With ad campaigns and influence marketing things can easily go south: you forgot to make a double-check, approved the wrong creo, your influencer turned out to be a scammer, your designer got ill, and you are forced to postpone the launch, totally exasperated and sure you would never collaborate with such untrustworthy, unreliable people who are framing you!.. But you still have one partner. Can AI replace your colleagues? Or is it a gizmo with much ado about nothing? Let’s cosplay Richard Feynman and do some research.
Preface
What do we really know about AI-powered marketing in 2023? Quite a bunch of things: we've met chatbots, we've seen social media ads booming, and we've certainly come across ChatGPT shenanigans in practically any sphere, so we can safely say that technologies have transformed marketing.
AI harnesses businesses: it explores customer behaviors and preferences, predicting the most obvious moves, helping deliver the most personalized experiences that resonate with individual consumers. How has it become possible? The answer is quick and thorough analyses that are carried out on massive chunks of data, patterns, and trends that are constantly changing and setting possible criteria for future predictions human beings cannot successfully forecast.
Unparalleled accuracy, though, is not the only perk affiliates acquire by installing AI techniques. Marketers, eager to get rid of monotonous, repetitive tasks, have finally found ways to automate the routine and optimize their advertising campaigns, which gives them enough space to speculate what their further steps may be, how their business can be improved, and where their resources should be invested.
Benefits
Do social networks use AI tools? The answer is yes. No matter what we think about Terminator's precursor, the digital era takes hold and dictates what affiliates should do in order to achieve their goals. In this case, people turn to AI, wanting to enhance features on their social media platforms and simplify the processes of text and visual content generation, monitoring, brand awareness, influencer research, analytics, and ad management.
Create Content
Whether you're well acquainted with modern AI technologies or have a vague understanding of what they can do, you're surely aware of generative AI that has been booming on the Internet for the past few years. Let us spare the details and focus on the gist: generative AI uses various algorithms to create unique images, videos, music, and text. In terms of text generation, ChatGPT may be the only option that comes to mind due to its growing popularity, but there are many more to check out: HiveMind, WordAI, Quillbot, and Lumar, to name a few. Not all of them can understand natural language and generate human-like responses in a conversational way, but all of them undoubtedly have their lists of advantages that may be useful when tailoring a campaign.
As for visual content, remember the mainstream: text-to-image tools, for example, DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion have revolutionized the creative process, using text descriptions and generating new variations of existing pictures. However, these technologies are deemed controversial, and artists are fighting against AI image generation, raising questions regarding their style, appropriated by AI tools, and the worth of their skills.
Personalize
Sometimes it is increasingly difficult to analyze what your friend needs as a birthday gift: you have to focus on their tastes and preferences to come up with a good idea. You can overcome this trial, but the real ordeal is just about to start: if this is so tricky with just one person, how can you guess what other people have in mind?
Evidently, you can't find your way into a stranger's head. Even if you are — quite unethically! — lurking in the lines of their codes and tabs, you are still wasting time trying to identify their patterns and habits. AI can save you some trouble: apart from detecting the pattern, the technology can offer recommendations on how to personalize content and messaging. Using this data, you can set up perfect landing pages and even tailor impeccable email campaigns.
In response, customers enthralled by your personalized approach are more likely to engage with your brand, which in turn results in increased loyalty and sales.
Manage Your Ads & Targeting
Ad targeting and budget may very well be considered essential when you're launching your campaign, and it is nearly impossible to keep an eye on hundreds of thousands of variations and options promising success and prosperity. Had it been the only thing to concentrate on, you might've accomplished the task, but as an affiliate, you have to find and segment audiences, make ad creatives, test ads, improve performance and speed to see what works best and which techniques should be implemented. Apart from the problems mentioned above, marketers deal with optimization: they optimize ads for clicks and conversions. In this case, AI, enabled with a set of powerful abilities, becomes almost irreplaceable: it can predict which language will drive better results or which content you should create based on the keywords buyers use when searching for products and services like the ones you offer.
Know Your Customer
Unlike us, ordinary human beings who can plow through a limited amount of information, AI can effortlessly parse huge chunks of data received from various sources. Then, marketers, analyzing the report, can accumulate the bullet points and draw up a more or less complete picture of the audience: their behavior and preferences, their interests and behavior, and, of course, the feedback they leave on the website.
