o2businesscoach

Everyone is leveraging AI for content writing. All are adopting AI for content creation. Blog posts are created in minutes. Social Media Captions are instant! There is a one-click method for writing marketing emails. Previously, days were required for website copy but now it can be done in seconds. AI has emerged as a remarkable tool for business owners looking to enhance their content marketing, boost productivity, and save time. But something interesting is happening throughout the business world, even with this technological advancement. There’s more of it being written than ever before, but it feels somewhat forgettable.

The words may be right and the meaning right. The grammar is refined. The organization of the structure is good. The information could even be of benefit. However, it is true that many readers will read through an article, social media post, or email without feeling anything. They read the material and forget about it. Nothing lingers. Nothing resonates. There is no permanent impression. In a day and age where making content is easier than ever, building connection is harder.

The answer is straightforward. Information alone does not create engagement. People relate to stories, their experiences, feelings, difficulties, successes and authenticity. AI can be used to create content quickly, but it can’t replace the life experiences, judgment and perspective that make ideas real. The problem is not artificial intelligence itself. The issue is, how many businesses are utilizing it?

I have collaborated with entrepreneurs, executives, educators, leadership teams and business owners in a variety of industries throughout my career. For over 30 years, I have worked with organizations to help them grow, problem solve and change. There have been constant reminders of one lesson. Business is conducted with people they know they can rely on. Trust develops by being connected, and being connected means being authentic.

There are numerous organizations out there that are now creating content that’s professional and jargon-heavy, but still lacks a personality to it. All articles are laid out in a similar format. All social media posts employ standard phrases. All marketing messages appear to be geared toward Google or another search engine, but not focused on the human reader. The outcome is text that meets all the technical requirements but doesn’t engage the emotion.

This is especially important as customers today are very much inundated with information. The typical person is subjected to thousands of marketing messages daily. Companies aren’t just competing for people’s attention – they’re competing for their hearts. If the content is not unique, then readers will click away. They can’t actually articulate what their disassociations are about, but they feel like there’s missing something.

That’s because many businesses are thinking of content marketing as a manufacturing process, not a communication process. The objective turns into getting more articles published, more posts created and more visitors to the site. The metrics of volume, impressions, and click rates reign supreme in the discussion. These measures have merit but do not necessarily reflect the extent to which content is building trust, credibility and/or loyalty.

Search engine optimization remains an important business strategy. Some of the terms that can draw in the correct viewers are business development, leadership development, entrepreneurship, customer experience, and business coaching. But, you can’t just stuff keywords into content and expect to succeed with content marketing. Readers are looking for understanding. They want perspective. They wish to know how others have successfully dealt with problems and come up with positive outcomes.

I like to consider the distinction between information and wisdom. Information informs people of what has transpired. Wisdom tells us why it is important. Books, reports and databases can be used to collect information. Wisdom is developed through experience. It is about leading through uncertainty, dealing with challenging situations, navigating through difficult situations and making decisions when there is not a clear outcome. These experiences are what creates the lens through which content is remembered.

As I’ve been in executive leadership roles, from serving as the Director of the Art Institute of Los Angeles, to working with organizations with complex issues, I have found that people do not just remember facts. They remember stories. They remember lessons. They recall times that are significant in terms of leadership, toughness and development. Many AI-generated content strategies fall short here. They are preoccupied with providing responses and disregard the emotional undercurrent of what those answers mean.

One other problem is that businesses tend to strip vulnerability from their communications. They want all their messages to sound polished and authoritative! However, honesty is the key to customer engagement. They value strong leadership that recognizes difficulties, errors and lessons learnt. Authenticity is what builds credibility, by showing something is actual and not theoretical. Human content doesn’t have to be flawless. It must be true.

What is also growing is a uniformity of digital platforms. Similar prompts, similar templates, and similar approaches are often used in businesses. Thus, irrespective of the industry, articles start to sound alike. Readers get the same suggestions, but in a different format. This leads to fatigue with use over time. The information is correct but not voice of their own.

Human insight is the best starting point for content. AI can help with organization, researching, editing and efficiency. It can speed up the writing process and increase productivity. It can’t replace lived experience. It can’t duplicate the experience of top companies, growing human capital, solving and facing problems and years of business challenges. Those experiences give audiences the depth that they know on the first date.

Don’t think of AI as a replacement for perspective, think of AI as a tool for business owners. The best content is technologically enhanced and authentic. It enhances efficiency without compromising the human voice which is essential to trust. Readers are looking for experience, but also for connection. They are interested in the individual behind the concept. They desire proof of the advice they are given is genuine and not rote-learned.

The days of businesses producing the most content will not be the days of content marketing. It will be part of companies that generate the most impactful content. Authenticity will become more important as AI becomes more prevalent. Information is abundant. Genuine perspective is rare. Technology can produce words, but not wisdom, empathy or experience.

AI is being leveraged by everyone to create content. That’s a fact that’s not going to change. The businesses that will stand out will not be the ones that are creating the most articles. They will be the ones who blend technology and humanity, efficiency and authenticity, and information with true insight. In an era where content is the primary competitive advantage in a digital world, emotion can be the top competitive edge for companies looking to build meaningful connections with customers today.