Exploring AI Generative Text in Squarespace
My Rating for AI Generative Text in Squarespace:
3.5 out of 5
TL;DR
In short - I am pro AI tools and feel a lot of fear-mongering is based on out-of-date info and/or a lack of understanding, and quite possibly a lack of experience with major developments in the Website industry.
Here’s an outline of what we’re covering (these links will jump you down to that section of the page):
Rebuttals to common objections to using AI (some of which I do consider fear-mongering), including copyright issues
Understanding how the prompt greatly impacts the quality of the output
Common uses for using AI in Squarespace (the tool available in the text editor)
A Prompt formula for generating the Header text for your website Home Page
and the limitations of the Squarespace generative text tool, and when to turn to something else like ChatGPT
Before we dive in, I wanted to share a summarized version of my personal opinion about AI as a writing tool and the "pros" and "cons" circulating since AI started taking the world by storm when ChatGPT had its public release in November of 2022.
It’s important to note that I have a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and Poetry, so yeah, it’s easy to write blog posts, and for that reason, maybe it’s easier for me to embrace AI as a tool.
I don’t need to rely on AI writing tools at all, and I can easily see it as a supplement but never a replacement for human authorship.
As with most advances in technology, there's a camp of people for and one against (or perhaps, in this case, cautiously pessimistic).
In another blog post, I mentioned I am #oregontrailgeneration. That means I've witnessed many changes in website design, content management systems, SEO, and marketing techniques, and on top of all that I died of dysentery an obscene amount of times.
So much has changed with approaches, technology, and software, but one rule never changes:
Create quality content for humans (your customers, audience, etc.) and never for search engine results and you'll be ok with the ever-evolving landscape of SEO because Quality will always be Queen).
The rest is just how you go about creating your website. If you've chosen Squarespace, you want a DIY-friendly website content management system that doesn't require coding skills.
Google changes its algorithm more in response to those trying to "game" the system instead of sticking to quality content written for humans to serve humans better.
So while some techniques have to change (usually because they’re shady techniques – think black hat or gray hat marketing in the early 2000s and 10s) - most things don't.
So let’s keep an open mind for AI!
How to Access the AI Tool inside the Squarespace Text Editor
Compared to ChatGPT, this tool works to rewrite the content you have on the page, or you can generate something new. Think of this tool as a short and sweet solution to small bits of text.
Whereas ChatGPT works more like a living document, with a history of prompts and outputs that you can keep building on. More on that later.
Things people tell you to worry about with AI - but I'm not convinced.
There's a good bit of fear-mongering out there warning people away from using AI as a writing tool for websites. Here's a summary of these themes and why I don't think it's a cause for concern (right now):
Common Objection #1: Google will punish you for not having original content.
Is it unoriginal solely because it's generated by AI or is it more about low-quality content and therefore coming across as unoriginal? Google has always frowned on the unoriginal (and they most definitely frown on duplicate content).
But they're also a tech giant who is working on their own AI Tool along with everyone else under the sun.
Here are two ways to look at it:
If you generate several paragraphs or thousands of words using AI and don’t change hardly any of it, then yeah, that’s UNORIGINAL.
If you use AI to generate snippets and paragraphs to help you write and rewrite the information you’re an authority on, guess what? That’s original content, especially when you have a heavy hand in the editing process.
So I wholeheartedly disagree with lumping all AI-generated content under a single umbrella of unoriginality just because AI generated it or even had a hand in it.
Moderation in all things, right? So no, I would not recommend using AI-generated content as-is without any editing for anything longer than 10-15 words.
Why more than 10 or so words? Because headings and subheadings for your website can only be so long. There are only so many ways to say a thing using the same 5 or 6 words that may be available to you.
Common Objection #2: It's impossible to copyright AI-generated content.
Nothing about this is simple, and moving forward, the entire realm of copyright will exist in a state of flux in my opinion given several lawsuits that are still pending their day in court.
So I turned to the ultimate authority on this subject - the U.S. Copyright Office.
They have an entire page set up for "Copyright and Artificial Intelligence" which is a wealth of resources.
On June 28, 2023 they hosted a webinar -- "Registration Guidance for Works Containing AI-Generated Content," and provided a link to what is currently their definitive guide on this process dated March 16, 2023 "Copyright Registration Guidance: Works Containing Material Generated by Artificial Intelligence" (this link is for their PDF file).
