More than 20 years ago, the dot-com boom ushered in a new era of content marketing. It was a turning point for the brand and marketing team. The increasing prevalence of new digital media and connected devices has significantly expanded the space available for advertising and opened up new possibilities for content streams and formats.
Now, technology is once again revolutionizing digital advertising and branded content. Generative AI and data analytics are transforming the way content is created and directed to potential consumers. Nearly three in five marketers have already implemented generative AI tools for written content creation and copywriting.
At the same time, social media is changing the way consumers find and explore content. Google and social platforms like Facebook and TikTok are now the de facto gatekeepers, deciding what content is likely to be seen and by whom. For some organizations, understanding and adapting to the algorithms used to make these decisions has become a full-time job.
Rapid advances in technology have also increased customer expectations for brand experiences. For example, every time marketing teams use technology to achieve higher and more consistent standards for content personalization, the fundamental expectation for content personalization everywhere increases.
For content marketing teams, success in this new era of data and AI depends on developing content that adheres to timeless marketing principles, while also supporting innovations made possible by new technologies. It also depends on whether you can direct and express that content in a creative way.
Adapt your content strategy to digital technology
Marketing leaders aren't ignoring the opportunities presented by new digital channels, data, and AI. However, as with any nascent technology, challenges remain in adoption and implementation.
Claire Dormer, global head of content at travel company TUI, says there's a lot of hype around AI, but a key consideration for her team is to understand the business case for using it. He says it's all about how you prepare. To achieve this, her team took a test-and-learn approach. “Right now, we're doing a lot of testing, but we're not making a lot of investment,” she says.
TUI uses AI to more efficiently observe online consumer sentiment. The company's AI-powered tools track interest and intent in search categories or content and automatically create bespoke web pages tailored to that search profile. AI also generates summaries for TUI’s team to craft and craft content to suit different search profiles.
But AI won't be left alone. TUI has developed the idea of a “co-pilot” around his AI. This means humans are involved in every use case. The content team ultimately decides whether to approve the AI's content recommendations. This protects against incidents where the algorithm goes rogue and inappropriate subjects are selected.
Can AI really help you create better content?
Content marketing is a key element of the overall mix for retail optometrists Specsavers. Lisa Hale, head of consumer PR, social media and brand activation for Her, says her team has carefully considered the role of technology in their content strategy.
“As a brand, we are at a disadvantage in the digital world,” she says, pointing to the sheer amount of branded content consumers are exposed to. In her social media age, Hale says a consumer could see as many as 10,000 ads per day.
The oversupply of commercial content will persist. Intense competition for customer attention allows marketing teams to improve their impressions, thereby increasing their chances of being noticed. Hale worries that the content surplus will become even worse as AI has the potential to create content at scale.
But instead of just churning out more content, you can also use AI to improve the quality of your content and target your audience more effectively. One way content marketers do this is by using AI to “scrape” search engine requests and social searches for relevant data on specific audiences and platforms. More than 2 in 5 marketers are already using her AI to conduct keyword research.
“We want to know what people are talking about, what they’re searching for, and instead of just broadcasting a business-first message to people, we want to know how we can add to that conversation. “We want to see how we can add value,” says Hale. “AI helps with that, adding a sense of ‘humanity’ or authenticity to it rather than having it create the content for you.”
Personalization and customer segmentation
Online car marketplace Carwow is powered by a strong content operation that includes tons of car data, reviews, and social videos. Chief marketing officer Ben Carter said the company has so far been able to automatically resize digital ad formats to fit different platforms and translate car reviews for international audiences. The company explains that AI is used for functional tasks such as
Carter says that in the future, AI could be trained to target content to specific audiences at specific moments. “The more effectively and efficiently we can get traffic, the better,” he says, admitting that “AI is the key to helping us do that.”
For Dormer's team at TUI, content personalization is less about individual personalization and more about customer segmentation.
“We can see which customer base is looking at us and engaging with content marketing,” she says. “They ask, does she search Instagram or TikTok? And what kind of content is she looking for? So create content that's relevant to that channel.”
TUI also uses technology to communicate real-time content across channels. The company's “Discover Where and When It's Hot'' concept aims to identify vacation destinations that guarantee warm weather at certain times of the year. The format started as his SEO effort, but is now combined with AI to identify needed updates and quickly adapt content to different digital platforms.
Content marketers must never lose sight of the basics
Despite the huge potential of technology, marketing teams need to understand that technology alone is not a silver bullet. Marketers must not abandon the fundamental principles of content marketing when implementing new technology. Leaders in the field caution that AI outcomes need to be guided by brand strategy.
For example, LinkedIn's content and marketing campaigns balance authoritative messages with humor. Tom Pepper, senior director of EMEA and Latin America, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, says a site's unique tone of voice is becoming increasingly important as content marketers seek to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. .
“In the age of AI, marketers are building creative and humorous content, recognizing the importance of emotion, storytelling, and authenticity to connect with their audiences,” says Pepper.
Structuring and presenting content in an engaging way is essential to creating a compelling and authentic story. A story that people can relate to. “You need a really strong headline, and you need to get the main point across in the first few sentences. It doesn't necessarily have to be a brand message, but something that compels people to read the rest of the article,” says Hale. It needs to be content.”
Want to know how to add value to the conversation instead of just broadcasting a business-first message?
Or convince them to watch the rest of the video as well. For example, Specsavers' Stories is a video series posted on social channels like Facebook and YouTube that shows real-life examples of how people's lives have been improved through vision testing.
Hale explains that this output is inconsistent with traditional formats sold on digital platforms. According to Specsavers' own research, his longer formats of 30 seconds to 3 minutes deliver higher levels of consideration and attention for brands, rather than the more commonly used 3 to 15 seconds of his videos. It has been shown to be effective. While longer formats can be off-putting to some viewers, his team at Specsavers has found that these formats allow for more compelling storytelling.
Pepper added that marketing teams need to consider not only the story being told, but also the storyteller. He points out that many brands are “leveraging authentic voices to build brand equity.” For example, CarWow has hired British automotive journalist Matt Watson as chief content officer. In addition to his professional role in the business, Watson is a key ambassador for the brand and the face of his YouTube channel, which has approximately 9 million subscribers.
What is your company's content proposition?
Of course, branded content must be based on clear principles that support a company's broader marketing strategy. For Dormer, this means “defining not only the brand proposition, but also the content proposition. We're trying to enrich every moment.” She added that content suggestions can help determine the tone of a company's message.
Hale agrees, adding that Specsavers is a framework that ensures its content focuses on three key messages: “Personalized expert care, healthcare innovation, and care for all.” He explained that he had developed
In other words, AI plays a supporting role. Dormer says AI has allowed his team to continue creating relevant content while adapting to changes in his SEO and social search. But this technology is just a co-pilot. Humans set the brand strategy and ensure the output adheres to tone and content suggestions.
These are the features that truly differentiate your content. And for now, ensuring the content is of a high standard is a job better left to the captain rather than the first officer.
