It won’t write itself
Let’s start with the fact that the use of artificial intelligence-based tools can significantly reduce the time it takes to prepare product descriptions. It can also help save resources that normally had to be spent on hiring copywriters to write descriptions (as well as finding suitable contractors). Don’t expect, however, that all you have to do is enter a product name and ChatGPT will “spit out” a description, which you already just have to copy onto the product card. Contrary to what you might think, in order to get satisfactory content from the AI content generator, you must first provide it with a suitable “base.”
The basics of content generation
This paragraph is not a substitute for a course on using AI in e-commerce, but I will try to explain five fundamental terms:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – this term, conjugated by all cases, refers to the ability of computers to learn and imitate human behavior.
We wrote more about AI in one of our previous articles.
- Advanced language models (LLM) – algorithms for processing data and generating content from it. It is the language models today that are often equated with AI, while in fact they are only part of a set that includes deep learning and machine learning.
- Prompt (sometimes also input) – a command in which the requester describes what effect he wants to achieve. Prompts work for both textual and visual content generation (graphics, and more recently, videos and animations).
- Chatbot – a tool, used for communication between a human and a computer. Chatbots work on a conversational basis – a person enters successive prompts (queries, data sets) and the computer responds by generating the desired content.
- ChatGPT – a tool that works on the basis of an advanced language model. It processes huge amounts of text and data available on the Internet, and then compiles them into content based on prompts.
Advantages and disadvantages of using AI-generated content in product descriptions
Knowing the basics, you can focus on generating content. Artificial intelligence tools don’t (yet) replace humans in everything, but they bring a lot of benefits that can’t be ignored. Here they are:
Saving time
Writing guidelines for a content generator takes much less time than writing an entire product description – especially if you expect longer descriptions. ChatGPT, or any other tool, often only needs 2-3 sentences of prompt to get started. After a few “revision sessions” you will have the text ready to use.
Lower expenses
Such simple content as product descriptions does not necessarily require hiring copywriters for this particular task. ChatGPT still needs to be handled and properly prepared prompts need to be provided, but with proper organization this will still be a cheaper solution than creating content from scratch. Even if you still need a person to do it for you, he or she will probably be able to prepare far more descriptions using ChatGPT in a similar amount of time than if they were to write them themselves.
Support for Writers
ChatGPT doesn’t have to be a way to downsize – you can use the tool to support copywriters in content creation. A chatbot can help overcome creative block, as well as relieve content handlers of tedious and repetitive tasks – so that they can focus on creative, more relevant tasks for the company.
Support for multiple languages
Many AI tools handle Polish well, and the vast majority are based on English content. So if you want to prepare content in different languages without necessarily knowing them well, AI solutions can help you significantly.
Consistent content
ChatGPT is a tool that tries to follow guidelines. If your prompt includes a style guideline that you replicate in subsequent prompts, you can expect that the content prepared by the algorithm will present a similar style. For example, you can include a guideline that ChatGPT must include a phrase or term specific to your brand in each product description
However, there are several aspects of generation that you should pay special attention to before you outsource the preparation of thousands of descriptions to a chatbot.
Limited creativity
ChatGPT and other content generators are capable of producing correct texts, but their creativity is limited. Although product descriptions rarely require panache, it’s worth considering – especially if you want to stand out with the way you communicate.
Limited understanding of the context
Often, even unconsciously, we make references in content to current events, the political situation or even famous people. Such references can pose a serious problem for an AI tool. So if you’re planning to make your product descriptions into a small work of art… you may need much more than an efficient chatbot.
Data dependence
Both ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools operate based on available data. However, the information that chatbots get access to may not always be reliable. Moreover, there are already known cases of databases being blocked from AI robots – precisely to limit their use in commercial content. It’s worth keeping this in mind, and checking any AI-generated content carefully.
AI not free
Contrary to first impressions, using content generators is not at all free. Initial trials and tests are usually available at no cost, but if you want to use AI in your company’s day-to-day operations, be prepared to incur expenses. Also, expect that as the technology develops and the range of generator capabilities increases, fees will regularly rise.
