In a world where time is currency, AI promises marketers a shortcut to content creation—but not all that glitters is gold. Advancements in artificial intelligence and natural language processing have reshaped how we craft digital narratives, often leaving content teams wondering where the line between human and machine creativity lies.
The allure of automation in content generation is everywhere you look: it can seduce marketers into overlooking the importance of the human touch, leading to costly AI content marketing mistakes that thwart their initiatives.
In fact, it’s probably best to clear this up at the outset: machine “creativity” is little more than collection and regurgitation based on the lowest common internet denominators.
As a substitute for human creativity, it falls incredibly short.
Fact vs. Fiction: A Short Case Study
Take, for example, the flood of AI-generated fiction pieces stuffing the mailboxes of literary journals and magazines. To the trained eye, it’s still easy to spot the formulaic nature of an AI-generated piece––but it might not stay that way for long.
It’s part and parcel of a society looking to cut corners––falling back on lazy strategies to create content and not wanting to put in the hard work. Eventually, businesses with this mindset will make common mistakes and fail, as it is the human element that will make brands stand out in the new era of AI-generated content.
“I don’t want writers to be worried that I’m going to miss their work because I’m inundated with junk,” Williams says. “The good stories are obvious very early on. The mind that crafts the interesting story is not in any danger.”
Similarly, businesses that leverage their creative assets and don’t over-rely on the promises of AI won’t be in any danger of making critical AI content marketing mistakes.
Why AI-Powered Content Creation is Important for Marketers
AI’s capability to sift through vast amounts of search engine data, analyze competitor content, and interpret website analytics no doubt streamlines the content production process.
Moreover, the gift of time cannot be understated. AI-generated content assists professionals by taking over manual tasks that traditionally consume hours of the workday. On average, an employee can save 40% of their working hours with the assistance of AI. These productivity boosts can open up new areas for businesses to focus on.
But as AI becomes more intertwined with the content creation process, marketers should understand the importance of generating not just any content, but high-quality, relevant content.
If you think you can achieve this without a human touch, good luck.
4 Common Mistakes in AI-Driven Content Creation
We’ve discussed how AI-generated content can be a powerful tool for content marketers looking to optimize their strategies, reach their target audience, and save time. However, with the rise of Generative AI, there are common pitfalls that can compromise the effectiveness of a content marketing strategy.
Let’s review these common AI content marketing mistakes:
#1
One significant mistake is the overreliance on templates, which can result in content that feels generic, stagnates engagement, and fails to forge a meaningful connection with potential customers. This homogeneity in content planning might save time, but it risks alienating an audience seeking fresh perspectives and insights.
Andy Crestodina at Orbit Media puts it this way:
“One type of content is automatically different: thought leadership. By that we mean strong point-of-view content that leads conversations: opinion pieces, predictions, the big perspective. Thought leadership content is content that takes a position on a topic.”
#2
Another mistake is ignoring the quality of data being fed into AI algorithms. Since AI content tools rely on input data to produce relevant and accurate content, utilizing outdated or low-quality data can lead to subpar content that could tarnish a brand’s reputation. Inaccuracies in AI-generated content pieces can be especially harmful in fields such as history or science, where factuality is paramount. This stresses the necessity for marketers to update and verify their datasets regularly.
#3
Adding to the list of errors is the absence of verifying the credibility of AI-generated content. Failing to fact-check can lead to the dissemination of falsehoods and undermine the credibility of a content producer. Moreover, brands often err by directly publishing generative AI content on social media channels without refining it to align with the brand voice and ensuring its accuracy, thereby risking their message integrity.
#4
Lastly, a reliance on AI to be the sole creator of content, particularly for social media posts, can lead to a lack of authenticity. Content that lacks human emotion and personal touches can feel formulaic and fail to resonate, ultimately hurting engagement rates and brand connection with the audience.
Let Google Be Your Guide: The Importance of E-E-A-T
Amidst all the technological advancements, the importance of high-quality, relevant content remains paramount. Google has repeatedly emphasized the importance of evaluating content based on their E-E-A-T and has warned of deleting entire junk websites that are purely AI-created.
It’s time to stop writing content for search engines and start writing content people actually want to read.
In fact, the worst AI content marketing mistake you can make is the “publish and pray” method of content creation. This junk approach of ramping up 100 pieces of terrible content with AI and publishing them without a second thought is a surefire way to raise Google’s ire.
Instead, look to Google’s guidelines on people-first content to navigate the content crisis. Pieces of engaging content that put the user first will be rewarded while those who take the easy route will be targeted.
Here’s a breakdown of what E-E-A-T is and why it’s important in the world of SEO:
What is E-E-A-T?
E-E-A-T stands for:
- Experience: Does the content creator demonstrate firsthand experience or in-depth knowledge of the topic?
