Write Like a Human: Your Small Business Copywriting Matters
Lil Key Takeaways: This Blog at a Glance
Newsflash: Filler words? Nope, every word should be a premium connection moment.
Spoiler alert: Every word you write matters. Like, really matters.
Don’t waste your word magic—write like a human, because, duh, you are one!
Robots writing copy? Cool, but they can’t master sarcasm like we can (yet).
Humans > AI when it comes to writing that’s full of spice, sass, and charm. Use it as a tool (like to write your key takeaway sections on your blog, for example), but not for the whole enchilada.
Wanna be fancy? Nope. Just talk to your audience like you’d talk to your favorite dog.
Your brand’s secret sauce? Writing that’s actually human and not glitchy-bot gibberish.
Forget the fancy talk; drop the formalities like they’re hot.
Keep it real—your audience isn’t here for robot chatter; they want YOU!
SEO is great, but connecting with actual humans? Way better.
You might be wondering why the way you talk to your audience matters–especially when it comes to “filler words” on a digital page. After all, in an age of ChatGPT and Claude, can’t you just…lean on AI to do the writing for you?
Here’s a quick news flash for you – –there should be no such thing as filler words. Every touchpoint, every sentence, and every platform where you can speak directly to your audience should be viewed as an opportunity for a premium connection.
Every single word counts. So, of course, it matters what you’re saying, how you’re saying it, and how your audience perceives it. More than that, it matters that YOU’RE saying it – not just AI copywriting saying it.
Ask yourself–do you want to waste precious opportunities like these with messages that don’t land? Do you want your audience’s access to you to be through ChatGPT words where you’ve outsourced your brain?
Make it easy on yourself–write like a human being.
Not sure how to do that? We’ve got you.
Small Business Copywriting Needs Human Touch–Here's Why People Care About Non-AI Writing
There’s a school of thought out there that says artificial intelligence and software programs can spit out high-quality copy and content for brands better than human writers ever could. There’s an important distinction in that argument.
Yep, there are AI programs out there designed to write copy. That’s true.You probably use them – heck, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t use this.
Want to hear somethin’ kind of wild? When I first wrote this blog, it was back in 2023 – now, in 2026, I’m updating it and the use of AI copywriting is absolutely rampant. Just three years ago it was pretty rare. Now? Everyone and their brother uses it to write website copy, Instagram captions, email sequences, sales pages. You name it, AI is being used to write it.
In fact, there’s even a term for AI-generated words that are clearly AI generated – AI slop.
(Hey, I didn’t make it up).
The difference is that no matter how advanced AI gets, it’s never going to be human–that means capturing a human TOV; the nuances, slang, humor, sarcasm, etc., that go into a brand’s specific voice isn’t possible without human influence.
If you’re a brand that’s thinking about investing in software or leaning into AI writing so that ChatGPT can write blogs for you, spits out web content, or can create leads for you, I’m not here to discourage you.
I’m not going to deny it – AI writing can save a ton of time and energy.
But it won’t get you the tone of voice and human-to-human connection your people are desperately looking for.
Investing in writing like a human being means actually having a human being write your content.
Whether that’s an outsourced copywriting company, a content writer that comes highly recommended, or an in-house marketing pro that does your copy and content writing is up to you.
I’ll tell you this – people are smart. They can tell when you copy-paste something directly from your AI program of choice. That doesn’t mean it’s a terrible idea – just that people know it, they sense it, and like it or not, they’re going to feel some kind of way about it.
How to Write like a Human Being: Small Business AI Copywriting Tips (To Use AI or Not to Use AI)
You might be thinking, “Well, I’m a human, and I’m writing, so writing like a human being should be pretty dang easy. Right?”
Well, maybe. But writing brand content like a human–even as a human–can be tricky.
For some reason, brand content and copy tend to fall into some niche category in our brains that call for serious overcomplication. Maybe it’s because of the pressure to reach an audience; maybe it’s the desire to sound smarter than we are–whatever it is, we all tend to fall into the trap of complicating our copy.
Here’s the secret to writing good content: It’s written for humans, by humans.
That means you need to embrace writing like a human being to churn out content that connects with audiences and copy that does its job (converting sales).
Don't Rely on A.I.
Sorry, I said what I said. Look, I’m not an AI doomsayer and I actually think AI like ChatGPT can be crazy helpful when it comes to brainstorming.
And, no, I’m not coming for AI because I’m concerned it’s going to put me out of a job. I think AI actually has some kind of place in copywriting–I just don’t think it should be your copywriter.
Use it to brainstorm ideas, get the creative juices flowing, and share ideas–but don’t ask it to do the job of a human copywriter.
At the end of the day, it’s artificial intelligence–and your audience (your very smart audience, BTW) is going to feel that phony connection. Don’t leave them craving a human touch–make sure it’s an integral part of your content strategy.
Need a lil help rethinking your writing strategy without AI? Good news! I’ve got a blog on that right here:
Want something a lil more direct to help you out? I’ve got a free (yep, free!) email series that can help you rework your writing process so you can lean a lil less on AI. Take a peek and sign up right here:
Talk to Your Audience Directly
What are you really trying to say? If you’re having trouble writing copy or telling your content writer what message you want to get across, try simplifying the words.
At the end of the day–fancy or trendy TOV aside–what point are you trying to get across? Are you offering a solution that’s going to change someone’s life? Do you want to teach someone something important? Do you want to connect with your audience?
Boil it down to the simplest version of the message you want to get across. Figure that out first. Start there. Then build on that message.
As you start building, remind yourself that it’s your job to be direct. No matter what your brand voice might reflect, you’re here to speak directly to your intended audience as transparently and meaningfully as possible.
