It started out innocently enough. One day, as I sat staring at what felt like my 100th draft of the week, I thought, Hey, maybe AI (artificial intelligence) could save me a few hours.
Now, it must be said: the gals over at Gritty Gal Marketing? We love to write. Storytelling, sharing knowledge, connecting through words—it's what we live for. Each week, we look forward to writing these blogs because it’s a chance to do what we do best: share information with the people who need it most, hopefully giving them answers to their biggest marketing questions. But even the most passionate writers hit that dreaded “writer’s block.” So, we thought, why not let ChatGPT help fuel our fire?
I’ve got to admit, it was love at first prompt. The thrill of watching a machine whip up a catchy subject line in seconds, the joy of having someone (or something?) to brainstorm taglines with at 5 a.m., was a dream come true.
And I’m not alone. In just one year, the number of marketers using AI has skyrocketed, jumping from 21% to a staggering 74%, according to HubSpot’s latest AI report. That’s a 2.5X increase! Clearly, we're in good company as AI becomes an essential tool in the marketing world.
But like any new relationship, we soon hit some snags. Turns out, AI isn’t as perfect as it first seems. Let’s just say that our “relationship” with ChatGPT has evolved into a classic love/hate saga worthy of an episode of Love is Blind.
The Honeymoon Phase: Love at First Prompt
At first, everything was magical. I’d type in a simple prompt like, “Give me 10 ways to say ‘Click Here’ that don’t sound so desperate,” and boom – ChatGPT delivered. And not just basic ideas, but actual clever suggestions. It felt like I’d finally found the creative buddy who never rolls their eyes when I ask, “But can you make it a little funnier?”
ChatGPT quickly became my secret weapon. Need a quick subject line? Done. Stuck on what to say in a landing page intro? It’s got me covered. Sure, it would occasionally try to convince me that phrases like “Unleash Your Full Potential” weren’t overused. But otherwise, it was helping me churn out ideas faster than I could spell SEO.
Soon enough, I found myself asking it to solve more than just marketing dilemmas—what to make for dinner, how to change a tire (yes, true story), and even a little help with my daughter’s school projects. It was like Google, only better. No more scrolling through pages to find an answer; ChatGPT served it up in seconds. Sure, it could be a little wordy, and yes, a bit cheesy at times, but I could trim the cheese to make it work.
And then, just as I was getting comfortable, the glitches began.
Reality Sets In: ChatGPT’s Limitations for Marketing folks
The first red flag popped up when I asked ChatGPT for a “funny” blog about email marketing, and it came back with dad jokes. Not the good, dry kind – like actual dad jokes. Why did the marketer break up with their email? Because it just wouldn't click! Yeah, it was bad. I tried again, tweaking my prompt, pleading, "Okay, ChatGPT, let’s make it witty, not cheesy." And the AI just kept trying to convince me that jokes about “click-bait” fish and “open rates” as a dating metric were hilarious. AI humor, it turns out, has its limits.
Then there was the time it confidently gave me a list of “trending” Instagram captions…from about 2019. Nothing says “cutting edge marketer” like suggesting we use hashtags that haven’t been cool since the last time I thought TikTok was just a song by Kesha. Also, true story.
Or when I needed something groundbreaking, and it casually offered up ‘Just Do It.’ A little late to the party on that one, ChatGPT.
AI Missteps: When ChatGPT Tries Too Hard to Be “Edgy”
Another sticking point? ChatGPT’s uncanny ability to “yes, and” my every idea, even when I don’t want it to. For instance, I’d ask it for some edgy, daring language for an email – and it would promptly present me with lines like, “Dare to Dream” or “Be Your Best Self.” Every marketer has a soft spot for a good, generic inspirational phrase, but let’s face it: that’s not exactly what I meant by “edgy.”
And don’t get me started on the SEO advice. ChatGPT is convinced that people still want to read 3,000-word essays on the importance of “using keywords.” So when it started suggesting “optimized” blog posts about “Why Marketing Matters in 2024” or “10 Ways to Use Email to Communicate,” I had to take a step back and wonder, Does it even understand me at all?
Rediscovering ChatGPT: Making AI Work for Your Marketing Strategy
After some rocky moments, we’ve finally figured out a kind of rhythm. Now, I know not to ask ChatGPT for anything that requires a human touch, like humor that’s actually funny or ideas for content that people actually want to read in 2024. Instead, I use it as a prompt machine – a way to break through writer’s block or come up with first drafts that I can heavily edit.
It’s even become my brainstorming buddy. I toss out ideas, it pitches back—sometimes a gem, sometimes a dud, but in that back-and-forth, I always find a spark. I’ll admit, I’ve even caught myself defending it when other marketers question the whole idea of AI. 'It’s not perfect,' I say, 'but hey, who is?
Should You Use AI in Marketing? The Love-Hate Reality of ChatGPT
So, where do I stand with ChatGPT? It’s like having a quirky, sometimes tone-deaf intern who doesn’t get your jokes but shows up on time every day and never takes a sick day. Some days, I’m ready to replace it with a human who knows that “Live, Laugh, Love” is not a fresh slogan. But most days, it’s my reliable sidekick that I love to hate – or hate to love, depending on the project.
If you’re a marketer or business and thinking of trying ChatGPT, go for it. Just be prepared for the quirks and the occasional argument over what counts as “funny.” And if you, too, find yourself rolling your eyes at its attempts to be “edgy,” just remember: even AI has its off days.
And don't forget: ChatGPT doesn’t have emotion, so don’t count on it to deliver that sparkling personality you bring to the table. If your company relies on it to write every social media post, blog, and email...trust us, people will notice. In marketing, authenticity matters. Make sure you’re telling your story, in your voice, because at the end of the day, that’s the voice your customers want to hear. AI can be a handy tool, but it’s no replacement for the real, human connection only you can provide.
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