I’ve spent decades in ad agencies and direct response companies helping writers and marketers make their copy more compelling while increasing response.
I now find myself challenged to do the same for copy produced by computers.
Here’s the simple E.D.I.T. formula I use and recommend to the writers I coach that gives AI copy a much-needed boost…
Emotion – AI can mimic emotions, but it needs help conveying the nuances that can only come from real human experience. So think back to times when you experienced the emotions the copy is trying to convey and add those details into the copy.
Déjà vu – AI-produced copy is based on finding and reproducing patterns. So it often sounds formulaic, coming up with words, phrases and patterns your market has probably heard time and time again. Find and eliminate those areas, replacing them with copy that is newer and fresher.
Identity – The best copy comes from a real individual with strong beliefs and feelings who understands and empathizes with the prospect. Sometimes this is hard for AI to do except in a broad and formulaic way. Often, you need to be the one to get up on your soapbox and add the kind of passion and color to the copy that your market responds best to.
Take the Prospect’s Perspective – AI often writes from the company's or the author's point of view: “we or do this…” or “I believe that…” But as you probably know, everyone’s favorite subject is… themselves! So consider editing the copy to the prospect’s perspective: “if you’re looking for this…“ or “perhaps you believe that…”
Specifics – AI sometimes tends to speak in generalities that lack the kind of granularity and color that makes people devour and respond to copy. As the human partner of AI, you need to step in and add specific real-life details based on your own experiences and observations. For example, you might change “I understand what it's like to not have enough money…” to "I know what it's like to wonder if you'll have enough left in your account at the end of the month to cover both the rent and the electric bill."
If you do nothing else… read the AI copy out loud. Or have someone read it to you.
Not only is it always a good idea to read copy out loud, nothing makes the predictable, mechanical aspects of mediocre copy more apparent than a human voice attempting to read it.