
What artificial intelligence can already achieve in content marketing today
Can artificial intelligence be convincing in content marketing? We’ll try the antithesis: if you carry on with content marketing as before, you could soon be on the losing end. We present areas of application that we already consider indispensable today.
AI is an umbrella term used to describe a range of distinct but related technologies that include machine learning, deep learning, neural networks, natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG). With the ability to process vast amounts of unstructured data and decipher natural language, AI is used to gain insights that would otherwise be difficult to obtain and make recommendations for action according to predefined criteria.
AI has become an indispensable tool
It supports content marketers in uncovering worthwhile keywords, especially in the so-called long tail, planning magazine topics, optimizing and personalizing content, implementing automation processes, testing landing pages, planning social shares and reviewing analytics data. AI has become an indispensable tool for data-driven marketers because there is often significantly more data available than humans can meaningfully process and analyze conventionally. The success of our efforts depends on being able to extract the right insights from the data we already have, for example using our e-commerce, CRM or DMP platforms.
We present a few ways in which AI can be used in content marketing.
Increase visibility in a targeted manner
Content production is only one part of content marketing. To achieve goals, the right content must be properly curated and optimized for the right audience in order to trigger the right conversions. No wonder that 67 % der Marketingspezialisten consider the identification and targeting of the target group as one of the most important parts of their work. AI comes into play here to increase the visibility of your content by tapping into local demand data and correctly assessing user intent.
For example, AI tools can help to recognize characteristic features of high-ranking content and provide real-time recommendations to improve content performance. You can also use predictive intelligence to deliver content in the right format and through the right channel that could be useful and meaningful to potential customers at different points in their customer journey. This is where marketing automation tools come into play, which can also increase the ROI of content marketing activities based on artificial intelligence.
Better content
Most content creation efforts are based on educated guesswork: Marketers make assumptions about what topics will be in high demand based on previous information and their subjective understanding of the market. AI can guide marketers to create content that is of greater value to the audience by analyzing and strategically evaluating relevant keywords and content characteristics in real-time to increase visibility and improve convertibility.
They can use artificial intelligence to identify trending topics early on. Specialized algorithms track discussions across the internet and social media, but also within other published content. In this way, it is possible to identify trends and incorporate them into topic planning long before they become mainstream. Here, too, it is worth getting out of the guessing game and optimizing the marketing budget so that more relevant content is created and promoted at the right point in the buying process.
Smart content for individual user needs
Content marketing best practices are constantly evolving, thanks to ever-changing SEO and social media algorithms, as well as user expectations and preferences. The use of AI solutions helps marketers quickly adapt to the ever-changing search landscape by delivering “smart content” that is personalized and intelligently tailored to your customers’ needs.
Using “smart content” that is specifically tailored to each potential customer’s lifecycle stage, purchase history or browsing behavior fully leverages the power of omnichannel marketing by delivering personalized communications across all touchpoints, including website, email, social media, mobile app and more.
Automate recurring tasks intelligently
Staying on top of search and marketing trends requires constant evaluation and analysis of vast amounts of data. Many of these repetitive and manual tasks can be automated with AI-powered marketing tools so that content and its performance can be planned, optimized, personalized, promoted, measured and analyzed much more effectively.
Start by evaluating your current content marketing process. Determine which tasks can be automated with AI technologies to utilize budgets more effectively. For example, the ability to automatically identify the best topics and content formats based on real-time data can free up your resources for creative content development instead. Alternatively, you can refine your briefs for external editors and work more cost-effectively.
Maximize the data yield
With the right data, you can gain the right insights to predict results, develop strategies, personalize content and scale content marketing strategies. However, there is no one answer to all questions about which metric is right for your business and your content marketing needs.
The best way to get the most out of your data sets is to talk to your internal stakeholders and those who generate this treasure trove of data. Only then is it possible to assess which data is truly relevant in order to evaluate which measures are strategically most promising.
Use the AI capabilities of your existing marketing platforms
Before adding new software to your arsenal, take a look at the AI capabilities of your existing tools. Many platforms are actively integrating AI into their existing offerings.
Using the AI capabilities in your current tools not only gives you a good starting point to familiarize yourself with the technology. You can also take advantage of the seamless integration of existing software, allowing you to get up and running faster and more cost-effectively.
Conclusion
Laut IDC planen 69% of companies in Germany planned to launch a new AI project within the next 12 months in 2018. For content marketers, it has also become almost essential to use artificial intelligence if they want to stay relevant and continue to engage their audience in a meaningful and profitable way.