Do you use AI to write content?
I do. That might seem a bit odd coming from an experienced copywriter and content specialist – a bit like a professional chef telling you they use a microwave – but if that admission surprises you, it could be because you’re thinking about AI content in the wrong way.
It’s an incredible tool, but a tool is only ever as good as the hand that uses it.
Many business leaders are wrestling with the same question right now: “Should I use a human copywriter or an AI to produce my content? It’s quicker, cheaper, and usually pretty good.” They’re right, but they’re also asking the wrong question, and that will always give them the wrong answer.
The real question should be: how much can AI and Human achieve together?
Using AI alone, being mediocre has never been so quick, easy, and affordable, but since when was being mediocre enough for you? When did “good enough” become good enough for you?
You’re producing content faster, but you’re also sounding increasingly like everyone else.
AI draws on what already exists online, so left unchecked it tends to produce content that’s competent, passable…
And forgettable.
However, also thanks to AI, being exceptional has never been easier or more achievable, provided the person who is using it has the skills and experience to make it work, and is both an expert in technology AND the craft of copywriting.
A human expert working with AI isn’t simply a copywriter with a new tool. They become a content powerhouse.
Why AI alone isn’t enough – especially in franchising
AI can be taught to understand your brand, but it won’t truly understand the human experience behind wanting to be a part of a franchise.
It doesn’t understand the psychology of a franchisee prospect sitting at their kitchen table, wondering whether this is really the right move for their family. It doesn’t grasp the nuance between a message designed to excite an ambitious entrepreneur and one that needs to reassure someone who simply wants financial security and a better quality of life.
Poorly differentiated AI content doesn’t just create bland marketing – it weakens your brand.
It attracts poorly qualified enquiries and makes it harder for prospective franchisees to understand why they should choose your opportunity over dozens of alternatives.
Franchising content requires genuine industry knowledge, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of the commercial and human drivers that influence decisions, none of which can be shortcut with a well-worded prompt.
So, before hitting “publish” on your next batch of AI content, take a moment to ask yourself some of these questions: Is the content genuinely fit for purpose, or does it just sound like it is? Does it reflect your brand’s unique voice, or does it sound like every other franchise out there? Do you have the expertise to recognise when the output is good and when it’s subtly missing the mark? Are you reviewing and refining everything with specialist eyes, or simply hoping for the best?
Getting real value from AI requires more than good prompts. It requires the expertise to evaluate what comes back and shape it into something that genuinely works for your audience.
For example, the process I am finding most effective right now is using human-written seed copy as the foundation, then using AI to develop, expand, and refine from there, followed by rigorous editing and refining on my part. The human expertise provides the direction, the tone, the insight, and the original thinking that no algorithm can replicate, while AI becomes a powerful engine to accelerate and enhance that work, rather than replace it.
The result is content that combines the efficiency of AI with the insight, differentiation, and strategic thinking that only human expertise can provide.
Interested in how this could work for you?
If you’re curious about how a smarter approach to AI, combined with real franchise content expertise, could strengthen everything you put out there, then let’s talk.
Dan Sherrington
Head of Franchise Storytelling