In my opinion, stating "AI-generated content cannot be copyrighted" is too broad and not exactly true. It comes down to how much a human contributed to the creative process.
The guidance document highlights an example of a graphic novel that combined text created and written by a human in combination with images from Midjourney (an AI Image Generator). In February 2023 the Copyright Office concluded that the novel itself "constituted a copyrightable work, but that the individual images themselves could not be protected by copyright."
My takeaway from this echoes the Office's statements on when it's clear who authored what -- the human elements versus the AI elements. In the case of this graphic novel (Zarya of the Dawn) the Office concluded the images would not fall under copyright protection because they were AI-generated.
Even more interesting is that this case clearly states, "the text of the Work is protected by copyright. Your letter states that 'the text of the Work was written entirely by Kashtanova without the help of any other source or tool, including any generative AI program.'"
In my opinion, text output is terrible or great based on the quality of the input or prompt. That input 100% requires a human to craft, shape, and mold a prompt to continue improving results. See my example later with the Instagram captions - it's easy to see the evolution of the outputs, which were a direct result of my input.
This brings us to the Copyright Office's . . .
Application of the Human Authorship Requirement
From this same AI Policy Guidance document from the Copyright Office, they clearly state the following:
"In the case of works containing AI-generated material, the Office will consider whether the AI contributions are the result of 'mechanical reproduction' or instead of an author's 'own original mental conception, to which [the author] gave visible form.' The answer will depend on the circumstances, particularly how the AI tool operates and how it was used to create the final work. This is necessarily a case-by-case inquiry.”
To dig even deeper, they provide an example of work that will never be eligible for copyright: a human user prompts AI to "write a poem about copyright law in the style of William Shakespeare".
In this case AI is creating all of the "expressive elements of its output," and therefore, this result or output would not be eligible for copyright.
On the other hand, in an example of work that could be copyright eligible, a "human may select or arrange AI-generated material in a sufficiently creative way that the 'resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.'"
There it is, you as a human user must affect the output enough to make it your own, thereby relegating AI as a tool like any other at your disposal, such as checking your grammar and syntax with Grammarly Chrome extension or using Photoshop to edit and enhance your photos.
If you don't put in enough effort to make something your own, then you're going to run into this gray area similar to the comic book.
From the document: "Or an artist may modify material originally generated by AI technology to such a degree that the modifications meet the standard for copyright protection. In these cases, copyright will only protect the human-authored aspects of the work, which are 'independent of' and do 'not affect' the copyright status of the AI-generated material itself."
I highly recommend you check out the AI Policy Guidance document from the Copyright Office and keep an eye on their AI page for new developments because there will be more changes as lawsuits make their way through the system.
Common Objection #3: Content is too general or lacks originality.
Hopefully you’ve noticed a theme by now: your output is only as good as your input.
Does a $1,000 camera create an incredible photograph? Or is it the photographer behind the lens? Obviously, the answer is the photographer because that's where the knowledge or skill comes from.
Imagine giving a high-end DSLR camera (without automatic settings) to an average person on the street, and it's extremely unlikely they will be able to capture an impressive image.
The tool is only as good as the person wielding said tool!
Disclaimer: All AI prompts and outputs shown in this post have been left unedited to demonstrate how results can evolve based on improving the prompt.
Example evolution of an AI prompt to generate Instagram captions
AI PROMPT #1: Generate 5 Instagram captions to promote launching my new website
Output #1:
1. "Exciting news! 🎉 My brand-new website is now live and ready for you to explore. Join me on this exciting journey as we discover new horizons together. 💻✨ #NewWebsiteLaunch #JoinTheAdventure"
2. "Calling all trendsetters and fashionistas! 👗👠 My new website is your ultimate style guide, offering the latest fashion trends, styling tips, and exclusive deals. Get ready to step up your fashion game! 💁♀️💫 #FashionForward #NewWebsite"
3. "Attention all foodies! 🍽️📣 Feast your eyes on my mouthwatering new website, packed with delicious recipes, food inspirations, and culinary adventures. Prepare your taste buds for an epic gastronomic experience! 😋🌱 #FoodiesUnite #NewWebsiteLaunch"
4. "Calling all fitness enthusiasts! 💪🏋️♂️ Say hello to my new website, your one-stop destination for fitness tips, workout routines, and motivation to help you reach your health goals. Let's sweat it out together and achieve greatness! 🏆🔥 #FitFam #NewWebsite"
5. "Attention all wanderlusters! 🌍✈️ Get ready to embark on a virtual journey with my new website, offering travel guides, hidden gems, and insider tips to make your wanderlust dreams a reality. Unleash your inner adventurer! 🗺️✨ #TravelGoals #NewWebsiteLaunch"
To put it bluntly, these are crap results and don’t even really relate to my business 😆.
