Episode 566 Copywriting With Todd Jones What is the Prompt?

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This podcast transcript features a discussion between Rob Cairns and Todd Jones about effectively using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for copywriting. They emphasize that AI is a powerful tool for content creation, but users must still provide their unique point of view and tone of voice to avoid generic outputs. The speakers highlight the importance of editing AI-generated content and recommend specific AI tools like Claude for refining text. They conclude by encouraging listeners to experiment with AI prompts for various content creation needs, from blog posts to show notes and even image generation.

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Todd Provided 3 resources to help you:

Show Notes

Overcoming Customer Experience Shortcuts

Todd kicks off the discussion by lamenting the decline in customer support, particularly with large tech companies like Zoom and Facebook. He argues that while huge user bases make personalized support challenging, paying customers deserve better. This leads to a broader point about the value of personalized service, highlighting how smaller businesses like “Ringleader Find Yours” thrive by offering superior customer experience compared to larger chains.

AI and Copywriting: It’s Not a Question of If, But How

Rob introduces the main topic: using AI for copywriting. He shares his own frequent use of AI for newsletters, web pages, and landing pages, prompting Todd’s insights. Todd references a LinkedIn post by Bridget about the question, “Why should I hire when I can just use ChatGPT?” He asserts that the question isn’t if people will use AI for writing, but how.

Guardrails for AI-Generated Content

Todd emphasizes the necessity of guardrails when using AI for content creation. He provides three crucial tips:

Keep Your Point of View:

Have a Hypothesis/Opinion: Don’t just create informational content. Instead, offer your unique perspective or opinion on the topic. For example, when discussing domains, share your recommendations on where to go, how to search, and what types of domains to get.
Maintain Your Tone of Voice: People will notice if your AI-generated content doesn’t sound like you. You can train AI tools (like Gemini’s “Gems” or ChatGPT’s “GPTs”) with your existing content to mimic your style. Todd suggests uploading 2-3 pieces of your content and asking the AI to describe your tone of voice for future prompts.

AI is Not a One-Click Wonder:

Do Your Own Research and Drafting: Don’t expect AI to do all the work. Start with your own research, formulate your point of view, and create a rough outline or “data dump.”
Write the First Draft: Todd strongly recommends writing the first draft yourself, even if it’s terrible. Use distraction-free tools like Notepad. The AI can then assist with editing and smoothing out the content, but the core ideas and your unique voice should come from you. AI should be a helper in the process, not a replacement for your effort.

Edit, Edit, Edit:

Use AI for Editing: Todd uses Claude (which he notes is highly regarded for editing) with a simple prompt: “Edit this content to be clear, concise, and compelling.”
Provide Parameters: You can specify what kind of edits you want (e.g., only grammar mistakes, or a complete cleanup for clarity and conciseness).
“Humanize” Content: Todd mentions a “humanize” prompt that can be used if the AI-generated content sounds too “clinical.”

AI Memory and Training

Rob asks if AI tools remember a user’s voice if they’re logged in. Todd explains that paid versions of AI tools (like ChatGPT Pro) typically have memory and will remember your preferences. For free users, or for more consistent results, creating a dedicated AI agent (like a Gemini “Gem” or ChatGPT “GPT”) and training it with your content is the best approach. This allows the AI to consistently replicate your tone and style whenever you return.

Real-World AI Copywriting Examples

Todd shares two personal examples of using AI for copywriting:

Client Emails: He helped a client (a mutual friend) create emails that sounded like her by building a persona, a prompt template, and incorporating her interests (like trivia and music) for storytelling. This also involved a “mini case study” or “showcase” format for the emails.
Lifestyle Blog Content: For a web agency client, Todd uses AI to help craft “lifestyle” blog posts about her experiences (e.g., attending a play). This content, while not SEO-driven, helps build connections with her clientele. He provides the AI with the “who, what, when, where, and how” and lets it create a concise post. He notes that the comprehensive prompt he provided for the show notes is an improved version of what he used.

Final Thoughts and Tips

The Power of Prompts: Rob emphasizes that the more specific and directive your prompts are, the better the AI’s output will be, even for images.
Repurposing Content: AI can significantly aid in repurposing content, making tasks like creating show notes or podcast clips much easier.
Remixing Content: Todd believes that with AI, “you are only limited by your own imagination” when it comes to remixing and repurposing content.

What are your thoughts on using AI for content creation, and have you found any specific prompting techniques to be particularly effective?

Episode 566 Copywriting With Todd Jones What is the Prompt?

Show Summary

Show Resources