How to use ChatGPT to boost your small business marketing strategy
Emily Ward Say hello to ChatGPT – the AI bot that’s changed everything for small business marketing. ChatGPT is a tool, so advanced that it can be both a threat and a godsend to your business. But how can you use it to support your small business marketing strategy? Here’s how. In this guide we explore what ChatGPT is, the benefits it offers for small business marketing, the potential risks involved, and four practical ways to integrate it into your marketing strategy in 2024.
Firstly, what is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot model that has been developed by OpenAI. It has essentially been designed to understand and generate human-like text based on questions that are asked. Like Google and other search engines, it’s information-focused, but the key difference is dialogue. Instead of being presented with information to sort through, you are given exactly what you asked for. That’s ChatGPT.
Benefits of using ChatGPT as part of your small business marketing plan
Now that we know what Chat GPT is, how does it fit into your small business marketing strategy and what are the benefits?
- Efficiency
One of the key benefits of using ChatGPT in your marketing strategy is its ability to streamline content creation processes. By automating tasks such as writing blog posts, social media updates, or product descriptions, businesses can save valuable time and resources.
- Personalisation
ChatGPT can also help businesses deliver more personalised content to their audience. By analysing customer data and preferences, ChatGPT can generate tailored messages and recommendations that resonate with individual customers, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.
- Scalability
ChatGPT offers scalability, allowing businesses to generate large volumes of content quickly and efficiently to meet the demands of a growing audience. As a small business, this is invaluable.
- Innovation
ChatGPT can help businesses uncover trends, identify opportunities, and develop creative marketing campaigns that stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Risks of using ChatGPT as part of your marketing strategy
While ChatGPT offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to be aware of the potential risks involved. ChatGPT is not a replacement for everything! While it’s advantageous, especially with content creation and idea brainstorming, like any bit of technology it does not come with complete accuracy. So despite the benefits it brings to small businesses, humans are needed to, well, deliver the right message.
Here’s what to watch out for when using ChatGPT to support your marketing strategy:
- Quality control
AI-generated content lacks the creativity and nuance of human-generated content, leading to potential issues with brand authenticity and credibility. This is why hiring a freelancer or using the skills of your team is still an essential part of a successful content strategy. By all means, streamline your content ideation process with the help of ChatGPT, but we strongly advise not simply asking it to create blog post after blog post without any human editing. If you don’t have the time to edit your blog posts yourself, consider using a freelancer to help you perfect your content for you.
- Ethical concerns
There are also ethical considerations to take into account when using AI for marketing purposes. Businesses must ensure that the content generated by ChatGPT adheres to ethical guidelines and does not promote misinformation or offensive material. If you’re using ChatGPT to write up contracts, it’s advisable to hire a legal professional to help iron out grey areas if you’re not sure your contract is legally compliant.
- Dependency
Over-reliance on ChatGPT for content creation may hinder the development of in-house creative capabilities. Businesses should use ChatGPT as a tool to enhance their marketing efforts, rather than replacing human creativity altogether. For a successful marketing campaign, you will still need the likes of Email Marketers, SEO Specialists, Google Ads Experts, Social Media Experts – the list goes on. Think of ChatGPT as a tool that helps with “content” – relying on it solely is risky and could negatively impact SEO.
4 ways to use ChatGPT in your small business marketing strategy
Now that we have covered the pros and cons of ChatGPT. This is how we would implement the AI tool into a business marketing strategy:
- Content improvement
Using ChatGPT in your business marketing strategy can be a powerful tool – if you use it correctly. Use ChatGPT to enhance existing content by providing suggestions for improvement, rather than writing it from scratch – but it’s important to remember that not everything chatGPT outputs is accurate and should be sense-checked before publication. That’s why it’s key to remember that all content needs the human touch, and this is where an experienced freelancer who understands how ChatGPT works can support your marketing strategy.
- Content ideation
Stuck for ideas for your next blog post or social media campaign? ChatGPT can help. By providing a brief description of your desired topics or themes, ChatGPT can generate a range of ideas and suggestions to inspire your next marketing campaign. You could ask it to:
- Post ideas based on topics that you’re considering in your next marketing campaign
- Research topics of interest that you want to explore or promote
- Simplify contexts for you, so your content is more broken down for your audience
- Sales email copy
Crafting compelling sales emails can be challenging, but ChatGPT can make it easier. Small businesses can put in information about their target audience and product offerings, and ChatGPT can generate persuasive email copy tailored to specific customer segments, increasing open and conversion rates.
- Audience research
While you could do your own research, using ChatGPT can certainly help speed things up. ChatGPT can be used to create surveys or polls – to help collect vital customer feedback. On top of this, ChatGPT can also help with analysing your data, including social media interactions, past purchases and search queries. Using ChatGPT in marketing can help identify your target audience’s preferences, interests, and pain points, which can inform your marketing messaging, content, and product development.
In conclusion, ChatGPT is a powerful tool for small businesses to enhance their marketing efforts. By leveraging its capabilities for content improvement, ideation, sales email copy, and audience research, businesses can gain a competitive edge in today’s digital marketplace. However, it’s essential to approach ChatGPT with caution. Your best bet is to stick with humans when it comes down to the finer details. Be mindful about this aspect of ChatGPT and you’re set up to launch a successful marketing strategy.