But, I COULD swap out several words for any of these to make it applicable to my site, which would be "meh," OR I could be more specific with my next prompt.
AI Prompt #2: You are an expert Instagram Social Media Manager and Copywriter. Generate 5 Instagram Captions for my new website for Your Favorite Solution. Be sure to mention we serve female business owners who designed their own website because they have a limited budget, and that our services are designed to help them with any obstacles they may run into.
Output #2:
👩💼💻 Introducing Your Favorite Solution: Empowering Female Business Owners! 💪
1. "Unlock your potential with Your Favorite Solution! We specialize in helping female business owners with tight budgets design their own websites, making their dreams a reality. 💕✨"
2. "Attention, female entrepreneurs! 🚀 Budget constraints won't hold you back anymore! At Your Favorite Solution, we cater to you, offering top-notch services to help you overcome any obstacles you face while designing your website. 🌟"
3. "Dream big on a small budget! With Your Favorite Solution, female business owners can take control of their online presence. Let us guide you through the website design process and conquer any challenges together. 💫✨"
4. "Ladies, we've got your back! 🙌👩💼 Your Favorite Solution provides affordable website design services tailored specifically for female entrepreneurs. Say goodbye to budget woes and hello to a stunning online platform that reflects your unique brand! 💃💻"
5. "Got a vision but not a hefty budget? No worries, boss lady! Your Favorite Solution is here to support female business owners every step of the way. Our website services are designed to empower you, ensuring you overcome any obstacles on the road to success. 🌟💪"
We're getting there, but this still doesn’t sound like me, and I’ve gotten to the point where the word “empower” is overused and feels like lazy writing. For some, this is the spark they need to write content that reflects their brand and personal tone of voice. You start getting inspired and may be able to create your own unique caption at this point easily.
Next, I could try experimenting with adding in a tone of voice like so:
AI Prompt #3: You are an expert Instagram Social Media Manager and Copywriter. Generate 5 Instagram Captions for my new website for Your Favorite Solution. Be sure to mention we serve female business owners who designed their own website because they have a limited budget, and that our services are designed to help them with any obstacles they may run into. Write these captions using the following tone of voice: best friends talking, knowledgeable, and witty.
Output #3:
1. "Tag your fellow boss babe who's mastered the art of website design on a budget! 💪 Our services at Your Favorite Solution are here to help female business owners like you tackle any roadblocks and conquer the digital world together. Let's slay those website obstacles, bestie! 💻✨"
2. "Psst! Calling all female entrepreneurs who've built their own stunning websites on a shoestring budget. 🙌🌟 At Your Favorite Solution, we're your virtual BFFs—armed with expert knowledge and a sprinkle of wit—to help you triumph over any web design hurdles. Let's make magic happen, ladies! 💁♀️🔥"
3. "Hey girl, we've got your back in the wild world of website design! 🌐💫 Your Favorite Solution is here to empower badass female business owners who've rolled up their sleeves and designed their own sites on a budget. From tech glitches to creative dilemmas, we've got the knowledge and wit to guide you through it all. Together, we'll make web design look easy-peasy, babe! 😎✨"
4. "You don't need a fortune to shine online, my savvy friend! 😍✨ Your Favorite Solution is the go-to spot for female entrepreneurs who've taken charge of their website design with limited resources. We're your secret weapon, armed with the juiciest tips, tricks, and witty one-liners to help you navigate any obstacles along the way. Let's rock that website, sis! 💅💻"
5. "Got a tight budget but big dreams for your website? 🌟🙌 Look no further! Your Favorite Solution is the trusted ally every female business owner needs. We're a knowledgeable and oh-so-funny bunch, dedicated to helping you conquer any web design challenges. Together, we'll make sure your site stands out from the crowd without breaking the bank. Let's make magic on the internet, bestie! 💫💻"
I'm not gonna lie, a few tweaks here and there, and YES, we are getting somewhere!! I decided to take this further as I am in my forties and don't talk like this in real life - most of my clients don't either. So I added info about my age range and specific demographics for my audience.
