ChatGPT For Freelance Writers & Copywriters: Can AI Content Steal Your Job?

The robots are coming for your freelance writing career.

And soon, they’ll replace your job and leave you homeless, hopeless, and as relevant as a broken typewriter.

Most freelance writers, copywriters, and authors have had these nightmares since ChatGPT was launched in Dec 2022.

But should you be scared of ChatGPT and AI content? Is this the beginning of the end of freelance writing as a professional career? Is there no hope of peace between robots and poor writers struggling to earn a fair wage?

I know you’re anxious, so let me answer those questions in this article. We’ll discuss ChatGPT in detail and determine if it’s a threat to your freelance writing career or a potential partner to improve your work quality.

Let’s dive in.

Will ChatGPT Replace Content Writers And Copywriters?

How did I reach this conclusion? I’ve explained my reasons in detail below.

What Is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an AI-powered chatbot that can have real-time human-like conversations with its users. It is built on OpenAI’s GPT 3 language model and is trained on vast data sets allowing it to understand different topics and user behavior.

It uses its knowledge base and data patterns to predict outcomes, search for information, and answer questions.

Is ChatGPT the first tool to do all this? No.

But it is the most efficient AI content tool, far exceeding anything I’ve seen in this industry.

Here’s a test conversation I had with ChatGPT that shows you what it’s capable of.

Amazing, right?

But that’s just the start.

With its mammoth data size, ChatGPT can write all kinds of content in different tones, answer questions, fetch data, create lists, and even write code.

You can also use it as a conversational search engine.

It’s no surprise that ChatGPT smashed the one million user mark within five days of going live.

And it is spreading like wildfire, with people coming up with new and innovative ways to use it for all kinds of personal and professional tasks.

How ChatGPT Works?

ChatGPT’s user interface is like a conventional chat application with a message box at the bottom and the conversation threads in the main window.

And that’s where all the magic happens.

When you enter your instructions for ChatGPT in the message box, it responds in the chat window.

But here’s the most important thing to remember.

Writing ChatGPT Prompts As A Freelance Writer

The quality of ChatGPT’s responses depends on your input. For example, if you ask ChatGPT to write a blog post on a specific topic, it will write a generic piece of content with no depth, voice, or research.

Similarly, if your prompt is to “write a sales page for my weight loss formula,” its content would read like a spun version of any competitor’s site.

Here’s an example.

As you can see, it’s a generic article with little value.

But if you want unique and high-quality content that speaks to your audience and makes them take action, you write detailed ChatGPT prompts that describe everything about desired content and target audience.

So, for the next example, I gave more detailed instructions to ChatGPT.

Take a look at the results.

You can immediately see that the content has more authority and speaks to a specific audience.

In other words, ChatGPT follows the garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) formula meaning flawed instructions return flawed answers.

So, you’ll need to practice ChatGPT prompts and understand how to properly communicate your requirements to get quality content.

In general, make sure your ChatGPT prompts include information about the following.

• Your content type (blog post, email, sales page, etc.)
• Content structure (subheadings, bullets, call to action placement)
• Your topic
• Content length (e.g., 300 words)
• Content elements (data, examples, scientific evidence, quotes, success stories)
• Content goal
• The question it answers
• The problem it solves
• Your audience details
• Content tone and voice (conversational, formal, like Gen-Z)

And anything else that could help ChatGPT to write tailored content. Remember, detailed instructions will result in high-quality personalized content.

ChatGPT Examples & Use Cases: What Kind Of Content Can It Write?

ChatGPT is unbelievably good at content creation because of its ability to dive deep into large data sets, study patterns, and write anything the user wants.

Here are a few examples of the kind of content you can create with ChatGPT.

ChatGPT Content Example #1: Blog Posts

With just a few prompts, you can write a flawless blog post or magazine article with ChatGPT.

As discussed in the previous section, don’t use vague or simplistic commands like “write a blog post on topic XX”. Instead, create an article outline and use ChatGPT to write content for each headline in separate prompts.

