Artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on various industries has been a hot topic as of late. Depending on who you are, what your job description is, and other factors, you are very likely to have strong opinions one way or the other about what AI means for the future. Today, we will examine what AI is likely to mean for content marketing and how it is already playing a role in the process.
Machine Learning In Content Marketing Today
Whether you want to believe it or not, AI has already arrived in the realm of content marketing. How, where, and when it’s being used, however, varies greatly from service to service and platform to platform. For instance, you can probably spot AI-generated text from a mile away. But what about an AI-generated content brief? AI-generated art? AI-generated content calendars? Because this technology is still so new and unexplored, the horizons seem infinite. It’s vital to explore this new facet of the marketing landscape to create informed opinions and make thoughtful decisions when considering incorporating AI into your marketing strategy.
Can Artificial Intelligence Replace a Human Workforce?
It is interesting that many people are so fixated on the idea of AI replacing a human workforce in various industries right now. The truth is, technology has always served a role in replacing human beings in certain lines of work. Just think about telephone board operators as an example. Human labor used to be required to route telephone calls where they needed to go from one phone to another. That idea is arcane and inconceivable to us today. Better technology came along and wiped out the need for human switchboard operators.
This means that the reality of content marketing is also likely to change rapidly as artificial intelligence is used more broadly in the content marketing space. That said, most believe that human marketing professionals will still be necessary, at least to some extent, in the content marketing process.
Contentmarketinginstitute.com puts some minds at ease by explaining that the complete replacement of writers in the process of content marketing is highly unlikely:
The role tech will play is much more nuanced. Content is essentially a form of communication between two human beings; while automation can certainly enhance many aspects of its creation and delivery, it probably will never replace writers entirely.
So, what is AI’s role in content marketing and how is it contributing to the process today?
Machine Learning in Content Marketing
Machine learning is not some futuristic vision of a world that could be. Rather, it is something that is already happening all around you. If you work in content marketing, then the odds are highly that you have already seen examples of machine learning playing out all around you. From chatbots to newsfeed algorithms, machine learning is playing a role in content marketing already.
Why Newsfeed Algorithms are Increasingly Relevant
Take the most popular social media network on the planet, Facebook, and think about how its newsfeed works. First, as of 2022, it is no longer referred to as “newsfeed” but just “feed”. This is a subtle change, but it is one that Facebook made to emphasize more posts from close friends and family, and fewer from news outlets.
The chronological feed is a long gone thing of the past. Instead, an algorithm determines which posts you will see on your feed. The goal of this is to provide users with an enjoyable scrolling experience, but also to sell them products via targeted ads.
The types of posts that users are most likely to see in their feed include the following:
- Posts from people and businesses they interact with frequently
- The types of content that users interact with most frequently (such as video, text posts, pictures, etc.)
- Posts with a significant amount of engagement on them, particularly engagement from people the user interacts with
Facebook says that the goal of this is to provide users with content that they care about. That may be, but it is also true that the algorithm plays a major role in how content marketing works. Content marketers need to find a way to be highly engaging with a broad audience to try to get their messages onto the feed. Thus, the work of being an effective marketer becomes less about how much one can afford to pay to place their ads, and more about how relevant they can be to individual users.
What Does Google Rankbrain Look Like in 2022?
The algorithm that powers Google rankings is changed roughly 500 to 600 per year! The constantly tweaks are meant to keep the search results that one discovers on Google as relevant as ever. They are also meant to prevent people from gaming the system in order to promote subpar content. Thus, it is important to consider the Google Rankbrain algorithm when thinking about content marketing.
It is virtually impossible to reach people effectively without a significant Google ranking for the topics that are relevant to your material. Therefore, all content marketers must think about the AI that powers Rankbrain and how it is constantly changing. For the most part, it all boils down to remaining relevant, timely, useful, and well linked to other pieces of information on the Internet. Those who accomplish all of that should find the results that they are looking for with their Google rankings.
Content Automation is a Real Possibility
While it is believed that human writers are a necessity into the future, it is also true that significant amounts of content may be automated. Many companies view AI writing as an excellent way to cut down on their marketing budgets and make significant progress on reducing overhead costs in general. Multiple companies have leapt at the opportunity to provide AI-powered content production services to their customers. A few examples operating in 2022 include:
- Jarvis
- HustleClick
- WriterZen
Some of these companies specialize in specific aspects of content marketing. For example, HustleClick is best known for writing product descriptions that appear on Amazon and other online retail websites. However, they all pose a potential threat to the need for certain types of human writers in the future. Journalists and other writers are fearful that certain types of writing may become extinct, at least as far as humans doing the work is concerned.
Creative Writing is Still in Demand
While there is cause for concern among some writers who spit out generic copy for a variety of websites, the threat to creative writers is far less intense. Creativity in writing is not something that any AI creator has figured out how to manufacture. Thus, those with a creative spirit to their writing can rest a little easier that they are unlikely to be replaced by robots anytime soon.
Valuable content with real insights and real value to the reader will always remain in demand, and that is why AI writing is not necessarily the danger that some fear it could be.
