How to Use AI to Research and Write Social Media Campaigns

Staying ahead of the curve is crucial when it comes to digital marketing. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the way we approach various tasks, including putting together compelling social campaigns. In this article, we'll explore using AI to research and write social campaigns for your organization. From understanding AI's role to practical tips for implementation, we've got you covered.

1. The Power of AI in Social Media Campaigns

Picture this: you have a tool to analyze vast amounts of data, identify trends, and predict user behavior. That tool is AI. AI has the ability to supercharge your social media campaigns by providing insights that would take hours or even days for a human to gather. It's like having a team of experts working tirelessly behind the scenes.

2. Understanding AI's Role in Research

Before you start utilizing AI for your campaigns, it's important to understand its role. AI can scour the internet, social platforms, and other relevant sources to gather valuable data about your target audience, industry trends, and competitor strategies. This data forms the foundation of a successful campaign.

Choosing the right social media platforms for your organization can be a game-changer. Each platform has its own unique characteristics and user base, making it crucial to conduct thorough research before committing your resources. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of researching social media platforms to determine if they're a good fit for your organization's goals and target audience.

Understanding the Importance of Platform Research

Before diving into the specifics, let's emphasize the significance of platform research. Social media is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Different platforms cater to different demographics, interests, and engagement styles. Investing time in research can save you from spreading your efforts thin across platforms that might not yield the desired results.

Steps to Effective Platform Research

Define Your Goals and Audience

Start by clarifying your organization's goals. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or boost sales? Once your goals are clear, identify your target audience. Understand their demographics, interests, behaviors, and preferred social media habits. For example, if you work in a SaaS company that sells legal technology, you will want a clear understanding of what the average age, professional and outside interests, and platform membership lawyers and Legal Technology professionals have.

You can use AI to help you with this (in addition to interviewing your sales team, analyzing your contact database, and conducting industry/persona research of course!). Here’s an example of a prompt typed into ChatGPT. Notice that I had already segmented my audience when typing in the prompt: "What social media platforms do personal injury lawyers use professionally and personally?" ChatGPT gives me an answer to contribute to my research. Note that the screenshot cuts off the full response.

Analyze Platform Demographics and Content Types

Research the demographics of each social media platform. Look into factors such as age, gender, location, education, and income levels of the user base. Compare these demographics with your target audience to see if there's an alignment. Different platforms support various types of content, such as images, videos, articles, and live streams. Consider the types of content your organization can create and how well they align with the platform's features.

Study Engagement Patterns

Examine how users engage with content on each platform. Are users more likely to comment, like, share, or click through to your website? Understanding engagement patterns helps you tailor your content strategy.

Assess Advertising Options

If paid advertising is part of your strategy, evaluate the advertising options on each platform. Look into targeting capabilities, ad formats, and budget requirements to determine if they align with your goals.

Research Competitor Presence

Analyze your competitors' presence on different platforms. Where are they most active, and how well are they engaging their audience? This can provide insights into where your target audience spends time.

Consider Industry Relevance

Certain industries have a stronger presence on specific platforms. Research whether your industry aligns with the platform's culture and values.

Review Analytics and Insights

Most platforms provide analytics and insights that offer valuable data about audience engagement, reach, and demographics. Explore these metrics to gauge the potential impact of your efforts.

Making the Decision

After conducting thorough research, it's time to make an informed decision. Create a spreadsheet comparing each platform's pros and cons based on your research. Consider factors such as audience alignment, content suitability, engagement potential, and advertising options.

Remember, it's okay to start small. You don't need to be present on every platform from the get-go. Begin with two platforms that align most closely with your goals and audience. As you gain insights and experience, you can expand your presence strategically.

3. Leveraging AI for Audience Insights

One of the most powerful aspects of AI is its ability to understand your audience on a deeper level. AI can uncover preferences, interests, and behaviors by analyzing user interactions. This insight allows you to tailor your campaigns to resonate with your audience's desires, increasing engagement and conversion rates.

4. Crafting Captivating Content with AI

Content is king, and AI can be your creative advisor. AI-powered tools can generate compelling social media post copy, engaging captions, and even suggest relevant hashtags. This collaborative effort between human creativity and AI's analytical prowess generates content that grabs attention and drives results.

5. Personalization: Tailoring Campaigns with AI

Gone are the days of generic, one-size-fits-all campaigns. AI enables dynamic personalization, where content is customized for each individual based on their preferences and behaviors. This hyper-personalization boosts engagement and creates a sense of connection between your brand and the audience.

For example, I asked ChatGPT to assist me with an email marketing campaign. My prompt:

"Write two different email versions of a 200-word marketing email for a coworking space highlighting their features. One version is for an audience of freelance digital artists, while the second version is for an audience of technology sales professionals."