For example, I asked ChatGPT to write 200 words for a sub-heading in one of my articles.

Do this for all the sub-headings in an article to get the final piece.

And in case you don’t have an article outline or need help creating one, ask ChatGPT to do it for you.

Here’s an example prompt.

And there you go.

In short, ChatGPT can save you hours by creating blog post outlines and first drafts in no time.

ChatGPT Content Example #2: Landing Pages

If you’re a landing page copywriter, ChatGPT will make your life much easier by helping you structure your landing pages and write first drafts.

Again, you must provide detailed instructions and describe your requirements to get quality results.

ChatGPT Content Example #3: Email Sequences

Creating email sequences is one of my favorite ways to use ChatGPT. Here’s how to do it.

• Not sure what email sequences should you create for your business? Just ask ChatGPT.

• If you can’t decide the number of emails in a sequence, ask ChatGPT again.

• And finally, if writer’s block isn’t letting you work, use ChatGPT to create the first drafts of your email sequences.

You don’t need to use everything ChatGPT creates for you. But its results certainly help you get started when you’re stuck.

ChatGPT Content Example #4: Video Scripts

Whether you write video scripts for clients or need one for your YouTube channel, ChatGPT can be a great starting point.

Again, it’s not perfect, but a great starting point.

ChatGPT Content Example #5: Social Media Posts And Threads

With ChatGPT, you can instantly write complex Twitter threads and posts for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and any other social network.

Mindblowing, I know.

Imagine how many Twitter threads you can create with AI content support.

As a content writer, copywriter, or author, you must be worried seeing all these examples. Because clearly, ChatGPT is much superior to any other AI content tool and will only improve with time.

So, should you pack up and leave? Not so fast.

ChatGPT is good but not perfect.

Let’s discuss its main limitations and why it is still not your replacement.

ChatGPT And SEO: Will AI Content Rank In Google Search?

Does Google index and rank sites that rely mainly on AI content?

Is ChatGPT content good for SEO?

Can you create blogs and niche sites entirely with ChatGPT and AI content?

Can affiliate marketers, brands, and niche site owners replace their writers with ChatGPT?

Everyone is asking these questions. And unfortunately, there are no clear answers yet.

But we have a pretty good idea of how Google treats AI content.

First, AI content is nothing new, as marketers have used it for several years. However, the issue of AI content and SEO has only popped up now because ChatGPT is better at content creation than any other AI tool.

Here’s what Google’s spam policy says about automated or AI content.

So, is all AI content spam? Google’s Danny Sullivan gave further clarification on this.

In short, here’s what Google says.

It has no issues indexing or ranking AI content created for readers, not search engines. But it will treat AI content as spam and degrade rankings if a site relies solely on AI content without any value addition.

What’s value-added and reader-focused content? Google’s content guidelines will give you a pretty good idea (especially the highlighted parts.)

In other words, content created with ChatGPT and other AI tools can be a great starting point, but a real human needs to verify it, make it valuable for the readers, and ensure it is not designed only to rank for a specific keyword.

But having been in this industry for over a decade and seeing how Google treats content, I’m pretty sure it will target AI content in the future (even when an editor improves it.)

Why? Because marketers will abuse AI content, low-quality content production will skyrocket, and the SERPs will soon be filled with bot-generated content that offers little value.

In case you’re wondering, Google can detect ChatGPT content because of its pattern. So, don’t be surprised if Google marks/highlights AI content in SERPs or makes it mandatory for publishers to declare AI content on their sites because readers deserve to know if the advice on a site is written by a real expert or a robot.

The safest route is to use ChatGPT and other AI content tools to generate ideas and combat writer’s block. But the final article version should always be written by a real human.

ChatGPT’s Content Writing Limitations

SEO and Google rankings aren’t the only question marks over AI content. Here are some of the other issues with ChatGPT content.

ChatGPT Content Isn’t Always Unique

ChatGPT uses mammoth data sets to identify patterns and answer questions. But it doesn’t always guarantee unique and original responses.