AI Prompt #4: You are an expert Instagram Social Media Manager and Copywriter. Generate 5 long Instagram Captions for my new website for Your Favorite Solution. Be sure to mention we serve female business owners in their 30s and 40s. These business owners have a sense of humor and know and love their business. They made a choice to design their own website because they have a limited budget but may need an extra hand in getting their website looking and functioning as it should. The caption should emphasize our services are designed to help them with any obstacles they may run into. Write these captions using the following tone of voice: best friends talking, knowledgeable, and witty. The tone of voice should sound like it's coming from a woman in her 40s who loves helping other business owners.
Output #4:
1. Caption 1:
🎉 Calling all fabulous female business owners in their 30s and 40s! 🎉 Designing your own website on a budget? We get it! 💰 But hey, even Wonder Woman could use a sidekick sometimes! 👯♀️ Our services are here to lend a helping hand and make your website shine like the superstar boss you are! 💃🏻 Let's conquer those obstacles together, my friend!
2. Caption 2:
🌟 Ladies, listen up! 🌟 We know you're rockin' the business world with style and grace, but designing a killer website can be a whole new ballgame. 🏀 Luckily, our team of web wizards is here to sprinkle some magic on your online presence. ✨ Don't worry, we speak fluent geek and have your back every step of the way. Let's turn those website woes into woahs, ladies! 💃🏼
3. Caption 3:
Hey savvy business queens! 👑 If your website needs a little extra oomph, but your budget is giving you side-eye, we've got your back! 💁♀️ Think of us as your secret weapon, swooping in to save the day and make your website sparkle ✨. We serve up solutions that are just as sassy as you are, with a sprinkle of tech know-how and a dash of humor. Let's give your website the upgrade it deserves, boss lady!
4. Caption 4:
📢 Attention all fierce female entrepreneurs in their 30s and 40s! 📢 We know you're slaying in the business game, but when it comes to websites, sometimes we need a little backup. 💪🏽 That's where we come in! With our expertise and wit, consider us your virtual BFFs, ready to tackle any tech troubles and create a website that screams "I've got this!". Let's make your online presence as powerful as your ambitions, girlboss!
5. Caption 5:
💼 Boss ladies assemble! 💼 If you're a female business owner in your 30s or 40s, juggling business success with website struggles, we're here to be your secret weapon in the digital world. ✨ Think of us as your website's fairy godmothers, helping you conquer glitches and design dilemmas with a touch of [abrupt end]
Note: The generated content cuts off at this point, indicating a character limit with this tool’s output — I was not able to find official documentation on the exact number so I did a word count in Google Docs: 351 words or 1,929 characters including spaces. I feel like 25% of those characters are emojis!
In short, you get what you put into this tool. I used Instagram as an easy way to highlight how results can be improved by improving the prompt. (I'll be real with you as I am a work smarter not harder kind of gal and I am definitely trying to accomplish two things at once by generating IG caption ideas while I write this post!)
Guidelines for AI-Generated Website Copy
So the Instagram example was a fun exercise, but how does this translate for website copy?
It still requires planning to create an outline for the pages you need for your website, what each page is about and what its primary function is, and how a user navigates from page to page (user navigation paths).
So when it comes to using this tool, here are our Guidelines for generating copy for your website:
Know yourself, your business, what you do, and who you serve.
When it comes to the who from #1, be specific and detailed. This is your Ideal Client, and you should spend quality time getting to know them, understanding their pain points and, ultimately, their desires (Ideal Client Workshopping is its own thing for good reason).
Keep these facts in mind when using AI because they should help shape your prompts (see the Instagram Caption example above) and ultimately be your guide when editing the outputs. Remain authentic and on-brand!
Use AI in moderation. Use it as a tool to assist in writing your copy, but don't let it be the final author (or editor for that matter). Use it to remove writer's block and to generate ideas, but ultimately you are the ultimate authority on what it is you do when serving customers or providing products that alleviate pain points.
You started your business because you were passionate about what you could do to help people right? Let that passion shine through in all you do, and you should be ok 😉.
