We are already well into the second month of 2023 (it seems like I just sneezed, and it’s already February!). Already there are massive changes in the marketing landscape that are trending and will continue to trend throughout 2023 and beyond.
1. ChatGPT and AI tools
You will have heard all over the news about the great new software ChatGPT which assists in creating content on almost everything, such as social media posts, blogs, emails and even advertising content.
ChatGPT was launched in November 2022 by OpenAI. It is a bot that uses artificial intelligence to mimic natural human language and answer questions put to it. While still in its early stages, it has received rave reviews from users everywhere for its ability to do a wide range of functions, such as writing essays, poems, and songs, composing music, and even writing and coding computer programs. It’s trained to follow instructions in a prompt and provide a detailed response. Currently, it’s in its experimental stage and available for free so that users can test its abilities and developers can fine-tune its programming. Still, it will be available on a paid subscription once the introductory period is over.
Early users of ChatGPT are singing its praises and see endless potential for applications for this tool in the workplace, with many expressing concerns that it will change the face of the white-collar industry. It’s reportedly already used by big businesses like Meta, Square and Verizon.
The main concern with ChatGPt is will AI-generated content work well for Google in terms of SEO. It is well-known that Google rejects AI content and ranks it low in the search results because the language in AI-produced content is unnatural and generic. But many of its supporters are surprised at how good it is at natural language. I put this to the test and tried some content creation, and yes, while it is pretty intelligent, I think it still needs a human to tweak the content to ensure it is still targeted to the particular audience it’s intended for.
Another problem with AI is that it’s known for “hallucinating, “ fabricating information altogether. OpenAI had openly admitted that it could potentially generate false or biased information, and it has limited knowledge of events before 2021, when the bot was trained.
The third concern with ChatGPT is plagiarism issues. Google punishes plagiarism hard and will downvote your content, where it will never see the sun if it detects any hint of plagiarism. The engineers of ChatGPT are tweaking the technology to counteract plagiarism in its content. So it remains to be seen if all content produced by the AI is indeed plagiarism-free.
Lastly, there are concerns that ChatGPT, like anything operated over the internet, can be vulnerable to cyberattacks and be used to spread viruses and malware, which will put businesses at risk of privacy breaches.
The main thing to remember with AI tools is that they are not meant to replace humans altogether but are designed to assist only. ChatGPT is excellent as a starting point when creating content, but it can’t perform critical thinking, think creatively or perform strategic decision-making that humans can. A human user still needs to use these skills to finesse the content ChatGPT creates and tailor it to a specific audience and for a particular purpose.
As with all business tools, AI tools help reduce burnout, not replace a human altogether.
2. Tik Tok
TikTok continues to dominate social media apps, and Tik Tok influencers continue to influence throughout 2023 and beyond. It is currently the world’s sixth biggest social media platform behind Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and WeChat, and it has been downloaded 3.5 billion times.
Although it is only the sixth biggest social media app, it boasts a much bigger engagement rate (18%) than both Instagram (3.86%) and YouTube (1.63%), and the gap is growing. This is significant if you’re a business that wants to get your audience’s attention. Combine this with the fact that Tik Tok is the most profitable non-game app on Apple Store, generating $914.4 million of user spending globally (with 1 in 3 users using the app to connect with brands); then it makes sense for a business to spruik their wares on Tik Tok.
And the best part is, you don’t have to do a song and dance to promote your business because there are influencers who can do that for you.
So effective are Tik Tok influencers that a whole industry has sprung up that specialises in analysing the reach of all known Tik Tok influencers so that marketers can use it as a research tool for finding the right influencer to spruik their brand. Websites such as Hypeauditor and Influencer Marketing Hub, for example, list the top Tik Tok influencers in Australia, their reach, their audience and how to contact the influencer to help marketers find a suitable influencer to hire for their next brand collaboration.
3. Alternatives to Google search
When it comes to search engines, the Google search bar is still the most popular, but increasingly, users are bypassing Google altogether and heading straight to YouTube and TikTok. Yes, that’s right, searches are now looking for information and answers to their questions in the short video content that YouTube shorts and Tik Tok provides.
YouTube shorts have taken off so much that demand in 2021 (up by 514%) has overtaken supply (up by only 169%!). And according to the New York Times, 40% of Gen-Z users prefer Tik Tok and Instagram as alternatives to the Google search engine.
Experts predict this will continue to grow into 2023 as Tik Tok has recognised its value as a search engine and is developing its algorithms to recognise keywords in a post’s comments and adding search and location features.
ChatGPT is another upcoming rival to Google in that it works in the same question-and-answer, natural human language way that Google operates.
Need help with your content marketing in 2023? Contact me, and let’s discuss how we can make 2023 your best year in business.