Why? Because its answers depend on the user’s questions. If two different users ask the same questions, ChatGPT might respond with similar or identical answers.

Let’s hear it from the horse’s mouth.

You must also understand that ChatGPT isn’t concerned with content uniqueness or originality because it isn’t a content creator.

Its job is to comprehensively answer the user’s question, even if it means repeating the same advice.

But here’s the problem.

Just like millions of people search for the same search keywords every day, users will ask ChatGPT similar or identical questions resulting in identical answers.

Using that content without making significant changes will harm your site’s SEO and get you into trouble with Google’s algos.

ChatGPT Content Is Detectable

This point is worth repeating.

Google can detect ChatGPT content as it contains a cryptographic watermark. In easier words, ChatGPT uses a particular content creation pattern that is intentionally identifiable to help users differentiate between human and AI content.

In fact, anyone can identify AI content using any mainstream AI content detector (just run a few Google searches for it.)

For example, I randomly found an AI content detector and checked this article.

As expected, it’s 100% AI-free because I’ve written it myself.

But then I checked one of ChatGPT’s responses in the tool and here’s what it found.

If a random tool can detect ChatGPT content, there’s no doubt Google can as well.

And even if Google doesn’t crack down on ChatGPT content now, it can do it whenever it wants.

ChatGPT’s Database Is Outdated

ChatGPT is trained on data till 2021. So, it is unaware of recent events and developments.

Keep that in mind when using it for research.

ChatGPT Doesn’t Understand Human Emotion

Understanding your audience’s emotions is crucial for creating engaging content. Unfortunately, ChatGPT doesn’t understand feelings and cannot use common sense to tailor its content to the reader’s emotional state.

So, its content is often dry, lacks storytelling, and doesn’t click with the readers.

It has no personality, so it won’t help you connect with your readers and create a unique brand experience until you edit and improve it.

ChatGPT’s Research Isn’t Reliable

There’s another problem with ChatGPT.

It can use made-up data, fictional examples, and references that don’t exist. So, you can’t blindly trust everything in its answers without fact-checking.

ChatGPT Cannot Replicate Your Writing Process

If you’re an experienced conversion copywriter or a content writer for established brands, you know that writing content is often the final part of the writing process.

A lot happens before that.

For example, writers need to gather voice of customer (VOC) data and understand the language of a specific audience group. This includes understanding the readers’ jargon, the words they use to describe their problems and solutions, and generally, how they talk.

This is critical because you must speak your audience’s language to engage readers and drive action without content.

Talking to your clients and their customers and understanding their perspectives is equally important, especially for big-budget projects. The insights you get from these interactions allow you to create content that hits the bullseye and immediately makes people take action.

ChatGPT can’t do that for you.

Even with detailed instructions, ChatGPT cannot create copy that tells the stories your audience wants to hear and the messages that resonate with them.

How Freelance Writers And Copywriters Can Survive In The AI Content Age

AI content is not going anywhere. In fact, no matter what anyone tells you, AI content will replace freelance writers to some extent because it is ideal for low-budget clients and companies not interested in specialized copy.

So, how do you survive this change?

Here’s what I think.

Specialize In A Niche

ChatGPT will hit generalists and bottom-tier freelance writers the hardest. I believe it will gradually wipe out content mills and force writers to move to higher grounds or switch careers.

But as AI content goes mainstream, consumers will start demanding authentic and credible content from real experts.

This is where niche specialists come in. So, to thrive in the AI content age, specialize in a niche.

Don’t be a freelance writer, be a:

• Content marketer for personal finance brands
• Email strategist and copywriter for online course sellers
• Freelance content writer for customer service and help desk solutions
• Conversion copywriter for pharma companies
• User experience writer for SaaS

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Colin Newcomer, a specialist WordPress writer, is an excellent example.

Another great example is Dominic Kent, an expert content creator for the unified communications industry.

