8 AI Tools I've Tried and What I Think of Them as a Copywriter (Part 1)
Here's to dipping our toes into innovating and creating with the help of new tech!
As a copywriter working in the very youth-oriented world of advertising, it’s a must to stay updated on the new, the techie, and the up-and-coming. That means getting into things like TikTok and BeReal, reading up on industry trends both in the Philippines and abroad, and learning about artificial intelligence (AI).
I got scared when I first heard about AI and how it could affect my job security as an advertising copywriter. Naturally! What was the point in improving my craft if it could be rendered obsolete by the time I hit forty?
But the more I learned about AI, the more secure I became. I read articles, listened to podcasts, and signed up for webinars about AI. And I realized:
Artificial intelligence (AI) can jumpstart brainstorming, optimize drafts, and spot errors. But it can’t replicate human insight. It can’t capture a heart and soul. And that’s why human copywriters will always matter.
AI is a tool that can help writers come up with blog post ideas, or help hone a marketing strategy. But it all depends on the prompts you give it and the information you share with it. As my elementary Computer teacher used to say, “Garbage in, garbage out.”
Isn’t that great to hear - even the “magic” AI can do depends on YOU!
That’s why for today’s blog post, I’m going through some AI tools I’ve personally used, and sharing what I think about each one as a user and copywriter.
An Overview of the 8 AI Tools That Can Help You as a Writer
Perhaps the most popular AI tool right now, I’ve found ChatGPT to be quite helpful. I even did an “interview” with ChatGPT a while back - pretty cool stuff. Since it’s so popular, I find that it’s also easy to detect when output is bare-bones ChatGPT output with minimal effort on the prompt or editing afterwards. I only use the free version, so I can’t access its other features.
ChatGPT’s geography quiz Gemini by Google has a nicer interface and more features than ChatGPT. I like that even with the free version, I can do image and voice prompts. I also like that since this is by Google, the search feature is integrated into the responses so you can double-check them in a tap.
Gemini’s opening line is cute - and in my opinion, accurate. (We have a spitz and a lab-spitz mix.) 
It’s easy to rate, share, or double-check Gemini responses. This tool has some interesting features that are particularly useful to copywriters. It’s not as free-flowing as Gemini, but it has its uses. I particularly like the Simile and Fuse tools!
TextFX by Google has tools like Simile, Explode, Unexpect, Chain, Fuse, Scene, and Unfold. 
I find Copilot somewhat similar to Gemini in interface, but with some added features like changing a conversation style to more creative/balanced/precise (specific to Microsoft 365 accounts). There’s a limit on the number of prompts/responses, though (5 when I use my GMail account).
Pretty nice interface, considering it’s from Microsoft. Haha! 
Not that accurate, Copilot, but that’s one cute image of a pom and cake! Good in a pinch, but I still prefer human designers’ work. 
Note how I only have a maximum of 5 responses when using my Gmail account on Copilot. I learned about Grammarly through a freelance gig, and I’ve been using it ever since. This plug-in checks for grammar, spelling, and composition errors. I don’t always agree with what it comes up with, but it’s quite handy. I also like the little insights email they share regularly.
Thanks for the motivation, Grammarly! 
I use Grammarly while typing out these Buhay Copywriter drafts, of course! I learned about Hemingway back in college. I like how the highlight colors and reading grade level features are straightforward. I don’t use this tool a lot, but I’m considering using it more often with long-form content.
Here’s what last week’s Buhay Copywriter newsletter looked like when I ran it through Hemingway. SEMrush
Another tool I discovered thanks to freelancing, SEMrush has been incredibly helpful in growing Buhay Copywriter. You can get a lot out of it even without signing up for paid features (at least for a non-strategist like me). I like how the info blurbs also teach you a bit about SEO/SEM strategy so you can learn as you go!
Here’s an overview of how my Substack is performing so far 
The Keyword Magic Tool tells me what keywords to use to rank higher on Google. I’ve used this for SEO freelance projects and to write long-form sales pages. Like Grammarly, it tracks your writing “live”. I love seeing those keywords light up as I use them - no need to manually count or use Ctrl+F! The generated content briefs also help when crafting the outline of long-form content.
In next week’s newsletter, I’ll show you how I use these AI tools for research, brainstorming, and editing. Plus, I’ll share some tips on how we writers can work with AI so that we won’t have to worry about AI taking our jobs 😅
See you next week,
Reg
Buhay Copywriter by Regina Peralta is free today.
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