When AI tools like ChatGPT burst onto the scene, chatter amongst writers echoed fear. Headlines sounded the alarm. Even Hollywood screenwriters went on strike. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a smidge worried. I couldn’t help but wonder if robots would take over writing my stories, articles, website content, social media posts, blogs, and newsletters. Yet, here’s the twist: I’m writing more than ever in today’s AI world.
AI is a tool. It’s not human. Humans may use it for faster output and to discover new ideas. Still not convinced? Then, explore 15 reasons to hire a writer instead of leaving the job solely to AI.
Save Time
Congratulations, you’ve struck the time-saving jackpot if you’re only tasked with reading and providing feedback on a written piece. But if you’re the one responsible for creating that piece, it’s important to recognize that AI isn’t a magic button that handles all the heavy lifting.
Using AI still takes time. You need to have an idea for your topic, to feed AI prompts and direction, and the patience to revise and refine its output. You also need to proofread for accuracy and tone.
And, if the AI-generated piece reads like complete garbage, you may still end up facing that dreaded blank page and blinking cursor. Sometimes abandoning the tool and writing it yourself is faster—and better—than hoping AI can read your mind.
Nail Format & Flow
Half the battle of new website copy, a blog article, or a newsletter lies in organizing the content. Deciding what to keep, what to cut, where each message belongs, and how everything fits together takes thoughtful strategy—not just good writing.
I’ve spent hours digging through outdated web content to uncover the heart of a message and figure out what new pages are needed, along with the right structure for each one. That’s where strategy meets storytelling, and it’s this intersection that turns a project into a powerful, polished piece.
Conquer the Blank Screen
One of the hardest parts of writing isn’t polishing the words; it’s knowing what to write in the first place. From choosing blog topics to deciding what belongs on a homepage (and in what order), crafting the first draft is often the most difficult step.
AI can only follow the instructions it’s given. If you’re unsure what should live on your homepage to attract and convert customers, AI won’t solve the problem. It’ll just leave you circling the blank screen. That’s where human expertise matters: guiding strategy, structuring content, and transforming a blank page into a clear, compelling message that drives results.
Establish Smart Positioning
To attract the right clients, you need more than content—you need strategy. When you clearly communicate your organization’s unique strengths while understanding your audience’s pain points, you position yourself as the solution they’ve been looking for.
AI can support the process, but it can’t replace the human insight required to analyze competitors, uncover niche opportunities, and craft a compelling, differentiated message.
That’s where an expert comes in to help define your unique market position and build a message that captures attention, builds trust, and wins new clients.
Create a Brand
Robots can’t create a brand. Brand professionals and storytellers do. They craft the voice, tone, signature phrases, storyline, and strategic messaging that resonate with your ideal audience and make every touchpoint feel unmistakably yours. Consistently using that voice and messaging shapes how your audience experiences and perceives your brand. Building a recognizable brand that customers love takes intentional strategy and communication.
Stay On-Brand
Since we’ve established that robots can’t create a brand, then they certainly don’t know when they’ve gone off-brand. Your brand story, tone, voice, messaging, and personality should remain consistent in every communication. That’s why it’s essential to have a writer shaping (or at least editing) your content.
A strong brand isn’t just about what you say; it’s about how and when you say it. A writer can recognize the right moments to weave in your unique messages or signature phrases—the ones that spark connection, build trust, and inspire your audience to engage.
Evoke Emotion
Humans feel. AI predicts. While AI can generate words, it can’t truly understand the emotions behind them. A skilled writer knows when, where, and how to weave in powerful messaging that resonates with your audience on a deeper level. By aligning your business goals with authentic storytelling, a writer creates content that resonates with the people who matter most to your business.
Optimize for Search
When done well, search engine optimization (SEO) ensures your website and content can be discovered by new potential customers. Choosing the right keywords and phrases requires research, planning, and skilled writing to execute effectively. More importantly, only humans know how to apply white-hat SEO practices correctly—so your site won’t risk penalties or break critical search policies.
Leaving it to AI may derail the purpose of your piece, resulting in content that misses the mark with your audience and search engines. True SEO takes foresight: understanding how each piece of content connects with others, creating synergy that helps your entire website rank stronger and attract the right audience.
Edit with a Chainsaw
I have yet to see something from AI that didn’t need some serious editing, especially for grammar and spelling. AI seems to misplace or not place that pesky comma every time. So, if you’re relying on AI to correct your grammar, chances are it’s leaving you with errors you don’t even recognize. On top of that, AI can be way too wordy or too concise, rarely landing in that sweet spot of just the right length. That’s where a skilled editor comes in to find that happy medium.
Take Out the Garbage
Garbage in, garbage out. If the foundation of your writing isn’t strong, the end result will show it. Too often, AI-generated content creates more clutter than clarity, leaving you with pages of “junk” that require heavy editing—or worse, a complete rewrite. At that point, the time you save using AI in the first place evaporates into thin air. A professional writer helps you skip the mess and get straight to clear, effective messaging that works.
Conduct an Interview
Writers interview people. Many of my best stories originated from interviews. A skilled writer researches the topic when needed, crafts questions ahead of time, asks the right questions, and adapts during an interview. They know how to listen, capture the details that matter, and can dig deeper with a follow-up question.
Then comes the art of storytelling: deciding what to keep, what to cut, and how to shape the raw conversation into a narrative that truly resonates. That’s something AI can’t replicate because powerful stories are born from human connection.
Create for Human Consumption
AI tends to sprinkle in many words and phrases that most people never actually say. Fresh is an example. I would never say, “I bring fresh ideas to a marketing campaign.” I probably say I bring new or good ideas to a marketing campaign. AI also loves to weave in adverbs like lovely, accordingly, or significantly—words that can sound forced and don’t match natural conversation.
When it seems too good to be real, it probably isn’t. Make sure your message sounds relatable and authentic—fit for actual human consumption.
Know Your Audience
Use words and phrases your audience would use. What would your ideal audience say, think, and feel? Using familiar terms builds trust and shows you understand their challenges, wants, and needs. Generic, auto-generated phrases that don’t reflect your target audience can quickly become a turn-off.
Reach a Goal
When I first started writing for clients, I assumed that most businesses wanted website copy that inspired action. I quickly learned that’s not the case. Some content is written to inform, others to tell a story, inform, persuade, inspire, or engage. Every written piece has a purpose, and that purpose is unique to the business.
AI can’t reach that goal alone. It takes someone who understands the business, its voice, tone, and message to craft content that hits the mark. Otherwise, you risk missing opportunities, and it could require even more work to fix what should have been written from the start.
Tell a Story
Nearly every piece of content I craft has a story. Stories are memorable, relatable, and worth retelling. Even in website copy, I look for the overarching narrative and highlight the hero’s story (typically the customer) to spark a deeper connection. People bring unique stories to life. AI can only enhance what it’s given.
Writing looks very different today than when I first started. Even with all the advancements, including an AI world, businesses will always need help with their content because of the fifteen reasons I just covered.
If doing it alone (or relying on AI) were enough, every business would already have stellar content. Until then, partnering with a professional to do the heavy lifting is the smartest next step. If this sounds like you, let’s connect—I’d love to see how I can help.
Ready, set, grow!
All my best,
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