How Brands Can Better Leverage Generative AI in Marketing (Examples & Templates)

How Brands Can Better Leverage Generative AI in Marketing

Generative AI has transformed how we create campaigns, saving time and yielding better ROI for our clients.
From personalized email content to predictive audience targeting, AI tools made marketing easier.
Is it time to embrace AI? What are the potential rewards and risks? In this in-depth guide, we’ll answer all of these questions.
We’ll also share examples and templates to help you take advantage of generative AI in your marketing campaigns.

I have always wondered,

“Can AI deliver similar or better results than traditional methods?”

What is Generative AI?

what is generative AI

Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence that creates new content — written, images, videos, and more — based on patterns learned from existing data.

Unlike traditional AI, which follows predefined rules, generative AI leverages advanced models like GPT or DALL-E to produce original, human-like outputs.

It can craft personalized, creative solutions for any business, particularly in marketing. This helps a business scale content ideation and creation and drive engagement like never before.

Strategies to Implement Generative AI in Marketing

Here are the most effective ways to utilize generative AI in your marketing efforts:

01 The Dominance of Short-Form Video Content

Generative AI allows brands to achieve true personalization, creating tailored content for individual users on a massive scale.

For instance, companies like Netflix use AI to recommend shows based on viewing history, increasing user retention rates by 75%.

netflix movie recommendations

The Dynamic Yield tool allows brands to segment audiences by behavior, crafting personalized emails, product recommendations, or landing pages that resonate with users.
The key lies in combining customer data — like purchase history and browsing patterns — with generative AI capabilities. This transforms generic campaigns into personalized experiences, boosting conversions.
An online retailer could send customized product suggestions via email, resulting in higher click-through rates (CTR).

To get started, keep these tips in mind:

icon document

Analyze your existing customer data

icon document

Choose AI tools suited for your platform, and…

icon document

Test personalized campaigns on a small segment before scaling.

Your business should strike a balance between personalization and respecting user privacy. This is crucial to ensure your efforts comply with regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

02 Creative Content Marketing 

creative content marketing
Creativity is no longer limited to human effort. Generative AI tools like Perplexity AI enable brands to craft high-quality ads, blog posts, and social media content in minutes. Companies like Coca-Cola use AI to produce visually stunning and highly targeted ad campaigns.

The beauty of generative AI is its ability to provide endless variations of content ideas, saving time and sparking inspiration.

For instance, Claude.ai can generate ad copy with a specific tone, while Canva integrates AI to design marketing materials that align with your branding. These tools enhance brand consistency and scalability.

your ideas amplified

To leverage AI creatively, identify areas in your workflow that require repetitive content ideation and creation. Start small — test AI-generated content alongside traditional methods and compare results.
For instance, a brand could use AI to generate multiple ad variants, and then analyze performance to identify the top-performing version.

03 Product Discovery through AI Recommendations

product discovery through ai recommendations
Generative AI simplifies product discovery by delivering personalized recommendations, enhancing customer experiences, and driving sales. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is a prime example. It leverages GenAI to personalize product recommendations for customers. This led to a 17% revenue jump to $25 billion in Q1 2024.

AI-powered tools such as Salesforce Commerce Cloud help e-commerce brands integrate similar recommendation engines.
The tool analyses browsing history, purchase trends, and demographics to create seamless shopping journeys. This not only increases conversion rates but also boosts average order values.

To implement GenAI in product recommendations, here are some tips:

icon lamp

Start with a robust AI tool that integrates with your platform, and…

icon lamp

Train the model with accurate customer data, focusing on behavior patterns and preferences.

For example, Aday, a fashion retailer could recommend accessories matching a purchased outfit, enhancing upsell opportunities.
aday best sellers

04 Optimized Content Distribution

Content distribution is crucial if your brand wants to reach the target audience.
With generative AI, it’s now easier than ever before to analyze audience behavior and identify the best channels for engagement.

optimized content distribution

HubSpot’s AI-powered distribution feature allows marketers to distribute content where it will have the highest impact.

Airbnb uses AI to tailor campaigns for different platforms; Facebook, Instagram, and email, ensuring content reaches the right audience.

AI analyzes channel performance and optimizes posting schedules and content formats for the channels.

