As a new copywriter just starting your journey as a side-gig / side-hustle copywriter, you might be hearing a lot about AI tools like ChatGPT. It's only natural to wonder, "Is there still a place for me in this industry?"

The world of freelance copywriting is evolving, and while AI can seem career-destroying, it actually presents opportunities. This guide will help you see the impact of ChatGPT on copywriting and show you how to use it to carve out a unique and irreplaceable role for yourself.

Embracing AI as a New Copywriter

Starting out in any field can be challenging, and the presence of AI in copywriting might add to your concerns. However, rather than seeing AI as competition, view it as a tool that can help you grow.  Because that's exactly what it is -- a tool. Like any tool, it can't do work on its own. Because you are  open to learning and adapting, you'll succeed -- by understanding how to use AI such as ChatGPT to speed up and to enhance your work.

My Evolved Understanding and Use of ChatGPT

When I first tried ChatGPT, I saw the comforting truth -- it's hapless with understanding or communicating human emotion. That's so comforting and reassuring to copywriters, because human emotion is the core of any copywriting piece, messaging, campaign, funnel, content strategy, or marketing strategy in general. Emotions are at the core. Without them, no human takes any action whatsoever -- and that includes of course the actions your clients are helping people to take. 

So I wrote it off, and kept working the way I've always worked. And I mostly still do. Just cranking out the copy in the way I've always done feels much more natural, and I'm good at it. 

But I also know that my years of experience makes me a fluent and rapid writer, while keeping the quality high. So what about the new copywriters I'm teaching? What about you? Here's what I now see: you (and I, and every copywriter) can use ChatGPT for its advantages and strengths, while still using our irreplaceable human understanding of other humans, which ChatGPT simply doesn't have.

ChatGPT: What It Can and Can’t Do

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is designed to generate text that sounds remarkably human. (But it is not human. It not emoting. It's not even thinking.) It pulls from an extensive database to create content on a wide range of topics. It does this via math, probabilities. It's just a probability generator for words. However, while it’s an impressive tool, it doesn’t replace the creative and strategic thinking that you, as a human copywriter, bring to the table. Here’s why:

Emotion and Connection: The best copy resonates emotionally with the reader. It tells a story, makes them laugh, or moves them to take action. AI, while useful, struggles to capture the subtleties of human emotion and cultural trends that make your writing compelling.

Brand Service and Strategy: ChatGPT can help with content structure, but crafting an effective emotional strategy requires a deep understanding of both your client’s goals and the audience the content is written for. Human insight is critical in creating content that not only "sounds good" as a computer parlor trick, but also truly serves the audience.

Tailored Solutions, Tailored Language: AI can generate content, but it’s almost always generic. Your ability to understand your client’s specific needs and create customized strategies is something AI can’t replicate. This personal touch is what clients look for when hiring a copywriter.

How to Stand Out as a New Copywriter

Here’s how you can make use of ChatGPT and still be irreplaceable as a human -- even as a total newbie copywriter:

Use Storytelling: Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in copywriting. It's why the Hero's Story rhetorical framework, the first thing I teach you in my course, is so important. Storytelling is what makes content engaging. AI might be able to draft content, but it can’t craft a story that connects with a specific audience, for a specific brand, on a personal  and emotional level.  It's as if it were a sculpting robot that makes the basic shape of a statue, so that the sculptor (you) can then craft artistically for the purposes of your client. AI saves some time, but it can't actually do the most important and necessary parts of the job. So make storytelling, and detailed language crafting for a specific audience, a core part of your writing process (you must do this anyway, and it's easy) in order to make yourself irreplaceable.

Leverage AI as Your Assistant: While AI can’t replace you if you use basic storytelling rhetoric as I teach in my course for you, it can definitely assist you. Use tools like ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, draft outlines, draft content that you will heavily edit and personalize, or even overcome writer’s block. By doing so, you can save time on routine tasks and focus more on refining your work and adding that human touch.

• Research Made Easy: AI can quickly provide you with data, trends, and insights. Use it to gather information on your audience, competitors, and topics, but always double-check the facts and add your own perspective.

• Content Ideas: Struggling to come up with fresh ideas? AI can help generate concepts based on your prompts. Use these as a starting point, but make sure to tailor them to your audience and goals.

• Drafts and Outlines: If you’re finding it hard to start a piece, let AI draft an outline or a rough version for you. Then, use your creativity and expertise to polish it into something uniquely yours.

Becoming Irreplaceable in the Age of AI

As you embark on your copywriting career, remember that AI is just a tool—it’s your creativity, strategic thinking, human emotion, and ability to connect with others that gets any kind of response from any kind of audience. Focus on honing your skills in these areas and use AI to speed up and to enhance your work.  

Conclusion: The rise of AI in copywriting may seem daunting, but it’s also an opportunity. By embracing technology, continuously learning, and focusing on what makes you uniquely human, you will build a successful and lasting career in copywriting.