In the fast-paced world of content creation, editors are turning to artificial intelligence to stay ahead. From optimizing editorial workflow to upgrading content readability, we've compiled insights from eighteen industry professionals, including content leaders, editors, and CEOs on how AI is revolutionizing their work.
Optimizing Editorial Workflow
AI assumes a critical function in our editorial workflow by performing analysis and optimization of content. AI-powered tools are utilized to optimize the efficacy of the editing process. By utilizing grammar- and style-checking algorithms, we can save time and maintain consistency while ensuring that all articles conform to our publication standards.
Moreover, sentiment analysis tools facilitate the assessment of the emotional undertone of content, thereby enhancing the overall experience by adding depth and appeal to the reader. Suggestions generated by AI for optimizing headlines and enhancing SEO further expedite our endeavors.
Adopting these technologies enables us to concentrate on more complex editing endeavors, thereby promoting a harmonious coexistence of human ingenuity and the accuracy provided by AI instruments. In essence, the strategic incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) elevates the caliber and influence of our editorial content.
Jessica Shee, Senior Tech Editor and Marketing Content Manager, iBoysoft
Conducting Basic Content Research
I use AI for content research. That includes investigating the questions people ask about a subject, looking at different article titles, analyzing possible angles to take on a topic, etc.
I've experimented with ChatGPT, Frase, Clearscope, and other tools that use machine learning to generate content, and I recognize that they are really useful for basic research and saving time on sifting through multiple options. However, the quality of writing is not at a level you could publish without substantial editing. The quality just isn't there yet. It's too verbose and generic, and major chunks of it are meaningless.
The bottom line is that AI is valuable as a research tool, but the material it generates needs heavy editing by an expert to bring perspective, expertise, and personality to it.
Gosia Hytry, Head of Content, Spacelift
Enhancing Proofreading and Editing
As an editor navigating the dynamic digital marketing landscape, I've found that embracing AI is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. The rapidly evolving world of content creation and management demands efficiency, precision, and creativity—all of which AI significantly enhances.
One prominent way I'm using AI is through intelligent proofreading and editing software. These AI-driven tools are not just grammar checkers; they're sophisticated systems that can understand context, grasp nuances, and even learn our unique writing styles. By automating the time-consuming task of proofreading, I've been able to redirect my focus toward more strategic initiatives like content planning, audience analysis, and creative brainstorming.
Consider this: If an average article takes around two hours to proofread and edit manually, and I work on five pieces a week, that's ten hours spent solely on polishing content. With AI, this time can be cut by at least half, freeing up five hours every week. That's twenty hours a month, or 240 hours a year, saved! That's not a small number... This is time that can be invested in other high-value tasks like researching industry trends, creating engaging multimedia content, or honing our SEO strategies.
Moreover, AI doesn't just save time; it also improves the quality of work. AI tools can catch errors and inconsistencies that a human eye might miss, ensuring our content is always top-notch. And let's face it, in the digital marketing world where content is king, this can make a significant difference.
Leveraging AI is like having an additional team member who never sleeps, doesn't take breaks, and tirelessly helps improve our work. It's about working smarter, not harder. As editors, we must harness the potential of AI to maximize our productivity, enhance our content, and stay ahead in the competitive digital marketing landscape.
Christopher Hislop, Director of Content, Raka
AI Revolutionizes Solo Content Creation
I have a daily growth-hacking TikTok and a digital marketing podcast. I have 100,000 followers across all channels, and I shoot and edit everything myself.
Descript, an AI-heavy editing app, has saved my life.
First, it uses AI to transcribe everything. This allows me to edit the video in the transcript, like a Word Doc, instead of on the timeline. It's far faster and more efficient. All transcript edits are automatically reflected in the timeline.
Then, with one click, it uses AI to make my voice sound crisp, even with background noise. I toggle on a feature called "Studio Sound," and the AI discerns what my voice would sound like if it were recorded in a professional studio and makes it sound that way. I have recorded my podcast in noisy hotel lobbies and European cafés and still had all the background sound automatically removed and the voice made pleasant.
Another useful AI feature is "Overdub." Sometimes, I say the wrong word in a video or podcast. Instead of recording again, I write in the word I want, and Descript uses generative AI to match my voice and insert the word, phrase, or sentence I intended. This has saved me so much time.
Descript also uses generative AI to stitch together disjointed cuts and make them flow organically.
Finally, Descript has a word transcription glossary. There are names and phrases I commonly use which are transcribed incorrectly. With the transcription glossary, I can add them, and Descript's AI recognizes when they are used and automatically corrects my transcripts.
I have a film background and used to use other editing apps. Because of its AI features, Descript is indescribably more useful than them.