Quick summary:

icon document

Use the Hootsuite or HubSpot AI to track audience behavior across platforms.

icon document

Allow AI to suggest the best channels and timing for content distribution.

icon document

Run A/B tests to refine the process, ensuring higher engagement and ROI.

icon document

Continuously analyze performance and adapt based on AI-generated insights.

Brands that are intentional about content distribution have removed the guesswork and continue to focus on high-performing channels, saving resources while maximizing results.

05 Effective Customer Support with AI Chatbots

Generative AI chatbots dramatically affected customer support by providing instant, accurate responses, reducing wait times, and improving satisfaction rates.
Generative AI transforms customer support for brands by powering smart chatbots that offer fast, efficient assistance around the clock.

These AI chatbots use natural language processing (NLP) to understand customer questions and provide accurate answers instantly, just like a human agent would. Sephora Virtual Artist uses augmented reality (AR). It’s a powerful mobile app that enables customers to virtually try hundreds of makeup products and identify the right shade of lipstick.
effective customer support with ai chatbots

A major benefit of AI chatbots is that it keeps learning and improving over time.
As they interact with more users/customers, they get better at understanding unique requests and providing more personalized responses.

This means customers get faster help, even during high-demand times when human agents might be unavailable.

AI chatbots can also work across Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. These easy-to-use platforms let users reach out wherever they’re most comfortable.

hm uses a chatbot to guide customers

H&M uses a chatbot to guide customers through the online shopping process. It asks a series of questions to understand customers’ tastes and preferences. Then it uses the insights to answer questions about product availability, size, and shipping.

Human agents STRICTLY focus on answering more complex inquiries.

Ultimately, AI chatbots reduce response times, increase efficiency, and offer valuable insights into customer needs.
They’re not just for answering questions — they’re helping brands improve customer satisfaction while saving on support costs.

06 Enhancing ROI with AI-powered Marketing Analytics

Spotify uses AI to analyze user data, improve personalized playlist recommendations, and increase user engagement.

Google Analytics 4 and Tableau AI empower businesses to make data-driven decisions. They can identify underperforming campaigns in real time and predictive analytics guide future marketing investments.
enhancing ROI with AI powered marketing analytics

Steps to leverage AI Analytics in your marketing campaigns:

icon lamp

Sign up with Google Analytics 4 for tracking.

icon lamp

Copy and insert the tracking code onto your web pages.

icon lamp

Analyze user behaviors and campaign data to find areas to improve.

icon lamp

Use AI-generated predictions to allocate budgets for high-performing channels.

icon lamp

Automate reporting to save time and focus on actionable insights.

Any brand that collects website and marketing data can easily optimize marketing spend and maximize ROI with minimal manual effort.

07 Result-Driven Social Media Campaigns

result driven social media campaigns

Today, businesses can create high-performing ads and publish viral posts, all thanks to generative AI.

Social media marketing tools such as AdCreative.ai and Later analyze audience preferences and behavior — before making content suggestions.

Coca-Cola used AI to produce 120 ad variants for its “Share a Coke” campaign, achieving record-breaking engagement.

coca cola used ai to produce 120 ad variants

So how does AI help with social media marketing?

icon lamp

Faster ad creation with tailored messaging.

icon lamp

Real-time performance insights for optimization.

bullet orange Steps to get results from TikTok advertising:

  1. Use AdCreative.ai to generate multiple ad variants.
  2. Test the ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
  3. Use AI analytics tools to measure performance and tweak the campaign.
  4. Scale up high-performing ads while discontinuing ineffective ones.

 SaaS brand could work with influencers to share “how-to” videos using their tools.

TikTok’s ad manager simplifies targeting based on behaviors, interests, and hashtags. Use storytelling to connect emotionally with viewers. 

08 Email Marketing Campaigns

email marketing campaigns
 

Businesses are seeing huge results with their email campaigns.

Generative AI allows them to deliver highly personalized, relevant content to each recipient, boosting engagement and conversion rates.

Rather than sending generic, one-size-fits-all emails, AI analyzes customer data — like purchase history, browsing behavior, and past interactions — to create tailored messages that speak directly to individual preferences.

For example, Spotify leverages AI to personalize email marketing campaigns. Their emails aren’t just generic reminders about new music; they offer customized playlists, concert recommendations, and personalized year-in-review reports.

