giveaways, free shipping, or bonus items or services.

Let customers know that you’re ready

There’s something about knowing that you’re a busy, thriving, bustling business that’s really appealing to customers and potential customers. A regular newsletter shows them that you’re active and successful, working hard for your lucrative business with proven results. At least results strong enough that allow you to pay for another round of newsletters. When they need your company, you’ll be prepared to meet their unique needs. 

Nurture the relationship with your current customers

And keep your potential customers and clients on the line. They might not need you just yet, but if you keep showing them week after week or month after month that you’re a reliable expert with unique goods and services, you’ll be the first name that comes to mind when they need it. Show them that you understand their needs, their problems.

Whittle down your audience 

Some people will unsubscribe and that’s okay. Don’t take it personally! It’s always a certain percentage, which means that the more people you blast your newsletter to, the more that will unsubscribe. First of all, the unsubscribers probably weren’t going to buy from you anyway. Who knows how they got on your distribution list—maybe it was a mistake—but the truth is that your business and the content of your newsletter was irrelevant to them in that brief moment. Which means they weren’t about to spend any money with you anyway, so no big deal, not a huge loss!

Pay attention to the analytics 

Check the analytics and note open rate—how many people are actually opening your emails. And take a peek at how long people spend reading them before they close them again. Are they clicking on the links you’ve included and visiting your website? Or just scrolling through the email itself? Aim to put your calls to action (CTAs) and your most compelling content in that first stretch, where the data says that people are most likely to see it. 

Purge your distribution list

While you don’t need to fret over the people who unsubscribe from your list—they’re replaceable—you should pay attention to the people who don’t open your emails at all. Eventually, you may want to trim these people from your list. For whatever reason, they’re not engaging with you. After all, you’re paying to reach these people and the ones who don’t pay any attention to you aren’t likely to use your business. If they’re not opening after a certain amount of time or a certain number of newsletters, take them off your distribution list. And replace them with people who WILL open, who DO want your business!

Freshen up old content

There’s no shame in re-using some old material form your website, like an old blog post or reiterating something from your company’s “about” page. Your email list is likely ever-changing, so just because you’ve included similar content before, either in an old newsletter or somewhere else on your website, doesn’t mean that everyone has read it. You likely have new readers each time you send or post something. They’re warm contacts. Meaning they’re interested in what you’re selling, and maybe they only know you from social media or a personal referral. They’re intrigued by your message, so this is your chance to show off your stuff. 

Just make sure that it’s truly fresh. Take out any references to current events or pop culture that might be stale. And be careful to reflect current pricing, policies, goods and services. And for the love of all things internet, check to make sure that any links and backlinks are working properly.

Post the newsletter on your website 

By featuring each newsletter somewhere on your website—perhaps the side of your home page?—it keeps your website up-to-date, which helps with SEO. It encourages visitors to click around, thus more likely to hit on something that interests them or gets them to use your business. 

Share on LinkedIn and your other social media 

You worked so hard on your newsletter! Or your copywriter did. So don’t let it go to waste! Share it anywhere you can and reach people that you wouldn’t otherwise reach by email. The more people see your brand, the more clicks you’ll get, the more customers, and the greater revenue.

Pepper in some of your branding 

Again, you paid for your logo, and you worked hard to compose your company’s motto or mantra, so show it off in each and every newsletter. You might even somehow include a line or two about your company culture. Let people know what makes you unique and why they should trust you above the competition. You’re knowledgeable, experienced, and you’re determined to be the best in the biz.

Include contact info

Even if it’s just a simple “contact us” button, this might be one of the most important features in any of your outreach to potential customers. Otherwise, what’s the point? Let them know what’s next. Where can they click to order? Or chat with your customer service representative. If you don’t give them a very clear and precise action, they’re more likely to close the email, delete it, or totally forget about it. Instead call them to action (CTA), right now, while your message is fresh in their brain. Again, it’s all about nurturing the relationship and making them feel like you’re a reputable business, but also that there’s a face behind the name who genuinely cares about its customers. 

A newsletter is a great way to nurture the relationship with customers and potential customers, boost your name recognition, plug your brand, and remind the world that your company is out there, just plugging along, ready for their business as soon as they call. And, just as is true with your blogs, social media posts, and anything else with your company logo on it, it’s a good chance to show off your expertise. You’re the best. You’re efficient, conscientious, passionate about your industry and your business, and committed to success.

