What is AI really costing you when you hand over your creative control?

If you’re a solo or small business owner creating content to grow your business, you already know the pressure to keep up. Between SEO demands, audience expectations, and new AI tools promising shortcuts, it’s tempting to hand over control and “let the robot do it.”

But will your audience feel any connection to you when they finally find your content? Or will you sound like everyone else who is letting AI create their content from start to finish?

I’m joined by Emily Gertenbach, a seasoned SEO content strategist who’s been writing human-centered digital content since 2010. She’s worked with clients ranging from local agencies to internationally recognized companies, and she’s here to help us make sense of AI’s role in content creation. Emily brings receipts, nuance, and a bit of tough love as we unpack how AI can help and hurt your brand voice, your SEO, and your connection with your audience.

This isn’t a doom-and-gloom episode about robots ruining your content. It’s a human-first conversation about how to use AI responsibly while keeping your creative voice at the center.

Listen for These Episode Highlights

• What happens when a brand’s copy feels “off”

• Is your AI-written content quietly tanking your Google rankings over time?

• How can you still show up in Google’s top results without gaming the algorithm?

Chapters

(00:00) Why AI might be costing you more than it saves

(03:15) Meet Emily Gertenbach and her mission to humanize SEO

(04:07) How does generative AI like ChatGPT work?

(05:34) How machine learning is different than generative AI

(07:15) The problem with what generative AI creates

(09:00) A real-world example of AI harming brand connection

(14:48) What happens when Google evaluates AI-written content against quality metrics?

(15:24) What Google actually rewards when ranking your content

(21:18) Emily’s six human-first elements for long-term SEO success

(23:48) Emily’s AI tool recommendations

(28:56) Why you should think twice before feeding AI your blog

(32:30) How small business owners can use AI responsibly

(34:50) Where to connect with Emily and read her blog

LINKS, RESOURCES, AND TOOLS MENTIONED

https://www.egcreativecontent.com/articles/searcher-hierarchy-of-needs

https://www.egcreativecontent.com/articles/dont-use-ai-for-brand-content

https://www.clearscope.io – SEO content research and optimization tool

https://www.semrush.com – SEO and keyword research tool

https://www.notion.so/product/ai – Document organization and internal content search support

MEET EMILY GERTENBACH

Emily Gertenbach has been creating SEO content since 2010. She’s worked with a wide variety of clients from local agencies tinternationally recognizeded software companies considered to be on the leading edge of user experience and design. Emily understands that, as tempting as it is to try to please the ever-changing Google algorithm, the need for real, humanized content remains constant, which is one of the reasons I’m so excited to be chatting with her about AI and where it fits into SEO and content.

CONNECT WITH EMILY GERTENBACH

https://egcreativecontent.com – Emily's website and blog

CONNECT WITH JEN

Book Your Podcast Power Hour

Website: https://brassybroad.com

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What if the real secret to getting better results with AI isn’t finding the “perfect” tool, but learning how to work with the tools you already have to create the results you want?

In this episode, I’m joined by Sonya Sigler, an executive coach, attorney, and someone who’s been working with AI technology inside businesses long before AI became the shiny new toy on everyone’s mind. Sonya shares why AI isn’t a magic wand or a shortcut, and how working with it thoughtfully, through training and iteration, can actually enrich your creative process — not replace it.

If you’re a solo business owner or service provider feeling overwhelmed by content demands or frustrated that now there’s “one more thing” you have to learn, this conversation will give you a refreshing and practical perspective. We talk about how to experiment with AI without losing your originality, why evolving with the tools matters more than chasing the latest updates, and how small shifts in your workflow can boost your creativity.

Plus, I’ll share how this conversation pushed me to finally commit to using ChatGPT more intentionally, and how I’m building it into my own content creation process to work smarter, without losing soul or connection.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction to AI and Creative Process

(00:33) Meet Sonya Sigler

(02:40) The Love-Hate Relationship with AI

(04:29) Training AI Tools for Better Results

(06:49) Using AI in Content Creation

(09:37) AI as a Collaborative Partner

(13:10) AI in Career Development and Job Applications

(17:11) Intellectual Property Concerns with AI

(20:07) The Power of Context in AI

(22:30) Iterative Process and Training AI

(25:17) Authenticity in AI-Generated Content

(26:59) Advanced Uses and Customization of AI Tools

(31:46) Ethical Considerations and Validation

(34:59) Embracing AI for Strategic Thinking

(37:14) Conclusion and Call to Action

Connect with Sonya Sigler

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ssigler

CONNECT WITH JEN

Book Your Podcast Power Hour

Website: https://brassybroad.com

YouTube: @BrassyBroadJen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-edds-470351b/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brassybroadjen

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@brassybroadjen

What if using AI in your business isn’t just a tech decision—but a values decision? That’s the question I’ve been wrestling with as I try to figure out how to incorporate AI into my business in a way that supports my creativity and integrity.

This is the first episode in a new series in which I’m exploring how solo and small professional services providers can use AI in our processes, workflows, and content creation without losing our voice or compromising our values. I’m bringing my questions and curiosity and talking with folks who’ve been deep in it.

Maggie Patterson, founder of BS Free Business and host of The Staying Solo podcast joins me for the first episode in this AI series. Maggie’s been digging into AI’s impact on solopreneurs—ethically, practically, and creatively. This conversation gets into the nuance, the costs (including some you may not have considered), and what it really looks like to experiment with AI while still showing up with creativity, honesty, and transparency.

Chapters

(00:00) Why I'm doing a series on AI

(03:05) How Maggie describes her current relationship with AI

(04:54) How big is your technology footprint?

(08:02) How AI has been baked into tools we have been using for years

(10:45) Where are we messing up with AI in our businesses

(14:48) How Maggie uses AI to help with podcast scripting

(22:25) Which AI tools has Maggie invested in for her business

(25:45) Ethics, Integrity, and Disclosure around using AI in your business

(30:30) How to avoid letting AI become a distraction

CONNECT WITH MAGGIE

Maggie's AI episode that was referenced in the episode: https://bsfreebusiness.com/boost-efficiency-with-ai/

Website: https://bsfreebusiness.com

Get Maggies Book: https://stayingsolobook.com

The Staying Solo Podcast: https://bsfreebusiness.com/podcast

Instagram: https://instagram.com/smallbusinessboss

CONNECT WITH JEN

Website: https://brassybroad.com

YouTube: @BrassyBroadJen

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-edds-470351b/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brassybroadjen

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@brassybroadjen