By analyzing the user’s listening history, Spotify generates custom recommendations that feel personal and timely, increasing the likelihood of engagement.

AI helps optimize subject lines, copy, and call-to-action (CTA) placement.

Sephora also uses AI to send personalized product recommendations based on a customer’s past purchases or items they’ve browsed on their site.

These recommendations are crafted in real time, ensuring that the content in the email always feels fresh and relevant to each individual.

coca cola used ai to produce 120 ad variants

AI can also predict the best time to send emails, ensuring they land in a recipient’s inbox when they’re most likely to engage, based on their past behavior.

With AI-powered personalization, brands can strengthen customer relationships, boost open rates, and drive sales with minimal manual effort.

09 Personalized Product Recommendations

We’ve used generative AI to analyze vast datasets to predict consumer preferences. This is crucial for personalized product recommendations.

personalized product recommendations
When you understand browsing habits, purchase history, and even demographic factors, AI can suggest products customers are more likely to buy. According to eMarketer, Amazon’s recommendation engine accounts for 39.5% of its total sales in 2022.

Amazon uses AI algorithms to display related products on landing pages, emails, and during the checkout process.
This approach improves customer experience and drives cross-selling and upselling opportunities.
To implement this, brands need a solid foundation of customer data. With the right tool, your business can leverage AI for real-time recommendations on your online store.

icon hand stars

This works exceptionally well for e-commerce and subscription services.

As you implement these strategies, ensure ethical use of data by adhering to privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA, which build customer trust and long-term loyalty.

10 Transformative Influencer Marketing

Generative AI identifies the right creators and crafts custom campaigns.

Adidas uses AI tools such as CreatorIQ to analyze influencer metrics, ensuring alignment with campaign goals. AI helps identify influencers with high engagement rates and audience relevance, significantly improving ROI.

transformative influencer marketing
ai tools like hypeauditor or upfluence

AI tools like HypeAuditor or Upfluence provide data-driven insights on influencer performance, audience demographics, and authenticity.

For example, an outdoor gear brand could use AI to find micro-influencers passionate about hiking and match them with products like camping tents or hiking boots.

Brands must blend AI insights with human judgment.
While AI can provide quantitative data, the qualitative aspect — such as aligning values and brand aesthetics — requires a personal touch.

Combining these approaches helps a business to create impactful influencer partnerships that resonate with audiences.

11 Reducing Content Production Costs with AI Automation

Generative AI simplifies content creation by automating tasks like drafting articles, editing videos, and designing visuals. GitLab leverages AI tools such as Jasper, CoPilot, and Canva’s AI assistant to produce high-quality marketing content at scale.
gitlab leverages ai tools
this reduces production costs and accelerates timeline

This reduces production costs and accelerates timelines. For instance, Jasper can draft product copy based on a brief, while Grammarly ensures the content is polished.
Similarly, Canva’s AI tools help small businesses create professional visuals without hiring a designer. Just pick a template and customize it away.

The key is maintaining authenticity. Automated content should always align with your brand voice.

icon ai

As a rule of thumb, a SaaS company using AI to generate case studies must review and edit for tone and accuracy.

Automation doesn’t eliminate human involvement; it complements it by handling repetitive tasks, allowing marketers to focus on strategy and creativity.
With AI-powered tools, brands can scale their content marketing efforts, save costs, and compete in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Benefits of Generative AI in Marketing

AI is powerful! But many companies are ignoring it. How sad? While many of its applications are well-documented, here are the six unique and impactful benefits that often go unnoticed:

checkmark circle

Enhanced A/B testing with real-time adaptation

Traditional A/B testing involves testing two or more versions of a campaign or webpage and waiting weeks for sufficient data to analyze results. Generative AI accelerates this process by creating dynamic content variations and testing them in real time.
enhanced a b testing with real time adaptation
icon ai

Use case:

An e-commerce brand can use AI to test multiple ad variations across different demographics, with the algorithm identifying the highest-performing version almost instantly.
This process saves time and optimizes campaigns mid-flight, leading to better ROI and reduced ad spend.

checkmark circle

Hyper-personalized chatbots and conversational marketing

hyper personalized chatbots and conversational marketing

Unlike traditional rule-based chatbots, AI-powered ones use NLP (natural language processing) to analyze user intent and craft tailored responses.