If you need a little more help with your newsletters, I can help! Check out my Services & Rates page, and let’s chat.

Are Blogs the Answer?

Are blogs the answer?

The short answer is yes.

I love blogs. 

I love the long-form content where it allows some in-depth conversation. Some deep exploration into a seemingly boring topic. A dive into the very nuanced abyss. Because things are never simply black and white. 

But the answer to what? What are blogs a solution for? And when are they NOT the answer? Keep reading for tips on how and why it’s marketing best practice to write regular blogs. 

Improve your SEO

There’s almost no loftier, more critical marketing goal than achieving a higher rank in Google. Most internet searchers don’t go beyond that first page of results, so if you’re not ranking there, then how will people find you? The truth is that blogs, which are really just a glorified accumulation of relevant industry advice, knowledge, and popular keywords, are one of the easiest ways to continue to build your website. A decrepit old website that’s stale or out-of-date will eventually cease to appear in most searches. As far as Google’s concerned, if you don’t maintain your website, your content is irrelevant, perhaps only useful to the dinosaurs.

Increased visibility

It’s hard to get attention if you’re not even out there. Be present in the digital space. A blog is a great way to be present. Give people something to land on when they type in your name or type in keywords that are relevant to you and your industry. For example, if someone types in “copywriter in Kansas City, ” I sure as heck hope I come up on that first page of results! If I don’t, I better start building my website out, plugging in keywords, and—isn’t it obvious?—blogging.

Plug in some keywords

Keywords are absolutely critical to SEO, but I say that with a caveat. (Again, this is why blogging is so fun for me! It gives you and me the chance to hash out all the nuanced advice and information.) Because while keywords are important, keyword-stuffing is a big no-no. 

What’s that, you ask? Well, great question. It’s actually the overuse of keywords. Like when there are so many, that the blog or website copy doesn’t even read smoothly. It’s choppy. Disjointed. Awkward. Forced. 

Imagine if I inserted the phrase “copywriter in Kansas City” into every sentence, or even every other sentence, of my blog.

“I’m a copywriter in Kansas City. And as a copywriter in Kansas City, I know what it takes to be a great copywriter in Kansas City…”

It’s like trying to cheat the SEO system, hoping that no other website in the whole universe has the phrase “copywriter in Kansas City” more than I do, and thus my website ranks #1, numero uno, in Google.

Instead, by mistakenly flooding my blog with the right words, I’ve made my readers dizzy, nauseous, and repulsed, so Google punishes me for it. They recognize my keyword stuffing habit and lower my ranking. They can see that my website is just fluff and filler and not something informative and useful to customers.

Thus, the whole keyword thing is a fine line to walk. A good copywriter has that technique down. They know what percent of the word count needs to be key words and how much is too much. Everything in moderation. Even moderation.

More indexed pages

The more indexed pages, the better. It makes your website seem more credible and legitimate, which is good for SEO. Actually great for SEO. A larger website is generally a better, more dependable source of information, so search engines are happy to divert people in that direction. So regular blogging is a good way to establish page after page of reliable of wisdom and advice. Then, allow users to search your blogs for keywords and titles and make it really user-friendly.

A chance for backlinks and internal linking

Use your blogs for backlinks and internal links. You can link through newsletters and sales emails or even link back to older blog posts whose information and advice might overlap a tad. The more links and clicks, the more legitimate your website is.

Show off your expertise

A blog is your time to shine! Show off what you know. Demonstrate precisely why your company is a unique authority in your industry. Why should customers trust you above anyone else? What makes you better than the competition? And guess what. The more specific and in-depth each blog is, the better. It also gives you a huge range of topics to choose from. Instead of “why are we the best plumbers in Kansas City,” which is a great landing page topic btw, write something very precise, like “what not to put down your kitchen garbage disposal.” Then you can tack on some tips for unclogging it, which is authentically valuable content, adding credibility and authority to your website.

Increase web traffic

All of this makes you more visible to potential customers. An enhanced SEO puts you in front of people, makes you clickable. Suddenly you go from an unknown to a familiar household name. The more your name is out there, the more likely a customer is to go to you when they need your goods and services. Hence, increased sales and revenue. And isn’t that what we’re all yearning for these days?

