spread-the-word-digital

Can I just use ChatGPT to write my content?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:29:03 GMT

AI generated content is a hot topic right now, but we give our opinion on why it may not be a good idea to solely use AI for your content generation activities...

What is ChatGPT?

Chat GPT4 is the latest iteration of an AI tool created by OpenAI (a Microsoft company). GPT4 can be used for many different purposes. It can be used to generate human-like text, audio, code, video, images and other data. Its popularity is huge, some even say disruptive, while people try to understand its capabilities. It is so popular, it took us some time to even try the tool ourselves as the website was frequently at capacity. Over the last few years we’ve seen other iterations of this tool released, and the speed at which developments are being made is incredible.

What can it do and what are its strengths and weaknesses?

The levels at which it can generate outputs differs depending on what you are looking to use the tool for, for example currently with content marketing, the tool will generate text but it is not at final draft stage and needs human input for fine tuning. The tool can be useful for writing short form content like social media posts, product and image descriptions quickly – or at least coming up with hundreds of ideas quickly that you can further develop yourself. What we did find while testing though, is that a lot of product based social media posts we asked the tool to generate were very similar and lacked originality.

Why can’t I use AI to generate content for my business?

Well, you could, but we thought we’d cover a few reasons why it may not be the best idea. We aren’t downplaying AI at all, it can be a useful tool and has its place, but we don’t think you should replace your marketer or copywriter just yet…

It isn’t a specialist

Whilst it answers with some factual information, it doesn’t understand the nuances of every industry and the intuition of those within it, and similar prompts will generate similar outputs that are very formulaic in nature. If you are hoping to use ChatGPT to write copy for your website, for instance, it isn’t going to write anything that is compelling to make you stand out from your competitors. Anything where you are relying on depth and insight, rely on a human.

It is based on old information

The factual information we mentioned that ChatGPT serves up, its answers from the large amount of data it has scraped and analysed from the internet pre 2021. So not the current, most up-to-date information.

It doesn’t know ‘truth’

If challenged on inaccuracies (assuming you can spot them), it will also occasionally admit that it made something up. GPT4 is based on iterative learning, so it is learning from previous interactions with humans, whether accurate or not. It’s a bit like doing maths and getting the root of the sum wrong… it just isn’t going to be correct however hard you try, making the output hard to trust.

How is ChatGPT an opportunity?

GPT4 can be used to perform a lot of laborious, monotonous tasks quickly, freeing up time to work on other creative projects. But for the moment, it should be seen as a tool to work with rather than something that should replace marketers or copywriters. It can be a useful tool for helping with writers block – imagine it more like an assistant, but you are its manager. Unrefined, unedited AI text may harm SEO as it is perceived to be low quality content so it’s likely to be a blend for years to come, and that outputs will still need humans to check, for example, tone, voice, and correct keywords used throughout while weaving in up-to-date industry information.

Ultimately, we wonder if in the end it will be obvious to readers that they are interacting with content written by AI, and whether the art of crafting an article written by a fellow human will be something that is revered? What are your thoughts?

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Image: DeepMind on Unsplash .

5 top tips for a successful webinar

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:29:02 GMT

Webinars are great for marketing, not only do they position a company as an expert or thought leader, but they are also a great way to garner audience opinion and generate data that can be used by the sales team.

Having worked on a number of successful webinars over the years, we thought we’d put together 5 top tips for a successful webinar to help you make the most of them.

1. Pick a compelling title

Think about wh o your potential customers are when picking a subject, to make sure it is something topical and will add value to them – even better if it is something that will address a concern or show them how to do something – but do try not to be overly promotional. It can be challenging to come up with a good webinar title, we often think in terms of the Goldilocks rule – it has to be ‘just right’. Not too long, not too short, and compelling enough to really grab the attention of your target audience. Something that, when marketing ahead of the webinar, will look good and pique interest in all email platforms whether being viewed on desktop or mobile. It can be useful to put yourself in your target registrant’s shoes, and succinctly outline what they will learn and take away from attending, then be sure to deliver on your promise.

2. Use a dedicated webinar platform

We suggest this, because we are aware that many companies are using platforms that are broadcast only, with no or very limited interactivity possible. This is a missed opportunity to find out more about an audience and their pain points, which is data you can use in turn to inform other areas of your content strategy. Dedicated webinar platforms have marketing functionality built in, so that you can find out more about the audience from live polls, this kind of activity really helps with audience engagement. There are lots of dedicated platforms in the market to choose from, visit your search engine of choice.

3. Lights, camera, action!

Long gone are the days of faceless broadcasting your message out there on a webinar platform. People buy people and like to see who they are hearing from. Make sure the environment you are sat in is quiet, not likely to be disturbed, and is well lit. It can be useful to do a run through, so that you have your content fresh in your mind and you can iron out any issues you spot with your chosen location. If you have technical issues during the webinar, stay calm, and carry on.

4. Evergreen content

Not all registrations turn into attendees – generally we would expect around 50% to turn up on the day. This could be for many reasons, people forget - even though they may have been sent timely reminders, people may have registered knowing they couldn’t attend live but expecting a recording, and things can crop up, after all. It’s good practice to send the recording to all registrants and host it on your website so that people can sign up and watch the recording in the future, leading to further valuable data collection.

5. One webinar, many content opportunities

After all the planning and effort to run the live webinar, the great news is that you can use content from the event in myriad ways. Ideas include taking quotes from the webinar and using them on social media, this can drive new registrations to the webinar after the event; taking the audio and publishing it as a podcast for those who would prefer to listen rather than watch; you can even use some of the questions posed by the live audience to generate new content ideas.

Webinars are a valuable part of the marketing toolkit. If you’re thinking of holding a webinar and would like some advice, please get in touch with us on 01730 719603 or email us hello@spreadtheworddigital.com , we’d love to talk.

Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash .

Why does content marketing matter?

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:01:29 GMT

Content marketing matters, and here are a few reasons why it should matter to you, whether you are a B2B or B2C business.

Did you know that around 45% of the research phase of the B2B buying process takes place through independent research before these often-complex buying groups even shortlist and make contact? According to Gartner , 27% of this research is conducted online. And according to Oberlo 81% of B2C customers research online before making a purchase. This means that the content your potential customers consume will have an impact on whether your brand even makes their shortlist. Therefore, an overarching marketing strategy supported by great content is so crucial, from brand awareness all the way through to brand advocacy, the strategy will serve the right content, via the right channel, at the right time, to the right person, wherever they are in the customer journey.

By content, though of course important, we aren’t just talking about articles and blog posts. Content touches every marketing channel; from your website copy to your social media posts, your PR and your advertising – it can help to inform and even help you to get found. Knowing who your customer is and writing for them, to be relatable, addressing their questions and pain points, is the key to good copywriting.

Have you sat down and really thought about who your customers are? We have created a free to download checklist of things to consider when considering your buyer personas. It’s free to download and use here.

Interested in working with us? Contact us to 01730 719603 or email hello@spreadtheworddigital.com , we’d love to hear from you.

Image credit: CardMapr.nl on Unsplash .