Website content creation and digital channel management may not be on the top of your priority list as a busy business owner. It can be a challenge compounded by lack of time, lack of resources or team members, and lack of expertise or the right tools to assist.
Enter Generative AI.
What is Generative AI?
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI or Generative AI) allows users to quickly create content. GenAI uses text, images, sounds, animations, 3D models, etc. to generate new content. For example, if you chose to put text into an AI system and asked for GenAI to turn that text into an image, song, or story, you would get results within seconds. Different from an internet search (which uses algorithms and user behaviors to serve up content), GenAI is based on predictive patterns – what would come next in a string of words, sentences or image structures.
As Generative AI grows, it can be seen as both an advantageous tool for business and something that may cause worry as to whether or not using AI is truly ‘good for business’.
37% of ecommerce marketers worldwide use AI for customer service and support.
– Qualtrics and Klaviyo (February 2024)
AI tools for business
While the nuances of AI may seem complicated, the tools themselves are rather easy to navigate. AI tools can range from Chat GPT to a Snapchat AI Bot to Grammarly. When considering an AI tool, think about how it may help your business. Do you need content ideas? Are you looking for new ways to say something? Image creation? Editing and grammar help?
We suggest playing around with a few tools to see how they work. A few of our favorite AI tools include:
- ChatGPT. This simple platform is user friendly, offering both a free and premium/subscription option. Type a prompt into the chat and ask for the tool to generate images, text, sounds and even colors.
- Beautiful.AI. This tool can help create outlines for pitches and presentations. It provides slides, charts and templates to use in new business development, training modules or slide decks.
- Writer. Known as a ‘full stack’ AI tool, Writer provides varying subscription levels that can then build app templates or development frameworks.
- Copy.AI. Billed as an all-in-one sales and marketing tool, this AI platform builds workflows for mid- to enterprise-sized organizations. It can be a helpful tool to combine multiple tools into one, easy process.
AI in the business world
AI can be used as a positive resource in business, implementing the tools to our advantage. And while you should approach with caution, don’t discount some of the support GenAI can provide, including:
- Harmonizing a brand voice. If you have multiple project creators and writers, it is immensely difficult to find one voice, tone or even writing style. GenAI tools can help learn the tone of your brand, serving as an editing assistant – when you add new projects or content into an AI platform, it has the power to revise to help create a more steady voice.
- Customer service support. Fun fact: 37% of ecommerce marketers worldwide use AI for customer service and support, according to February 2024 data by Qualtrics and Klaviyo. Having an AI bot on websites to assist customers can be very useful. Chatboxes and automated responses can provide fast, and even personalized, responses for your company.
- Project management. GenAI can analyze the most successful projects in your company and use the information to help inform what works/what gives you the highest ROI. AI tools can identify patterns and styles that resonate with your targeted audience and create templates and suggested timelines to ensure success.
- Assist in website design. GenAI can be a great tool to gather design ideas. And while a human developer is best to execute the design and functionality of a website, an AI tool can provide ideas for use-cases, accessibility or new ideas. Using AI as a tool to bring new ideas and designs to the table can save time in the overall ideation or design process. AI also brings in a uniqueness outside of human designers. From data analysis to image cropping, there is a lot AI can do for a website.
Risks of using AI for business marketing
Artificial intelligence can also introduce risks to your business. For instance, GenAI doesn’t always cite correct sources when information appears. An example of this would be Google’s new AI addition. In the past few weeks, Google has made some changes with its use of AI. Now, when a person Googles anything, users receive an AI-generated attempt at answering the question.
Another problem with AI giving answers to questions on Google, is that it messes with search engine optimization (SEO). To continue to get search results for certain companies, tweaks and edits may have to be made in the keywords, content structure, summaries, and questions.
Copyright violations can be another worry. Our recommendation is to use AI for inspiration, ideation and research, but to use caution if your plan is to use AI-created content or imagery for your marketing.
Proceed with caution
GenAI can be a helpful resource for business if used with caution. Some of the great things that AI can help with include time management, workflows and customer service. Ideation and content creation can also be done using AI to a point. However, humans will continue to be important in fact-checking, tone and general nuances for content that represents your brand voice. And in the end, AI cannot build the human relationships we can build. Authenticity is still needed. Personalization is needed. And to continue a genuine relationship and interaction with your customers, humans are still needed. YOU will always be an important factor in your business.