Gemini or Dialpad AI Contact Center allows businesses to interact more meaningfully with customers.

Amazon Q Business uses AI to onboard new clients by answering complex questions about its platform, providing summaries, and securely completing tasks. This results in higher customer satisfaction, improved conversion rates, and a seamless user experience, particularly for businesses with diverse customer bases.
amazon q business uses ai to onboard new clients
checkmark circle

Predictive audience segmentation

predictive audience segmentation
Today, businesses can identify hidden patterns in customer behavior that traditional analytics might miss. AI-powered like Adobe Experience Cloud can analyze massive datasets and create predictive audience profiles based on purchase history, browsing behavior, and preferences.
icon ai

Use case:

A beauty brand launching a new skincare product could use AI to generate Instagram captions, blog topics, and email subject lines tailored to different audience segments.

This empowers smaller teams to compete with larger organizations by leveling the creative playing field.

checkmark circle

Dynamic multichannel campaign integration

Being able to integrate marketing campaigns across multiple channels is crucial. This allows for consistency in tone, message, and visuals.
That’s where artificial intelligence comes in. It also identifies the best-performing platforms for specific audiences.

icon ai

Use case:

An online retailer could use AI to sync Facebook ad campaigns with personalized email marketing efforts. The goal is to ensure that the same messaging appears across touchpoints.

This streamlines workflows, improves brand visibility, and helps to maximize the ad budget.

checkmark circle

Enhance visual marketing with AI-generated assets

Every business needs creative assets to drive leads and sales. With generative AI prompting, it’s easy to create high-quality, on-brand visual content without relying heavily on designers or photographers.
DALL-E, Leonardo.ai, and MidJourney allow businesses to generate custom imagery and graphics in minutes.

icon ai

Use case:

A travel agency could use AI to create destination-specific visuals for social media campaigns without staging expensive photoshoots.

This approach saves costs, enables rapid prototyping, and provides unique content tailored to campaign needs.

Getting Started with Generative AI in Marketing: 6 Simple Steps

Generative AI offers endless possibilities for enhancing marketing strategies, but getting started requires a structured approach.
Follow these six steps to integrate generative AI effectively into your marketing efforts.

1 Step 1. Define your goals

Before diving into generative AI, ask yourself, “what do you aim to achieve?” Are you looking to improve ad copy, create personalized email campaigns, or generate social media content?

If you’re a B2B SaaS company, for example, you may use AI to streamline onboarding users to your platform or collaborate with a remote team.

Clear objectives help you identify the right tools and measure success.

2 Step 2. Choose the right tools

Not all generative AI tools are created equal. Research platforms that align with your needs.

Tools such as Perplexity and Claude are recommended for copywriting, while Canva, MidJourney, and Leonardo will be helpful for creating visual marketing assets.

For businesses looking to automate ad creation, platforms like AdCreative.ai are worth exploring. Select a tool that integrates seamlessly with your existing marketing stack.

3 Step 3. Start small and scale gradually

Begin with small, low-risk projects to test the effectiveness of generative AI.

icon ai

For instance, using AI to draft email subject lines or social media posts.

Track performance metrics such as click-through rates and engagement to assess AI’s impact.

Once you’re confident in its capabilities, expand its use to larger campaigns, such as full-scale blog writing or video script generation.

4 Step 4. Train your team

AI outputs should complement, not replace, human expertise.

chat with any document
For example, PDF.ai, a platform that lets you chat with your PDF document provides resources and step-by-step guides for using the tool. Regardless of the tool, upskilling your team ensures they can craft precise prompts and refine AI-generated outputs, maximizing efficiency and creativity.

5 Step 5. Maintain quality control

Equip your marketing team with the knowledge to use generative AI effectively.

Many AI tools offer tutorials and online courses.

step 5 maintain quality control
Always review and refine AI-generated output. It has to align with your brand’s tone, values, and accuracy standards. For example, BuzzFeed leverages AI for idea generation but relies on editors to polish the final content. Establish a review process to maintain high-quality results.