Affiliates, using the readouts, learn to understand their customers better and update their campaigns to make them hit the spot and resonate with the audience. Such predictive analyses may not seem plausible enough, but in reality, they can foretell future behaviors, for example, whether the person is ready to make a purchase or a churn is to be expected.
Detect Fraud
Fraud is a plague of our digital era and it spreads just as quickly as the calamitous and notorious virus responsible for the recent pandemic. By 2023, people have learned to detect the crudest, clumsiest types of fraud, but techniques are getting more complicated and refined, so sometimes both affiliates and customers feel unsafe.
AI comes to the rescue: it detects and prevents fraud in e-commerce transactions by analyzing customer data and transaction patterns, thus identifying suspicious behavior.
Engage with Followers
Not only do influencers create content, but they also engage with their followers, answering questions and reacting to comments. It is exciting at first, but the more you plunge into the sphere, the better you understand that sometimes it turns into another monotonous task that urges the intervention of a chatbot.
Generative AI, mentioned earlier in the article, can be of some assistance: of course, it can help the influencer boost the creative flow, but there's always the other side to this coin. Sometimes people resort to these technologies to script sponsored posts or communicate with agencies. The attitude toward this revelation may be positive or negative based on your own experiences and observations, but it protects the creative streak from burning out, often making the brain work in a more unexpected, unusual way.
Generate Hashtags
Anyone even remotely familiar with advertising campaigns will tell you how important hashtags are: almost 75% of social media users resort to hashtags, which are, by the way, available on most platforms.
However, sometimes influencers have to hire a marketing expert to analyze the situation and choose the hashtags that would work: as you can imagine, it costs a lot of money and takes time, which could've been spent on less tedious but just as significant tasks such as the strategy refinement.
This is another duty that can be delegated to AI: modern technologies can generate hashtags on your topic, niche, social media platform, and target audience, and how much time would you need for that? A few seconds at most.
Subtitles & Captions Reformed
Do you remember the old days when subtitles were considered a luxury of sorts? We do. In the past, creators had to manually write subtitles and upload them to their YouTube videos (imagine, TikTok didn't exist back then!). Of course, it may not be the hardest thing in the world if your video lasts for about 60 seconds, but what if you have ten videos of the same length? It becomes a stultifying routine, which makes you think you're doing nothing but dawdling.
But subtitles are essential. According to Newton Technologies, about 80% of viewers who read captions are not deaf: sometimes, they are necessary for a better understanding, especially if the person reading them is learning a new language.
As for captions, they tend to pique curiosity. Just use the tone you need (witty, funny, or professional), and here you are.
Influencer Marketing Challenges
The previous benefits may have been too general, and as we're planning to delve deeper into the problems and solutions in influencer marketing, let's say a few words on which challenges are faced in this particular sphere.
The first step of every marketer venturing into an influencer marketing campaign is finding the influencers that fit the bill and can put the brand on the map. While the task is absolutely clear and doesn't seem to be excruciatingly complex, marketers often see it as a serious undertaking that requires consideration and skill. One should understand the audience of the influencer they're planning to hire and evaluate their potential based on age, location, and level of engagement. Imagine looking through the endless feed, averaging the number of likes and comments on every post! Analyze the statistics the influencer sends, pointing out the main aspects! Even the most patient marketers can converge: it's one hell of a task that should be streamlined and simplified.
That's where AI comes in. It can drive in-depth insights about influencers and forecast whether they align with the brand's values and goals. Marketers no longer need to waste their precious time selecting the relevant influencers by comparing data: they finally can slough off the duty and supervise the process while the machine assesses and calculates campaign ROI and identifies fraudulent influencers.
Changes in Influence Marketing
The modern era is an epoch of ideation by itself, but AI makes a great contribution to molding new marketing and advertising strategies. We have already mentioned personalization and recommendation algorithms, which suggest products based on purchase history; we have dwelled on other aspects of AI implementation, but we may have overlooked one of the most significant things in influence marketing: the role of the influencer.
A few years earlier, influencers continuously created content: they posted videos more or less regularly; they had enough time to write scripts and experiment with the approaches and line of character they chose. Virtually, some of them were under pressure back then, but they still could take a leave and get back in a couple of weeks or even months, ready to appease the public and generate new content.
The situation has drastically changed. Influencers are bound to be more dynamic, churning out a three-page script, a few photos, several posts on social media platforms, five tweets, and seven more updates somewhere else. No brain can work at such capacities, so conventional and traditional content creation methods are no longer deemed reliable.
