AI is changing the way we create and scroll through content on social media. From captions and graphics to audience insights, AI tools are helping businesses and creators save time and create more content than ever. But with so much AI content popping up everywhere, it naturally raises a few questions about keeping things genuine and building real trust with your audience.
In this post, we look at how AI is being perceived online, the downsides of over-reliance on it, and how your brand can keep its human touch.
Consumer awareness
Have you ever scrolled past a post on your social media feed and immediately thought: That’s AI? You’re not alone. A study by Bynder found that 50% of consumers can correctly identify text that is AI-generated.
In fact, AI-generated content is becoming so prevalent that social media giants like Meta have now committed to identifying user content as AI underneath captions and LinkedIn have introduced an “AI slop” option, allowing users to flag AI-generated posts with zero value.
Many users have welcomed this approach, with a rise in the number of ‘anti-AI’ comments appearing on posts using AI in their captions or design, often receiving more engagement than the original posts themselves. You may have also seen the trend of graphic designers redesigning poorly created AI-generated posters and logos on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Whilst some marketers and social media users have criticised the auto-labelling of posts for using tools such as Canva’s background extender or background remover, the increased negative attention surrounding AI does highlight the need for businesses who use it to carefully consider how it will affect their brand’s reputation.
In the same study by Bynder, results showed 52% of consumers disengage from content they suspect is AI-generated, another 26% find it impersonal and 20% view it as untrustworthy and lazy. For brands offering premium products or services, this perception has particularly detrimental implications.
Authenticity over automation
With “AI slop” saturating social media feeds, maintaining a distinctive and authentic voice has never been more crucial. Posts that lack personality and a genuine human touch are often immediately obvious to your audience, even if not obvious to you.
Whilst many people prefer to shop locally and support independent businesses, competing with large brands means offering something beyond lower prices – a person, values, or core messaging that people can believe in and can get behind.
For small businesses, this presents a big risk. By over-relying on AI to write your posts or create graphics, you are blending in with the crowd and losing the unique identity and personality that sets you apart. What makes you… you!
We understand the constraints small businesses in particular face – running a business means your job description changes every hour, and social media usually gets squeezed into the gaps!
However, whether it’s lack of time or lack of ideas, it is worth taking a minute to reflect on whether you are sacrificing your individuality or just posting for posting’s sake by relying on AI to do the heavy lifting.
Proceed with caution
With all of the negativity surrounding AI, it must be said that it does still have its place.
Features such as ‘Gems’ within Gemini can be incredibly helpful and time-saving when you have a honed strategy and are clear about who you are and what you offer. As small businesses are all too familiar with – time is money.
At this year’s Atomicon Conference, we heard from a speaker who advised content creation with AI to be much like making a sandwich: if you do use it for the filling, make sure that the first and last 10% of your writing is human-written and totally authentic.
Your tone-of-voice must be genuine, and remember: editing, editing, editing! AI is not perfect. As a business owner, nobody knows your business better than you.
How we can help
If you are reading this and thinking, what now? We can help. Whether it’s time constraints, skills or lack of ideas, we can help you to overcome them all by managing your social media channels for you without losing your uniqueness or personality.
At And Marketing, we don’t just jump into posting; we start with a solid plan. Before we even start creating posts, we develop a social media strategy – where we look at how it’s currently going, your target audience, your competitors and what we can achieve. Then we create a plan around this data to show how to get you there. We learn your tone of voice, and make sure you stand out as a trustworthy and credible organisation.
We have a proven track record of success in helping businesses achieve their social media goals. Our clients have seen significant increases in website traffic, leads, and sales as a result of our social media management services.
Get in touch today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
Digital Marketing Executive at And Marketing, Abigail has over 8 years of experience across the marketing, publishing and education sectors. Her expertise is in social media marketing, copywriting and end-to-end brand management, with a track record of success in delivering engaging campaigns with strong ROI.
