The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Influencer Marketing

We have been exploring how you can use influencer marketing to create marketing campaigns. In this blog series we have covered we have discussed who is an influencer. The definitions we used in 2019 are no longer applicable. We delivered concrete evidence that influencer marketing is effective because it uses well-documented techniques based on behavioral science. We provided you with proven influencer marketing strategies for B2B marketing programs. We discussed the 5 R’s that should be used to evaluate, track, and measure the performance of any influencer you hire. We shared Prevail Marketing’s methodology for selecting the right influencer. No review of influencer marketing would be complete without a discussion of two final topics: How artificial intelligence will impact influencer marketing, and finally, legal considerations that both influencers and those who hire them must follow. Today we discuss the impact artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on influencer marketing.

We were reluctant to have this discussion because frankly, nobody can tell you how AI will change influencer marketing. We can share how it has already affected AI and some cautionary tales that you need to know. We also were reluctant to tackle this subject because we like creating evergreen content and anything we write may be obsolete quickly. If we find that this is the case, we will either update the blog or remove it from circulation.

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

In recent years, the world of marketing has witnessed a significant shift with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This groundbreaking technology has revolutionized various industries, and influencer marketing is no exception. As AI continues to evolve, it is reshaping the way brands collaborate with influencers, analyze data, and engage with their target audience.

AI-powered algorithms are capable of processing vast amounts of data, enabling brands to identify the most suitable influencers for their campaigns. Gone are the days of manual searching and vetting. With AI, marketers can now leverage advanced analytics and machine learning to find influencers who align perfectly with their brand values and target audience.

Artificial intelligence is poised for exponential growth, with its full potential in the marketing world yet to be fully realized. The power of AI lies in its ability to process vast amounts of data and derive valuable insights from it. As technology advances, AI algorithms will become more sophisticated, enabling marketers to make data-driven decisions like never before. From personalized customer experiences to targeted advertising campaigns, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way businesses interact with their audiences. Furthermore, AI can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up valuable time and resources for marketers to focus on strategic initiatives. While we have already witnessed the impact of AI in various marketing applications, we are only scratching the surface of what it can achieve. The future holds exciting possibilities as AI continues to evolve and redefine the marketing landscape.

But for those who are sitting on the sidelines waiting for this to unfold, here is a cautionary tale of what the failure to adopt new technology can do to a business.

A Cautionary Tale - Eastman Kodak

Like most technological revolutions, it is incumbent that you stay current with how to best incorporate it into your marketing programs, those that fail will eventually cease to be relevant. A perfect example of this failure to recognize and adapt is Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak). The Kodak company was one of the most innovative and successful companies in the field of photography. That is until they weren’t. In 1996, Kodak's revenues were $16 billion and their profits in 1999 were $2.5 billion. (Forbes) However, during that same period, they failed to recognize and take advantage of the new digital camera. That mistake cost them dearly. They filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and today are a greatly downsized company with revenues of approximately 150 million (Kodak). The point is either adopt and optimize the use of artificial intelligence or go the way of Kodak

How NOT to use Artificial Intelligence

Like many new technologies, AI can be a blessing or a curse depending on how it is used. Let’s first address how artificial intelligence should never be used.

Content Creation - Having your content created by AI is fraught with peril. AI is certainly not as intelligent as it has been portrayed and there are numerous examples of it making up information. After all, AI simply shifts through the internet and pulls out information it finds related to the subject. We all know that the internet is not the bastion of truth.

If the influencer uses AI, they risk losing their authenticity which is one of the paramount reasons that they have an impact on their followers’ decisions and choices. The influencer may find their content loses the personalization and creativity that made them successful.

Deep Fakes - AI should also never be used to create deep fakes in the likeness of someone else. The digital presence of any influencer belongs to them and should not be reproduced by artificial means.

Ethical Alignment - AI algorithms are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. In influencer marketing, ethical considerations play a significant role. Brands must ensure that AI algorithms do not discriminate or perpetuate biases when selecting influencers. Human oversight is necessary to ensure that AI is used ethically and aligns with the brand's values.

However, when used properly AI can be extremely beneficial to both influencers and the companies who utilize it.

How to Incorporate AI into Influencer Marketing

Prevail Marketing has already begun to utilize artificial intelligence across a wide spectrum of marketing activities. It can be unrivaled in helping collect, sort, and analyze data. It has allowed us to be more efficient and see connections easier. For influencer marketing, we have used AI in the following ways.

Companies – I am sure that there are many use cases for AI by companies in their influencer marketing program. I am going to address four areas where Prevail Marketing has found AI useful.

Find Your Influencer - The process we laid out above on how to find influencers is extremely labor intensive and there is a real risk of missing someone who could be beneficial to your brand. Give AI the parameters of your ideal influencer and watch it spit out results in minutes.

Segment Your List – Asking AI to segment your list by influencer reach, likes and shares is a simple task and saves you a painstaking task.

Investigate the Candidates - AI is ideally suited to find out all the information we would want to know to see if any issues may compromise their service to the brand. It can even help learn if the followers of the influencer are real people or bots that were purchased to improve their appearance.

ROI Tracking – AI tools can help companies analyze campaign performance and help determine the appropriate spend.

Influencers – AI is here to stay and will become an ever-increasing tool to help them create better content. Here are several AI suggestions that can benefit the content producer.

Idea Generation – Figuring out what content should be created can be a daunting task for any influencer. AI can help you brainstorm ideas and help you understand how successful they might be.

Improved SEO – Most content writers do not focus on keywords as they are writing a document. They write from passion and later they may go back and try to insert keywords to boost search engine optimization. AI can be extremely useful in identifying possible substitutions, but the final call needs to be that of the writer.

AI-Generated Thumbnails – While AI still has a long way to go to be used for graphic design, I have seen thumbnails created for YouTube videos that save the create time, energy, and aggravation.

AI Research - Just like AI can be used by companies for research of the influencer, an influencer can cut their research time for background information considerably. The key is checking the source material before you rely upon it.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing is built on relationships and trust. AI may be able to analyze data and identify potential influencers, but it cannot build authentic relationships on behalf of a brand. Establishing a genuine connection with influencers requires human interaction, understanding, and mutual trust. Brands must invest time and effort in building relationships with influencers to ensure long-term partnerships and successful campaigns.

As technology continues to advance, AI will undoubtedly play an increasingly significant role in influencer marketing. However, it is crucial to strike a balance between the capabilities of AI and the human touch required to build authentic connections and create engaging content.

Brands should leverage AI to streamline processes, identify influencers, and analyze data. Simultaneously, they must recognize the limitations of AI and invest in building relationships with influencers to ensure authenticity and creativity in their campaigns.

By embracing AI while maintaining a human-centric approach, brands can unlock the full potential of influencer marketing and achieve remarkable results in an ever-evolving digital landscape.