In 2023, content is expected to go viral, and to achieve this, influencers must be aware of the current trends. This knowledge doesn't appear out of nowhere, so one has to conduct thorough research, focusing on what people like and what they hate, but it'd be very presumptuous to expect that each personality we follow on Instagram has enough time or resources to do that, especially if these personalities work independently or don't have a big team.
This is where they can resort to AI: apart from content generation, these technologies can translate this content to other languages, help you investigate the latest trends, check out viral videos, discover fresh ideas for campaigns, and create engaging captions.
Virtual Influencers
Virtual influencers, also known as CGI (Computer Generated Imagery), made quite a splash a few years ago when the world roared about Lil Miquela. Despite being criticized for the uncanny valley effect the influencer caused in people, Lil and many other avatars, controlled by real people creating content on social media platforms, have managed to collaborate with notable brands (like Samsung, Prada, and Dior), artists, and musicians, further solidifying influence and reach.
Imma, Japanese virtual influencer
What makes virtual influencers so attractive? Well, there are a few assets one should weigh out:
Cost-effective campaigns. Unlike traditional, real celebrities, virtual influencers do not need to be paid for a photo shoot, nor are there any accompanying costs. As all the content is created with AI, you needn't bother about travel restrictions, employment complications, or scheduling.
Full campaign control. Real influencers, no matter how much they love a brand they collaborate with, may have different opinions on how the product or the service they promote should work, which may eventually lead to a rift in the relationship. Then, there's always a possibility that your influencer goes off the script and is busy at the moment, so they cannot film the video you've been thinking about. Virtual influencers are carefully scripted, which mitigates the risk of an error: they consistently represent the brand and its values on their platforms.
Unique approach. Virtual influencers do not imply that you should stop working with real people. It is an alternative option that still remains unique even in 2023. You can incorporate AI celebrities into your marketing strategies to stand out as a tech-savvy, innovative brand.
However, don't get too inspired after reading the advantages we've listed here. Before you make up your mind about whether you should try the option, scrutinize the drawbacks.
No product experience. Human beings can indeed be difficult. However, even the most unsavory reviews, written or filmed by real people, are ten times more valuable than the most laudatory comment posted by a virtual influencer: there is experience behind the angry harangue. As a brand, you won't be able to fix your problems; you won't improve the processes because virtual influencers are physically unable to try out a garment, wear the newest concealer or lipstick, or describe the fragrance of the perfume they were sent. Whatever they say on social media may be considered a bunch of baloney rather than an enticing advertising post aiming to encourage people to buy a thing from your brand.
Unrealistic body and life standards. The Kardashians are enough to represent the highly edited, posed content: this prolific family already influences us in the worst way possible, ruining our self-esteem. Computer-generated visuals that don't even pretend to be human beings still promote the same idea: they showcase their best moments (meaning: every single day is perfect), demonstrating flawless appearance, glowing skin, and curvaceous bodies. Social media has already set unreasonably high standards for young people, and instead of fighting such standards, virtual influencers only solidify them further.
No authenticity. Jokes aside, they are creepy, and their appearance is not the main concern: these virtual influencers are things without a background or a backstory to stick to. How would people associate themselves with these avatars? How can they interact with people, speaking about the promoted brands, when they never really tried these products? Would famous brands want to be linked to something that can create the wrong impression of their company? Opinions may vary, but you are to decide whether you're prepared for the challenge.
AI Side Effects
We have been speculating on the AI potential for quite a while to be able to enumerate the benefits your business is bound to derive from the new approach to influencer marketing. Still, we want to be unbiased and impartial, so here are the side effects you may face if you rely too heavily on artificial intelligence.
Incorrect Information
First of all, WATCH your content. Before you post anything, no matter what — guides, manuals, captions, subtitles, texts, photos — check the content you are about to post. AI is not a perfect technology: it makes fewer mistakes than a tired human being obliged to correct a text for the umpteenth time, but it still makes mistakes. On the Internet, you can find how AI has given incorrect suggestions and answers, and while ordinary users may simply ridicule this dumb computer on their Twitter accounts, influencers may fall into an ambush. A wrong suggestion sent to a subscriber may result in a backlash and a bad public image.
(By the way, the text you are reading is written by a real human being. We promise. We are also testing AI services, but all writers in our team are 100% real.)