Update your content

A regular blog—weekly, bi-weekly, monthly—gives you the opportunity to freshen up your content. It’s easy to craft some stellar website copy that blows away your competition, but no matter what industry you’re in, it’s likely to get out of date fast. You know you have to adapt to trends and technology to stay relevant, so shouldn’t your digital presence? A blog is a good way to reflect those trends, show how you’re growing and maturing… Heck, you could even address current events that may or may not be relevant to your business. Think: inflation, supply chain issues, a government shut-down, or even new local legislation that could impact your customers. 

Add it to the social media repertoire

If nothing else, a regular blog gives you something to share on social media. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, even Snapchat. And don’t forget that social media is friendly and interactive! Which means your customers and potential customers can DM you, like your posts, and give you other feedback about their needs and opinions. In other words, it’s a great way to collect valuable data about your market. By keeping engaged with them, you continue to nurture that ever so important relationship.

Provide a valuable service

Add valuable information through your blog. If you have a plumbing company, for example—why do I always seem to go back to plumbing?—share some useful tips for unclogging a toilet or fixing a stalled garbage disposal. Maybe they’ll still require you to come out for a service call or maybe they’ll be able to fix the issue themselves, who knows? But either way, you’re establishing your company as a go-to resource. A trusted professional who really knows their stuff.  

Nurture that relationship

With your customers, that is. Just keep getting in front of them. Use the right keywords and in your blogs and your website will pop up consistently in their search engine results. Send the blog out in your newsletters and sales emails and by continuing to appear in their email inboxes and establish that relationship as a dependable, knowledgeable professional. 

Make your website more credible

Add more meat to your website and it’ll be more credible, more legitimate. Not just to Google and other search engines, but also to your typical consumer. Visitors to your website are more likely to return if they know that there are layers of information and usefulness. If your website is just a simple “about” page or a list of contact information, there’s not much reason for them to return or spend much time there. But if they’re jumping around, examining your bios, your landing page, and clicking on a few blogs, they’re learning more about you and  establishing trust.

So, here’s that nuanced answer again. Yes, blogs are great for SEO, but depending what your marketing goals are, they are definitely not the ENTIRE answer. And if your marketing budget is only so big and you’re just getting started in the process, you might not want to start with blogs. You may want to start with website copy, ads, or sales emails. You know, because as your revenue grows, your marketing budget will also grow.

Let’s chat more about your marketing goals and figure out a strategy that’s right for your company. 

Why Your Company Needs a Copywriter

As a business owner, your time is limited. As are your resources. As is your focus and attention.

On a day-to-day basis, you’re probably busy motivating your employees, attending to payroll, paying your bills, making sales calls, and dealing with all those unforeseen problems that pop up. Like someone quitting. Or a customer complaint. A misplaced order. An unpaid invoice. 

The list goes on. 

So the last thing you probably have time for is writing a sales email. Or freshening up your website copy. Or writing a blog. Or crafting the perfect, compelling ad to attract new customers. 

Plus, unless you're a writer or marketing guru by trade, it’s not your area of expertise. 

But it is mine. 

I’m a copywriter. 

And a good one at that. 

No, a great one.

A good copywriter can help you with all your copy and content needs. Whether it’s cold emails, sales funnel emails, B2B blogs, ads, social media posts, website copy, or about a million other options, a copywriter will establish tone, approach, and technique—things that you shouldn’t have to think about. 

Here are a few more reasons why your company should invest in a good—no, great—copywriter. 

Establish brand awareness

Maybe you already have a brand or maybe you don’t. If you do, great. A copywriter can help you push that brand into all your marketing material, from brochures to website copy, to social media posts. They’ll help you stay consistent and make sure you don’t throw something random out there to confuse your potential customers. 

Understand the in’s and out’s of your niche

It’s best to hire a copywriter in your industry. Writing sales copy for a trucking company, for example, is very different from writing gentler, perhaps more informative content for a pelvic floor therapist. Your audiences are very different, so how you approach each one and where you encounter each one will change. 

