AI guidelines
We encourage our contributors to read our SEO guidelines and use our article templates. This will make the writing process smoother and quicker, helping your articles rank higher and attract long-term traffic and potential leads. If you are using ChatGPT while creating your articles, this guide is for you. We will demonstrate how to effectively use AI following our SEO guidelines, including creating click-friendly headlines, clear subheadings, and leveraging AI for your content and expertise.
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It's important to use AI as a tool to enhance your work, not as a substitute for your own critical thinking and unique insights. While AI can assist with generating ideas, crafting text, and refining content, your final article should still showcase your own expertise and personal voice.
1. Get the right type of headline
ChatGPT doesn't generate the right attention-grabbing SEO friendly headline just by asking for one on a given topic. By following our SEO guidelines for click-friendly headlines and effectively communicating your needs to ChatGPT, you can get the perfect headline within seconds. Copy the text below and replace your specific topic to generate several great headlines. Please adjust the chosen option to fit your article.
Copy and paste text below into Chat GPT (change 'imposter syndrome' to your topic)
Please give me article headline ideas around the topic 'imposter syndrome' with these headline formats:
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How-tos (e.g., 'How to overcome anxiety at work')
Questions (e.g., 'Should I invest in cryptocurrency?')
Comparisons (e.g., 'Online meetings vs. Face-to-face: 6 key differences')
Numbered lists (e.g., '5 essential skills every entrepreneur should master')
Numbers or percentages (e.g., '8 strategies to double your sales in 90 days')
Going against popular opinion (e.g., 'Boss babe culture is toxic and bullshit')
What and why titles (e.g., 'Why headlines matter and 5 tips to master them')
The best (e.g., 'The 8 best exercises for strengthening your core')
The hacks (e.g., '15 productivity hacks for busy entrepreneurs')
The secret (e.g., '10 secrets to achieving work-life balance')
The mistake (e.g., '8 mistakes people often make when networking')
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Simple, short, common words and click-friendly
Avoid filler words in your headline
To ensure your headlines are effective, they must be both clickable and informative, directly reflecting the article's content. It's important to avoid filler words and vague language, as these weaken the headline's impact. ChatGPT often uses such filler words and does not follow our headline formats unless explicitly instructed. Therefore, always guide ChatGPT to create headlines that follow our guidelines, ensuring they quickly capture the reader's attention and are click-friendly.
Examples:
Correct: "7 simple ways to beat everyday stress"
Incorrect: "Breaking the cycle - 7 simple ways to beat everyday stress"
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Correct: "How to achieve work-life balance"
Incorrect: "Balancing act - How to achieve work-life balance"
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Correct: "6 simple steps to build confidence"
Incorrect: "Unlock your potential - 6 simple steps to build confidence"
2. Keep subheadings short and clear
Many readers will scroll through the subheadings to find the sections that are relevant to them, so it's important to keep your subheadings short and clear. We recommend writing your own subheadings from the start to structure your article and help you stay on topic.
If your subheadings are too long or vague, consider asking ChatGPT for help. Aim to keep your subheadings to 3-5 words, making them clear and informative. You can ask ChatGPT to help by writing, 'Rewrite my subheadings to be 3-5 words, clear, and informative.'
Example subheadings:
Correct:
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Know your why
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Set realistic goals
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Reward yourself
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Track your progress
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Visualise success
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Consider hiring a professional
Incorrect:
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Know your why to understand your deeper motivations
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Set realistic goals, so you don't get discouraged along the way
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Reward yourself after reaching milestones to stay motivated
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Track your progress consistently for motivation
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Visualizing success can be a powerful tool to keep you motivated
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Consider hiring a professional if you feel like you need guidance
Skip filler words in your subheadings
Don’t use filler words like "Step 1," "Here are...," or "Example 1" in your subheadings because they add unnecessary fluff and weaken your subheadings. Instead, keep your subheadings concise and meaningful, directly reflecting the content that follows. This approach makes your article clearer and more engaging for readers, helping them navigate your content more effectively.
3. Avoid AI generated bullet lists
ChatGPT will often provide bullet lists when asked for information. These are usually very easy to recognize, as they are formatted in a very telling way: the first word is usually bolded, followed by a sentence or two with more information. We generally recommend using bulleted and numbered lists, as these can make longer texts easier to read.
However, copying the information AI gives and using it as it is has created some problems, as some articles are very similar in both content and formatting and lack deeper insight.
How to avoid AI generated bullet lists
For example, if you type in 'common physical symptoms of stress' into ChatGPT you will get a bullet point list with one sentences each. If you instead ask for 'common physical symptoms of stress, broken into subheadings with 6-8 sentences' you will receive a more detailed and well-organized response suitable for an article. Review this information, draw inspiration, and then enhance it with your own expertise and unique tone of voice.
Avoid AI generated bullet lists
Better suited for an article
4. Dive deep into your subject
Longer articles often rank better on Google, so it’s helpful to dive deep into your topic and cover everything you know about it. Start by asking yourself what your customers' most common questions are, what problems your business solves, and what usual concerns exist in your industry.
Use ChatGPT to find common questions
If you need more inspiration, ChatGPT can help by providing common questions around your subject. Just type “Please give me common questions about [your topic]” into ChatGPT, and you'll get additional ideas to use. This approach lets you expand your content and gives you the opportunity to dive deeper into your topic. By answering these questions with your expertise, you create a thorough, comprehensive article with a better chance of ranking high on search engines.
