Leveraging AI to build brands

AI is table stakes for marketers: Chris Brownlee at Yext describes how to best leverage it to build brand presence

Like many industries in the last two years, AI in marketing has become ubiquitous. But marketers everywhere face a double-edged challenge.

First, there is a lot of hype around the various tools and ways AI can help marketers do more with less. The opportunity of improved efficiency and impact is very real, but it can be hard to know where to start and where best to integrate AI to optimise workflows and tailor experiences. Marketers know they need to adopt some form of AI tool, but what, where, and how?

Second, AI is one part of a far broader change in the search landscape, alongside social media. Customer discovery journeys are evolving, and AI and social media are taking on more prominence than traditional search engines. The challenge is staying visible and relevant amidst this change. Let’s explore how this plays out.

AI search: conversations over Q&As

People are adapting to – and desiring - more conversational and personalised search experiences. Chatbots and LLMs like ChatGPT are increasingly becoming a ‘go-to’ when a consumer wants to know more, meaning it’s also becoming a key place where brands and information about brands are uncovered. This is only going to increase.

The biggest thing to consider for marketers is that these LLMs work differently from typical search engines. The likes of ChatGPT are pulling information from a range of different publishers and sites, not just the big hitters or the top-ranking sites.

One of the most powerful and impactful things marketers can do in this age of AI search is to review and manage their digital presence. Showing up consistently and impactfully across a wide range of publishers is vital for brands.

Advanced digital presence tools already use automation here to tighten up brand management and maintain updates across a diverse publisher network. In practice, this means when making any change to your brand information, it is instantly refreshed across an entire network.

Social media discovery  

The other key factor driving the changing search landscape is social media. Like AI searches, social media is driving a big change in how brand information is discovered. Social media particularly is also increasingly cementing its role across the entire buyer journey – from discovery to purchase.

Did you know that social media – including ads, recommendations, and updates from brands’ social pages - beat traditional search engines and TV ads as the top way consumers discover new brands this year? Over half (51%) of Gen Z consumers use social media to look up brands, with 60% saying that it helps them get the information they want more quickly.

So, while social media has been a tool in marketers’ arsenal for years, it’s more powerful than ever and needs more careful consideration and investment. Similarly to AI search, it also makes the case for strong brand management in all channels, not just in high-ranking websites.

AI tools to enrich brand management

The vital piece of the puzzle to survive this shifting search landscape is brand management. And unsurprisingly, AI can already help marketers deliver this and “do more with less”.

Consider the bank of brand information and knowledge mentioned earlier. Today, the most advanced solutions are layering over machine learning algorithms to analyse content performance and make ongoing recommendations that can help improve listings. As the algorithms learn a brand’s voice, these AI-driven tools can suggest and create relevant engaging content that drives customer engagement. Marketers can create insights-led campaigns far more quickly, with minimal effort, and better ROI.

The tools use AI and automation to ensure any new updates and information are disseminated and updated across the publisher networks in real-time, and posts on social are scheduled easily. Brands boost their presence in AI engines and social, and the content that is unearthed stays accurate, relevant, and as engaging as possible.

Supercharging local social strategies

For multi-location brands, AI is also helping take a localised approach to social media marketing, boosting relevance and engagement. AI-powered tools enable marketers to quickly understand local trends and customer preferences, and recommend adaptions to core information and content that can ensure marketing efforts are highly relevant and impactful.

Historically, tailoring social content for different geographical regions has been hugely time-intensive, but AI is fast-tracking this process. The payoff is huge too – not only does this boost local discoverability, it also creates more personal customer experiences that connect more authentically.

AI at the intersection of marketing

AI’s intersection with marketing has reset the game. It’s enabling marketers to do so much more, more quickly and impactfully. But equally, it’s changing the very landscape marketers are working with, hand-in-hand with social media.

Today, AI is a non-negotiable for marketers to think about. Embracing AI-driven solutions and protecting brand integrity is so important in this era of fragmented search. Those that do will stay competitive and connect with audiences wherever and whenever they are searching.

Chris Brownlee is VP of Product at Yext

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com