Unclear status of AI at Google
Creating content in the context of achieving good results in Google search, is a matter that requires a lot of flexibility. Google’s algorithms are not always clear, and on top of that, they change frequently. There was news in 2023 that Google was to accept AI-created content (which may have had something to do with the development of its own AI), but numerous reports during the year showed that Google’s priority was still to promote high-quality content, not content in general.
So if you’re committed to creating content that will show up high in Google’s results, you need to stay on top of the current findings. The latest algorithm update (dated March 2024) is expected to get rid of low-quality AI-generated content from Google searches. It is estimated that as much as 40% of this type of content will disappear from the results offered by the world’s most popular search engine.
How to properly create product descriptions in ChatGPT?
It’s time to get specific. Creating a product description in the OpenAI tool (as well as other text generators) requires entering a prompt. You can do it the easy way:
Example:
Create a product description for an online store page. The product being described is a cup blender from X brand.
Such an approach will result in, yes, you will get a product description, but it will certainly not meet your expectations. Instead of creating laconic instructions, try to include as much detail as possible, and both in terms of form and content. Here’s an example.
Example:
Create a product description for an online appliance store website. The described product is a cup blender from X brand, in black. The blender is equipped with a glass jug with a capacity of 1.5 l, and is distinguished by a five-stage speed control. Here are the specifications of the product.
Power: 1000 W
Color: Black
Additional functions: smoothie, shredding, pulse mode
The description should be 1200-1500 characters long with spaces, written in a professional, factual style. Be sure to divide the description into several sections – give each section an appropriate, descriptive heading.
The above description, while certainly, could be more detailed, already contains enough data for the generator to be able to create something that largely meets expectations. An important feature of ChatGPT is the ability to further improve the generated description. If the result we get does not suit us, we can indicate specific places and elements that need to be changed, to receive a revised version of the description after several seconds.
Important!
With ChatGPT you can “talk the talk” by gradually introducing more guidelines into the text. Start with the general, and as the conversation develops, introduce more elements (content, form, target audience, purpose, references to other brands and content, and even the use of emoticons or the addition of quotes) and develop your vision. In this way, you are able to achieve the desired effect in several minutes.
Is the text ready, or is it over?
The final stage of creating content with the help of a chatbot – a stage that cannot be skipped – is to proofread and verify the text yourself. Perhaps this will change in the future, but today content generators still need a thorough check – especially if the product you want to describe differs from the rest in technical nuances.
What is worth doing at the end of the text work?
- Check the text with anti-plagiarism software – although Google’s approach to the use of AI-generated content is not entirely clear, there is no doubt about plagiarism – content containing copied excerpts from already published texts is “buried” and does not get high search engine rankings. So make sure that the chat room has not accidentally copied parts of the text from somewhere else.
- Check that substantively everything agrees – the chat may “confuse” some features of the product, add something from themselves or include information on a different model in the text.
- Check the length of the text – while it may seem a bit strange, chat rooms don’t always do a good job of… counting. So if you’re setting an expected number of characters, don’t assume that this command will be met 100 percent. Check in your text editor to see if the tool has handled this difficult task.
- Conduct a linguistic correction – as after any, also after a chat, the text should be carefully checked for linguistic correctness. Pay special attention to punctuation and inflectional endings – spelling errors by AI are unlikely to be seen.
Just ChatGPT?
In the Polish (and probably not only Polish) discourse, OpenAI’s product ChatGPT (now in the GPT-4 version) has become somewhat synonymous with content generation programs that operate using generative language models, a bit like sneakers describe a certain type of sports shoes. In reality, however, the competition in this field is already quite large. Tools such as Copy.AI, Frase, Jasper or INK are gaining more and more recognition and could be, if not equal competition, an interesting alternative to the most recognizable giant.
In your search for the best solution for creating product descriptions, consider these alternatives – especially since some of them offer solutions to support SEO – for example, tools like Product Description Generator from INK.
Important!
Pay special attention to whether the tool you choose supports the language in which your product descriptions are created. Some solutions, no matter how great they are in English, cannot create meaningful content in Polish. Be sure to check this element before investing in a subscription.