You know how to act like that. Now, write like that.
Don't Be Afraid to Get Controversial
It’s human nature to be casual with people–why should your writing be any different? My favorite way to illustrate is through a simple exercise.
First, take a quick stab at drafting out your copy. Give it your best shot. Then, put that version away. Pick a pal, a colleague, or someone you can talk to very casually. Now tell them exactly what you’re trying to say, in normal, conversational words. Record it if you want. Now, compare the two. What’s stopping you from saying what you said to your friend on your website?
Good writing and copy that converts customers has very little to do with how professional you sound. It’s got almost nothing to do with how smart you make yourself sound, either. Once you throw pretension to the wind and just allow yourself to write conversationally, you’ll be able to connect better with people reading your words.
Why? Because they’re people–and it’s your goal to write words that people want to read. In other words, don’t overcomplicate it, and don’t be afraid to be conversational.
Drop the Formalities (Please)
Push pretension to the side. For some reason, when we write important things, we tend to overcomplicate our language. Remember, it’s not your job to be the smartest person in the room–it’s your job to get your audience on board with your brand.
Being overly formal–especially if that’s not part of your brand identity or brand voice–is going to push your audience away.
Lean Into Your Sticky Brand Voice
Push pretension to the side. Are you into slang? Is your brand in a specific niche where lingo makes sense? Are there certain phrases that just make sense in your industry?
Remember, an audience can sniff that kind of stuff out. Be yourself, be your brand, and don’t be afraid to add words and phrases that are part of the acceptable lingo of your target audience.
Use your sticky brand voice everywhere.
Not sure how to develop that? I’ve got a few resources that can help you figure out what makes your voice stand out and stick!
Brand Voice Bootcamp:a free email challenge to take your voice from blaaah to bold
Brand Voice Roundup:learn how to build & use (!) your own brand voice guide
1:1 Brand Voice Strategy:I’ll create your brand voice strategy from scratch & build you custom guides you can use over and over (best paired with the 1:1 messaging strategy)
When we write important things, we tend to overcomplicate our language. Remember, it’s not your job to be the smartest person in the room–it’s your job to get your audience on board with your brand.
Being overly formal–especially if that’s not part of your brand identity or brand voice–is going to push your audience away.
Audience First, SEO Second
It’s tempting to look at your digital content as an opportunity to boost your SEO. And to be honest, this should be part of your copywriting and content writing strategy. Like it or not, you need the search engine algorithm’s approval to succeed with online content. But you should never prioritize your SEO strategy over your brand voice.
Stuffing your copy with keywords isn’t just bad for your SEO strategy (Google punishes you for keyword stuffing, by the way); it’s bad for your branding. It’s impossible to connect with your audience, provide them with meaningful information, and highlight your brand’s value proposition if you’re so focused on stuffing your copy and content with keywords.
When you’re too focused on SEO and stuffing keywords into your content, your message suffers. When your message suffers, your TOV falters. When your TOV falters, your audience is uninterested. Nobody wants to read brand copy that sounds like it was written by a glitching robot that couldn’t stop mentioning a keyword over and over.
Your brand’s voice should always come first–your SEO strategy is second.
Looking for someone to help you balance your SEO strategy with your brand voice? Hiring a copywriter or professional content writer can help you bridge that gap. You want the best of both worlds, and professional writers with knowledge and expertise in digital marketing and SEO copywriting can help you find your perfect blend.
Level With & Relate to Your Audience
You’re not trying to talk at your audience–you’re trying to talk directly to them. So, level with them. Relate with them. Recognize their problems. Show them the solutions. This might sound overly straightforward, but it’s not.
Being able to relate to your audience and level with them in a no-nonsense way that connects with them is, in my opinion, the secret to good copywriting.
Remember: you’re the expert at what you do, but that doesn’t mean that’s how your people think or talk about their problems.
I call this discrepancy Penthouse Problems and Groundfloor feelings.You’re at the top level and you know too much. Your people are on the ground floor and don’t undrestand a word you’re saying. If you don’t get on their level, you’re going to leave them hanging – and they’ll find someone who does level with and speak to them.
Get a (Real) Human's Opinion
If you’re tackling your brand’s writing on your own, we highly recommend reviewing your work frequently–but we also recommend getting a second (and third) opinion as often as possible.
Why? Because it’s so easy to overthink brand writing.
Getting in your head while you’re writing is a very real problem–even professional copywriters and digital content writers grapple with this (ask us how we know). The best way to ensure you’re writing like a human is to pause, take a breath, and hand the work over to someone else for a brutally honest review.
If you’re in your head, they’ll tell you. If you’re overcomplicating something, they’ll tell you. If what you’re writing doesn’t read well, they’ll tell you. This type of criticism isn’t cruel; it’s constructive–and it’s a big part of the process for human-approved writing.
Edit Like a Person Would – Imperfectly & In Phases
Don’t try to write and edit at the same time – you’re not an AI platform, pal. Separate the writing process and the editing process into two separate phases (your brain will thank you, trust me).
Then, when it comes time to edit, make sure you try my five go-to editing modes so you can put the best version of your words out there!
Copy for Humans, By Humans is Our Thing
Need a hand getting the hang of this human-to-human writing? You’re in luck–it’s kind of our thing. And we’re happy to team up to ensure you’ve got the best copy and content for your brand possible!
Our copywriting team knows how to connect with your unique audience in impactful, human ways through the written word.
Want to learn more? We’ve got you covered. Connect with us today to see how we can team up and tackle your brand’s one-of-a-kind copy.
