The best way to Use AI for Writing Distinctive Content material (7 Finest Practices)

When you publish writing, you’d be loopy to not use synthetic intelligence.

It’s like telling a carpenter to not use a drill. You may construct a deck with out one. However why would you?

Writers have at all times embraced new instruments to enhance their craft.

The problem with AI, or any know-how, is that we wish the simple manner out.

We hope the tech will magically automate all the things. And for mediocre content material, AI is the right answer.

However creating distinctive content material is HARD. It doesn’t matter what instrument you utilize.

For instance, I used AI extensively to put in writing this text.

But, it nonetheless took me 40+ hours to supply.

Why?

AI has made me notice how a lot I can enhance my content material. And you may, too.

Under are seven timeless writing practices supported by AI.

Let’s begin with planning your writing venture.

1. Use AI to Outline Your Viewers

And not using a deep understanding of your viewers, even good insights can fall flat.

AI makes reader analysis manner simpler.

You may analyze 1000’s of actual conversations in minutes. No must spend weeks on interviews or surveys.

A Sooner Technique to Do Viewers Analysis

Utilizing this text for instance, I needed to know how individuals felt about utilizing AI for writing.

The perfect place for unfiltered ideas? Reddit.

So, I Googled “reddit utilizing ai to put in writing good content material” and located dozens of threads.

I gathered a handful of group discussions and exported them as PDFs.

Then I gave Claude the next immediate:

The end result was eye-opening.

The evaluation revealed patterns I hadn’t thought of.

It additionally included quotes that captured the viewers’s uncooked feelings and language.

This helped me floor my writing in actual experiences.

You don’t should observe my precise course of. As an illustration, Kate Starr, our senior author, makes use of varied sources for viewers analysis:

The secret’s to make use of AI to:

1. Course of massive quantities of viewers knowledge rapidly
2. Determine patterns you may miss manually
3. Join insights to actual human experiences via quotes

2. Use AI to Discover Your Distinctive Angle

It’s straightforward to get impressed by in style content material in your discipline and remix these concepts.

That’s precisely what AI does by default, too.

A greater method?

Discover views that different content material and most LLMs overlook. This makes your writing recent and interesting.

Right here’s methods to do it in three easy steps.

Step 1: Collect Your Supply Materials

Discover the highest 3-5 posts in your matter.

You are able to do this for social media posts, articles, and emails (in case you have entry).

As an illustration, I discovered three posts on AI writing and copied them to a Google Doc earlier than exporting the textual content file.

Step 2: Get AI to Summarize the Information and Recommend Concepts

Take your supply supplies from Step 1 and ask AI to create a complete evaluation.

Right here’s a immediate:

Right here’s the output for utilizing AI in writing:

After analyzing, ask the AI for brand new concepts based mostly on the alternatives it discovered.

Right here’s what Claude got here again with for this text:

Step 3 – Analyze and Refine Your Angle

Typically, the angles are usable with the primary output.

However typically, it’s a dance between you and the robotic to seek out one thing compelling.

Right here’s how this course of formed this text:

Whereas loads of instrument comparisons and primary workflows existed, few posts provided strategic frameworks for utilizing AI successfully.

As I dug deeper, I observed one thing extra elementary.

Everybody was centered on making writing simpler. Instruments, prompts, shortcuts.

However they have been lacking the powerful actuality:

Creating top-notch content material is tough. With AI or not.

That turned my angle: The best way to use AI thoughtfully whereas embracing the required work of writing nice content material.

3. Use AI to Create An Define

Almost each distinctive piece of content material begins with an in depth plan. However many writers skip this step.

You danger losing hours writing in circles or lacking the transient solely.

That’s why our group by no means writes a draft with no thorough define.

With AI, creating that define simply bought rather a lot simpler.

Strengthen Your Draft Define By way of Collaboration

It’s tempting to ask AI to create your total define (shedding your distinctive perspective). Or ignore AI utterly (lacking invaluable insights).

A greater method?

Deal with AI as a considerate dialogue accomplice.

Our senior editor, Chris Shirlow, emphasizes utilizing AI strategically throughout outlining:

The secret’s to start out with your individual analysis. This ensures the inspiration displays actual experience. Then, use AI to refine and increase your considering.

With this text, for instance, I began with some free structural notes:

1. Demand
2. Viewers
3. Angle
4. Construction
5. Analysis
6. Writing
7. Visuals
8. Enhancements
9. Modifying

Then, I prompted Claude with some hooked up reference materials.

Claude’s evaluation (I’ve summarized the output):

From the AI’s first output, we began our collaboration.

Claude helped me identify every aspect “practices” as a substitute of “suggestions.

