I had an awesome conversation with Christine Orchard this morning that got me thinking about chat tools vs workflows. We dove deep into using AI for content marketing, and someone asked if building workflows was like using custom GPTs.
Today, I want to explore three key points that I believe are crucial for understanding the future of AI-powered content creation:
The limitations of chat tools in content creation
The benefits of AI-powered workflows
Real-world application and scalability of AI workflows
Let's dive in, shall we?
The Limitations of Chat Tools in Content Creation
Now, don't get me wrong – chat tools like ChatGPT or even our own Copy.ai chat function are pretty impressive for specific tasks. They're great for quick brainstorming or generating ideas on the fly.
But when it comes to creating comprehensive, high-quality content, they fall short in some key areas.
Let me give you an example. Say you hop into a chat tool and type, "Create a blog post targeting the keyword 'Best copywriting strategies'." Sure, you'll get a response – probably a decent outline or even a full draft. But it’s likely generic and, well, a bit bland.
Why? Because chat tools work in isolation (yes, even custom GPTs).
When comparing AI workflows to building a custom GPT using tools like ChatGPT, the distinction lies in the approach to solving problems: completing tasks versus codifying processes.
While both use AI for efficiency, their scopes and outcomes are fundamentally different.
1. Custom GPTs: Faster Task Completion
Custom GPTs are excellent for speeding up individual tasks. Whether it's drafting a blog post, generating an email, or summarizing a document, these tools can handle specific requests with impressive speed and accuracy. But the output is often siloed—confined to the user who initiated the task—without integration into broader team workflows or systems.
This task-for-task approach means that while you might save time, you’re still performing each step of a larger process manually.
2. AI Workflows: Codifying Best Practices
On the other hand, AI workflows transform how teams operate by codifying best practices into repeatable, connected processes. Instead of treating each step as a separate task, AI workflows integrate actions into an interconnected system that ensures consistency and scalability.
For example, creating a blog post with an AI workflow doesn’t stop at typing in a keyword and requesting content. It involves:
Searching Google for top-ranking articles.
Identifying information gaps in those articles.
Conducting external research.
Analyzing your sitemap for internal link opportunities.
Crafting a structured brief before producing a final post.
This approach automates the repetitive, time-consuming elements of content creation while aligning efforts across teams.
The Power of AI-Powered Workflows
A workflow is essentially a series of repeated tasks that can be codified and scaled. Unlike chat tools, workflows mirror our natural content creation process.
Let me walk you through what an AI-powered workflow for creating a top-of-funnel blog post might look like:
We start by inputting a keyword and determining the post type.
The AI then performs a Google search to look at what information gaps are there.
It finds relevant external links to support our points.
The AI analyzes and understands our value proposition.
It generates internal links to our other content.
We can fine-tune the output with custom actions.
It then creates an SEO-friendly brief for the long-form post.
The AI creates a title, meta description, and slug.
It writes a first draft.
Finally, we review and rewrite based on our brand guidelines.
See how much more comprehensive that is compared to a single chat prompt?
Real-World Application and Scalability
Now, let's talk about the real-world impact of these workflows.
First off, the output quality is significantly higher than what you'd get from a chat tool. That’s because each step in the workflow is optimized for a specific task, resulting in a more polished and coherent final product.
But here's the really cool part: you can chain these workflows together. Imagine creating a blog post, then automatically generating a LinkedIn post and YouTube description from that same content. And since it’s all part of the same workflow, everything is created with the same tone, voice, and message across all your channels.
As for scalability, you can import a table of inputs and generate multiple pieces of content in one go. It's a massive time-saver compared to repetitively prompting a chat tool.
Wrapping It Up
So, to sum it all up:
Chat tools are great for quick, isolated tasks.
AI workflows mirror our natural content creation process, resulting in higher quality output.
Workflows are scalable and can be chained together for multiple outputs.
They save time and unlock data for entire teams.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you experimented with AI in your content creation process? What has your experience been like? Drop a comment below or reach out – I'm always excited to discuss the latest in AI and content marketing!
