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Ever glanced at the horizon and noticed storm clouds gathering? That’s the same sensation many content marketers feel when confronted with the looming monster that is Artificial Intelligence (AI). You’ve probably wondered, “Is this storm going to uproot everything I’ve built?”
You’re not alone in that sentiment.
After all, with AI’s rapid rise in the world of digital marketing, common questions bubble up:
- Is AI suitable for me?
- How will it change the face of content marketing?
- And most importantly, will embracing AI leave me redundant?
First off, I get it. These were my exact concerns.
But here’s the golden nugget: AI isn’t the ominous storm; it’s the tool that helps you weather it.
In this article, you’ll uncover why integrating AI into your content marketing strategy is not just wise—it’s indispensable.
And who better to guide you than a content writer who was once skeptical, but now embraces AI and understands it’s potential.
If your fears about AI are tethered to potential job loss or dwindling creativity, let’s address those head-on. Buckle up and let’s demystify the AI revolution together.
Understanding AI and Its Role in Content Marketing
Is AI the New Frontier for Content Marketers?
Imagine walking into a room of blinking lights, each representing a potential customer. Some blink rapidly, others slowly, and yet others are dim. As a content marketer, you’re tasked with understanding why each light behaves the way it does.
But what if there was a tool that could not only decode this blinking pattern but also predict it, even influence it?
That’s where AI steps in.
What is AI?
“AI is the umbrella term for the algorithms, technologies, and techniques that make machines smart and give marketers superhuman capabilities.”
Paul Roetzer, in ‘Marketing Artificial Intelligence’
In the simplest terms, Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to making machines smart. When it comes to marketing, AI is all about making marketing smart.
Think of it as a super-smart assistant who can process vast amounts of data in mere seconds and offer you insights that would otherwise take weeks (even months) to derive.
In other words, AI helps marketers get things done better, and faster.
How does AI Fit into Content Marketing?
The fusion of AI and content marketing isn’t a distant future—it’s already here.
With AI, you’re equipped to:
- Create Content: ChatGPT and other AI models help you generate content, from blog posts to social media copy, and more. When it comes to imagery and video, there’s also AI tools that exist for this. For example, MidJourney can be used to produce images based on text prompts and AdCreative.ai can be used to generate videos and images for social media and programmatic advertisements. When it comes to content creation, AI saves you an enormous amount of time
- Optimise Content: While AI can help you create content, it also aids you in optimising your existing content. For example, it can help you optimise each piece of content on your website for maximum search visibility. AI analyses more data than any human could, and today it has the power to give you personalised ranking recommendations to make sure you get the most out of the content you already have. Check out a recent article on how AI is revolutionising SEO and the best SEO AI tools to use in 2023
- Predict Content Performance: Using predictive analytics, AI can tell you what kind of content your target audience prefers, when they’re most likely to engage with it, and even how they’d like it presented. You can learn what topics you should write about and how to structure content for the best chance at success. Adobe Marketo Engage is one great AI tool that predicts content performance
- Streamline Operations: AI tools, like chatbots, automate routine tasks. This means, instead of sifting through customer enquiries, use AI to address FAQs, land focus on more nuanced tasks instead
- Personalise and Recommend Content: AI can analyse user behaviour on your site and then recommend what types of content to serve up to users each time they return. This is powerful because now we’re not only creating content with AI, but we’re making strategic content marketing decisions based on personalised feedback that AI provides. MarketMuse is a great example of an AI that can do this
Here’s a gentle reminder: while AI can process information, predict patterns, and even generate content, it doesn’t quite possess the human touch—empathy, understanding, and creativity. On top of that, AI can’t talk to your sales team and understand your customers directly.
What AI offers isn’t a replacement but a complementary tool to elevate your content marketing game.
Benefits of Embracing AI in Content Marketing
If you’re contemplating whether it’s worth investing your time and resources in AI, here’s why you should do it.
1. Helps you produce better outcomes in your role
AI increases revenue by giving accurate data driven recommendations on content that works, and it decreases costs by reducing the time spent on mundane tasks. This ultimately increases your value as a Content Marketer to organisations, because you’re able to leverage AI to help your organisation (assuming you have the skills to use AI).
You might think, “If I’m helping reduce organisational costs by spending less time on mundane tasks due to AI, doesn’t that make me redundant?”
No.
Here’s the thing – you’re helping your organisation reduce costs spent on mundane tasks so that those same resources can be spent on more strategic tasks. In other words, it’s simply allowing for a smarter allocation of resources in the organisation.
As you focus on more strategic tasks and AI takes care of the mundane, the organisation is benefited and so are you.
