When you think about the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in a task, normally speed, efficiency, relentlessness and insight come to mind – but rarely authenticity.
Instead, many have come to believe algorithm-driven gains are synthetic: useful precisely because they remove human error and limitations from the equation as much as possible. By extension, AI’s power is partly rooted in what it’s not – emotional or blind to logical patterns.
This explains why AI has mostly been put to use on monotonous tasks involving huge data sets rather than more creative challenges. Yet, when it comes to the world of online marketing, AI must reach aspire to seem more human. Here’s how.
Online advertising is becoming increasingly formulaic
You might think there’s always been a best-kept secret formula to successful advertising campaigns: great copy, emotive images and a core message that resonates with the target audience. And you’d be right. But with the rise of Google Ads and social media platforms with stacks of demographic data, online advertising has become more and more about the numbers. This means the formula for success is changing.
Online campaigns can now be targeted with incredible precision based on age, gender, location, interests, search history and likes – everything is quantifiable. This has opened the door for solutions to harness AI and dig through the data to devise more personal and effective campaigns.
Adriel AI, for example, is already leading the way with a platform businesses can use to build and optimise online adverts.
Sometimes being authentic is being relevant
It’s also important to realise that as more parts of our daily lives shift to be online, our digital behavior is changing. You’ve probably heard the term banner blindness, which describes the way internet users consciously and unconsciously filter out advertisements while browsing through websites. It’s a great example of how we’ve adapted to an online landscape in which customer attention is increasingly monetised. Now, it’s easy to spot adverts and promotions from a mile away.
It also goes to show relevance is more important than ever. A strong message backed up by solid copy and images is no longer enough online – advertisers must be in the right place at the right time and in front of the right person. As a result, targeting your intended audience with precision and developing adverts they personally want to see is the most promising strategy for online marketing in 2019.
A clever AI built on the data of thousands of online campaigns can learn to build effective adverts and target them to achieve the best possible ROI. A marketing AI dedicated to achieving relevance is also inadvertently adding to the authenticity of its output.
Never underestimate the importance of a human touch
Delivering adverts with precision, automating comparisons between campaigns and understanding what people truly want is very much in the capability of marketing AI. The process saves countless hours and is a no brainer to adopt. However, no matter how good robots get the human touch will always be central to winning business online.
An advert can stand out if it’s well positioned and perfectly targeted but it takes something uniquely human to impact relevance and, just as importantly, emotional resonance. So don’t leave AI to do the job alone. 
