Don’t Get Busted: Avoiding AI Slip-Ups in WordPress

Artificial Intelligence isn’t just for sci-fi movies anymore (E.T., anyone?). From the way your phone suggests text messages to the way Google sorts search results, AI has quietly integrated itself into our daily routines. And now, thanks to tools like ChatGPT and other content generators, AI has taken center stage in the world of writing, blogging, and digital marketing.

But here’s the kicker: while AI can save you hours of time and help you brainstorm ideas, it also comes with some pretty big pitfalls. If you don’t know how to use it properly, your content can end up sounding robotic.

Our web developer Luc puts it best: “Anything used properly is a tool, improperly is a liability.”

That couldn’t be truer when it comes to AI-generated content. That’s why we’re sharing:

• How to avoid the common traps of AI writing 
• Ways to spot the dead giveaways
• How to craft better prompts

This way, your AI assistant gives you results you’re actually proud to publish on your WordPress site. Let’s get started!

The Rise of AI Content: Why Everyone’s Talking About It

AI content tools exploded onto the scene in the last few years. They can generate blogs in seconds, brainstorm headlines faster than you can pour your morning coffee, and even crank out social posts, emails, or landing page copy without breaking a sweat.

Sounds dreamy, right?

Well… yes and no.

While AI can help you get past writer’s block or generate a rough first draft, it’s not a magic wand. Treating it like one can land you with content that’s clunky, impersonal, and sometimes laughably wrong. Not exactly the vibe you want for your professional brand.

So how do you make the most of AI without falling into the trap of publishing cookie-cutter, AI-sounding fluff? Here are 5 things you DON’T want in your WordPress blog.

Common Pitfalls of Using AI for Content

1. Overusing Em Dashes

If you’ve been reading online content lately and noticed a suspicious number of em dashes (—), you’re not imagining things. Em dashes have become one of the biggest “tells” of AI-generated writing.

Why? Because tools like ChatGPT lean on them heavily to create rhythm in sentences. Humans do use em dashes, of course, but most people sprinkle them in naturally, not every other paragraph. When a blog post looks like it’s running a marathon of dashes, it raises eyebrows.

👉 Pro Tip: If you’re using AI, scan through your content and intentionally swap out em dashes for commas, periods, or restructured sentences. You’ll instantly sound more human.

2. Repetitive Sentence Structures

Another dead giveaway is repetition. AI often defaults to predictable rhythms:

• “Here’s the thing…”
• “Let’s break it down.”
• “In other words…”

While these can be great for conversation, if every paragraph starts the same way, readers catch on fast.

👉 Pro Tip: Read your draft out loud. Mix up your transitions and phrasing. Add variety the way you’d naturally speak.

3. Over-Explaining the Obvious

AI loves to explain things… sometimes too much. You might ask for a blog on SEO, and suddenly it’s giving you the definition of Google or telling you why websites are important. Thanks, but we already know.

👉 Pro Tip: Trim the fat. If a section feels painfully obvious, cut it. Your readers are smart; they don’t need “filler” to make the word count.

4. Generic, Fluffy Phrasing

Here’s one we’ve all seen:

• “In today’s fast-paced digital world…”
• “At the end of the day…”
• “It’s safe to say that…”

These are AI crutches. They’re vague, overused, and say nothing meaningful.

👉 Pro Tip: Replace fluff with specificity. Instead of “fast-paced digital world,” say “small business owners juggling social media, email, and SEO all at once.” That’s more relatable – and more you.

5. Fact-Checking Failures

AI is great at generating sentences, but it’s not always great at accuracy. Dates, statistics, or even quotes can be totally made up. (There’s even a term for it: “AI hallucinations.”)

👉 Pro Tip: Always fact-check. If AI gives you a stat, double-check it before publishing. The last thing you want is to lose credibility over a bogus number.

Dead Giveaways: How to Spot AI Writing

If you’re reading a blog or article and wondering if it’s AI-generated, here are some signs that scream “robot.”

• Too many em dashes. (We said it once, we’ll say it again.)
• Weirdly formal tone in casual contexts. AI often leans polished when the subject doesn’t call for it.
• Lists that feel endless. AI loves bullet points and often overuses them.
• Lack of personal stories or specific examples. Humans reference real life. AI struggles unless you feed it the details.
• Awkward transitions. Ever read something that shifts topics like a car missing a gear? Yep, that’s AI.

It’s not that these things are always bad. But when they stack up, they’re a red flag.

The Secret Ingredient: Better Prompts = Better Results

Here’s the thing most people miss: AI is only as good as the prompts you give it.

If you ask, “Write me a blog about SEO,” don’t be surprised when you get a bland, generic blog that sounds like a Wikipedia article.

But if you ask, “Write me a conversational blog about 3 ways local small businesses can improve their SEO using WordPress, with real-life examples and a fun, sassy tone,” you’ll get something way closer to what you want. The more descriptive the better!

Think of prompts like instructions to a contractor. If you say, “Build me a house,” you might end up with a one-room shack. But if you say, “Build me a three-bedroom house with an open kitchen, lots of windows, and a porch swing,” you’re going to get something much more livable.

👉 Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to revise your prompts. If the first draft feels off, tweak your instructions. AI thrives on clarity and specificity.

How to Humanize AI Content

So, let’s say you’re using AI to draft a blog, but you don’t want it to sound like a robot. How do you “humanize” it?

1. Add Personal Stories

AI doesn’t know your Monday morning coffee routine or how your kid accidentally closed your laptop mid-Zoom call. But those little details? They’re gold. They make content feel real.

2. Use Your Brand Voice

At Raney Day Design, we’re conversational, witty, and a little sassy when it fits. If we relied 100% on AI without editing, we’d lose that spark. Always edit drafts to sound like you.

3. Mix Up the Sentence Length

AI leans toward medium-length sentences. Humans? We vary. Some sentences are short. Others are long and winding because we’re trying to make a point. Sprinkle in variety.

4. Edit Ruthlessly

AI is a starting point, not the finish line. Edit for clarity, tone, and flow.

When AI Becomes a Liability

As we mentioned above, Luc’s quote nails it: “Anything used properly is a tool, improperly is a liability.”

If you rely on AI without putting in the effort to fact-check, personalize, and refine, you risk publishing content that weakens your brand. Readers can tell when something feels off – and once they question your authenticity, it’s hard to win them back.

But when used correctly, AI can be an amazing time-saver. It can spark ideas, break writer’s block, and even generate outlines so you’re not staring at a blank WordPress editor. The trick is knowing when to lean on AI and when to step in with your human touch.

Key Takeaways

AI isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s only getting smarter and more common. But that doesn’t mean you should hand over the keys to your content strategy.

Use AI to support your creativity, not replace it. Lean on it for brainstorming and structure, but always add your personality, stories, and expertise. That’s what makes your content resonate.

So the next time you’re tempted to copy-paste an AI draft straight into WordPress, pause. Edit. Add your own personal spin!

Remember: at the end of the day, your readers aren’t just looking for information, they’re looking for connection. And no matter how advanced AI gets, that’s something only YOU can provide. Need help mastering AI-driven content? Reach out to Raney Day Design to explore our professional copywriting services to make your site stellar.