And I’m not talking about just a title change. Become a real expert in your niche by enhancing your knowledge, improving your skills, and learning it inside out.

So, when you create content for your clients, you speak with authority and add real value.

Because in the post-AI content world, humans won’t have the luxury to create rehashed content (ChatGPT does it way better.)

Build Your Personal Brand Authority

The world won’t know you’re an expert until you show it. Once you’ve chosen a niche, you must regularly create authoritative content on your blog to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise.

So, if you don’t already have one, create your freelance writing website on WordPress using any free or premium website theme.

Write long-form blog posts on informational and commercial topics in your niche and share unique insights and valuable tips to make your content stand out.

Similarly, grow your following on Twitter by joining relevant conversations and writing detailed threads about different topics in your niche.

This will gradually increase your authority and establish you as an expert content creator in your niche.

Since consumers demand authentic content from real-world experts, the brands in your niche would come running to you with work offers.

Reposition Yourself As A Solution Provider

ChatGPT and AI content will eventually catch up with you if you only sell words. But if you sell outcomes like more traffic, sales, leads, or anything measurable, you can package your services better.

For example, instead of selling freelance writing services only, offer content with:

• Topic research
• Voice of customer research
• On-page SEO
• Expert quotes
• Data references
• Examples and case studies
• Content writing

You might already be doing all of this. But you must repackage and connect it with your customer’s desired outcomes (e.g., more backlinks, traffic, search ranking, leads, etc.)

Market your process, highlight the work that goes into a piece of content, and make customers realize why your content is more authentic than an AI tool.

Learn To Use ChatGPT In Your Business

Make ChatGPT a part of your writing process and harness its powers instead of considering it an enemy.

If you’re an expert in your niche, it won’t be able to replace you because experts bring new ideas to the table while AI uses past data patterns to create content.

But it can make your life much easier and your work much faster.

So, learn to write detailed instructions and prompts to generate your desired responses from ChatGPT and make it a part of your writing process.

How To Use ChatGPT As A Freelance Writer

Before winding up this article, let me show you how freelance writers can use ChatGPT.

1. Beat Writer’s Block

I often struggle with kicking off articles and finding engaging introduction angles. I know most writers do. But with ChatGPT, you don’t need to spend hours staring at a blank document while questioning your writing skills.

2. Understand Audience Needs

You can’t write engaging content if you don’t understand your audience’s problems, fears, questions, and aspirations. With ChatGPT you can reduce your content research time to minutes and find valuable audience insights to create more engaging content.

Here’s another example.

3. Find SEO Content Ideas

ChatGPT is a handy tool for finding keyword and article ideas for SEO. It won’t give you search volume or competition data. But it will quickly generate a list of ideas that you can verify using an SEO research tool.

This can be a real lifesaver when you’re looking to pitch new content ideas to client projects or publications for guest blogging.

Here are a few examples

Not all of these keywords are worth using, and you’ll need to plug them into a keyword research tool to measure their search volume and competition.

But it’s still a great starting point.

5. Write Article Outlines

Creating a comprehensive article outline drastically reduces your writing time and allows you to create well-structured content.

But creating an outline requires research and a lot of work. Thankfully, ChatGPT can take care of this part for you.

6. Find Data Sources And Examples

Examples, case study references, and data evidence make your content more credible and high-authority.

But it can take you hours to find them.

Thankfully, ChatGPT can save that time for you.

7. Create First Drafts

You shouldn’t write content for your clients with ChatGPT or any other AI content tool for the reasons we’ve discussed in this article.

But you can use it to create quick first drafts on topics where you have limited knowledge. Use it to understand the topic and get your creative juices flowing so that you can write an original piece yourself.

8. Edit And Improve Your Content

ChatGPT can instantly fix your content’s typos, grammatical mistakes, and sentence structure. In addition, it can mold your content to any voice, tone, or style you want.

So, once you finish your first draft, simply ask ChatGPT to edit and improve it.

For example, I asked ChatGPT to edit a section of an article.

