Generative A.I. is transforming marketing and PR worldwide. The use of A.I. supports marketing and PR professionals in generating content quickly and easily, leading to improved efficiency, customization and creativity. eBay's CMO says they use it to support personalized subject lines for emails and for banner ad copy, with plans to expand.
But how are marketers and PR pros actually using A.I.? What prompts are they using? And how are they building them? Read on to find out.
Common marketing & PR uses of generative A.I.
While generative A.I. is developing rapidly in both capability and application, it shines brightest when used as a tool for augmenting human work rather than replacing it. From ideation and creative brainstorming to summarizing data and generating outlines, A.I. provides a great starting point for marketing and PR teams to build upon. Here are some common applications in marketing and PR:
- Content creation: Blogs, articles, images, videos, audio, audience discovery and the ability to tailor to customer segments.
- Campaign development: Analyze data for social media ads and email marketing, learning from past campaigns to target audiences and suggest messaging strategies.
- SEO optimization: Use natural language processing and SERP analysis to identify keywords and optimize content for search rankings.
- Brand messaging: Craft consistent, engaging narratives across various platforms.
- Social media engagement: Analyze audience data for targeted, personalized content, enhancing social media campaign effectiveness.
- Press releases and communication: Identify and generate newsworthy content, write press releases, and distribute to targeted media outlets.
Crafting effective A.I. prompts
To develop prompts that yield targeted and effective content, consider the following tips:
- Clarity and detail: Ensure the prompts are clear and detailed for relevant A.I.-generated content
- Audience-specific customization: Adapt prompts to resonate with your target audience
- Tone and style: Clearly define the desired tone and style for brand consistency
- Incorporate key messages: Embed essential messages in the prompts
- Contextual information: Include platform specifics and campaign goals
- Use examples and templates: Provide examples or templates for guidance
- Encourage creativity: Challenge A.I. to produce noteworthy content
- Request multiple options: Ask for various content versions for A/B testing
- SEO considerations: Include SEO guidelines for online visibility
- Specify length or format: Define the desired content length or format
- Review and refine: Emphasize iterating on A.I. outputs to align them more closely with expectations
Strategic prompts for generative A.I. in marketing and PR
Effective prompts align with your business goals, audience preferences and overall marketing strategy. The aim is to utilize generative A.I. to supplement and elevate existing strategies, stimulate creative thinking, and craft compelling content. Here are some examples of effective prompts you can use in marketing and PR scenarios.
Brand storytelling
Use prompts to guide A.I. in creating narratives that reflect your company's values and resonate with your audience. For example, 'Our company values are integrity, curiosity and dedication. Our target audience is XYZ. Important company milestones include: Date: Milestone, Date: Milestone, etc. Generate a brand story that highlights our company values and resonates with our target audience, and that showcases our brand's journey and milestones.' Adding key elements like your mission, values, unique selling points (USPs), and target audience will help you easily define your brand story to the A.I., ensuring it generates relevant and meaningful content.
Dynamic social media content
Tailor your prompts to produce engaging content that aligns with the distinctive characteristics of each social media platform. Consider a prompt like 'Our professional development product is designed for ambitious, career-focused professionals in the tech industry. Our key selling points include innovative technology and expert mentorship. Create a series of LinkedIn posts that highlight these features and engage our target audience with compelling questions and calls-to-action.' The aim is to create content that stimulates interaction and is shareable on the specific platform.
Blog content generation
A.I. prompts for generating blog topics should focus on current trends or specific audience interests. For example, 'Our company specializes in sustainable urban development, focusing on green technology and smart city planning. We want to engage a young, environmentally-conscious audience. Here is a list of articles to review: Article 1, article 2, Article 3. Based on those articles, develop blog topics that explore the latest trends in city planning innovations, particularly in renewable energy and eco-friendly transportation, and how they contribute to sustainable urban living.' This can result in a variety of relevant and engaging topics that resonate with your brand's focus.
Press releases
Design A.I. press release prompts to create clear, concise announcements about major company developments. For instance, 'We are launching a new renewable energy project focusing on solar power. Key aspects include its impact on reducing carbon emissions and creating local jobs. Draft a press release detailing this project, emphasizing our commitment to ecological sustainability and community development. Highlight specific data points such as the expected reduction in emissions and job creation figures.' This ensures that A.I.-generated content is targeted and effective.
Email marketing creativity
Craft prompts for email marketing to generate captivating subject lines and compelling content. For example, 'Our new culinary line features a range of organic, locally sourced ingredients, including XYZ. The target audience is home cooks who value health and sustainability. Create an email series introducing this product line, with subject lines designed to pique the interest of health-conscious food enthusiasts. Include content showcasing freshness, health benefits, and easy recipes using these ingredients.' This can guide A.I. to produce language that engages and intrigues the right customers with a tailored tone.
