Outsourcing AI-Generated LinkedIn Content: Key Considerations

AI wrote it, but should you really publish it? Most AI-generated drafts look fine on the surface. Underneath, they hide the classic traps: – Overuse of m-dashes, like they’re punctuation confetti – Stuffy Latin words like utilize, facilitate, optimize that kill momentum – Awkward transitions nobody says in real conversations: furthermore, moreover, in conclusion – Generic phrasing with zero brand personality or punch So if you want to use AI to scale content without eroding your brand, here’s what to fix before hitting publish: 1. Tune your voice: AI gives you the skeleton. Flesh it out with your brand’s tone. Try Writer or VoicePen to analyze and align tone, or just rewrite the intro and CTA to sound human and confident. 2. Delete all buzzwords: Run your draft through Hemingway Editor or Grammarly’s clarity suggestions to remove jargon and buzzwords. Swap “utilize solutions to streamline operations” for “use tools that save time.” 3. Avoid the robotic transitions: Replace formal connectors with natural phrases or none at all. If it sounds like a legal brief, it needs work. 4. Anchor content wisely: AI doesn’t know your funnel. Before publishing, ask: What buyer stage is this for? What’s the one action you want readers to take? 5. Add unique insight: AI can’t replicate your knowledge. Add original quotes, client stories, or data points. Use Surfer SEO or Clearscope to identify content gaps and boost relevance. 6. Watch out for hallucinations: AI sometimes invents "facts". Use Originality.ai or ZeroGPT to check originality and flag hallucinations. Double-check every statistic or claim yourself. And final quality check: Read your content out loud 😉 If it sounds like “just another LinkedIn post,” go back and sharpen the message until you can say it's impactful. I'd summarize that AI can get you to draft, but you still need to make your content distinctive.

Is AI generated content good or bad? This is a false choice. This is the same conversation we had 10+ years ago about outsourcing content. You could pay $10 a page or $10,000. Both were technically “content,” but the outcomes couldn’t be more different. AI is no different. It’s an engine…what you feed it directly affects the output. Here’s how I break it down, grade-school style: D Content – The lowest common denominator. One-line prompt: “Hey ChatGPT, write something on XYZ.” The result? Generic content that is likely worse than nothing. C Content – Structured prompting. You start defining structure: audience, format, tone, length, objective. You’re giving the AI a framework…but still surface-level. B Content – The performance layer. This involves studying and analyzing top-performing content to gather specific insights on its structure, optimal length, common questions addressed, and overall style/tone. You then embed this competitive intelligence (which could be several pages of findings) directly into your AI prompts. A Content – Brand and wisdom. This is where it starts to get good. You integrate your brand guidelines, style guides, tone of voice, and include past examples of high-performing content. Then you layer in transcripts from internal experts on the topic and/or exclusive research with data. The result? Something special. A+ Content – Expert-in-the-loop. You generate content with AI, but then your subject matter experts get involved…editing, refining, and collaborating with the AI to elevate it even further. All of this is “AI-generated” but is this all the same? I find it nearly impossible to argue against how (on average) this approach would be worse than a human, alone, just typing away without assistance. How would you grade your process?

ChatGPT showing some self awareness... Prompt: "What are the risks and dangers associated with using ChatGPT to write your LinkedIn posts?" Response: Using ChatGPT to write your LinkedIn posts can be incredibly helpful for generating ideas, refining language, or maintaining consistency—but it’s not without its risks. Here are the most important ones to be aware of: ⚠️ 1. Losing Your Authentic Voice Risk: Your posts may sound generic or "AI-written" if you overly rely on ChatGPT. Impact: Followers may disengage or question whether you're the one actually speaking, which can damage trust and credibility—especially if you're trying to build a personal brand. Mitigation: Always edit the output to match your tone, word choices, and personal style. ⚠️ 2. Inaccuracy or Misinformation Risk: ChatGPT may confidently generate information that’s incorrect, outdated, or misleading. Impact: You could inadvertently share bad data or false insights, which can hurt your professional reputation. Mitigation: Double-check facts, dates, names, and stats—especially in technical or industry-specific posts. ⚠️ 3. Ethical Concerns / Ghostwriting Transparency Risk: If you're using AI to write posts that represent your experience or values, some audiences may see this as deceptive. Impact: If discovered, it could affect how people perceive your authenticity or integrity. Mitigation: Use AI as a tool, not a ghostwriter—blend AI-generated drafts with your personal perspective and experiences. ⚠️ 4. Generic, Cookie-Cutter Content Risk: AI can generate polished but bland posts that sound similar to what everyone else is saying. Impact: You won't stand out in a crowded feed; your content might perform poorly or be overlooked. Mitigation: Infuse your posts with personal anecdotes, contrarian opinions, or fresh takes that reflect you, not the algorithm. ⚠️ 5. Over-Reliance and Stunted Growth Risk: You may stop developing your own communication skills if you default to AI every time. Impact: Over time, you could lose your edge in writing, storytelling, or persuasive communication—skills that matter in leadership and thought leadership. Mitigation: Use ChatGPT to enhance your writing, not replace it. Start with your ideas or draft, then use AI to tighten or refine. ⚠️ 6. Potential for AI Detection and Backlash Risk: AI detection tools (and some humans) can identify patterns in generated text. If you're called out for it, especially in high-trust professions, it could cause embarrassment. Impact: Could erode professional credibility, especially if you're seen as lazy, inauthentic, or misleading. Mitigation: Use AI as a co-writer or editor, not the sole author. Let your human voice lead. Final Advice: If you're going to use ChatGPT for LinkedIn: Treat it like a collaborator, not a crutch. Blend in your unique voice, opinions, and stories. Always fact-check, personalize, and humanize the final draft.