Generative AI has taken the world by storm. While some folks claim it is overhyped- no different than Web-3 or NFTs- others liken the magnitude of this innovation to the invention of the automobile. I happen to be in the latter camp, and I believe generative AI can amplify your SEO and content marketing efforts. Whether you’re dazzled by gen AI or not, its explosive growth is irrefutable. A UBS study showed that ChatGPT is now the fastest-growing application of all time. It gained 100 million users in two months, outpacing even TikTok. Another report predicts that the global market will grow from 11.3 billion USD in 2023 to 51.8 billion by 2028.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Generative AI seems like magic. On the surface, ChatGPT is identical to Tom Riddle’s diary from Harry Potter. You ask it a question, and a ghost begins scrawling a response back to you. But it’s not magic, or a Wizard of Oz-type situation where someone is sitting behind a curtain in their basement, responding to each chat. Generative AI is a type of intelligence that uses algorithms to generate new data based on patterns in large datasets. It can be used to create new images, text, videos, audio, and more.
In this post, I’ll take you through a practical, 8-step process for using generative AI tools alongside traditional keyword research tools to supercharge your content marketing and SEO initiatives.
AI for SEO and Content Planning
In today’s digital landscape, search engine optimization (SEO) and strategic content planning are paramount for businesses and content creators seeking online visibility and engagement. While these tasks have traditionally required considerable time and effort, the advent of generative AI has introduced a game-changing solution. From conducting comprehensive topic research and brainstorming keywords to creating well-structured content outlines, AI is becoming an indispensable ally for maximizing content’s reach and impact. In this section, we delve into an 8-step process for using generative AI to effectively plan and write content from planning to publish.
1. Understand what questions your audience might have.
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Example prompt: What are some problems and questions that {{target persona}} may have when researching {{ my product/service }} ? |
2. Distill those into possible SEO keywords. If you’re using a conversational AI, like ChatGPT, you can give a follow-up prompt– take the user problems that it suggested and summarize them down into a list of potential keywords for you to research. Note that you may need to take the keywords suggested from this step and shorten them further in order to effectively do step number three.
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Example prompt: You are an expert in SEO. Take each of the questions above and turn them into ideas for SEO keywords that {{ my business type }} may want to target and rank on Google for |
3. Cross-reference the suggested keywords with a keyword research tool. One thing that’s important to understand about ChatGPT for SEO (at the time of writing) is that it does not have access to keyword or SERP data, nor can it crawl the web or open up links that you give it. If you ask ChatGPT for keyword metrics or SERP data, it will make numbers up. That’s why in this step, we will use the results from steps 1 or 2 above inside of a traditional keyword research tool. Paste each of the suggested keywords into your keyword research tool of choice to learn more about the monthly search volumes, difficulty to rank, CPC, and intent of those keywords. Select the ones with the strongest SEO metrics to move forward with in step 4.
4. Use a generative AI tool to brainstorm blog post ideas for your selected keyword. After a brief detour from gen AI in step 3, we’re back. Take the keyword(s) you decided to target after looking up their metrics in step 3 and use ChatGPT to help you brainstorm blog post ideas that include them.
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Example prompt: You are a content marketer planning potential blog content. Generate possible blog post ideas and SEO-optimized titles that target the keyword {{ keyword }} |
5. Generate a skeleton/outline for your post. Once you have the overall angle/topic of your blog post nailed down, as well as the keywords you are hoping to target, you can use AI yet again to help you flesh out the different sections and subsections of your blog post.
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Example prompt: You are an expert content marketer and blog writer. Create a blog post outline for a post titled {{ title }}. The post is about {{ topic }} and targets the SEO keyword {{ keyword }} and should include 5 subsections. Suggest some possible images as well. |
6. Create images for your post using AI. Take a look at the suggested image descriptions that your generative AI tool suggested for you. Copy each one and paste it into an image generation tool like Dalle-2, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion. Note- generative AI tends to have difficulty generating images with text on them.
7. Write paragraphs for your post as a starting point using AI. For the subsections in your outline, you can use generative AI to write full paragraphs for you. However, I recommend using this sparingly and reviewing all of the output. Generative AI does not always produce factually accurate information. Content originality, unique perspectives and anecdotes, and quotes from yourself or thought leaders are something that only you can provide, and they add depth to your content.
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You are a blog writer. Write a paragraph about the post subsection titled {{ blog post subsection }}. |
8. Use AI for editing and fine-tuning. As you write, you can use generative AI as an editing partner to make sure you get your piece just right. It can help you:
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- Check content for grammar and spelling mistakes
- Change the tone of a paragraph (let’s say you want your content to sound more professional)
- Find synonyms for words that you’ve used too many times
- Rewrite something more succinctly/crisply for you
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Example prompt: Rewrite the following blog paragraph so that it sounds more professional and eloquent {{ paste paragraph }}. |
As we reach the end of this method for using generative AI for content planning and creation, it is clear that embracing AI-powered tools can be a game-changer for digital success. Leveraging generative AI lets smaller businesses with fewer resources participate on a more even playing field in the crowded online landscape. However, it is essential to approach AI with a responsible mindset, understanding its limitations and using it as a valuable assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity and expertise.
Using Generative AI responsibly
There are a lot of opinions on how to use generative AI responsibly and ethically. I’m not going to dive too deep into this topic, but here are a few of my strongest personal recommendations. Take them with a grain of salt.
- Proofread and edit all content generated with AI before publishing. In my experimentation, I’ve found that, for long-form content in particular, generative AI can repeat itself. I’ve also found that it can be overly generic in its output and that I’ll need to add more substance to it for it to be useful. The goal of your content should be to make life better for the users that consume it. So make sure that it is.
- Always fact-check any statistics or facts produced by a model. Generative AI models will just make up information if they don’t know the answer, and the information it makes up can look very convincing. For example, I asked for highlights of Taylor Swift’s performance in LA during the “Speak Now” tour. It said that one highlight was “When Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes joined onstage”. However, these two did not join Taylor on her Speak Now tour– they were openers for later tours. To avoid sharing false information, fact-check any information you receive from generative AI.
- Consider adding a disclaimer to assets (text and images) created using generative AI, especially in specific industries (healthcare, news, etc). A survey by ToolTester found that 71% of survey respondents said they would trust a brand less if it published AI-assisted content without disclosing it.
Conclusion
As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for AI-driven content planning and SEO optimization will only expand further. It is an exciting time to embrace the potential of generative AI and stay at the forefront of digital innovation. By staying informed, adapting to new developments, and leveraging AI responsibly, you can navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape and thrive in a world where AI and the human ingenuity of marketers and context creators coexist harmoniously.
Watch the Related HubSpot User Group Meeting
Amanda recently presented on this topic at the Boston HubSpot User Group meetup. Watch the replay of this session below where Amanda builds on these lessons for AI-driven content planning and SEO optimization.
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