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AI for business: A driver of change for marketers

Introduction

AI — it’s the term on everyone’s lips. From sensational news stories to computer-generated selfies and research shortcuts, AI genuinely has the power to completely transform the way we work — particularly in the marketing industry.

Seeing as this page is about AI, we thought it would only be right to ask ChatGPT what AI is. Here’s what it said.

“AI is the simulation of human intelligence in machines, enabling them to think, learn and perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.”

Artificial intelligence comprises many disciplines, such as machine learning (ML) and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). In simple terms, robots or machines have been trained on huge datasets to replicate human tasks.

AI is by no means a new concept. In fact, the discipline itself was discovered in the 1950s, long before computers and electronic devices existed as they do now.

But we’ve seen an acceleration of AI for business in our daily lives over recent years, months and days, thanks to the introduction of ChatGPT, Midjourney, chatbots, AI assistants and much more to the general public.

Naturally, some pushback has occurred in response to AI gaining mass popularity. Questions around privacy, job security and transparency have arisen, with key figureheads speaking out about the need for regulation to ensure AI doesn’t get out of control.

While there’s a lot of controversy and scaremongering around AI, the benefits of it far outweigh the negatives. It presents time-saving and efficiency-generating opportunities with high levels of accuracy in record-breaking time. We’re talking about generating a marketing strategy framework in seconds.

And it’s constantly evolving. You only need to Google ‘AI news’ and there will have been countless developments in the last 24 hours alone. After all, big names are competing for space in the AI field. You’ll find traditional tech giants, forward-thinking companies and your favourite platforms wanting a piece of the action.

So, what does it mean for you as marketers? We’ll answer it all right here. From the benefits and uses to prompt building and how an agency can help, we’ve got all the resources, podcasts and tips you need to keep up with and create opportunities with AI.

What are the marketing benefits of AI?

There’s no denying it — AI is taking the marketing world by storm. It’s mentioned in every meeting, email newsletter subject line and blog you read. There’s very much the attitude of ‘adapt or get left behind’, but is it worth the hype? 

Absolutely.

If you need more convincing, here are a few benefits AI holds for marketing professionals.

  • 1. Saves Time

Search the internet in a matter of seconds for research? AI can do that. Develop a campaign strategy framework geared towards your business needs and personas? It can do that too. Generate a social caption? And that.

  • 2. Creates efficiencies

Saved time = greater efficiency. The biggest benefit of AI is it frees up time by automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks, which you can spend elsewhere.

  • 3. More time to focus on the bigger picture

And what can you do with that spare time? Focus on the big tasks that require human interaction, whether it’s training your team, focusing on achieving big KPIs or allowing you more creative time.

  • 4. Eliminates human error

AI has a high level of accuracy, particularly when considering automation. Using AI removes the chance of human error and, therefore, lessens the chance of costly mistakes.

  • 5. Generates new ideas

Stuck in a creative rut? Can’t find the ideal image you’re looking for? AI can help with that. AI tools such as GPT-4, ChatGPT and Midjourney can spark creative inspiration for the foundation of your marketing ideas.

  • 6. Predict customer behaviour easily

Customer insights are the central core of many marketing activities, which is why it’s so important to conduct detailed and accurate analysis. With the help of AI tools, this is possible, allowing you to extract high-quality insights to help you make better-informed decisions.

And that’s just the beginning.

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How can AI be used for marketing?

As it stands, there seem to be very few limitations on what AI can’t do. Just by reading to this point, you’ll have an idea of some of the tasks you can start trying out with the help of AI.

It’s estimated that more than 80% of marketing professionals integrate AI tools into their online activities. Thousands of tools are available, so it’s worth researching how much AI can do for you.

To get you inspired, here are some ideas to try out.

Content

  • Generating blog briefs
  • Creating frameworks for premium content
  • Writing creative copy
  • Building video scripts
  • Automating workflows and email sequences
  • Personalisation
  • Generating buyer personas
  • Brainstorming email subject lines

Strategy

  • Building campaign plans
  • Conducting in-depth research
  • Generating blog title ideas
  • Creating buyer personas
  • Gathering consumer insights and trends
  • Automation of marketing activities

Paid and organic social

  • Writing creative copy
  • Generating captions
  • Composing music for posts
  • Social listening tools
  • Chatbots
  • Select appropriate audiences
  • Optimise ads

SEO

  • Keyword research
  • Analysis of site content
  • Generate SEO-optimised content
  • Site-wide optimisation tools
  • Rank tracking
  • SEO scoring

Sales

  • Automated workflows and emails
  • Lead nurturing
  • Meeting notes
  • Automate repetitive tasks
  • Forecasting
  • Advanced data analysis
  • Optimise sales enablement and engagement

How to build the best prompts

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not as simple as typing ‘write me a blog post about AI’ and you’re good to go. Although that will work, the output is likely to be poor.

The quality of the output depends on the quality of the prompt. The more detailed and directional the prompt, the more likely you’ll get the most out of AI.

So, how do you go about building the best prompts? Here’s a quick step-by-step guide.

  1. Setting — Sets the tone or context 
  2. Instruction — What you want it to do
  3. Data — Source data or examples
  4. Classifiers — The scope, format, audience, time and constraints
Image for AI Pillar Page

Here’s an example of one we made earlier. For more details on how to build the best prompts to reap the awards of AI, check out our full framework here.

Are there any drawbacks of AI for marketing?

There’s no denying we’re big fans of AI, but that doesn’t mean to say it’s flawless. Like every new and exciting technology, there are likely to be a few problems and questions that arise.

As it stands, most of the negativity surrounding AI is the fear of the unknown and the classic response — ‘Are the robots going to take our jobs’?

Yes, AI will replace humans in some roles, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It opens up pathways for people to upskill and explore new areas of their roles. Not to mention the number of jobs AI will create in the field.

It’s about adopting AI and using it to your advantage rather than fearing it and getting left behind while others around you capitalise on the opportunities and grow.

So what are those disadvantages? While AI is usually accurate, it won’t be 100% of the time. AI tools such as ChatGPT feature disclaimers that the information given may not always be correct.

Similarly, although AI is incredibly creative, it’s still impossible to recreate what the human mind can achieve. So we wouldn’t ask AI tools to create all your email subject lines or design your websites just yet.

And at the end of the day, AI tools are machines, not humans. It can’t understand things like emotion, sentiment and human intelligence. The human element can’t be recreated; sometimes, people prefer to bounce ideas and get answers from another human.

How can an agency support you on your AI journey?

After weighing up the pros and cons, we can come to one inevitable conclusion — a combination of AI tools and human intelligence is the recipe for success in marketing.

AI hasn’t been designed to and should never replace humans. That’s why Sam Altman stood up in Congress and called for greater regulation of his own product, OpenAI. Machines have the capability to action many of the tasks we do on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean they automatically should.

If you want to add the cherry on the cake of your AI journey, we’d recommend working with an expert agency.

Whether you haven’t got enough time on your hands to explore AI, you haven’t experimented with it just yet or you’re unsure on how to get the most out of AI, partnering with an agency could help you take a step in the right direction.

The best agencies will already be well ahead of the crowd with their AI adoption, which will be commonplace in their operations. Agencies can be the key that unlocks more targeted marketing, deeper insights and bigger returns.

To find out more about working with an agency and the best practices for AI, read our insightful blog.


Interested? Talk to us

Here at Avidly, we’re well on our way to experiencing the benefits that AI has to bring. Start the conversation today if you want to discover how we can help you realise these opportunities and reach your goals.

Contact us here

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