Pitfalls Every New Business Owner Can Expect from Relying on AI for Marketing

On this post, let us answer the question whether business can expect success by completely relying on AI for marketing.

When you’re a new business owner, you’re constantly having to research some of the dos and don’ts of being an owner, try to figure out how to streamline this all, figure out how to add your personal life into the mix, and the list could just keep going on and on.

But with that said, no matter what website or app you’re looking into for this advice, whether it be LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Forbes, or basically whatever, you’re going to find that there is one piece of advice that is constantly getting tossed around- using AI. 

You’re going to find advice that you should use AI to make your website, use it to write your SM, use it for graphic design, write emails, and the list could keep going on and on.

While yes, to a degree, this can be great advice, AI can help you speed up the process of things you need to do throughout your day. But the problem is, it’s so heavily pushed, and people brag about it so much that it gives off the idea that businesses of all sizes are solely using AI for everything. Now, some are, but should you do this? 

Absolutely not! In fact, a recent Google update has been detrimental to many businesses that have been using AI to create generic and unhelpful content. Even if you’re opting for SEO services to help you get out of this mess (as many businesses are doing right now), you can still expect it to take a while to get your website and business back on track.  

So, is that something you’d want to deal with? Probably not. Are you still not convinced and think you can use AI for all of your marketing? are you solely relying on AI for marketing your business? Well, then, here are some pitfalls that you can basically expect! 

There’s No Human Touch- People See That

Lately, blog posts, videos, SM, and other forms of content have been filled up with AI. You know what? People are able to see that; it’s pretty obvious when something is AI.

Sure, while AI can analyse vast amounts of data and automate processes with efficiency (honestly, it’s perfect for automation and data entry), it lacks the human touch essential for building genuine connections with customers. 

You need to understand that marketing is not just about promoting products or services; it's about understanding human behavior, emotions, and preferences.

AI literally cannot understand humans; it doesn’t understand human behaviour. So, if you decide to rely solely on AI-driven marketing strategies, you risk losing the personal touch that resonates with your audience.

There’s A Lot of Unforeseen Bias

Scarily enough, even AI has a lot of bias, and it’s fairly unequal. There have been talks on how the YouTube algorithm is mostly catering towards males (white males specifically), there are lawsuits going on about hiring discrimination due to companies using AI for hiring, and the list just keeps continuing.

So, why is this the case? Well, AI algorithms operate based on the data they are fed. Unfortunately, these algorithms can inadvertently perpetuate biases present in the data, leading to skewed outcomes. Is this what you want?

Even when it comes to marketing, not just algorithms, but just marketing within itself, it’s still seen as an issue. In marketing, this can result in targeting only specific demographics or overlooking potential customer segments.

This means that if you do decide to use AI in your marketing, you’re going to have to be cautious, or you might inadvertently alienate or exclude certain groups by relying solely on AI-generated insights.

Not Much Innovation

Creativity is the heartbeat of effective marketing campaigns. It’s true that AI can analyse past trends and optimise strategies accordingly. However, it cannot replicate human creativity and innovation.

As mentioned earlier, you’re just not able to get that human touch with AI because it doesn’t understand what humans love and what they can relate to. 

So, if you are solely relying on AI for marketing, you may find yourself trapped in a cycle of repetitive marketing tactics, lacking the fresh ideas and inventive approaches necessary to stand out in a competitive market. It’s just not a good look in the slightest! 

Ill-Prepared for the Future

So, this goes back to what was said earlier: with that Google update, once ChatGPT became accessible, many people and businesses were basically shut away from using humans.

People cut ties with copy agencies and freelancers since they could not get a copy for free. Others fired photographers and graphic designers since they could now get AI to generate something for them. 

Now look, Google came up with an update that’s tearing down most of these, and it’s hurting so many businesses. This could happen to you. Is that something that you would actually want to deal with? Relying solely on AI without nurturing human marketing expertise can leave businesses ill-prepared for future challenges?

Relying on AI for Marketing & Building Sustainable Relationships 

Successful businesses are built on strong, sustainable relationships with customers and other partnering businesses, too, of course. While relying on AI for marketing can help streamline processes and provide insights, it cannot replace the human interaction necessary for cultivating trust and loyalty.

So, if you’re deadset on using AI, which is fine, you’re still going to need to strike a balance between leveraging AI's capabilities and maintaining genuine human connections in their marketing efforts.

No Brand Voice

One of the hallmarks of successful marketing is authenticity—the ability to connect with customers on a personal level and convey a genuine brand voice. This is what creates that connection; this is what makes people- customers, see you as human and not some giant soulless corporation.

But how can relying on AI for marketing take away that brand voice rather than creating it? Well, AI-driven content generation may churn out polished materials, but it often lacks the human touch that resonates with audiences.

Relying on AI for Marketing – Not A Trend Setter

If businesses want to go viral, then AI isn’t the answer; it never will be the answer. AI only follows trends; it doesn’t make them. Besides, AI just uses what’s been fed into it, so it’s pretty much not possible for it to come up with an entirely new and unique concept. Clearly, fully relying on AI for marketing your business will not help you send the trend.