- Expertise: Is the content creator an expert on the subject matter? Do they have relevant credentials?
- Authoritativeness: Is the content creator, as well as the website itself, a recognized authority and respected source of information in their field?
- Trustworthiness: Does the information provided come across as accurate, honest, and reliable for users?
High-quality content, created or overseen by humans, is more likely to retain reader engagement, signaling value to search engines like Google and thereby improving the credibility and authority of the content.
Human creativity should be balanced with AI efficiency to produce the gold standard of content—content that doesn’t just reach an audience but captivates and converts.
How to Implement AI-Powered Content Creation in Your Marketing Strategy
Customization is key to ensuring that your content marketing efforts don’t come off as robotic or out-of-touch. To achieve exceptional content, integrate AI tools in a way that allows for the adjustment of tone and context, ensuring the content accurately conveys the intended emotions and essence.
AI-generated blog posts, for example, should be adapted to match the brand’s voice and resonate with potential customers on social media platforms and other content channels.
Implementing AI-powered content creation into your marketing strategy involves a consistent balance: an unwavering commitment to high-quality content backed by technological efficiency and a human touch that reflects the depth of your brand’s values.
Using AI to Generate Compelling Content: The Era of Strong Opinions
While AI tools can generate a wealth of content, maintaining a strategic focus on quality over quantity is pivotal to ensuring that the content is not merely filling space but providing unique value and insight.
Even powerful algorithms cannot yet replicate the nuanced opinions and thought leadership that human writers bring to the table. As we’ve discussed above, Google may perceive indiscriminate AI-generated content as spam if it lacks user engagement or unique value, which further emphasizes the importance of incorporating human creativity and perspective.
For businesses aiming to capitalize on AI while still generating content that captivates and connects with their target audience, consider soliciting strong opinions from your subject matter experts and craft content with AI tools that prioritize engagement through readability, topic-relevance, and passion rather than strictly writing for SEO purposes.
With the advent of SGE, it’s still unknown how SEO and conversion rates will be affected. What we do know is that people-first content that provides value will always win.
The Role of Human Intervention in AI-Powered Content Creation
Human intervention is the linchpin for ensuring content quality, coherence, creativity, and more importantly, the human touch that is notoriously difficult for machines to replicate. Human editors can inject life into AI-generated text, tailor it for specific contexts, and ensure that the tone reflects the brand’s personality.
Moreover, if left unchecked, an over-reliance on AI in content creation risks alienating audiences. Even on the most advanced social media platforms, robotic and impersonal content can fail to engage and might even deter potential customers.
Human supervision not only refines the content but also maintains a quality control process that aligns the final output with the brand’s voice and audience expectations.
If you don’t have this in place or are thinking of cleaning house in terms of writers and editors on your content team––it will backfire and you’ll regret making this AI content marketing mistake.
Embracing human intervention in AI-driven content creation is not just a safeguard—it is a strategic approach that capitalizes on the strengths of both human insight and technological prowess, ensuring content not only reaches but resonates with its intended audience.
Ethical Implications of AI-Generated Content for Marketers
An equally significant concern for your content efforts is the potential legal and ethical quagmires. Using AI content tools without rigorous oversight may inadvertently propagate copyright infringements, privacy issues, and biased or incorrect information. This not only jeopardizes a brand’s reputation but also can incur legal liabilities.
Therefore, when adopting AI for content production, it’s vital to integrate it thoughtfully into your content marketing strategy, always with an eye on maintaining high-quality and relevant content to ensure the best conversion rates to enhance your content marketing efforts.
A Worthy Reminder for Effective Content Marketing
Remember, AI-powered tools are just that: tools. They’ll never be a panacea that some claim they are. Brands that survive will understand how to incorporate AI-powered tools while not losing their human essence. After all, humans are behind everything AI does and the best content ideation will still come from humans.
What Can AI Not Fake? Invest in Your Brand
Customers increasingly buy from brands they trust, and, once loyal, these long-time customers pay a premium to stay with that brand. In fact, according to a study by Motista, the lifetime value for this customer is 306% higher. They are also more likely to recommend your brand to people they know.
The problem is that if your content strategy is entirely reliant on AI content creation tools, it’ll be hard for your true brand to shine through.
That’s why branding––something AI can’t do––cannot be overstated enough as a strong pillar for business success.
With our BrandDNA workshops, you can uncover:
- Your detailed target audiences
- Various buyer personas & customer segments
- Understanding your customer’s journey
- Ways to increase retention through clear messaging
- Setting a unique value proposition
- and more.
Contact us today to learn more about how our BrandDNA exercises can help you achieve your business goals and cut through the AI noise.
You can also schedule a sample gap assessment to find out how gaps in your marketing may be affecting your business.
