Worse than doing nothing.
We get it. AI is exciting. And for a busy business owner, it’s a pretty incredible tool.
We get it. AI is exciting. And for a busy business owner, it’s a pretty incredible tool.It can drastically speed up tedious tasks and accomplish things that would have taken hours just a few years ago.
But there’s an important distinction between using AI to help create your marketing and letting AI become your marketing.
We’re not telling you not to use AI ever. It’s a great little assistant.
But when it comes to posting fully AI-generated graphics and images like this, we urge you to think twice because…
1. Your younger customers really don’t like it.
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say they’ve recently seen an ad that looked like it was made with AI.
And younger consumers aren’t pleased. 74% of Gen Z consumers say they react negatively when they realize a brand’s marketing was made with AI. And 43% say they’ve actually stopped buying from a brand because of it.
That means that nearly half of your customers under 30 could actively choose to not purchase from you simply because you posted an AI graphic.
AI-generated content doesn’t just fail to appeal to Gen Z. It can actively repel them.
2. It makes you look generic.
Say it with me: If your marketing could belong to anyone, it will speak to no one.
Your business has something unique to offer the world. You’re not the same as your competitor, right?
Well, if you go into ChatGPT and say, “Create a post for my [insert industry] business,” you’re gonna get a post that could belong to almost any other company in your field.
Your content should feel unique to your business. It should look and feel like your business, and it should speak to what sets you apart from the other options.
You’re not generic. Don’t get lost in a sea of sameness.
3. It could cost you trust.
You have a great product or service. But potential customers don’t know that yet.
The goal of marketing is to show potential customers that you have something great to offer them!
But AI-generated content might be doing the opposite.
Because when a brand uses a generated image of a product, the customer’s first question is obvious: Why aren’t you showing me what I’m actually buying?
That graphic or image might have saved you some time or money. But what did it cost you in trust?
So what should you do instead?
Use AI to automate tedious, behind-the-scenes tasks that don’t require a human touch. Like making a spreadsheet—that’s 100% a job for ChatGPT!
But when it comes to anything customer-facing, like your marketing content, it’s worth it to put in the time (or money).
Take the real photo. An imperfect phone photo of your actual product, team, or space is often more believable than a polished image of something that doesn’t exist.
Keep the graphic simple. Your logo, brand colors, strong typography, and a clear message will take you SO much further than an AI-generated visual.
And if you don’t have time for that, outsource. To humans. Preferably us.