We challenged one another on the substructure of every observe.

Then it instructed H2s—lots of which I didn’t like.

By way of a LONG chat and lots of pauses of me returning to my doc, we landed on a top level view.

Right here’s how the construction developed via dialogue:

This iterative course of helped me:

1. Make headings extra action-oriented
2. Create a constant sample (“Use AI to…”), which additionally helps for search engine marketing

Let’s take a look at how AI will help you flip this define into content material via analysis.

4. Use AI to Analysis Your Subject

Analysis has at all times been the inspiration of fantastic writing.

Pre-internet, analysis meant hours in libraries digging via catalogs, journals, and textbooks.

Then, digital modified all the things. But it surely created a brand new drawback:

Data overload.

Now you’ve instantaneous entry to thousands and thousands of sources.

Weblog posts. Tutorial papers. Group discussions. Knowledgeable interviews. Analytics knowledge.

However do you’ve time to course of all of it?

That’s the place AI shines.

It might probably scan 1000’s of sources in seconds, serving to you catch insights you may miss.

Let’s discover methods to use it successfully.

Utilizing AI for Main Analysis

While you do interviews, collect uncooked knowledge, or run surveys, you create distinctive content material that’s exhausting to repeat.

The trick is to make use of AI all through the analysis course of—not only for evaluation.

Planning Higher Analysis Questions

The standard of your analysis relies on asking the proper questions.

For instance, when writing this text, I initially deliberate to make use of solely my very own AI experiences as examples. However one thing felt lacking.

So, I began a dialogue with Claude:

With Claude’s validation, I developed survey questions via an iterative course of.

If you wish to do this method, right here’s a template to get began:

Then, the analysis questions:

Lastly, take a look at your questions:

Instance:

After a number of rounds with AI, my unique thought of “let’s survey the group” modified to:

• A centered survey utilizing conditional logic
• Clear examples of what I wanted
• A pleasant, collaborative introduction
• Particular prompts for AI utilization

The end result? Wealthy insights from the group that enhanced this text.

Getting Extra from Knowledgeable Interviews

Wish to absolutely interact together with your interview topics whereas capturing all the small print? AI will help.

Begin by recording your conversations (with permission, in fact). Have an actual dialogue. Comply with attention-grabbing threads. Then, let AI aid you extract each invaluable perception.

Listed here are some easy prompts:

Put together your interview.

Course of the recording.

Validate insights.

Making Sense of Uncooked Information

The problem of analysis isn’t gathering knowledge—it’s discovering the story in it.

When our editorial group completed the AI utilization survey, I confronted this precise state of affairs.

I needed to course of the responses rapidly, but in addition to seize each invaluable perception.

Right here’s how AI helped me analyze the responses:

Get a high-level overview.

Drill all the way down to the specifics.

Extract supporting materials.

This evaluation revealed that our group makes use of AI otherwise for every observe. Some excel at analysis, others at modifying.

As an illustration, everybody harassed the necessity to use AI rigorously. And never absolutely rely on it.

Utilizing AI for Secondary Analysis

Secondary analysis meant spending hours studying papers, stories, and discussions.

Not anymore.

AI reshapes how we course of present content material.

Let’s take a look at some use circumstances.

Extracting Audio and Video Content material for Gems

A few of the finest insights are buried in hour-long podcasts and convention talks.

Founders share behind-the-scenes tales. Consultants reveal their frameworks. And business veterans focus on tendencies they haven’t written about but.

However watching hours of video isn’t at all times sensible.

AI can save time right here.

Right here’s how I used AI to extract highly effective insights from founder interviews for my ecommerce development methods article:

First, I discovered a podcast the place Who Is Elijah’s founders shared their journey to $20M in income.

Then, I used Rev AI to transcribe the total interview.

As an alternative of studying via 19,000 phrases of transcript, I had Claude analyze the dialog with this immediate:

The evaluation revealed an enchanting story about operational effectivity:

• They lower their group from 44 to 21 individuals
• Shifted from full-time specialists to company partnerships
• Rebuilt their programs from scratch
• Turned unprofitable (-60%) campaigns into winners

This single podcast gave me each a compelling case research and sensible classes readers may apply.

Synthesizing Advanced Paperwork

Tutorial papers and business stories include invaluable knowledge. However they’re typically dense, jargony, and exhausting to use virtually.

Shreelekha Singh, our senior author, makes use of detailed context to get higher analysis outcomes from AI.

One other instance:

When writing an article about info achieve, I wanted to wrap my head round Google’s patent software.

But it surely’s written in technical language that might make your eyes glaze over.

As an alternative of getting overwhelmed, I used AI to assist me interpret this advanced materials.