6 Step 6. Choose the right tools

AI integration is not a one-off process. Continuously track performance metrics such as engagement rates, conversions, and ROI. Use these insights to refine your AI prompts and workflows.

For example, if AI-generated email campaigns lead to higher open rates, tweak your approach to double down on personalization.

Regular optimization ensures ongoing improvement and effectiveness.

Challenges of Generative AI in Marketing

While generative AI offers a ton of benefits, there are challenges to be aware of, including:

01 Accuracy and quality control

Generative AI’s ability to produce content at scale is impressive, but it often struggles with accuracy and factual correctness.
For instance, AI-generated content might confidently present outdated or incorrect information, which can mislead audiences and damage brand credibility. ‘

This issue arises because AI models rely on the datasets they were trained on, which might not always be current or comprehensive.

To address this, marketers must implement a rigorous quality control process, combining AI with human oversight.
A notable example is Matt Diggitty, an online entrepreneur who uses AI for content creation but ensures editorial teams review every piece before publication.

Without this balance, brands risk publishing low-quality or inaccurate content that could lead to public backlash or reduced trust.

02 Ethical and Legal concerns

The ethical implications of generative AI in marketing are a growing concern. Keep in mind that AI can generate biased or offensive content if trained on skewed datasets.

In addition, there are risks of intellectual property violations, such as plagiarized images or text, which can lead to legal disputes.
For example, a clothing brand using generative AI to design patterns might unknowingly replicate copyrighted material.

Marketers must take steps to mitigate these risks by using ethical AI platforms and maintaining transparency about AI’s role in content creation.

Legal teams should also review AI outputs for compliance with intellectual property laws. Without clear ethical and legal guidelines, brands may face reputational damage or litigation.

03 High implementation costs

While generative AI can save money in the long run, the upfront costs of integrating advanced AI tools can be prohibitive, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.

From purchasing software to hiring skilled professionals for AI deployment and training, the investment can be significant.

For instance, implementing tools such as ClickUp, HubSpot, or any AI-powered tool often requires subscription fees and additional resources for customization.

AI technology evolves rapidly, meaning brands may need to continuously invest to keep up.

Companies can manage costs by starting with smaller-scale applications, like email automation or image generation, before scaling AI integration. However, the high initial costs remain a barrier for many businesses.

04 Skill gap in the workforce

Generative AI tools are only as effective as the people using them.

Many marketing teams lack the technical expertise to maximize the potential of these technologies.
For instance, understanding how to prompt generative AI for specific outcomes or how to analyze AI-driven insights requires specialized training.

This skill gap can hinder adoption, as teams struggle to effectively implement and interpret AI-generated outputs.
Coca-Cola, for example, has addressed this by upskilling their teams with targeted training programs and hiring AI specialists to lead initiatives.

Investing in education and training is crucial to overcoming this challenge. It’s the best way teams can leverage AI tools for their operations.

05 Overreliance on automation

One of the biggest risks of generative AI is overreliance, where brands lean too heavily on automation at the expense of genuine human creativity and connection.

AI-generated content, while efficient, usually lack the emotional depth and originality that resonate with audiences.

icon screen

For example, fully automated customer support systems may frustrate users who seek personalized, empathetic responses.

To avoid this pitfall, brands should blend AI efficiency with human creativity.

Adidas, for instance, uses AI to analyze consumer data but still relies on human designers to create emotionally engaging ad campaigns.

By striking this balance, companies can ensure their marketing remains authentic and impactful.

Takeaway

Generative AI is reshaping the marketing landscape, offering unmatched opportunities for personalization, efficiency, and innovation.

From predictive audience segmentation to dynamic campaign creation, businesses can unlock incredible potential by embracing these tools strategically.

The future holds even more exciting possibilities, with AI becoming smarter, faster, and more integrated into marketing ecosystems.

Brands that act now will stay competitive and set new industry benchmarks. Start small, experiment boldly, and let generative AI drive your marketing to new heights.

SHARE: 

Latest News

Online marketing is always evolving. If you’re not sure where to focus your time and budget to maximize your marketing results? I wrote this guide for

Luxury clients expect exclusive attention from brands. They are buying luxury items so you must give them more than just a product. You must provide them

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is revolutionizing how people interact with and discover information online. As businesses adapt to this new era of search, it’s crucial

Call Now Button