How I Use AI on This Site

Today I'm going to chat about something I find really interesting and share how I use it on this site. I'm talking about AI/Chat GPT.

But first, let's talk ethics. Just because we CAN use AI, does that mean we should? My viewpoint is pretty simple. If you are an expert in your field, absolutely! Go ahead, and make the most out of it. But, if you're using it to bluff your way through, to look like something you're not, then that's a big no-no from me. When you're an expert, and have extensive experience of something, it shows in the content. And when you don't have that experience… It shows in the content. The difference is, the expert knows this and the chancer does not.

So, How do I Use AI on This Site?

My Trusty Writing and Editing Companion

Have you ever struggled with creating catchy headlines? I know I have, and let me tell you, AI has been a lifesaver! It generates some powerful headlines for me, adding that extra sparkle to my articles. There can be a few misses, but it usually gets it right, and at a speed that's light years faster than me.

Typos, punctuation errors, and awkward grammar – can sneak up on anyone. My AI tool has a hawk's eye for these mistakes. Sure, it might miss a subtle error now and again, but it's reassuring to know there's something keeping an eye on the details and fixing the things I've become word-blind to.

Now let's talk about syntax and flow. I've noticed AI is pretty good at smoothing out the edges and creating a better rhythm in my writing. It's like having your very own editor on hand 24/7. Quite handy, right?

AI also works wonders when I need meta descriptions. It quickly picks up the gist of my content and spits out a reasonably accurate description. I give it a little polish and it's done. Again, faster than I can do it alone.

But what about those Dickensian paragraphs  you love so much Sarah that make you want to tear your hair out and stab yourself in the eyes with a blunt pencil? With AI, I just toss them into the chat box, and voila, it rewrites them in a way that's clear and coherent. With better punctuation. In fact, it loves using punctuation where I do not…

AI: The SEO Whiz

Keyword optimization is essential for any website owner. AI helps me sprinkle those magic words throughout my content, keeping it organic and readable. Sometimes it tries to convince me to use another word, but I have the upper hand and push it back into its box.

I use TextMetrics for SEO along with the RankMath plugin, and AI enhances what these plugins bring to my content. Textmetrics even markets itself as a smart AI writing assistant!

See the screenshot to see a little more about how Textmetrics works on this site. I can also have Textmetrics analyse my content. That's the section called main content on the screenshot. It tells me I've not used my keyword “How I use AI” enough, and that I need to add it 4 more times. I've just added it one more time… And it reminds me I need to add Alt Text to my images.

It nudges me to complete the page (post) description. I appreciate the nudge, because I don't always do it. Textmetrics lives in the sidebar of my content, not underneath it like RankMath, so I can't ignore it!

I also use LinkWhisper, another AI tool for adding internal and external links. LinkWhisper indexes all my blog posts, and then makes suggestions for where I can add links to existing content. These are the links it recommends for this post:

I can click the link icons and it will insert the correct link into the post.

This also saves a lot of time and it also means I don't have to search a spreadsheet looking for content to link to. Linkwhisper does all the remembering for me!

A Little Bit of Formatting and Long-Form Content

I've used AI to format my posts a few times, although I find doing it on the go works better for me. But long-form content? Well, that's a different ball game. I've tried it a couple of times, but let's just say it's still a work in progress.  It's going to be a while before I feel confident with the long-form content that AI presents. But formatting long-form content? Gosh, I wished AI was available when I was editing and formatting content for Birds on the Blog! You'll save a lot of time if you have to take text from clients and turn it into a great blog post.

The Ideas Generator

One aspect of AI I really love is its ability to come up with related questions or spin-off ideas. Sometimes they fit right into my article; other times, they make excellent ideas for future posts. It's like having a brainstorming buddy on demand. I love the creativity and the bouncing of ideas back and forth. The day the AI can speak to me and interact in voice mode is the day I leave all my mastermind groups!

AI in Marketing and Social Media Promotion

I must mention the magic AI works for social media promotions. I often paste a post into it and ask it to write a social media introduction for that post. And then add a sprinkle of emojis, and we have a fun, engaging intro ready to go! Believe me, if I could, I'd add even more emojis. There's no such thing as too many emojis, right? 😊

Of course, I also use MissingLettr which uses AI to understand my content, extract updates from it and then schedule the content at optimal time for my audience. This saves me lots of data analysis, brain ache and wasted time.

Wrapping Up…

So, there you have it – the good, the bad, and the emoji-filled journey of AI and my website. It's been a handy tool with a few bumps along the way, but definitely worth it.

Just remember, using AI is not about faking expertise; it's about enhancing what you already know and do. After all, the heart of any great content is authenticity, whether it's written by humans, or helped along by our AI pals.