I uploaded the patent software to Claude and requested about info achieve indicators.

Claude helped establish and clarify related metrics like “UserActionSignals” and “ClickSatisfaction” in plain language.

I rapidly realized Google’s course of for evaluating and testing new info.

The identical method works for:

• Tutorial papers and research
• Technical documentation
• Business stories
• Authorized paperwork
• Analysis knowledge

The takeaway?

Consider AI as your research accomplice. One that may learn a 100-page doc in seconds and clarify the important thing factors in plain English.

5. Use AI to Write Participating Content material

LLMs generate fairly good output with minimal prompting.

However producing participating writing in your genuine voice? That’s the place AI will be somewhat underwhelming.

I’ve been attempting to put in writing with AI since 2021, and I’m satisfied the fashions have a default writing fashion.

AI LOVES writing in contrasting pairs: “Not this. However that.”

It additionally enjoys phrases like “rework,” “game-changing,” “leverage,” and “optimize.” (Not that there’s something fallacious with these phrases.)

And if AI may write your total venture in a listing, it will.

When you’re typically dissatisfied with the output, let me present you methods to get higher outcomes.

Create Wonderful Reference Supplies

The extra particular context you may give AI, the higher the output matches your fashion.

This implies defining your writing fashion clearly.

How?

Create detailed pointers, together with:

• Reader personas
• Goal grade stage
• Headline formulation
• Tonality
• Examples
• Opening hooks

Along with your pointers, make it your mission to create the right article or chapter to make use of as a writing pattern.

Upon getting your pointers and examples, you’ll be extra happy with the AI output.

For instance, I’ve created a devoted venture in Claude for Backlinko. It has over 20k phrases of reference supplies.

Each time I begin a brand new dialog, Claude has this context available.

There’s no want to clarify our fashion necessities time and again.

Construct Progressive Context

Your dialog with AI ought to evolve as your content material develops.

Take this text part for instance. I began a devoted chat on “Utilizing AI for Writing.” I shared:

• The define
• The article draft up to now
• Group survey responses
• My targets for this part

After I write the following part about supporting components, I’ll begin a brand new chat. However I’ll embrace this accomplished part as reference materials.

This progressive method helps AI keep consistency whereas adapting to every part’s distinctive wants.

Shreelekha makes use of an analogous methodology.

Relying in your LLM, this sectional method will assist handle your each day credit as lengthy chats burn via your utilization.

Embrace Messy Collaboration with AI

The perfect AI writing output occurs via dialog.

Share your half-formed concepts. Query its options. Problem it to assume deeper.

As an illustration, when penning this part, I requested AI to increase on my define. However I didn’t simply settle for the primary response.

As an alternative of settling for normal recommendation about “prompting for a particular tone,” I requested for concrete examples of how AI’s default writing differs from Backlinko’s fashion.

This led to figuring out particular phrases and patterns.

As an illustration, right here’s how my opening hook developed via AI collaboration:

You may go sentence for sentence, thought for thought, till you strike gold.

It may be tedious, nevertheless it’s higher than doing it alone.

Discover Good Examples (When You Want Them)

LLMs excel at suggesting related examples and case research to strengthen your writing.

Shreelekha makes use of AI to brainstorm examples when she’s caught:

Chris Shirlow emphasizes this balanced method:

6. Use AI to Create Content material Property

Content material belongings like checklists, calculators, and infographics flip your writing into sensible instruments for readers.

The proper asset can make clear advanced ideas, assist studying, or information necessary choices.

Creating these sources as soon as required designers and builders.

AI makes it potential to create with out these expertise.

Create Visible Property

Many readers don’t devour each phrase you write.

They scan. They skim. They search for visible anchors to information them via your concepts.

A research by MIT discovered that the human mind can course of photographs in as little as 13 milliseconds. That’s as much as 600 instances sooner than textual content.

However creating skilled graphics used to imply:

• Studying design software program
• Understanding design rules
• Spending hours on every visible
• Hiring costly designers

Not anymore.

AI will help you create compelling visuals in seconds.

For instance, in our 4 P’s of Advertising and marketing article, our senior author, Yongi Barnard, used a graphic to clarify why personalization issues.

The visible tells a compelling story at a look.

To recreate this, collect your knowledge.

Then, give AI parameters:

Then, you simply must refine the ending touches (colours, spacing, and so forth.).

Our senior editor, Chris Hanna, places it effectively:

Create Sensible Checklists

Changing processes into checklists makes your content material extra actionable.

However creating an efficient guidelines isn’t so simple as writing bullet factors. You want to:

• Break down advanced processes
• Put steps within the optimum order
• Embody validation checks
• Add useful resource hyperlinks
• Take into account totally different consumer situations

That is the place AI will help.