Here's what it gave me:

Notice the key selling points are geared towards a creative client, while the sales version of the email below highlights different callouts.

Imagine what the tool would have created if I had given it the name of my business and a list of amenities. 

This is just one example of how AI can help you create personalized, contextualized marketing campaigns. Have you ever used HubSpot's Smart Content feature to display different website copy to different personas? That's another example, but there are many other applications. 

6. AI-Driven Visual Content: Images and Videos

Visual content is a cornerstone of social media success. AI can assist in creating visually stunning graphics, videos, and even interactive elements. It can also optimize image sizes and formats for different platforms, ensuring your visuals are always pixel-perfect.

For example, I need a social media image for a senior living open house event. I can go to Bing's image creation tool (you'll need to create an account) and type in my prompt (as pictured below).

I could have been even more specific: I could have typed in "social media image for senior living community open house with calendar page on the bottom," and Bing would return with these options:

Or, I could include photography terms such as "social media image for senior living community open house wide angle lens smiling people" and receive these delightful images.

If you prefer AI to suggest photo ideas, here's an easy example using a social media calendar with image suggestions prompt template on ChatGPT. I used the same information as I did for our image creation quest; I requested a social media post (with an image suggestion) for a senior living open house. The screenshot below is for one option out of twenty that the AI tool delivered.

7. Automating Posting and Scheduling

Consistency is key in social media marketing. AI can take over the scheduling and posting process, ensuring your content reaches your audience at the optimal times for maximum impact. This automation frees up your time to focus on strategic planning and creativity.

You can use many different platforms to automate your social posting: Sprout Social, HubSpot, HootSuite, and more. You can also work with bulk uploads to schedule hundreds of posts at a time and use a content creation AI tool to help you write the copy and create or recommend images. Or, some of these platforms have an AI content writer integrated with their social media scheduler, and you can create posts directly in the program.

You can also use your social media AI research skills to strategize posting days and times. Here's an example from our previously mentioned Coworking organization as they determine the best time of day to post on Instagram:

8. Data Analysis: Measuring Campaign Effectiveness

With AI, tracking and analyzing campaign performance becomes effortless. AI tools can provide real-time insights into metrics such as engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This data empowers you to make informed decisions and refine your strategies for better results. 

Your Martech stack should have campaign reporting and dashboard capabilities. You might use the Google Suite:  Analytics 4, Tag Manager, Search Console, and Ads for website and advertising data. Your CRM should track active organic and paid campaigns, and many systems employ AI in their report-building functionality: from a chatbot that will build a report for you from a prompt to real-time analytic updates by filter. You can even ask a tool like ChatGPT how to use the CRM you have to build the report you want, asking for step-by-step instructions. 

9. Ensuring Ethical and Human Touch

While AI is a powerful ally, maintaining a human touch is essential. Striking the right balance between automation and genuine interaction is key. Your audience values authenticity, so use AI to enhance your efforts, not replace the human connection.

You will also find, the more you work with AI tools, that a significant percentage of the material that AI generates is inappropriate for your brand or audience, is outdated information, or needs a heavy copy edit before it’s ready for prime time. AI-generated material depends on human users' high-quality, precise, contextual prompts. You cannot ask ChatGPT to "write a blog about marketing" and expect to receive an SEO-friendly 1,000-word article written in your brand’s style about lead generation strategies for educational consultants working with K-12 schools in the Midwestern United States. Even if you fed in a more detailed prompt, a heavy copy edit and additional sections would need to be written by a knowledgeable human to have a professional product in the end.  

AI has emerged as a game-changer for crafting impactful social media campaigns. By harnessing its analytical power, personalization capabilities, and automation prowess, you can take your organization's social media presence to new heights. Remember, AI is not here to replace you but to empower you. Embrace AI's potential, and watch your campaigns soar to success.

FAQs

1. Can AI really understand my target audience better than I can? 
   Yes, AI's ability to analyze vast amounts of data gives it an edge in uncovering audience insights that might be challenging for a human to discover.
2. Is AI-generated content authentic? 
   Absolutely. AI-generated content can be a valuable starting point, but infusing it with your brand's personality and style is important for authenticity.
3. How can AI help with ethical considerations in campaigns? 
   AI can assist in identifying potential ethical pitfalls by analyzing content and suggesting modifications that align with your brand's values.
4. Will AI eventually replace human marketers? 
   No, AI is a tool that enhances human capabilities. While it can automate certain tasks, the strategic and creative aspects of marketing will always require a human touch.
5. What should I look out for when adopting new AI-driven marketing trends? 
   Stay informed about AI advancements and choose trends that align with your brand's goals. Always test and iterate to find what works best for your specific audience and industry.