Dynamic event marketing strategies
For effective event promotion, generative A.I. can craft diverse promotional materials. For instance, combining historical event data with a prompt like 'Our next webinar focuses on digital marketing trends in 2024. Our past attendees are primarily small business owners and freelance marketers. The key points from the webinar are XYZ. Develop a marketing plan that includes email and social media content strategies tailored to this audience. Highlight practical tips from the webinar that address their specific challenges and interests in digital marketing.' This type of prompt enables A.I. to produce relevant event marketing materials for various digital channels once.
Crafting personalized customer experiences
Effortlessly generate customer testimonial marketing materials with generative A.I.. Use prompts like 'Our latest product is a smart home assistant with features like voice control, home automation, and energy-saving modes. Our target customers are tech-savvy homeowners. Here are some examples of customer testimonials. Customer 1: experience. Customer 2: experience. Generate a narrative weaving in these testimonials that illustrates how this smart home assistant simplifies daily life, saves energy, and integrates seamlessly into a modern home. Use a narrative style that resonates with our audience’s lifestyle." This directs A.I. to craft marketing materials that naturally weave in personalized testimonials while showcasing product strengths.
Generative A.I. also excels in making interactive content like quizzes. You could use a prompt such as 'Construct an interactive skincare quiz titled 'Find Your Perfect Skin Routine.' The quiz should ask users about their skin type (e.g., oily, dry, combination), concerns (e.g., acne, aging, dullness), and lifestyle habits. Based on their responses, the quiz will recommend specific products from our skincare line, emphasizing natural ingredients and their benefits. Include a brief explanation with each recommendation, illustrating how our products address their specific needs and contribute to a healthier skincare routine. Here is a list of our products and their benefits (product information).'
Insightful trend analysis and leadership perspectives
For trend analysis, A.I. can summarize industry shifts. Consider a prompt like 'Analyze the latest digital marketing trends, focusing on A.I.-driven personalization and data privacy concerns. Combine insights from external industry reports with our internal research data: XYZ data. Prepare a comprehensive overview that not only details these trends but also provides our company's perspective that you should implement XYZ precautions when using A.I.-driven personalization.' this helps A.I. merge diverse data for a complete market overview that still includes your company's unique insight.
In thought leadership, use prompts to highlight executive expertise. For example, 'Create an article titled 'Navigating the Future of Marketing with A.I.: Insights from Our Leaders.' Feature specific insights from our CEO (insight XYZ), Jane Doe (insight XYZ), and CTO, John Smith (insight XYZ), on how A.I. is shaping customer engagement and data analytics in marketing. Include their perspectives on our company's recent advancements in A.I. technology, particularly in personalization and predictive analysis. Highlight the following case studies: (case study examples) where our A.I. solutions have driven significant results for clients in the retail sector.' This prompt can help to position your brand as an innovative industry leader.
Challenges, opportunities and recommendations for A.I. integration
Generative A.I. prompts for marketers and PR professionals come with specific challenges and opportunities. Recognizing these is crucial for formulating strategies that maximize A.I. while addressing possible pitfalls.
Challenges
Remember to exercise caution and make sure a human reviews all content for quality assurance and originality. A.I. generated content does not guarantee accuracy, relevance or authenticity, and is not necessarily free from biases or adheres to ethical norms and diverse viewpoints.
Opportunities
Generative A.I., while not foolproof, opens the door to a number of opportunities to support marketing and PR professionals. It can provide enhanced efficiencies and support dynamic marketing tactics, facilitate reaching a more diverse audience (think multiple languages and formats) and provides an opportunity to use data to tailor content for specific audience trends and preferences. This highly personalized and targeted approach can enhance communication effectiveness.
Recommendations
Generative A.I. is only going to continue to grow and develop, and marketers and pr professionals should make it a point to stay up-to-date on advancements and educate your team on A.I. functionality and best practices. A few other recommendations:
- Clearly define your A.I. goals
- Consistently evaluate A.I.-generated content for quality
- Experiment with A.I. to discover novel marketing strategies
- Commit to ethical standards in A.I. use
- Apply data analytics to guide A.I.-based strategies
Elevating your marketing and PR efforts with A.I.
Adopting generative A.I. can significantly transform your marketing and PR efforts. It’s key for creating real-time, relevant content, broadening your audience and personalizing messages. Success requires an open mindset, ongoing education about A.I. advancements and regular strategy refinement.
Explore how Highwire can assist in this transformation. We offer expertise in brand strategy, content creation, media relations and digital marketing. Our goal is to uplift your brand and drive meaningful results.
Get in touch with us today to get started.
About James Holland
James Holland is Highwire's A.I. expert and a member of PRWeek's Dashboard 25: AI Edition -- Class of 2024, a list of 25 of the most influential people in communications technology, with a focus on the AI revolution.
