Everyone is talking about ChatGPT. Whether you view it as a scarily advanced piece of technology or the future of information gathering, there is no denying its innovativeness. But can it really write usable marketing content, and what are the implications of this?

In this blog, we explore the uses and limitations of ChatGPT for content creation as well as reflect upon our own experience of using it.

Updated on 28 September 2023

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is essentially an artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbot, created by Open AI, that is able to generate human-like responses to text-based questions at rapid speed.

The AI is programmed with a large amount of text data so is able to understand and respond to an extensive range of questions and topics. The system is then able to recall previous information it has been given, enabling it to conduct conversations with users.

Many people have been using ChatGPT solely for entertainment purposes, but others believe it could be a useful tool for marketing and content creation. However, it comes with its limitations, and it is advisable to exercise caution when using the technology to produce professional content.

Tech limitations

As ChatGPT is generated based on algorithms, it cannot replicate the emotional intelligence of a human and does not experience empathy. Therefore, it is unable to fully substitute the human voice and provide the specific nuances of a brand’s tone of voice.

For users with the free version of ChatGPT it has only been programmed with data up until 2021, so it will not have any knowledge of any information or world events occurring after this year, rendering it unusable for comments on current or even recent affairs. User who pay for the premium subscription are able to use a version of ChatGPT that is completely up-to-date with current affairs, although there is no guarantee of the realiability of its information.

Privacy concerns

ChatGPT creates its responses from information that has been fed into it. This may cause privacy issues as users could input sensitive information into the chatbot, which it will recall forever and could release in response to another individual’s query.

In order to provide personalised messages in response to specific queries, it will require user data, which could cause customers to worry for their privacy, leading to distrust of the brand.

Tool for content

We have identified some useful ways that ChatGPT can be utilised to assist with content creation. These include:

• Gathering information – ChatGPT can be used to gather relevant information about a topic, although it is worth double-checking all the facts before using them
• Providing the basic framework for a piece of text – the AI can respond to a brief and produce a suitable answer, this can then provide a loose structure for a blog
• Creating a list of relevant keywords for SEO – ChatGPT can produce a list of words based around a topic or theme of your choice, from which useful keywords may be found

Experience of using it

To test out the technology for ourselves, we asked ChatGPT to write this blog for us with the prompt “How can ChatGPT be used for marketing content?” to see what it would come up with. However, as expected, it did not produce a piece of writing of a suitable standard and certainly not something that could be used and shared.

Initially, it created a blog with all the positive aspects of using AI for marketing and had to be prompted to produce a balanced argument and also include the negative points. When it did produce this text, it used basic pro/con headings and mostly used bullet points for the main body of content.

The language used was straightforward and basic and did not include any of the nuances or tone of voice that a blog would require, as it is unable to be creative with language. It was not able to capture our brand’s tone of voice, and it came across as inconsistent when compared to our other content.

Concluding thoughts

Whilst it could be useful to gather insights to inform pieces of content, ChatGPT is not advanced enough to replicate or replace the human element of marketing. Content produced will need careful editing to ensure it is written in the correct tone of voice, that all details are accurate, and to make it original.

With the recent release of ChatGPT 4, which offers more accurate and detailed responses as well as the ability to process images, it is clear that the technology will be sticking around for a while yet.

Despite the continued integration of AI into our daily lives it is important to remain cautious and to consider the value of individual creative flair when producing content. Our view, therefore, is that ChatGPT should be used as a tool to assist and support content production rather than doing it for you.

How we can help

The V Formation team has experience writing content for a range of platforms and is able to act as a brand guardian for you, ensuring that all content is reflective of your brand’s personality and values.

If you would like any help with creating authentic content that is suited to your brand, please don’t hesitate to contact us.