My output and audience would not be possible without this editing tool.
Edward Sturm, SEO and Marketing Expert, Edwardsturm.com
Overcoming Writer's Block
AI has become a part of my ideation and brainstorming process, especially when I feel I'm on the cusp of writer's block. It's been a great resource to help me get out of my head and into my target reader's mindset, and to quickly come up with ideas—good and bad, of course!—for me to weed through to get to the good stuff. This technique gives me more to work with than staring at a blank page and a blinking cursor, making the whole process of overcoming writer's block easier, and it saves me a lot of time along the way, too.
AI can be a powerful resource for anyone, but when it comes to writing, knowing what questions to ask and what prompts to give it will make the outcome much stronger.
Rachel Leslie, Founder & Editor In Chief, Laer Studio
Sourcing Studies for Article Depth
When editing an article, I use Perplexity.ai to source original studies and statistics from industry reports and publications. It is a quick and convenient way to add depth to the content while enhancing both the readers' experience and the E-E-A-T value for Google.
Katya Dimova, Content Manager, Financer.com
Crafting Article Titles
I love to use generative AI to help with crafting engaging article titles. An easy way to start is by prompting the AI to produce a list of ten or more title ideas about the general topic of your article.
For example, you can prompt ChatGPT with something like, "Create a list of 10 article titles for an article about blue widgets. Make it engaging, and include a few relevant keywords." Alternatively, you can prompt it with something like, "Create a list of 10 engaging titles for the below article and include a few relevant keywords."
Then, paste the entirety of your article below the prompt and submit it to the generative AI. It will read your content and produce ideas you may not have considered. If you find one or two titles that you like most, you can then ask the AI to produce variations of those specific titles and ideate further.
Dennis Consorte, Digital Marketing & Leadership Consultant for Startups, Snackable Solutions
Developing Custom GPTs
We developed a custom GPT, drawing inspiration from Google's content guidelines, to scrutinize our articles in a unique way. For each piece, the GPT assesses it against six key points outlined by Google, assigning scores from 1 to 10 on each. If a piece scores below 7 on any of these points, we go back to the drawing board.
With AI-generated advice on how to improve, we're not just tweaking our content; we're transforming it. This approach has opened our eyes to invaluable insights, ensuring our content is not only SEO-friendly but also deeply resonates with our readers. It's a strategy that's making our content more impactful, user-friendly, and aligned with what both Google and our audience love.
Erman Kuplu, CEO, Analyzify
Suggesting Related Readings
In our editorial process, we harness AI to elevate the reader experience by seamlessly suggesting further readings at the end of our content pieces. Our AI tool maintains an extensive library of all our content.
After analyzing the themes, keywords, and context of a current piece of content, the AI sifts through our database to identify and recommend additional related content. This not only enriches the reader's experience by offering them a deeper dive into subjects of interest but also significantly increases the time spent on our platform.
Milo Cruz, SEO & Content Lead, BuddyCRM
Detecting Monotonous Paragraphs or Poor Messages
Whenever I have editor's block, I dive into AI tools as Scrooge McDuck does into his pool of coins. Swimming in advice from, for example, Grammarly or Quillbot, I find lots of ideas to improve my copy.
They help me detect monotonous paragraphs and poor message conveyance, saving several hours on editing tasks. If you want to make each sentence seamlessly flow into the next, relying on suggestions from AI tools is a perfect way to start.
Maksym Platonov, Content writer, Promova
Polishing Content with AI
I write, brief, and review 70-80 content pieces every single week. I don't use AI for writing per se, but I do like polishing up with AI.
For example, when something comes across as fluffy, I use AI to un-fluff it with prompts like "use a more conversational tone of voice," "remove weasel words and generic filler phrases," or "replace X with Z." This doesn't happen to our internal content, as we know what to do and how to structure it, but we do have external content coming our way, and very often, it needs to be further edited.
With AI, it's just made easier and more efficient. However, it does take time to get into effective editing—your first prompts might not be perfect, and the outcome might be rather "clumsy"—but don't give up. Feed ChatGPT with more instructions, and save/mark the chat so you can come back to it.
Kinga Edwards, CEO, Brainy Bees
Streamlining Content Team Workflow
Our two-person content team relies heavily on AI to enhance our efficiency and maintain the integrity of our content. Here's how we incorporate AI into our workflow:
First, we use AI to streamline the creation of blog outlines. We start by inputting keyword research from SEMrush into ChatGPT, then we enhance these AI-generated outlines with authoritative backlinks and additional sections that aren't covered in current top-ranking articles, ensuring our content is both comprehensive and credible.