AI Prompt Examples and Formulas for Website Copy
Most common uses for Generative Text for your Squarespace Website
Help generate relevant FAQs for any topic (for example: list 5 FAQs my customer may ask about [topic/service]) or ask AI to answer a commonly asked question so that it’s easier to read or specific to your ideal client
To rewrite an awkward sentence or paragraph to make it easier to read, more upbeat and positive, or more serious and authoritative
Generate a subheading based on a paragraph
Generate a list of topics to use as an outline for a blog post – or even better, to cover any angle that may have been missed
Prompt Formula for a Website Home Page Header
Headers are often short snippets of text that break up sections of a page, or simply "head up" a page.
In order to leverage AI to generate authentic, on-brand content, you have to create prompts that live within the confines of who you are, what you do, and who you serve!
First, I want to emphasize some copy requires much more development than others, and that's ultimately the limitation with Generative Text inside the Squarespace text editor.
In Squarespace, you write a prompt, and once you hit generate the output is pasted in wherever you started the generative text.
In comparison, ChatGPT with OpenAi provides and maintains a history of prompts and outputs. You can easily see the evolution of your “chat,” and once you've added info, you can continually reference it with new prompts – for example, "take the list you just generated and summarize each point in 10 words or less using power words and emphasizing a friendly tone of voice." That is hard to beat!
When it comes to your Home Page Header, it's kind of a big deal and massively important to get right. For this exercise, I recommend ChatGPT.
The Home Page Header is the text that appears at the very top of your home page that summarizes what your business does and who you serve. As of this blog post, I'm still not over the moon about mine, and I know it lacks Pizazz 🎉! But I also wanted to get to the point in my Header and make it clear what can be accomplished by working with Your Favorite Solution.
So here are a few guidelines before we get into the prompt formula:
Be absolutely clear about what you do as a business and who you serve.
Sometimes flowery language can get in the way and muddy your message. If you get too focused on being "cute" or "whimsical," you may end up making your primary message harder to understand.
Prompt Formula to try to generate the Header for your Home Page [replace text in between brackets with your own relevant info]:
You are an expert website copywriter who specializes in (or works with) [industry you specialize in or occupation you work with]. My business focuses on [your primary purpose] for [describe your ideal client and what problem they wish to solve - the more descriptive you are here the better]. Write a paragraph/header for my website that clearly states how my business creates [description of the positive result of using our services] and how it feels for my ideal client to [achieve their specific goal]. Use the following tones of voice: [list a single or more than one tone of voice].
Pro Tip for this prompt:
try asking for a paragraph first. Better yet, ask for 3 versions of the paragraph so you have options. A paragraph output is easier to determine if you're on the right path - does this sound authentic? Is it you? Is it on-brand? Refine your prompts from there by adding additional info and clarification where needed. (This is where using a tool like OpenAI's ChatGPT is more convenient because you can clearly see the history of your prompts and add or subtract as needed to achieve your desired result).
Once you’re happy with a paragraph, ask ChatGPT to “rewrite this paragraph: [paste text of the paragraph you like] as a website home page header being as concise as possible. Provide at least 5 versions for me to choose from.
Tips for Text in the prompt between [brackets]
[industry you work in] or [occupation you work with] examples:
Industry examples: website design, health, and wellness, landscaping, etc.
Occupation: interior designer, business coach, Pilates instructor, boutique commerce, etc.
[description of the positive result of using our services]
Basically, instead of saying, "We build websites for business coaches," you should focus on the positive result of having a website designed by a business that specializes in the industry of business coaching since business coaches are your ideal client.
Think about why customers come to you for design and more specifically, what sets you apart from other designers. What is it you bring to the table and how does THAT make your customer feel?
[tones of voice]
This is where the magic happens and probably why prompt engineers could get paid good money to get this right - much like professional copywriters do to take the copy to the next level!
Tones don't always mean adjectives like friendly or authoritative; they can also be celebrities or occupationally related. Let your imagination run free.
Summary
AI is a tool like any other and depends on human input to truly be great (the human element cannot be replaced).
Ignore the fear-mongering; there are way too many knee-jerk reactions to this technology still in its infancy. The rules are quite literally being written.
Go for it! Understand that quality outputs depend on quality prompts. When it comes to your business, your website, and your brand in general, Quality will always be Queen. Always be authentic and honest, engage on a deeper level with your customers, and you cannot lose!
Tell me how you feel! Have you tried AI yet? What's working for you and what's not? What's keeping you from trying it? Bonus points will be given for any Skynet references, so be sure to comment below -- I can't wait to hear from you!
Looking for additional help?