AI Dependency
Even faulty, AI technologies have been acclaimed by the general public and quickly implemented into many spheres, though unofficially. Whether we want it or not, AI has become an attribute of our day-to-day lives, and it now poses a serious threat to our creative streak.
For now, industries are not too dependent on AI, but the redundancy of such technologies may eventually do its part, and the ramifications will take their toll: content creators might adapt to resorting to simpler ways of making content rather than inventing something new.
Uniqueness Denied
Whatever people say, AI content is not unique. In most cases, if two people have the same tool and ask it to perform the same task, they will receive the same results, so eventually, it will lead to similar content appearing on all major platforms, smearing the faces and identities of the influencers releasing this content.
Influencers are famous for being unique: people subscribe to them because they want to see unique pictures, read unique text, follow unique advice, listen to unique music, explore unique life hacks and all, in short, people crave new experiences they may or may not have in real life. AI limits these new experiences as it simply rearranges the pieces of information it has received: unlike human beings, AI has no creative streak.
No Human Touch
Linking this to the previous bullet point: AI lacks personality.
The content it generates may be grammatically correct, but it will always be a dry piece of text devoid of any real emotion: if you've ever used Grammarly to check fiction works, you understand the struggle. It's a wonderful tool if you're writing a formal letter, but if you're thinking outside the box... Boom! Delete this, delete that, replace the repetition, another repetition, your stylistic devices are too bulky, insert the semicolon, remove the semicolon... You name it.
Influencers, just like writers, photographers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, work with emotions, they form and maintain an emotional connection with the audience, and AI, a machine by definition, cannot show empathy, sympathy, and other such feelings, which makes the tools less effective than expected.
Cheapskate Alert
Can you remember the first argument people mention to convince you to switch to AI?
Right, saving money. Just think of it: no office needed, no salary paid, no employees hired, no catering expected, no expenses, no nothing!.. That's... an overstatement worthy of a fairy tale. Yes, you do not need an office: a computer doesn't need its own desk by the window to look at the park unfolding before its screen, but there are other expenses brands typically keep mum about. They are normally tongue-tied about the huge capitals they invest in AI to come up with a customized tool that meets their requirements. John Hennessy, the chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet, said that a search on AI, like its chatbot Bard, can cost the company 10 times more than a normal keyword search, according to an interview with Reuters. Insider explains that a search through an AI-language model requires more computing power — specifically chips — and electricity than a typical search.
Then, another old saying: time is money, which can't be more applicable to this particular case. AI has to be trained before it can be used, and this process can take weeks and, in some cases, even months.
Fortune Telling for AI
Despite the flaws and evident drawbacks, AI's role in marketing is expanding: people see that technologies are evolving and becoming more sophisticated, so there are more tasks that can be delegated. From what we observe now, it's not hard to say that AI is likely to play even a greater part in these fields, connecting customers, brands, and influencers in another innovative way.
However, there are two major trends that seem more plausible in the near future: augmented reality (AR) and voice search.
Augmented reality, also referred to as simply AR, creates interactive and engaging consumer experiences. Have you ever tried IKEA Place app? Yes, the one where you virtually place true-to-scale 3D models in your own room? That's it, the example of AR: you test your furnishing ideas, interact with the catalog and choose the right furniture to create the perfect interior without making mistakes and buying a huge bed that doesn't quite fit the room and doesn't match the wallpapers.
This is just one example, but in the future, we are likely to witness even more AR technologies, far more personalized and interactive.
The other big trend that is expected to thrive is voice search. Voice-activated assistants — Siri, Alexa, and Google Home — are already quite popular and easy to use on the run. You no longer have to stop and type your query; you can continue your daily chores without interruption. Keeping this in mind, companies are now dealing with a challenge: how should they optimize their content and ads for voice search? Obviously, it will demand further effort and creativity as they need to devise a new approach to SEO and keyword targeting.
Wrapping Up
AI is already playing a significant part in marketing and advertising, and in the future, it is expected to further expand: after all, the tool has a lot of potential and can save a lot of time accomplishing monotonous tasks real people would struggle with. Companies can leverage AI to stay on top of emerging trends and draw up effective campaigns, focusing on the core of the strategy rather than on the distracting details and tinier aspects.
Still, this is just the beginning of a bigger process, so new challenges are around the corner, and marketers, as well as influencers, should prepare to create new techniques in order to successfully communicate with the public and gain trust.