You can also input your content interview notes into ChatGPT-4 to generate an initial draft for a blog. When utilizing AI for content creation, it's important to use a plagiarism checker to guarantee the originality of your AI-produced content. Our team recommends Jasper, which is an AI tool that provides a fast, affordable, and dependable service to verify the uniqueness of your content.
Finally, we love using ChatGPT to repurpose existing content. For instance, we can take an eBook and ask ChatGPT to transform it into a blog post, draft a series of nurture emails, or create social media posts for LinkedIn promotion. This approach allows our small team to maximize the use of existing content efficiently.
In summary, AI plays a central role in our content creation process, helping our small (but mighty!) team produce comprehensive, authentic, and versatile content efficiently.
Katie White, Content Marketing Manager, Centime
Generating Content Outlines
As the managing editor of an acclaimed literary journal, and the editor of hundreds of client content marketing pieces, I find AI to be a useful tool for idea generation, research, writing prompts, and for finding errors. We do not, however, use AI to write content wholly for us.
So how are we using it, specifically? We can generate fairly comprehensive content briefs, or outlines, for articles that we're planning, as AI can scrape massive amounts of data and turn it into useful writing frameworks very quickly. The writing itself is still done by professional copywriters, but the AI helps us organize large data sets and break down massive topics into usable pieces, in many cases cutting several hours from our labor at the outset.
Phillip Mandel, Owner, Mandel Marketing
Summarizing Reports for Quick Structuring
I think there is some trepidation among writers and editors about the future of AI, but I see it as a useful tool. I already take advantage of its computational powers by having AI summarize and synthesize lengthy reports and white papers for easier digestion. That shaves hours off my research and allows me to start structuring content earlier. I've also found AI useful for the time-consuming work of creating references or citations in a specific format, as well as style adherence (AP, APA, etc.).
As an editor, I'll remain the last line of defense in terms of copyediting and proofing, but a first pass by AI cuts down on the time spent on minutiae, even if it's significant minutiae. In fact, it has already played a role in increasing our content team's efficiency and productivity. Any tool that helps me spend more time on creative vision and big-picture thinking is worth utilizing; that is the most critical work for an organization's projects and communications.
Bennett Rea, Editor, Verdani Institute for the Built Environment
Offering Comprehensive Editing
I use Lex.page for editing, which offers AI-powered checks for grammar, brevity, clichés, readability, and style, and therefore combines line editing and copyediting. It can identify claims needing citations and remove hedge terms, which is especially useful for editing academic texts.
With longer texts, I approach developmental editing by asking Lex questions about the story to speed up my understanding of what's in the text and what might be missing or has room for improvement.
Robert Weller, Principal Content Strategist, toushenne.de
Aiding Business Writing Projects
AI tools are really helpful for us in completing projects. We often use AI to create reports, marketing materials, and other business-related writings because we usually don't have full-time writers.
We find that with the right prompts, we can come up with ideas, make outlines, and write initial drafts pretty quickly. The results are useful to a certain extent. We all know that AI can sometimes make up facts. When it comes to writing and editing, they're just okay, even with good instructions.
This is where my team and I step in. As the writing experts for our clients, it's important for us to understand these tools and use them correctly. We help our clients use these time-saving tools to get what they need. I often find us doing extra editing on content that AI has helped with. Knowing where AI falls short lets us edit out those issues. For clients with more budgets, we can start with AI-created content and then polish it to meet professional standards.
These AI tools aren't going anywhere. We need to be careful to use them the right way, but we can't just ignore them. By being the go-to people on using AI tools correctly, we can lead our clients to use them better and more responsibly.
Lucas Ochoa, Founder & CEO, Automat
Providing Alternative Writing Ideas
We use AI on a daily basis to replace a function that colleagues would have performed—provide alternative ideas and thoughts. There are many tools that allow you to do this. AI has become very good at providing alternative sentence structures and can even go as far as assisting with tone, length, or making a sentence more complex or simple.
Germaine Muller, Founder & Managing Director, Futuretheory
Upgrading Content Readability and SEO
As an editor, one of the most transformative ways I'm utilizing AI is in the realm of content enhancement and optimization. Specifically, AI-driven tools have become invaluable for improving the readability and SEO performance of articles and manuscripts. These tools can analyze text for clarity, engagement, and adherence to SEO best practices, suggesting changes that make the content more accessible and appealing to our target audience.
Additionally, AI algorithms help identify gaps in our content strategy by analyzing trending topics and keywords, ensuring our publications are both relevant and competitive. This approach not only streamlines the editorial process but also significantly enhances the quality and visibility of our content, driving better engagement and readership statistics.
Matthew Ramirez, Founder, Rephrase