2. Optimises your content production efforts
AI helps you create content faster and, in some cases, better. Let me share a personal story with you.
There was a time when the thought of using AI to generate product copy for my e-commerce store seemed straight out of a sci-fi movie. I thought, ‘How can AI possibly write content that’s intuitive and creative?’ But as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention (or in my case, adaptation).
It was a late Tuesday evening, and I was facing the task of crafting descriptions for a new line of products I was on the brink of launching. Each one needed a unique touch, a compelling narrative, and I was already hours behind my schedule.
That’s when I decided to give ChatGPT a shot, having heard about its prowess in content generation.
I was skeptical at first. How could a machine grasp the essence of my products?
But as I started feeding it prompts and tweaking its responses, I was floored by its capability. Sure, it wasn’t a magical “write-and-forget” experience. I still had to sprinkle in some personal flair and adjust some phrasing, but what previously took days was now reduced to hours.
The most enlightening part? Some of the AI-generated descriptions resonated so well that they outperformed my earlier hand-crafted ones in terms of conversion rates. Now while this may not always be the case (and has not always been the case in my experience) it is a testament to the power of AI.
The world of AI in content generation isn’t about sidelining human creativity; it’s about amplifying it. It’s a dance between machine precision and human intuition.
And as I looked at the finished product listings on my e-commerce store that night, I realised that with tools like ChatGPT, I wasn’t just a content creator. I was a content maestro, orchestrating a symphony of words with the power of AI.
3. You’ll be valued in the changing landscape
AI isn’t about taking over the human role. It’s a symbiotic relationship where Content Marketers are endowed with unmatched analytical and content creation powers – the key being that they have the skill to use the tools (AI tools that is) properly.
It’s like Thor with his hammer. Do you think he’d be all strong and powerful if he didn’t have the skill to wield the hammer? Alone, the hammer is worthless. But with a skilled Thor, the hammer becomes priceless. The same is true with AI.
As a Content Marketer, it’s your job to become skilled in new technologies that become a part of the Content Marketing field. AI is one of these. The better you are at utilising AI, the more you’ll be valued as the industry adapts.
4. Precision and Personalisation
Remember the times when you’d broadcast the same message to your entire audience, hoping it would resonate with the majority? Those days are behind us.
AI can analyse individual user behavior, preferences, and past interactions, allowing for personalised content recommendations.
This kind of precision ensures that your content is not just seen, but also deeply resonates with your audience.
For example, by analysing user behaviour on your website, AI systems can recommend which types of content and which assets to serve to users each time they visit the site. This makes it much more likely for users to engage with your content and take conversion actions.
5. Data-Driven Decisions
In the age of information, data is king. But raw data is overwhelming.
AI helps in sifting through vast datasets, drawing meaningful patterns and actionable insights. Whether it’s tracking the success of a campaign, understanding audience behaviour, or predicting future trends, AI ensures your decisions are backed by robust data.
Since a large part of your role as a Content Marketer is to analyse data to understand what works better, having an assistant who may be better than you and faster than you at data analysis is invaluable.
These five benefits are just scratching the surface of what AI may be able to do in the future. With this knowledge, it’s probably clear by now that if you haven’t already, you should jump on the AI train.
However, the road to AI adoption is not devoid of challenges and apprehensions. Let’s address these head-on in the next section.
How to Overcome Objections and Fears About AI
When approaching the realm of AI, content marketers often find themselves grappling with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Below, I’ll debunk common myths, and provide practical advice to assure you of those lingering doubts.
1. Myth: AI Will Replace Creativity
Reality: AI is not here to replace human creativity but rather to augment it. While AI can process data at an unprecedented speed, it lacks human emotions, intuition, and the ability to truly understand cultural nuances. Think of AI as a brush, and the content marketer as the artist. While the brush can aid in the creation process, the true artistry comes from the human behind it.
2. Myth: AI Will Render Me Jobless
Reality: AI is a tool, not a replacement. While it can automate routine tasks, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building—the core of content marketing—remains inherently human. By embracing AI, you’re equipping yourself with a powerful ally, making you even more valuable in the marketplace.
3. Myth: AI is Too Complex to Understand
Reality: AI, like any other skill, can be learned. Start with the basics. The initial learning curve might feel steep, but numerous resources and courses can simplify complex concepts. As you delve deeper, you’ll find AI more accessible than you initially thought.
4. Concern: I Don’t Know Where to Begin
Reality: It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Start small. Experiment with one AI tool that aligns with your current marketing needs. As you get comfortable, expand your toolkit. Remember, every expert was once a beginner. If you’re still having trouble, here’s a beginners article on the best ChatGPT prompts you can use in your marketing efforts. Give it a read and try using some of the prompts as a starting point. You can access ChatGPT here.