Within seconds, it gave me an improved version of the content.

Should Writers, Copywriters, And Content Creators Fear ChatGPT?

AI content has already disrupted the online content industry. ChatGPT, a much more advanced AI content creator, will only add to the inevitable rise of automated content.

Should you fear for your freelance writing career? It depends on what kind of content you write.

From what I’ve seen, ChatGPT can’t replace real-world experts with unique experiences, original ideas, and storytelling skills. Likewise, I don’t see established brands replacing subject-matter experts and niche-specific content creators with AI content.

Why? Because it is designed to help, not replace, human writers. Plus, it lacks original thought and credibility.

But it will still replace some of us.

Additionally, I think we’ll soon see the rise of AI specialist content writers and copywriters. They’ll be professional freelance writers with ex[erise in using ChatGPT and other AI content tools.

Why do I say that? Because to create unique and high-quality AI content, you must give ChatGPT the right prompts and content structure. The challenge for AI specialists will be to write unique ChatGPT prompts so that the resultant content is different from everyone else.

In general, here’s how I feel the freelance writing industry might evolve in the coming months and years (I might be wrong, of course)

• AI content will eventually replace low-cost bottom-tier writers (with no personal brand), creating rehashed articles for content mills and freelance portals like Fiverr and People Per Hour.
• Google doesn’t like 100% AI content. So, we’ll see a sharp rise in AI content fact-checked, improved, and optimized by a human editor.
• Freelance writers and copywriters who know how to write the ChatGPT prompts will be in high demand.
• Brands might use AI content creators for informational content, website copy, product descriptions, and email content.
• Writers with niche expertise will command higher rates as brands try to stand out in a sea of automated content by creating credible and unique content.
• Storytelling will become even more critical to content quality.
• Clients will pay more for authentic product reviews written by real humans who’ve tested the products themselves.

In short, change is coming.

But if you work on your storytelling skills, specialize in a well-defined niche, and build a solid personal brand that positions you as an expert content creator, you can command higher rates in the AI content age because the demand for authentic content will be higher than ever.

And most importantly, learn to use ChatGPT in your writing process because it will become a key part of your freelance writing toolkit.

Let me know what you think in the comments section.

ChatGPT For Freelance Writers | Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that is trained to generate human-like text.

Can ChatGPT be used by freelance writers and copywriters?

Yes, ChatGPT can be used by freelance writers and copywriters to generate content, such as blog posts, articles, and product descriptions.

Can ChatGPT steal the jobs of freelance writers and copywriters?

ChatGPT will replace low-quality content writers who are used to writing rehashed content that doesn’t add any unique value. But while ChatGPT can generate high-quality text, it is not a replacement for human creativity and expertise. Professional freelance writers and copywriters bring unique perspectives and ideas to their work, which cannot be replicated by AI. Additionally, ChatGPT may be used as a tool to assist writers in their work rather than replace them.

What is an AI specialist content writer/copywriter?

An AI specialist content writer or copywriter is an expert writer who knows how to use ChatGPT and AI content tools to create high-quality, SEO-optimized content that can compete with human-generated content. AI specialist writers know how to write unique ChatGPT prompts to create content that’s different and more valuable than anyone else.

How can freelance writers and copywriters use ChatGPT to assist them in their work?

Freelance writers and copywriters can use ChatGPT to generate ideas, research relevant information, and even write the initial draft of content. However, it should be reviewed and polished by humans before publishing.

Can ChatGPT write essays?

Yes, ChatGPT can write short and long essays on any topic as long as you provide the right information.

Can ChatGPT write in different styles and tones?

A: Yes, ChatGPT can write in different styles and tones, depending on the input and training data it is given. It can be fine-tuned to write in a specific style or tone, such as a more formal or conversational style.

Does ChatGPT save data?

Yes, ChatGPT saves user conversations and maintains your command history.

Is ChatGPT only used for writing?

No, ChatGPT can be used for a variety of tasks, such as language translation, question answering, and text summarization.