In this industry it feels like the future is constantly arriving at our doors far earlier than we expected. AI is one of those advances business owners and marketers alike have dreamed about for years. Yet, now it’s here, and it seems to be a center focus of fear and concern rather than excitement.
Maybe it’s not quite how we or the movies portrayed it would be but AI has reached a level of functionality in the industry of advertising and marketing. Whether you’ve recognized it or not, undoubtedly you’ve seen some of the AI artwork taking social media by storm while browsing your feed lately. Real life concerns have begun to spark debates about the ideas of how much AI should be used vs how much of it can ethically be used. From writing, to art, to full on branding, AI is making strides to replace tasks and roles that entire specialists were hired for.
So what does AI mean for the advancement of your business? Are you ready to take the leap? How does a brand know when that leap can be made? Should we even consider AI a reliable strategy to begin with? Let’s evaluate together.
It’s important to have a reality check before beginning any evaluation of an AI tool. AI has not reached the Hollywood levels of being able to recreate an entire human mind. Artificial Intelligence is a software that uses stored data to track patterns and create calculated predictions or outcomes. That means AI can only work off the data provided and calculate future outcomes based on that data.
This is important to keep in mind. If you invest in an AI tool for storytelling and discover that the data set the tool is using is all Hallmark movie scripts then you might find the outcomes of such a tool to be too cheesy and off-tone for your digital advertising messages.
There is no one AI that has the entire history of the internet throughout the world stored in its data libraries to build off of. This means AI is not universal. You need to evaluate how the AI’s data relates back to your audience, your brand needs, and your business type before investing. If you can’t understand where an AI is getting its data from then it may not be a tool trusting enough to invest in.
Let’s start with the pros:
– AI can be cheaper than hiring a whole team of specialists
– AI can help you forgo the need for real world experience, fast-tracking your path to results
– AI pulls from current trends and tactics making it an up-to-date source of insight
– AI can do in seconds what humans need hours to do
AI is a great investment for smaller teams who still want high quality turn out in work without needing to spend as much time. Especially if the AI tool you invest in has a frequently updated data library because this will keep your work up-to-date with all the growing trends and learnings.
But let’s review the cons before getting too ahead:
– AI is not 100% accurate
– AI is becoming more and more visible to the human eye
– AI is limited by its data set as much as it is enabled by it
– AI alone can not produce completed work
– AI will not understand your audience, brand, or goals better than your team
AI has grown popular in every corner of the world, and thus, online shoppers all over are already gaining an oversaturation of AI made content. The same way a shopper knows when they’re talking to a chatbot vs a human, they can spot the use of AI in writing or designs. This is why AI alone cannot produce fully authentic work that connects with audiences on a deeper level. While it may provide a starting point, a human specialist still needs to come in to ensure the work fully matches the goals of the content.
So what does this mean for brands still unsure if they should invest?
AI, while growing in mainstream use, still doesn’t come cheap. Making the shift to AI needs to be strategic and made with intent so here are a few things to ask yourself before determining if AI is right for you:
What is your team lacking?
There needs to be a clear reason you want to try AI. Is it because your design team is understaffed? You don’t have the writing team to send a thousand emails a month? AI needs to complement your team. Don’t create a need that doesn’t exist or jump on the hype train simply for the buzz of it.
What type of functionality do you need AI for?
eBay uses AI to send out thousands of personalized emails to their customer base a week–a feat obviously too burdening for a human team. Personalization is a great reason to invest in AI but not every tool can provide a solution like that. Understand your needs before determining the best option.
Who will be in charge of the AI program?
As mentioned, AI cannot be left unattended. You need a specialist who can take the tool’s output and cater it to your unique needs, audiences, strategies, and so on. If you don’t have anyone on your team ready for that then you need to realize that you’re not just investing in AI but also the need to invest in a specialist.
Do you have enough data?
Most AI programs come pre-built with a data library. The best ones to invest in are the AI programs pulling data from your industry and competitors. But even then, you want to be able to plug your own data into AI to help it adjust to your style. If you don’t have enough data built up then you’re not ready for AI. Not just because you need to feed it data, but also because you need enough experience with your own efforts marketing to your audience before you jump entirely over to a machine-run program. If you haven’t built up that experience you risk losing authenticity entirely.
Do you have enough data?
One thing AI can never supplement is strategy. That’s why it’s important to know what you’re doing when you make the investment, or to work with someone who does.
One of the biggest strides I’ve seen with AI is its ability to enable conversion rate optimization. Its ability to elevate testing, boost gathering insights, and speed up results is amazing. But it still requires a CRO expert to be at the helm, setting the right parameters, maximizing efforts, and focusing on efficiency.
My team and I have been experimenting in the realm of CRO for years now and what we’ve seen AI bring to the table is astounding. If you want to meet to learn about our strategies or discuss a personalized partnership with my team then we’re available to meet. It’s up to you, simply click here and book some time so we can evaluate the best path forward for you.