Content is the heart and soul of marketing. In the heat of competition to produce more volumes and quality content, creators are resorting to artificial intelligence (AI) for support in writing.
So how can AI practically help content marketers? It can create more content, but is it capable of generating better, more creative and engaging content?
Ways AI can help content marketers
For starters, AI content generators save time and money. AI is much faster than humans in writing. It takes a professional writer an average of three hours to write, edit and proofread 1,000 words. AI can write at a fraction of this time. In the future, it could replace a human writer. AI writers are feasible for all types of enterprises, including micro and small businesses.
AI increases content levels. Given its speed, AI can easily multiply your current volume of content.
AI helps tailor content. For instance, instead of mass mailing, AI can generate customized emails for each customer based on criteria or relying on machine learning.
AI improves SEO. If there is one thing AI is best at, it is identifying the right keywords for a certain piece of content and enhancing SEO.
Arguably, AI also improves content quality. Powered by machine learning, every time AI writes human language, it further develops its writing skills. Through learning, it improves and adjusts its style over time. This can give us insights into how to enhance content.
Roles that may be replaced or affected by AI
At this stage in development of AI writers, it is difficult to guess the roles and skills that will be impacted or replaced.
Broadly, tasks of repetitive nature are prone to automation. Also, data-driven tasks that rely on data processing to generate outputs will be possibly replaced by AI. Other areas at risk of replacement include predictive tasks that make assumptions about an outcome based on common phrases—an area which AI so far excels at. A simple example is the autocomplete feature in Gmail and Microsoft Outlook.
AI skills for content marketers
There is a set of skills content marketers need to start sharpening if they were to take advantage of AI in the months and years to come.
Data science: While you don’t need to be an expert in data science to be able to use AI, you do need to have basic data literacy. A good understanding of how data impacts AI adoption is key.
AI literacy: You don’t need to be an AI specialist to use AI for writing. However, you do need to be familiar with the various AI technologies on the market. Being knowledgeable of the opportunities and challenges AI presents is important.
Applications of AI in content writing: Understanding how AI can practically help your content marketing is crucial. Being mindful of ways in which you can use AI to improve your content strategy will allow you to identify and start experimenting with different AI tech tools for content creation.
Would you use an AI writer?
Some content writers might cringe at this question! So far, I wouldn’t completely rely on AI for writing. AI can be helpful in creating first drafts, which I can then edit and improve.
AI writers can generate fairly unique content, but readability might not be up to standard. The critical human eye will easily distinguish when content is written by a human versus an AI. Currently, AI-written content may sound like a fifth-grader experimenting with writing.
If your goal is to churn out content with no concern for quality or tone, then an AI writer might be your best fit.
