How to Use AI to Write Blog Posts – Copy My AI SEO Workflow

Creating impactful blog posts isn’t just about putting words together—it’s about crafting content that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results.

In this guide, I combine my 8 years of experience in SEO and content writing to share with you the step-by-step workflow of how you can create an SEO-friendly blog post with AI.

Foundational setup

Now, before you get started on actually writing a blog post, you need to set up three strategic things:

1. Define your brand
2. Understand your audience
3. Set AI rules and constraints

This will help you in

1. Define your brand

Your content should reflect your brand’s identity. So before you even get started on creating your blog posts, you should create your core brand attributes like messaging, story, and unique value proposition.

Here are the core elements you should define:

• Positioning: What makes your business stand out? For example, as a trusted partner to service businesses, I focus on simplifying content workflows.
• Value proposition: What unique value do you offer? Think about how you solve your audience’s pain points or deliver results (e.g., saving time and driving conversions).
• Expertise, credibility, and story: Highlight your professional background and personal journey to build trust and connection.
• Tone of voice: Whether you’re professional, friendly, or conversational, stay consistent to maintain authenticity.
• Content pillars: Focus on themes that align with your mission, like leveraging AI for efficiency or creating stress-free systems.

2. Understand your audience

• Who are you writing for? Build a clear Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and user persona by asking:
• Who are they? (e.g., small business owners, busy parents, or fitness enthusiasts)
• What are their pain points? (e.g., overwhelm, lack of time, or unclear strategies)
• What are their desires? (e.g., simplified workflows or quick, effective solutions)
• What challenges do they face? (e.g., juggling responsibilities or feeling stuck)

3. Set AI constraints

Before you begin generating content, define the boundaries for what AI should and shouldn’t do. This ensures the output stays aligned with your brand and resonates with your audience. Here’s how to set effective constraints:

• Words or phrases to exclude: List jargon, overly technical terms, or generic phrases that don’t connect with your audience. For example, if your audience prefers casual language, avoid stiff corporate terms.
• Tone and style guidelines: Specify the tone (e.g., friendly, professional) and the level of formality to maintain throughout the content.
• Word count limits: Set a clear range for the length of the content to keep it concise and impactful.
• Formatting preferences: Indicate whether you need bullet points, numbered lists, or paragraph structures.
• Content exclusions: Define what topics, examples, or approaches you want to avoid to keep the focus sharp.

These will help you get exactly the results you want from your AI tools.

How to use AI to write blog posts: 9-step workflow

Step 1: Research pain points related to your content idea

Once you’ve defined your brand and audience, the next step is to zero in on the specific pain points your blog will address. This makes your content more targeted and impactful. Here’s how:

Example 1: Service businesses

• Forums: Visit LinkedIn or Facebook groups where business owners discuss content creation struggles (e.g., “How do I stand out without spending hours?”).
• Communities: Explore Slack or niche forums for common challenges like finding time to write blogs.
• Google Search: Look up queries such as “How to streamline content creation” to see what people are searching for.
• SEO tools: Use Semrush’s “Questions” filter or Google’s “People Also Ask” to identify frequently asked questions.
• Direct audience research: Survey clients or followers to uncover their biggest content challenges.

Example 2: Fitness businesses

• Forums: Check Reddit threads or Strava groups discussing “Effective workouts for busy schedules.”
• Communities: Look at fitness apps like MyFitnessPal to observe discussions about time management.
• Google Search: Search for phrases like “best 30-minute workouts for working parents.”
• SEO tools: Use Ahrefs to find keywords around quick fitness solutions for professionals.
• Direct audience research: Poll your gym members or followers to understand their barriers to consistent workouts.

When you address specific pain points, your blog feels more relatable and actionable. Whether it’s helping business owners save time or guiding busy professionals toward quick fitness wins, your content will connect deeply.

Step 2: Choose a focus keyword

With your pain points in mind, select a keyword that aligns with your content idea and audience’s search behavior. Here’s how to approach it:

• Match the blog topic: Make sure the keyword reflects the main theme of your blog (e.g., “How to simplify content creation with AI”).
• Use audience questions: Leverage SEO tools like Semrush to identify long-tail keywords that solve problems (e.g., “quick workout routines for busy professionals”).
• Consider search intent: Are readers looking for information, solutions, or inspiration? Tailor your keyword to match their needs.

Pro Tip:

Long-tail keywords not only help with ranking but also ensure your content is specific and actionable.

Step 3: Create a detailed outline

ChatGPT can be a powerful brainstorming partner, but only if you give it clear instructions. Use this structure for your prompt:

• Core information: Define the main topic and subtopics. For example, for “Using AI for SEO,” subtopics could include keyword research, structuring content, and optimizing blogs.
• Content idea: What is the goal of the blog? Are you solving a problem, educating, or driving action?
• Audience pain points: Highlight the challenges you want to address (e.g., “feeling overwhelmed by content creation” or “finding time for fitness”).
• Your perspective and points: Add your unique insights or stories to make the blog more personal.
• Brand details: Include your positioning, value proposition, and credibility. These ensure the content reflects your expertise and authenticity.
• Call-to-Action (CTA): Be specific about what action you want readers to take, like downloading a free guide or booking a session.

Check out my full post on how to write powerful ChatGPT promps for content creation.

Step 4: Edit your outline

After ChatGPT generates an outline, take the time to refine it manually. Adjust the structure to reflect your:

• Perspective: Does the outline include your unique angle or insights?
• Experience: Incorporate real-life examples or case studies where applicable.
• Story: Align the outline with your personal journey or brand story to make it more relatable.
• Expertise: Ensure it highlights your authority in the subject matter.
• Values: Make sure the outline reflects your core principles and brand authenticity.

