Transform Your Social Content Strategy with AI-Powered Insights
Yes, I use AI to help create my content.
No, I don’t have AI write my content for me.
And in this week’s Sell with Social, I will explain how you can use tools like ChatGPT to help you in your content strategy.
AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
It's essential to view AI, like ChatGPT, as a powerful writing assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity. While it can generate content based on inputs, it lacks the human touch – the emotions, experiences, and nuances that make our writing genuinely relatable.
For those of us who are using AI-powered tools regularly, it becomes easy to spot content that was 100% generated through AI. Whether it’s LinkedIn posts, blog articles, or website copy, you still need a human to create the most engaging content.
This is why it’s important to understand that AI is a tool, not a replacement for humans.
I want to make this clear as we move forward, as I don’t ever suggest that my clients simply copy/paste AI-generated content and post it as themselves. While it may save some time, it will lack the depth that enables you to create content that builds an audience and converts them into opportunities.
However, AI is a powerful tool that you should be utilizing as part of not only your content strategy, but your broader business strategy.
How to Use AI as a Tool
Let’s start by reviewing some suggestions on utilizing AI as a tool.
For the sake of this article, I’m primarily focusing on how to use ChatGPT, the conversational AI tool developed by OpenAI. However, these same tips apply to many generative AI platforms.
To get started, simply login to the AI platform and start chatting with it. Start by asking some simple questions that get you comfortable with interacting on the platform.
Over time, the more you experiment, the more you’ll learn how to refine your requests and receive better results.
Additionally, here are a few tips to keep in mind when using AI tools:
Be specific with Prompts
One of ChatGPT's strengths is its ability to generate content based on the prompts you provide. The clearer and more specific you are, the better the result. Feed it as much information as you can that gives context to the question you are answering.
Review and Revise
While ChatGPT is fairly accurate, it's far from perfect. Always review the generated content for accuracy, relevance, and tone. Ensure the material aligns with your brand voice and message.
Engage in Two Way Conversations
ChatGPT is more than just a content generator. Engage in a conversation with it, ask follow-up questions, and seek clarifications. This iterative process can lead to richer and more detailed content. You can even ask AI to ask you for information that will help it provide better results.
Five Ways I Use AI for Content Creation
Now that we’ve covered some of the basics on how to interact with AI tools, let’s now dive into how we can use AI to help us create better content.
Here are five ways that I use AI in my content creation process:
#1 Brainstorm Content Ideas
Even though I usually have a bank of content ideas ready to go, I often turn to AI to help me brainstorm additional topics. In particular, using AI is helpful when exploring content ideas around a specific topic or context.
In your prompt, define what you do, who your audience is, and then what kind of content ideas you are looking for.
One of my favorite prompts is “What are the top 10 questions that [audience] asks about [topic]?”
This will often provide a list of valuable FAQ-style questions that can be used for content. And because this response is based on real-world data, you know these questions are frequently asked.
You can also be more direct in asking specifically for content ideas. This is also great when you are trying to brainstorm content ideas that are to be used for a specific purpose.
#2 Create Outlines
Even if you have a content idea, sometimes the most challenging part is getting started with creating it. In this case, asking AI tools to generate content outlines is a great way to get a “skeleton” in place that you can fill in.
I do this often when creating longer-form content, such as a blog post, email newsletter, or educational video.
You can prompt it with something like, “I’m writing an article on how installing a home solar system can save you money on your taxes. Can you give me an outline of that article I could use?”
You can (and should) get even more specific in your prompts, telling it to include certain ideas or styling in your outline. Using the example above, I could add, “Please include information on the US Federal Tax benefits in the outline.”
#3 Re-Write Content
You may want to revise and improve content you already created. In this case, you can use AI to improve existing content, serving as a personal copyeditor for you.
For instance, I recently had a sales rep who wanted to change the tone of a social media post he wrote. The content was good, but he knew it needed to be “friendly” to a general audience.
In this case, the prompt was, “Can you re-write the following LinkedIn post in a more friendly tone?” Followed by a copy/paste of his original content.
This is great for content like social posts or articles, but it's also great for emails or direct message conversations. Sometimes, we simply need somebody, or something, to give us another set of eyes before we press that send button.
#4 Fill in Content Gaps
When you’re struggling with filling in missing information in your content, you can turn to AI as a crutch for your brain.
By querying the model with specific questions or providing it with partial content, you can get detailed, contextually relevant information that seamlessly fits into your existing material.
Whether it's a missing historical fact, an explanation of a complex concept, or just a more eloquent way to phrase an idea, ChatGPT can provide the missing piece, allowing creators to craft content rich in detail and coherent in flow.
Additionally, AI’s adaptive nature means it can assist in a diverse range of content domains, from academic papers to creative stories. For content creators who might not be experts in a particular field, AI serves as a valuable ally, offering insights or verifying facts to enhance the credibility and depth of your work.
To do this, create a prompt and give it the context, “I’m creating a post about…” Then give it specific guidelines: “Write three sentences…” to abide by. This will help you craft the right amount of content for your piece.
#5 Promotion Ideas and Strategies
And finally, once your content is created, you can use AI to help you brainstorm ideas to promote it. This is a great way to virtually crowdsource ideas to amplify your reach.
The prompt here is pretty simple. Tell the AI platform what content you created, and how you want to help promote it. For example, “I created a video explaining the benefits of solar panels for residential customers. What are 5 ways I can promote it on social media?”
And voila! Your AI assistant should provide you with a list of ideas that you can use for your strategy.
Yes… some will be obvious. And yes… some will not apply to your business. But I guarantee you’ll get some incredible insights if you play with the prompts you provide.
Content is King, Better
In the realm of social selling, content is king. And while AI tools like ChatGPT provide a significant advantage in generating ideas and content, they shouldn't replace the authentic human touch that truly resonates with audiences.
By leveraging AI in tandem with our unique human insights and emotions, we can create compelling content that not only educates, but also connects.
For this week’s action items, I want you to experiment with AI tools for your content strategy. Whether you are an AI expert or just getting started, this is an excellent opportunity to sharpen your skills.
Here’s what you can do:
- Sign up for ChatGPT - If you are not already signed up, create an account with ChatGPT. You do NOT need to get the paid version to start utilizing it for the strategies outlined in this article.
- Experiment with Prompts - Now, start experimenting with different prompts. Try asking it additional questions, having a two-way conversation, and providing explicit context and instructions. Keep iterating the conversation until you can generate an idea(s) you can use for your content strategy.
- Implement an Idea - Finally, implement an idea that it gave you! Create a piece of content that was generated through your AI friend. And if you need help creating it, ask your AI tool for additional support or content.
Remember, AI is not replacing humans… its another excellent tool for us to use! Hopefully, this week, you’ll be able to put it into action for your sales and marketing strategy.