In this article, we look at how AI has revolutionized content marketing. We’ll also cover the potential drawbacks of using generative AI in content marketing.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has come a long way in the last decade and has become increasingly commonplace in our day-to-day lives. The development of easy-to-use AI-powered tools like ChatGPT has helped businesses tap into the power of AI to unlock new growth opportunities for growth.
But what sets AI apart is its ability to revolutionize the field of marketing. In fact, the market for AI in marketing has seen significant growth in recent years, with a valuation of $15.84 billion in 2021 and a projected growth of $107.5 billion by 2028.
You may not know it, but you may already be using AI-powered tools. In this article, we’ll cover these tools, as well as how you can use them in your strategy. We’ll also discuss how marketers can use AI in content marketing to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their content creation process.
But first – what are AI and machine learning?
Before we dive in, let’s first define artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Artificial intelligence refers to systems and machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition (like Siri and Alexa), decision-making, and language translation.
On the other hand, machine learning is a subfield of AI. It allows computers to learn from data, identify patterns, and make predictions based on those patterns. Machine learning powers some of the tech that we use every day, such as:
- Chatbots
- Predictive text
- Social media feeds – algorithms decide which types of content to show you first
- Personalization – how Netflix and Amazon can always find the next best thing to recommend to you
By using machine learning algorithms, businesses can automate tasks that would typically require human input, such as generating reports or optimizing marketing campaigns.
In this article, we will be using the term AI to refer to both AI and machine learning technologies.
Applications of AI in content marketing
You may not know it, but you may already be using AI-powered tools. Here are some of the most common ways AI tools are being used in content marketing:
Generating content at scale
AI-enabled tech can help content marketers create content in large volumes. Natural language generation (NLG) tools can be used to generate different types of content in a matter of minutes – whether it’s a blog article, a news feature, a video script, or social media caption. Some well-known tools in this area are Jasper.ai, Copy.ai, Koala Writer, and Byword.ai, to name a few.
Read More: Five Ways to Use AI Writing Tools for Content Marketing
Developing your content strategy
Tools like StoryChief, MarketMuse, Narrato, and ChatGPT can help your team create content briefs for your SEO writers. These tools can help you identify relevant keywords, suggest topics, and provide guidance on how to structure content for maximum impact.
Boosting website traffic through SEO
AI can be used to optimize content for search engines and improve engagement with target audiences. Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, Surfer SEO, and Moz use AI and ML to analyze content and suggest improvements based on SEO and readability. For instance, Surfer SEO and ClickUp worked together to analyze the content of a website and improved its readability score by 52%, which in turn led to an 85% increase in blog traffic.
Some AI-enabled tools can also be used to analyze content performance and provide insights into audience behavior. Tools such as Google Analytics and ContentSquare can help businesses understand which types of content are most effective and optimize their content strategy accordingly.
Personalizing customer interactions
Personalization is crucial for businesses that want to increase engagement and conversions significantly. AI can help personalize content for individual users based on their browsing history, preferences, and behavior. Pathfactory, Upland, and Concured are some examples of AI tools that help businesses deliver personalized content that speaks to the unique needs of each user.
Some enterprise tools like BrightEdge offer AI-powered solutions that enable marketers to conduct in-depth research and monitor content performance at a granular level to help them create targeted content that will resonate with their audience.
Another way AI can improve customer interactions is through chatbots. Chatbots can be used to answer customer queries, provide support, and even generate leads. They can be integrated into websites, social media, and messaging apps, making it easier for clients and potential customers to connect with businesses and get the help they need.
Conducting social listening
Social listening is an essential component of any modern marketing strategy. Brand24 is an AI-powered tool that monitors social media platforms and provides businesses with insights into what customers are saying about their brand. By listening to customer feedback, businesses can improve their products and services, and build stronger relationships with their audience.
Possible drawbacks of using AI tools
While AI has many advantages in content marketing, there are also some potential drawbacks. For AI-generated content, one of the biggest concerns is that in most cases, they lack authenticity and creativity. There is also enough research showing that AI tools can perpetuate biases and stereotypes.
Then there’s also a phenomenon called AI hallucination, where artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms generate outputs that are not accurate or realistic, but instead resemble distorted, surreal, or otherwise unrealistic images, sounds, or text. These “hallucinations” can occur when AI models are trained on insufficient or biased data, or when they are pushed beyond the boundaries of their training data.
While these results can sometimes be interesting or thought-provoking, they can also be a significant problem when they lead to erroneous or misleading information being presented as accurate, which, when used in the context of B2B content marketing, can spell a disaster for the brand’s reputation.
Finally, there’s the danger of generative AI disrupting – upending – the global workforce. In March, Goldman Sachs estimates that up to one-fourth of current work in the US and Europe could be substituted by generative AI. Globally, there are 300 million jobs that run the risk of being lost or diminished due to this tech. We’re already seeing these kinds of layoffs in creative companies, such as the internet publisher BuzzFeed, which laid off 12% of its staff last year, and even the music and pop culture magazine Paper, where layoffs have affected around 20–30 personnel.
Conclusion
In summary, AI has transformed the way content marketers approach their work. From content creation and distribution to optimization and analysis, AI-powered tools allow marketers to produce high-quality work that drives traffic more traffic to their websites and gets results.
While the adoption of AI in content marketing is still in its early stages, it’s clear that the technology will only continue to evolve in the next few years. By embracing AI and integrating it into their workflows, content marketers can stay ahead of the curve.
P.S. Here’s a tool to help your enterprise marketing team
If you’re a decision-maker looking for a way to adopt more AI technologies into your process, this tool might be for you. Marketing AI Institute created this free tool to help businesses assess how well they are leveraging AI in their marketing strategies.
This tool evaluates your current marketing efforts across nine categories, including email marketing, content marketing, and social media, to determine your overall Marketing AI score. It then generates a personalized report with recommendations for how you can improve your AI adoption and drive better results.
With AI rapidly transforming the marketing landscape, this can be an excellent resource for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve and optimize their marketing efforts.