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The rapid expansion and implementation of AI in content creation and copywriting industries is reshaping how writers work.
There is a growing demand for writers who are able to employ AI tools during their process. So, learning to utilize AI effectively as a content writer gives freelancers a competitive edge.
AI can improve efficiency and assist with optimization. However, it is equally important to understand the ethics of AI use, including plagiarism or duplicate content concerns, transparency, and quality.
This guide will discuss five important AI skills for freelance writers to master and provide guidance on using AI ethically.
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These five AI skills improve efficiency and streamline the writing process, especially for writers who are also their own editors, researchers, and SEO experts.
The content ideation or brainstorming phase can sometimes take longer than writing the piece itself.
Essentially, leveraging AI can increase efficiency around content ideation, so that freelance writers can focus on the quality of the content.
Check out our complete guide on the role of AI in content ideation.
With detailed prompts, target keywords, and client goals, AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude can generate structured outlines or content briefs to save time.
Additionally, AI tools can be used to ideate catchy titles and headlines that boost click-through rates (CTR). Writers could ask AI to recommend multiple headline options and pick the suggestions they like to create their own headline that accurately represents the content.
As with other content creation steps using AI, make sure to review the content, outline, and wording to make sure it matches the client’s goals and content style.
Learn about AI content brief creation and how to effectively use ChatGPT for content briefs and audience personas.
After deciding on a topic and using AI to assist with creating a content brief and/or outline, it is time to do some research.
While AI shouldn’t be the sole source of information or research for high-quality, factual information, the outlines and ideas generated by AI can provide a solid starting point.
Essentially, this provides a roadmap of subtopics that are linked to the main idea to lighten the research load by narrowing down topics and providing some possible sources.
From there, the writer can research each subtopic and determine whether or not it is relevant enough to make it into the final piece.
However, AI can produce hallucinations (incorrect information presented as a fact), so a human is still needed to fact-check information and determine source credibility, as well as relevance to their audience.
Get tips on using AI for research.
Some freelance writers may work on projects where they select or pitch their own topics or even create a content strategy for clients.
When deciding what topics to cover, topic clustering — organizing content around a central content pillar — is an important strategy for search engine optimization.
AI is a very effective tool to organize topic clusters as it offers a streamlined method for planning and then grouping topics into clusters.
These tools reduce the time needed to research topics or design content pillars, providing writers with fast results.
It then becomes the writer’s job to sort through the recommended topics to determine which are best suited for their client’s niche and goals.
Once the content is planned, researched, and written, it is time to edit and optimize the content. This process will look different for each niche and client, as the tone of the client’s brand will come through during the writing and editing stages.
While editing by hand is an important step in the writing process, it is always possible for the odd typo or awkward phrasing to slip past the proofreading stage.
AI tools can check for grammar and spelling errors as well as readability, tone, and content optimization.
Originality.ai’s Grammar Checker is a great tool for freelancers who need a second pair of eyes to go through their work. It effectively catches spelling and grammar issues that may slip by otherwise, ensuring polished, high-quality copy.
For freelancers looking to take their content one step beyond their competitors, using AI-powered optimizer tools such as Originality.ai’s Content Optimizer can improve SERP rankings and increase organic search traffic.
While AI can greatly reduce the time that many content writing tasks take, it is important for writers to understand the limitations and ethical ramifications of using AI-generated content for their work.
AI-generated material lacks the creative ingenuity of human-written work, proving that the easy way is not always the best way.
Because AI content is generated, it must be reviewed carefully to avoid duplicate content, potential instances of plagiarism, or copyright concerns.
While some generative AI tools list sources, others do not. As a freelance writer, both your client’s and your own integrity rest on how you manage these challenges around AI content, plagiarism, and transparency.
In the age of AI content, it is important to include the use of AI-generated content in your client contracts (check out our guide on incorporating AI guidelines in freelance writing contracts).
This ensures there is full transparency and a shared understanding of the use of AI tools for content, and to what extent they are or are not permitted.
To further encourage client trust, freelance writers might consider using a Plagiarism Checker or AI Detector to provide proof of original content to clients.
In general, freelance writers who adopt AI tools can gain a competitive edge by streamlining and optimizing their process.
However, AI-generated content still requires a skilled copywriter to manage, organize, refine, and research the information provided by AI.
Then, as a best practice, before starting a project with a client, discuss whether AI use is or is not permitted as part of the process — and to what extent.
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Learn more about AI and copywriting in our guides:
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