The secret’s to immediate AI after you’ve written your draft.

This fashion, the LLM may have full context in your content material and might create extra detailed, related checklists.

For instance, our senior editor, Shannon Willoby, made a 12-month guidelines to assist along with her article on beginning a weblog.

She prompted AI to create the guidelines based mostly on her article content material. Fairly easy however efficient.

Right here’s a template to get began:

Construct Interactive Instruments

Interactive instruments like calculators, analyzers, and determination timber flip your information into helpful options. Readers can use these instruments instantly.

There are lots of alternatives, no matter your business:

Say you write about productiveness. You can create a workload capability analyzer that helps readers stability their tasks.

When you’re a wellness author, you may develop a habit-stacking planner to assist individuals create wholesome routines.

Or, if you happen to’re a gardening skilled, you may create a seasonal planting calculator.

For my ecommerce development methods article, I used AI to construct an interactive profitability calculator.

As an alternative of explaining formulation, readers can discover totally different situations to know how variables like price of products offered (COGS), delivery, and advertising bills affect their backside line.

The perfect half?

You may convey these AI-designed instruments to life utilizing no-code platforms like Calculator Studio. Right here’s how:

1. Determine calculation wants in your content material
2. Ask AI to assist construction the logic and formulation
3. Design the consumer interface (AI can mock this up)
4. Construct it in your no-code instrument of selection

As an illustration, when constructing the profitability calculator, I prompted AI with:

Begin easy.

A primary calculator that solves one particular drawback effectively is best than a posh instrument that confuses customers.

7. Use AI to Edit Your Draft

Modifying is the distinction between good content material and distinctive content material.

However getting high quality edits will be costly and sluggish. You both:

• Pay editors by the hour
• Lose billable time as a freelancer
• Wait via prolonged evaluation cycles
• Miss points when modifying your individual work

AI adjustments this dynamic.

You will get fast, unbiased suggestions and take a look at totally different variations earlier than your editor critiques a draft.

Let me present you the way to do that successfully.

Get Strategic Enter First

It’s tempting to leap proper into line modifying—fixing grammar and sprucing sentences.

However begin with the massive image.

Right here’s how Chris Hanna makes use of AI for strategic modifying:

AI will help by:

• Evaluating your piece in opposition to profitable examples
• Figuring out patterns and gaps
• Suggesting structural enhancements

This method saves revision time. Why polish paragraphs you may lower or rewrite anyway?

Create Fast High quality Checks

Upon getting your construction stable, create systematic high quality checks.

You need to confirm your content material hits key engagement metrics.

At Backlinko, we observe three readability metrics:

1. Single-Sentence Paragraph Share: The ratio of paragraphs with only one sentence.
2. Visible Break Density: Variety of visible components per 1,000 phrases. Increased density means higher scannability.
3. Grade Degree: We goal Grade 7 or beneath for accessibility.

AI can calculate these immediately and counsel particular fixes. Right here’s how:

1. Share your metrics targets with AI
2. Paste in a piece of your content material
3. Ask for each evaluation and particular fixes

Past metrics, use AI to verify for:

• Redundant concepts and phrases
• Passive voice overuse
• Transition effectiveness
• Model voice consistency
• Technical accuracy

Check Crucial Parts

Some components of your content material matter greater than others.

Your headline determines whether or not individuals click on.

Your introduction decides in the event that they keep.

Your calls-to-action affect in the event that they convert.

These components deserve additional consideration.

Utilizing headlines for instance, I word 3-5 potential titles.

I Google the subject I’m writing about and screenshot the search outcomes.

I add the screenshot to Claude. Then, I ask how my title concepts examine to the highest articles.

Claude will make options based mostly on our title steerage, finest practices, and differentiators.

Yongi makes use of an analogous course of for introductions:

You can too take a look at:

• Part transitions
• Examples
• Proof level placement
• Technical explanations
• Closing arguments

Stability AI and Human Modifying

AI accelerates the modifying course of, however human judgment stays important.

Right here’s methods to make this work:

1. Begin with AI for broad evaluation and fast fixes
2. Apply your judgment to AI’s options
3. Check variations of necessary components
4. Confirm technical accuracy independently
5. Keep your distinctive voice and perspective

Chris Shirlow helps this stability:

Begin Writing Smarter, Not Tougher

Decide one venture it is advisable to write this week.

Apply simply one among these practices—possibly getting AI’s assist with viewers analysis or outlining.

That’s all it is advisable to do to start out seeing outcomes.

Able to put these practices to work? Try our information on methods to write a weblog publish.

You’ll see methods to mix these AI methods with confirmed writing rules to create content material that ranks and converts.