AI is transforming marketing, making it faster, smarter, and more personalized. From automating content creation to optimizing ad targeting, AI-driven tools can help businesses reach the right audience more effectively. However, with great power comes great responsibility. In this post, we’ll cover three practical ways to use AI in marketing, complete with prompts, and discuss key cautions to keep in mind.
1. AI-Powered Content Creation
AI can generate blog posts, social media captions, email campaigns, and product descriptions in seconds. This is a game-changer for marketers who need high-quality content at scale.
LLMs are useful for scoring new content against existing content according to a grading criteria you define.
Example: Blog Post Creation
Prompt:
“Write a 1,000-word blog post about the top social media trends for 2025. Use a conversational tone, include three key trends, and end with actionable takeaways.”
Example: Score a new blog draft against existing content
Prompt:
Score this post against the posts on jeffnolan.com, grade for professionalism, usefulness, and specificity.
Caution:
AI-generated content should be fact-checked. It may include outdated or incorrect information. Also, over-reliance on AI can lead to generic content, so add human insights and brand voice to maintain authenticity. Generic content will damage your brand and should be avoided at all costs. Have something to say and express it through the lens of your audience. Read more about how to structure content using the Three-Act Structure.
The caution about generic content cannot be overstated. AI won't know everything you know. It will not be able to mine the knowledge of a product manager who led the development of a breakthrough new product, or the customer interviews that discovered weaknesses in current product offerings. AI does not know your corporate strategy and key points to emphasize, therefore you must add this context. LLMs will fast-track you to a solid first draft, but it is up to you and your team to develop that draft into an asset that meets your goals.
2. AI for Ad Targeting & Optimization
AI can analyze customer data to optimize ad spend, predict user behavior, and personalize ad creatives for different audience segments.
In addition to ad development, AI is a powerful tool in the toolbox for social media content creators. You can point it to peer and competitor feeds to analyze and develop posts that are differentiated and more impactful than your team might get to on their own.
Example: Facebook Ad Copy Generation
Prompt:
“Generate three variations of a Facebook ad promoting a new eco-friendly sneaker. The ad should target environmentally conscious millennials and include a strong call-to-action.”
Caution:
While AI can improve targeting, it can also reinforce biases if trained on flawed data. Always review audience segmentation settings to ensure inclusivity and compliance with ad policies.
3. AI for SEO Optimization
AI can enhance SEO strategies by analyzing keywords, optimizing content, and providing data-driven insights to improve search rankings.
Example: AI-Powered Keyword Strategy
Prompt:
“Analyze the top-ranking articles for the keyword ‘best budget smartphones 2025’ and suggest five long-tail keywords with high search volume but low competition. Also, recommend an article outline based on competitor content.”
Caution:
AI can generate keyword suggestions and outlines, but search engine algorithms prioritize originality and user experience. Avoid keyword stuffing and ensure that AI-generated content is well-researched, engaging, and valuable to readers.
Final Thoughts
AI is a powerful tool for marketing, but it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it solution. Businesses must use it strategically, verify its outputs, and ensure ethical practices. By combining AI’s efficiency with human creativity, marketers can achieve the best results.
Have you used AI in your marketing? Share your experience in the comments!
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