It truly helps if your freelance or contract copywriter knows your industry. They know your language and buzzwords, as well as common problems or issues that your customers might encounter. For example, if you’re trying to sell a line of protein powders, you’re going to want a copywriter who’s well-versed in all the different types, as well as all the potential benefits. If you hire someone who doesn’t know anything about supplements, fitness, or nutrition, who’s been exclusively writing product descriptions for plumbers, that person is going to be in way over their head.

Not saying it can’t be done—I’ve dabbled in a few unfamiliar industries myself over the years. I’m just saying it will require more market research, a little more hand-holding, and some extra blood, sweat, and tears. Mostly tears. Big fat salty ones.

Capitalize on the unique connection to the audience 

A good copywriter understands your audience and knows how to reach them. What issues do they face? Do they check emails or hang out on Instagram? What are they anxious about? What do they need? What excites them? What do they look forward to? A good copywriter appreciates all their pain points and figures out how to speak to them in a way that lets them know we understand them and we know how to help them solve their problems. That insight and connection increases your sales and generates revenue. It’s absolutely imperative. Your customers feel heard, respected, and like you’re the absolute best solution for them.

Create value driven content

Content is everywhere nowadays. It’s on social media, in our email inboxes, in our literal mailboxes, on the radio, on TV, on podcasts, on billboards. Everywhere. Which makes it more important than ever to stand out from the rest of the noise out there. Not only that, but your product or service can help them, make their lives easier. You’re the expert, and your content, whether it’s on social media, on your website, or in your emails should reflect that. 

That’s value driven content. Content that lets everyone know you have an in depth understanding of experience and knowledge in your industry. Which is again why it’s best if you hire a well-informed copywriter with experience  in your industry. But it’s that careful balance of proving that you’re the expert without talking down to your audience in a condescending, arrogant manner. You’re the masterful authority, but if you’re a jerk, you’ll turn everyone right off. 

Craft effective headlines

An effective headline draws immediate attention from your audience. And sometimes it’s just one single word that captures that attention. Or the structure of the headline—the order of the words that makes the difference between a likely customer ready to click in the right place and a reader who keeps scrolling, too busy to waste time on your nonsense. In other words, every word matters. Anyone can write a clever little diddy, but not everyone can drive sales results.  

Focus on creativity

A freelance copywriter, or a copywriter that you hire on a contract basis, has the time and flexibility to commit to the entire creative process. You, a business leader, are too busy to sit and brainstorm and tinker with word play. But a copywriter does just that. And they have the experience and skill to know what works—the perfect combination of the perfect words that will garner attention, convert to clicks, and generate revenue.

While you might get bogged down with all the other tasks and responsibilities you have on any given day, you might not have the time to create something authentic and original. And instead, you’ll fall back onto the same patterns and habits that may or may not have worked. Let me offer a fresh perspective. 

You’re the expert in your business, so you handle that. A copywriter is the expert with the words, so let them handle that.

Nurture that customer relationship

A good sales funnel, a regular newsletter, and comprehensive social media posts all help to nurture the customer relationship. You might not snag them on your first interaction. Or even your second. But the more your copy gets in front of them in an effective, non-obnoxious way, the more likely they’ll be to reach out to you when they’re ready. Perhaps they don’t have the funds just yet or don’t have the need, but eventually, they’ll see you as a trusted resource—the go-to for all their industry needs. 

And a good copywriter can help you with that process. They’ll know how to get in front of the customer without overwhelming them. They know just how frequently to post and share. They know which pieces of information the customers react to positively. They know just which words to use to make you show up in their search engine results. And as the saturation increases, they know how to close the sale—how to turn that audience from potential customers to loyal, returning customers.

Next steps

So, what’s next? What options lay ahead of you in this copywriter-hiring process? Glad you asked. Let’s schedule a call when we can chat about your needs, your goals, your company culture, your obstacles and struggles. All the things.

I can help you lay out a plan. A plan with a fresh perspective. And experience that can enhance your reputation and improve your rank on Google. Some combination of website copy and social media posts and sales pages and regular emails and brochures and so much more. Really, there are so many options and possibilities. In fact, without a copywriter’s expertise it’s kind of overwhelming.

Check out my Services & Rates page for pricing. Check out my portfolio for some samples of my past works. Let’s chat.