The impact of AI on marketing.

Some of us were curious when it first appeared, playing around with prompts and inputs; others were sceptical about its potential… But by now, it has become quite clear that since its launch in December 2022, ChatGPT has disrupted entire industries, and without a doubt, it is here to stay.

ChatGPT has made the world anxious about the future employment landscape. And this is totally understandable. A recent CBS News article addresses this valid fear by quoting Automation Anywhere CEO Mihir Shukla as suggesting that “anywhere from 15% to 70% of all the work we do in front of the computer could be automated.”

So far, the numbers show quite a positive reception for AI: a survey conducted by Sortlist in March 2023 reveals that 41% of business executives believe that ChatGPT could double the productivity of their marketing and PR teams.

Being part of Good Comms, a forward-thinking creative agency in Chester, I have seen both fear and enthusiasm from marketing professionals in response to the recent advent of AI. Recently some clear timesaving uses have emerged from using AI that marketers may want to embrace – let’s explore them.

Streamlining ideation & strategy creation

For those that have tried it, when you input a subject or query with ChatGPT, you immediately get several possible answers and avenues for further research. Devising a marketing campaign is a complex process, and it is sometimes hard to know where to start first.

ChatGPT can assist you in conducting market and product research, which is quite a game-changer. It is possible to analyse various types of customer data, including search queries, social media interactions, and past purchases.

If you have some spreadsheets with data that you cannot figure out, AI allows for faster pattern recognition, leading to more precise predictions that may guide your marketing strategy.

Automating repetitive & boring tasks

We have all heard the news and views of business commentators that AI might replace humans in certain instances by automating repetitive and monotonous processes – but, as I see it, this is quite a good thing. Well, ChatGPT can develop standard templates for your e-mails, social media updates, and spreadsheets. All you need is to input the necessary information, and ChatGPT brings you a cohesive piece of content in a few seconds.

Nobody likes spending 30 minutes trying to get around an e-mail or spreadsheet, right? Also, that means more time for thoughtful decision-making. In other words, marketers can do more in less time!

Overcoming writer’s block

If you’ve ever stared at a blank Word document and thought, “I have absolutely no idea what to write” then you know what writer’s block is! Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT can be especially handy when crafting shorter content like social posts and emails. They can help give you some direction and give you options from which to craft your content.

From headlines, ad copy, press releases or blogs, ChatGPT may provide you with an instant draft that you can then refine and perfect. But the thing with the output it generates is that it is often flowery and repetitious; it may even generate non-factual content with equal assurance. So be careful.

Don’t view it as a ready-done content machine – the output is not cut and dry and still requires editing and adding a bit of flavour. You should always add the human touch to be certain of correctness and a more personalised style.

Improving personalisation efforts

Gartner indicates that 84% of digital marketing executives agree that AI improves the marketing department’s capacity to provide timely, individualised customer experiences.

Using the information gleaned through ChatGPT about a customer’s preferences and behaviour, you may design an individualised map of that customer’s journey.

Likewise, businesses can better serve their customers by delivering timely, personalised messages across many platforms (e.g., websites, e-mails, social media posts, videos, and more).

Now let’s address the elephant in the room…

So, the answer is yes – AI can make life easier for marketers. After all, it saves time and improves our overall productivity.

But will it ever be able to replace us? Absolutely not.

Why? AI is still incapable of building relationships (and probably never will be able to), it does not have any life experiences, and it certainly can’t feel anything. All of which by, definition are the things that define us as human and as we all know “people buy from people” right?

Likewise, I think we should never forget that AI is limited by the breadth and depth of the data it has access to, and there is a direct causal relationship between data availability and AI effectiveness.

As a leading marketing agency from Chester, the Good Comms team thinks that rather than fearing and avoiding ChatGPT, we should see it as a useful team member who can help us stretch our limits and make some tasks a little easier. But it isn’t going to replace anyone in the team in the short term and hopefully not in the long term either.

That is until the next technology break-through happens…