This step ensures the blog structure feels tailored and aligned with your goals.

For example, I recently wrote a blog addressing the overwhelm of content creation by highlighting the power of AI and workflows. The outline helped me focus on practical solutions while sharing my journey.

Step 5: Generate a draft with ChatGPT

Use ChatGPT to create a draft that actually feels like you wrote it—authentic, helpful, and totally on-brand.

The secret?

A detailed prompt with specific instructions.

Here’s how to get ChatGPT to create the output you want:

• Core information: Tell it what the blog is about. Be clear about the main topic and subtopics you want covered. For example, if the blog is about “Simplifying Content Creation with AI,” include points like workflows, tools, and how you’ve made the process stress-free.
• Tone of voice: Let ChatGPT know how you want the content to sound. Do you want it friendly and approachable, like chatting with a colleague, or more professional and to the point? It makes a big difference.
• Words to avoid: Share what doesn’t work for your audience. Maybe “streamlined” or “cutting-edge” feels too stiff or overused—cut them out.
• Examples to include: Include your stories or relatable examples. Like that time you saved 10 hours a week using a simple AI workflow. Adding this makes the content feel more personal and credible.
• Focus keyword: Guide ChatGPT on which keyword it should focus on while creating content
• CTA (Call-to-Action): Be crystal clear about the action you want readers to take—download your guide, book a free call, or explore another post. A strong CTA ties it all together.

When you give ChatGPT these clear, detailed instructions, you’ll get a draft that’s not just good—it’s exactly what your audience needs and expects from you.

Step 6: Edit your draft with ChatGPT Canvas

This is where the magic happens—taking the first draft and making it yours. ChatGPT Canvas is your sidekick for polishing up content so it fits your voice and delivers exactly what your audience needs. Here’s how to make the most of it:

• Expand sections: Look for areas where the draft feels a little thin and add more detail. Whether it’s fleshing out examples, breaking down a concept, or sharing a story, this is your chance to go deeper.
• Highlight for clarity: Leave comments in ChatGPT Canvas on sections that need clarification or a little more oomph. It’s like giving AI your notes for a quick tweak.
• Break it up: Nobody loves huge walls of text. Split up long paragraphs into shorter, scannable chunks. Add headers or bullet points where it makes sense to keep things easy to read.
• Refine your CTA: Does your call-to-action feel natural? Double-check that it ties in smoothly with the rest of the content and makes the next step for your reader super clear.

Working with ChatGPT Canvas helps you shape the draft into something that feels personal, polished, and perfectly aligned with your brand.

Step 7: Generate on-page SEO elements with ChatGPT

Make your blog easy to find and click-worthy with SEO-friendly elements. Here’s what to ask ChatGPT for:

• Title tags: Use your focus keyword and make it engaging.
• Meta descriptions: Write a concise, reader-friendly summary.
• Alt text for images: Add descriptive text that supports SEO and accessibility.
• Internal links: Suggest related posts to keep readers engaged.
• Schema markup: Optional, but great for improving visibility in search results.

This step helps your blog rank better and connect with the right audience.

Step 8: Generate visuals with AI

Use AI tools like DALL-E or Canva to create visuals that make your content pop while staying aligned with your brand. Here’s how to get it right:

• Generate images: Think about the tone and theme of your blog and create visuals that complement it. For example, use soft, professional colors if your content is about productivity or bold, energetic visuals for creative topics.
• Design a banner: A simple Canva template can go a long way in adding branding to your blog. Add your logo, colors, and a short visual hook.
• Break up text: Use charts, illustrations, or even playful icons to make long posts easier to read and more engaging (check out Napkin.AI)

Remember, visuals should add value to your blog—helping readers stay engaged and understand your message more clearly without feeling overwhelmed.

Step 9: Optimize and publish

Finalize your blog and ensure all elements are in place before publishing. Here’s what to do:

• Add on-page SEO elements: Incorporate the optimized tags, meta descriptions, and internal links.
• Format for readability: Use headers, bullet points, and ample white space.
• Submit for indexing: Use Google Search Console to help your blog appear in search results faster.
• Track performance: Set up position tracking in tools like Semrush to monitor traffic and engagement.

Publishing isn’t the end—it’s the start of measuring success and learning what works.

Why this workflow works for service businesses

• Saves time: This workflow is designed to make blogging faster and easier. By relying on clear steps and AI tools, you can cut down the time it takes to brainstorm, write, and optimize content-giving you more time to focus on running your business.
• Builds authority: Creating consistent, brand-aligned content helps establish you as a trusted expert in your field. When your audience sees you regularly addressing their challenges with thoughtful solutions, they’ll start viewing your business as the go-to resource.
• Drives conversions: Content that speaks directly to your audience’s pain points not only grabs their attention but also builds trust. When people feel understood, they’re more likely to engage with your services, sign up for your offers, or become loyal clients.
• Improves visibility: By pairing audience-focused content with SEO optimization, this workflow ensures your blog gets in front of the right people. Ranking higher on search engines means more eyes on your business.

Keeps things stress-free: Blogging can feel overwhelming, but this workflow breaks it into manageable steps. You’ll always know what to do next, making the entire process smooth and efficient.

And don’t stop at creating the blog post either! Repurpose your content to make the most of your content and boost visibility across multiple channels.

A final note from my journey

Balancing a business and motherhood has taught me the value of time and authenticity. This workflow isn’t just about creating content—it’s about building connections with your audience while simplifying your process.

With AI and smart strategies, you can create impactful blogs that grow your business without being overwhelmed.