5. Concern: AI Might Dilute the ‘Human Touch’ in My Content
Reality: AI can offer suggestions based on data, but the final decision rests with you. Use AI recommendations as a starting point and infuse your unique voice and style. I personally use AI to help me write blog articles, but a large majority of the articles change as I add, edit and remove what ChatGPT has given me. It’s all about achieving the right balance.
It’s essential to remember that every technological advancement, from the printing press to the internet, has been met with skepticism. Yet, those who embraced change have always reaped the benefits. Now, the baton is in your hands.
So the question remains, how can you start integrating AI into your content marketing strategy?
How to Get Started with AI for Content Marketing (+The Best Content Marketing AI Tools in 2023)
Beginning your journey with AI in the realm of content marketing may seem like stepping into the unknown. But with a little guidance and the right tools, you’ll find it both exhilarating and deeply rewarding.
Here’s some steps you can follow the get started with AI for Content Marketing:
1. Learn from an Expert
Before diving headfirst, it’s essential to understand the AI landscape. One book that you can read which I highly recommend is ‘Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing, and the Future of Business’ by Paul Roetzer. This will give you the starting information you need.
2. Choose the Right Tool for the Job (The Best Content Marketing AI Tools in 2023)
Below are some key tools you might want to explore. We won’t delve into the tools in depth in this article, but you can check them out in your own time:
- ChatGPT: This can help you write blog articles, social media captions, strategies, read and organise data in table format, and more. Check out our intro to ChatGPT here
- Adobe Marketo Engage: This tool analyses various signals like engagement, CRM data and intent to serve up the right content at the right time to every user on your website. It can also provide content recommendations
- Anyword: This tool uses models like ChatGPT-3 to create content that sounds human. The biggest difference between this and ChatGPT is that Anyword uses personalised signals to determine how to improve your copy across campaigns or your website. On top of this, Anyword can be easily integrated into your various work tools, such as Notion, Canva, and ChatGPT. Think of it like an overpowered ChatGPT
- Copy.ai: This tool uses AI to automatically write ad copy, social media content and website copy
- Descript: This tool is a video and audio editing tool, and a personal favourite. It can create voiceovers that sound human with text-to-speech technology, it can do traditional video and audio editing faster by providing a transcript of your audio, which you can then use to edit quickly. For example, rather than cutting the video in different sections like you would with traditional video editing, you can now delete words or phrases in the transcript provided and it will automatically cut those parts out. On top of this, it also has an automatic transcription feature that eliminates filler words from recordings with a single click
- Frase: This tool provides site visitors with answers to their questions using content from your website. It also gives you detailed analytics on which questions users are asking, and then helps you create content around those questions so you can rank higher in search engines
- Jasper: This tool helps you create high performing copy based on different formats, such as specific ad channel formats, landing pages, Amazon Listings etc. The cool thing about this tool is that unlike ChatGPT, you can choose what you want to create, and then the tool will change the output depending on your choice. For example, if you were to choose Facebook Ad as an option, the output Jasper would give is specific to that channel. In this way you can get really specific around what type of copy you want to make through AI.
- PathFactory: This tool builds personalised content journeys for each person that visits your site. It uses real data on consumption metrics on your site and uses this to guide users to the content they care about most. This ultimately helps you get more engagement and higher conversion rates
- Check out some of the Best SEO AI Tools to use in 2023: Apart from the above tools, there are also various AI tools you can leverage for SEO. These will ultimately help your content rank higher
3. Maintain the Human Touch
As reiterated earlier, while AI can guide and assist, the human aspect in content marketing remains irreplaceable. Ensure that you use AI as a complement, not a replacement.
4. Stay Updated
AI is an ever-evolving field. Dedicate some time each month to catch up on the latest developments and tools in AI for content marketing. Not sure where to start? Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the newest tech.
The Urgency of Adopting AI Now
The landscape of content marketing is undergoing a seismic shift. Where once human intuition and creativity reigned supreme, there’s a new player on the block – Artificial Intelligence.
But rather than seeing AI as a competitor, we should perceive it as an enabler, a tool that can amplify our abilities and streamline our efforts.
We are at a juncture where hesitation could cost dearly.
AI isn’t waiting for anyone. It’s evolving at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. The longer you wait to embrace it, the wider the knowledge gap becomes.
One of the primary fears surrounding AI is job loss.
But history has shown that with the advent of new technologies, jobs don’t disappear; they evolve.
The question is, do you want to be on the forefront of that evolution or play catch-up?
If you want to learn more about AI, check out episode 137 of the InboundBuzz podcast where our CEO Moby discusses AI in depth.
