Cooper Munroe is the CEO of The Motherhood Inc. For nearly two decades, The Motherhood has connected brands with influencers in every country.
There is no hotter topic than ChatGPT right now. Traders in every one of my professional circles get into this tool and endlessly wonder whether or not it can affect how we do what we do.
Having been in the influencer marketing space for nearly 20 years, I have watched and contributed to many conversations as the discipline evolved from the Wild West to today's more mature strategies. In conclusion, while AI and ChatGPT are new tools these days, the issues that have come up as part of this discussion are nothing new.
The title is: ChatGPT cannot replace the human touch, which is essential not only for optimal marketing but also for effective ones.
human touch wins
We've seen the tug-of-war between campaign automation and a human-driven approach, and humans always win. When influencer marketing started, every aspect of the campaign was done manually. It was completely out of the question because we were basically building a playbook and implementing this new marketing tactic at the same time. Those early days required a solid foundation of brand marketing experience, savvy instincts, and plenty of feedback.
As we move forward and these tactics start to take hold in the marketing mix, the industry is looking for ways to scale effectively. What we do on a relatively small scale has proven to be a reliable tactic, which is why brands want to scale massively. Thus, we have entered the era of automation.
Splashy Dashboard promises to take all the work out of influencer marketing. By setting up a few filters, checking a few boxes, and creating an email script, marketers can implement automated workflows that reach hundreds, sometimes thousands, of influencers at once. Industry bit and many brands invested in the control panel first.
But soon, the tide turned when they were faced with the limitations, risks, and potential dangers of relying solely on automation for influencer marketing. Successful influencer marketing requires building relationships with influencers, creating custom campaigns, and creating original content that resonates with the influencer's audience. This activity requires an individual approach to each client, as well as the ability to understand the nuances of influencer marketing, especially the unique nature of working with content creators.
Any marketer will tell you that technology can help improve aspects of a campaign, but you won't find an experienced strategist recommending relying solely on automation for influencer marketing.
The best influencer marketing approach is a hybrid: human-driven campaigns enhanced by technology. Sounds familiar?
Without drivers, you cannot use the tool effectively
With ChatGPT generating text with just a few button clicks, I can see a lot of people wondering if this new language model will replace content creators. If AI is that good at processing and personalizing natural language, it might seem like a worrisome proposition.
Don't sound the alarm just yet, and here's why: Effective influencer marketing depends on the ability to create engaging, original content that resonates with the creator's audience, and that requires creativity, empathy, and a personal touch that IS hard to replicate. . .
Artificial intelligence can definitely be a tool in the marketer's and influencer's toolbox. ChatGPT can be a good way to spark ideas, concepts, and research, but those who use the tool as a shortcut to a finished product rather than a starting point are likely to suffer.
The best and most effective marketers work hand in hand with influencers, and the most effective influencers are those who connect with their audiences person to person (hence the great power of nano and micro-influencers). They have spent years building a community of followers who trust their content and recommendations.
The effects on search engine results remain to be seen, but social media content without the unique touch of an influencer can affect engagement, which will affect your ability to attract and negotiate brand deals. We've seen statements written into influencer contracts that prohibit the use of AI-generated content for sponsored campaigns.
We'll all do well to keep up with AI developments, but I'm sure originality will be even better. Influencer marketing requires experienced professionals with real intelligence, not artificial intelligence, to intelligently use tools to engage content creators that connect with and impact their audience on a personal level. Tools can be improved, but they cannot replace the human touch.
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