Is It Cheating To Use Copywriting Tools?

Published: December 9, 2022

The recent panic around AI writing tools being used for copywriting caused a stir among copywriters’ circles, particularly on LinkedIn.

The main controversy around copywriting software is whether it’s a form of cheating, whatever that means… But it does raise a valid question. With such a variety of sophisticated copywriting tools to choose from, did copywriting just become much, much easier?

What Are AI Copywriting Tools?

What Are AI Copywriting Tools?
What Are AI Copywriting Tools?

To cut a long story short, AI copywriting tools are robots that help people write. Using algorithms based on linguistic acquisition and analysis, copywriting software has been a game-changer. Businesses and organisations are using this software to write sales copy, online content and social media marketing.

When it comes to copywriters, it saves time. Even as I type this article in Google Docs, the text-predictor feature pre-empts my words and saves me the arduous task of typing the finishing sentence.

Why put in the physical effort when the software can do it for me at the click of a button?

On the other hand, AI predictors are distracting; they interfere with our train of thought and idea generation. If you’re using writing to brainstorm, it’s better to use a plain old word processor that won’t predict your text or offer suggestions.

Why Is It Controversial To Use Copywriting Software?

Why Is It Controversial To Use Copywriting Software?
Why Is It Controversial To Use Copywriting Software?

There are many reasons why copywriting tools, particularly those using AI, are controversial. Some argue that the written content generated by the software isn’t truly written by a human, it’s written by a robot. Taking this thought a little further, if the written content is coming from a robot, do we need copywriters at all?

Copywriting tools are not a threat, they’re an enhancement to copywriting and copywriters. The software is sophisticated enough to generate ideas, but we’re a long way away from the entire replacement of copywriters.

The online marketplace has become increasingly saturated with substandard content. Search engines choose to feature optimised and well-written web pages.

An even more sophisticated and complex tool that can write great content that resonates with its target audience is the human brain. The hours of research copywriters put into structuring persuasive copy using natural language can’t be entirely duplicated by any piece of software. The role of copywriting software is to speed up the writing process to make it more eloquent, generate ideas and add keywords, if necessary.

When a copywriter’s human experience is combined with copywriting software, the results are pretty powerful.

Steve Jobs is an excellent example of this concept. He said, “the broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” 

It’s clear that great copywriting comes from broad human experience proven by research and a personal touch being featured in the copy. It’s something that no AI tool can emulate accurately. At least, not yet anyway.

Deciphering Copywriting Tools

Deciphering Copywriting Tools
Deciphering Copywriting Tools

Microsoft Word veterans will remember the paperclip Office Assistant, Clippit, who would suddenly pop up to ask if you needed help writing a letter. No one ever called him cheating.

In 2022, there are a wide range of paraphrasing and copywriting tools to choose from, with apps like Grammarly and Hemingway being among the most popular. Other copywriting software like Copy,ai, Hypotenuse.ai, Copywritely and so on fall into the grey areas.

It’s not cheating to use software to overcome linguistic barriers, cut through writer’s block and find an easier way to generate content. The software isn’t writing for you, it’s helping you write.

With online marketing being thrown at us every time we open our phones, we’ve become smarter at deciphering poor content. Copywriting tools are here to stay. The key is in the word ‘tool’ and we should treat them as such.

Two of the most popular writing tools are Hemingway and Grammarly. They’ve been making waves for a while and are widely used by copywriters.

Which one is better? Let’s have a look… 

Grammarly

With its spelling and grammar check and plagiarism tool, Grammarly has made a name for itself. Putting aside general features, its widespread compatibility and browser extensions make it a favourite in every copywriter’s toolkit.

Given the time-compressed nature of the work, copywriting is made easier with Grammarly’s readability score. Its other features include word suggestions, conciseness check and overall performance score which you can download into a PDF report.

The paid version offers much more scope for great writing such as clarity, tone adjustments, fluency and choice of formality.

Combined with being a browser extension and a website, a desktop app is available for free on both Windows and Mac systems making it a versatile and nifty piece of software you can use anywhere. The slight disadvantage is that it doesn’t work with Apple Pages. If you’re a Pages lover, it’s probably best to avoid Grammarly.

It is, however, expensive. With plans ranging from $12-30 USD a month, it’s a costly piece of software compared to all the other copywriting tools that have the same features available at a lower price.

Hemingway Editor

Named after the illustrious author, Hemingway App is a great piece of copywriting software that enhances writing. Unlike Grammarly, Hemingway doesn’t correct spelling or grammar mistakes. Its primary focus is on readability and making writing watertight.
 

The free version has a simple interface on its web page that doesn’t require you to sign up. Either paste in your text or simply start writing straight away. When you do, you’ll notice your sentences are highlighted in different colours to denote their complexity. Hemingway judges the readability of your work using grades. Anything graded under 9 is good readability.

This is a useful piece of copywriting software to refine your writing into clear and concise sentences that are easy to read. There’s also an option to choose between writing or editing mode.

Although it doesn’t have a browser extension like Grammarly, being web-based makes it versatile in a less distracting way. The paid version features a desktop app for a one-time payment of $20 and features HTML integration so you can export your work directly into WordPress or Medium.

Copy.ai

A much newer contender among copywriting software, Copy.ai has transformed the copywriting landscape with its ability to seamlessly write a piece of content by entering some details on its dashboard. Once you’ve chosen a few keywords, it sets out some bullet points that you can add or remove and then generates an entire piece on its own that’s also SEO-friendly.
 
This is revolutionary. It’s also clear to see why copywriters are worried about the longevity of their jobs. Like all copywriting tools, Copy.ai has its limitations too. Many writers report that while it’s great at creating short-form content, it’s not so wonderful at producing quality, long-form content. That still requires the human touch.
 
In terms of cost, Copy.ai comes in as the most expensive among the three tools here at $49 a month. That’s quite a steep price to pay. But for copywriters on a time limit, it’s worth it.

AI copywriting tools - which is better?

There’s no real winner here as each tool serves a distinct purpose and has different features. Generally, the three work well together for an optimal copywriting result. They also work well when used separately, but this is dependent on the objective of the writing task.

Using copywriting tools to create persuasive copy isn’t cheating. Copywriting is a skill that takes years of practice to learn. It involves telling a story to deliver a message in a personalised and emotive way. AI’s approach to writing only goes as far as learning language structure and tone.

Copywriters hold an emotional advantage that’s irreplaceable and one that a robot can never harness. This means a lack of a human touch prevents users from converting to leads.

Copywriting software will never be 100% reliable and the human connection is necessary to writing copy that converts.

At Empowered English, we understand the importance of the human connection in your brand messaging. If you’re ready to write persuasive copy, contact us to bring your project to life.

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