For years, artificial intelligence has been considered a pipe dream – a fun topic primarily explored in pop culture. That was until this year, which has been a massive one for the progression of AI. But don’t worry, we promise the robots haven’t taken over.
There are plenty of reasons marketers can embrace AI as a tool in their efforts, rather
than treating it as a threat. Here’s a rundown of how artificial intelligence can help marketers, as well as some concerns to be mindful of as the technology evolves.
AI Is Already Making Marketing More Predictable
More information yields to more certainty in all aspects of life. And that’s especially true in marketing, where we’re often faced with moving and evolving target audiences.
Companies like Netflix use AI to help recommend movies and shows you might be interested in watching. Whenever you pick something to watch, that serves as a data point for Netflix that it can use to recommend something similar in the future.
Believe it or not, artificial intelligence has already been helping marketers do the same thing. Most social and digital ad platforms optimize campaigns and communications based on performance. If you clicked on an ad or an email CTA once, chances are you’ll see a similar ad or email down the road. AI also makes it easier to automate follow ups based on previous engagement.
Artificial intelligence can also help deliver a more personalized experience for consumers.
A recent study revealed 71% of surveyed consumers are expecting brands to deliver a personalized marketing experience.
AI can help marketers identify which stories to tell to which people across a variety of channels. And it starts with acquiring data points through audience touch points that can help guide future communications.
AI Can Help with Ideating
The idea of brainstorming with a robot might sound strange, but it can actually be quite valuable. AI applications like Chat GPT can serve as a great brainstorming buddy.
Sometimes you just need help shrinking down a social post to get under the character limit. Maybe you just need another way to rewrite a CTA for an existing email campaign. Maybe you need some additional topic ideas for a blog series. AI can also come in handy for compiling keywords to improve search engine optimization tactics and draw even more visitors to your websites.
AI can help with all of that by providing options within clearly-defined parameters. Pro tip: the more you give AI to work with, the more refined its output will be.
AI is Artificial Intelligence, not Authentic Intelligence
AI is an immensely helpful tool for optimizing strategies and communications. Its potential remains unlimited, especially for bringing messaging initiatives to scale. And it’s an exceptional tool for providing alternate messaging options.
However, AI still doesn’t replace the authenticity, brand knowledge and creative ingenuity that true marketers possess. Context matters in marketing, and AI still hasn’t caught up to humans in that respect.
The insights AI delivers are definitely useful, but they aren’t ironclad. Even the robots get things wrong. And it’s important to check what AI creates to ensure it matches the voice, tone and personality of the brand you’re representing. The audience can also catch on to a message that feels inauthentic or automated, which can turn them off to a brand entirely.
The Verdict
So, should marketers let the robots in, or keep them at an arm’s length? The answer likely depends on your organization’s needs. Regardless of how you use AI, be sure to balance leveraging its capabilities while being cognizant of its limitations.
