It’s been a VERY long time since something has rocked the marketing world quite as much as AI has.
You’ve heard about it, read about it, and, chances are, you’re using it on a daily basis. From AI-generated content, images and videos, it really does seem like it’s taking over, especially when it comes to marketing.
However, the reality is that, without proper prompting, refinement and human oversight, the output of LLMs (large language models) and other AI tools often fall short. You may have noticed a spike in generic, uninspired, or even inaccurate content – content that sounds a little uncanny and not quite right.
This is, more often than not, the result of AI being used improperly – left to run loose without any input from the people behind it. AI is a valuable tool, but only if you use it correctly. In this blog, we’ll run through how AI and marketing work together, as well as give examples of how you can better use AI in your marketing efforts.
How does AI in marketing actually work?
AI in marketing is so much more than just generating text or images. Used correctly, AI can dramatically improve marketing efficiency by augmenting decision making, automating tedious tasks and, on occasion, uncovering hidden opportunities.
Here’s how many tech-savvy marketers are using AI already:
1. Data analysis & predictive insights
AI processes vast amounts of data (customer behaviour, ad performance, market trends) faster than any human could.
It identifies patterns – like which leads are most likely to convert or which content topics will perform best.
For example, AI-powered tools (like Google Analytics’ predictive metrics) forecast trends, helping marketers adjust strategies proactively.
2. Hyper-personalisation at scale
AI segments audiences dynamically, tailoring messaging based on real-time behaviour. This allows you to speak to individuals in a voice that truly resonates with them, touching on specific pain points or needs.
A good example of this is how Netflix’s recommendation engine or Amazon’s personalised product suggestions work – AI adjusts content for each user, showing them only what they are more likely to engage with.
Other businesses (specifically SMEs) might use AI to help personalise their PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns. This can work in many ways; you might choose to show specific ads to people only after they visit one of your key product pages, or you might adjust ad copy based on job title, if it’s known.
For the most part, marketers are using AI to help identify potential keywords, or to help produce ad copy that’s super tailored to their target audience.
3. Automated content optimisation
Many businesses are making the mistake of replacing human copywriters with AI tools, such as ChatGPT.
AI, in its current state, struggles to create a connection with readers – something that’s very important when it comes to business comms.
AI doesn’t replace copywriters but instead helps refine their work. It should be used as an ideation tool, helping overcome writers’ block, or it should be used to suggest improvements to already written content. If you rely on AI exclusively, you may find your content penalised in search engines (click here if you’d like to learn more about Google’s AI penalties).
To use AI for content properly, consider tools like Grammarly, Clearscope, or Jasper, which can suggest improvements for SEO, readability and engagement.
Not only this, but if you’re running regular email marketing campaigns AI can A/B test email subject lines in real time, which, according to ArtSmart AI, can boost click-through rates by 13%, and open rates by 10%.
4. Advertising & bid management
Historically, your ads would need CONSTANT monitoring. AI has taken much of the tedious busywork away, automating ad buying and adjusting bids based on performance data to maximise ROI.
Platforms like Google Ads and Meta use AI to optimise ad placements for conversions. If properly set up, AI can help boost PPC ROI by 52% due to its ability to dramatically reduce ad spend. We talk in depth about the future of AI in PPC here.
5. Chatbots & conversational marketing
AI-driven chatbots provide a 24/7 customer service rep to busy businesses, handling FAQs, qualifying leads and even booking appointments – freeing up human teams for high-value interactions.
Your users get a better experience on your website, meaning they’re far more likely to convert, and you can dedicate your human resources elsewhere. It’s a win-win!
Here’s 3 examples of what good AI usage looks like
1. You’re planning your content strategy, but aren’t sure where to start
Garry works at a manufacturing business. He’s their sole marketer.
At the start of the month, he spends a few hours planning content that will go out across socials, on their blog page and elsewhere. This takes him the best part of a day, as he’s a one-man team.
Then, Garry discovers ChatGPT – he asks it for some ideas. He adds lots of detail into his prompt (what’s worked in the past, what topics he doesn’t want to cover, what his target audience like to hear, et cetera). Because he prompted it correctly, Garry now has a wealth of ideas, generated in a fraction of a second.
Sure, he still needs to put the content plan together, but he’s effectively saved hours of time that he can now apply to more valuable marketing efforts.
2. You need to report on your marketing to date, but there’s a LOT of data to manage
Linda has a big marketing report coming up. She knows that this quarter has been successful, as leads generated have gone up, but she is struggling to attribute these leads to specific tactics.
She invests in an AI tool for marketing (this could be one of many, Jasper, HubSpot, Agency Analytics, etc.). This allows her to input a large quantity of data and generate instantaneous insights.
It, as with many other AI tools, doesn’t do everything. Linda still needs to interpret reports and present them to the wider team, but AI tools make market reporting significantly more efficient.
3. You’re a marketing manager, but your daily tasks and processes are getting overwhelming
Historically, marketing managers have been bogged down in day-to-day tasks.
Take Martin, he works as a marketing manager, but he’s a creative at heart. Unfortunately, his creative marketing ambitions are stifled by laborious reporting obligations, the constant need to check his ad campaigns, his unruly sales pipeline and social media planning.
Fortunately, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel – his employers have just invested in HubSpot. Now Martin has SIGNIFICANTLY more time to be creative in his role, helping him come up with some great marketing campaigns that help to boost conversion rates across the board.
AI has, in effect, taken many of the mundane tasks out of his to-do list, allowing him to focus on doing what he does best – helping a business to grow.
Without the right expertise, AI is functionally useless (for now)
This all sounds fantastic, right? Sign me up!
Well, there is a caveat to much of this: success when using AI in marketing boils down to one thing – proper prompting.
Sure, you can hop onto ChatGPT and ask it to generate you a blog, but if you just ask it to ‘write me a blog about AI in marketing’, for example, you’re going to end up sounding exactly like everyone else.
AI thrives when it works in tandem with a creative human – it should never work in silo. Many businesses are learning this the hard way, with Google cracking down on a lot of lazy, uninspired AI content.
By learning how to better prompt your AI tools, you’ll get so much more out of them. Provide them with keywords, suggest avenues they can explore, ask them to flesh certain sections out; the more information you provide, the better your output will be. Make sure to be nice and specific, leaving little room for ambiguity.
Then, when your ideas are generated, NEVER POST ANYTHING WITHOUT CHECKING IT. AI has, on many occasions, made stuff up. Spreading false information can and will damage trust in your brand, so ensure that you’re carefully reviewing anything that AI creates for you.
What should you do next?
This question depends on one key question – are you looking to grow your business?
We’re going to presume that your answer is “yes”.
So, our best answer: you should partner with a digital marketing agency who truly understand how to utilise AI in the right way.
Since the AI revolution began, we’ve worked incredibly closely with AI tools, upskilling our teams and ensuring that we’re seeing serious efficiency benefits. The more efficient we are, the further we can make our clients’ budgets go.
It also means that we are sitting at the cutting-edge of marketing. We can either become your complete outsourced marketing department, or we can work closely with your internal team to provide marketing skillsets that they need to improve your organisational growth.
The next step is to book a call with one of our AI marketing experts. It’s a no-obligation chat, designed for you to ask any questions you may have.
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