Exploring the impact of generative AI and LLMs on corporate websites
David Williams
Digital strategy leader @ EY | Creating value at scale with human-centred design and technology
Corporate websites have long been a vital component of B2B marketing, providing in-depth insights into a company's offerings, values, and purpose.
The rise of generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) marks a significant shift in digital marketing, reshaping the role of corporate websites in B2B marketing.
Evolving role of corporate websites
Traditionally, corporate websites have acted as digital publications for B2B companies, offering a mix of insights, case studies, and service descriptions. Now, evolving audience expectations and behaviors are challenging this model.
Today, a new generation of digital native professionals increasingly seek intuitive, personalized digital experiences, leading to a reevaluation of the corporate website's role. Generative AI and LLMs are emerging as pivotal in driving this transformation.
Generative AI and LLMs
Generative AI, including Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI's ChatGPT, are advanced algorithms trained to create new content such as text, images, or code. LLMs specifically focus on generating human-like text, using extensive datasets to produce content that mimics human writing.
Innovative content creation with generative AI
Generative AI will redefine content creation in B2B marketing, allowing for hyper-personalized content production on the fly. Copywriting will be tailored to specific user profiles drawn from CRM databases, delivering bespoke content based on role, industry, location, or consumption habits based on the day of the week or time of day.
This degree of customization will lead to content that uniquely suits each user's specific needs at point in time, enhancing engagement and increasing value for all parties.
Generative models for visual and audio content will not only reshape imagery and data visualizations, but also video and audio content. Moving us away from traditional stock assets, generative AI enables the creation of bespoke visual, video, and audio materials trained against a brand’s visual and audio identity.
These formats can all be designed (prompted) to align with the specific narrative and industry trends being covered, making them highly relevant to the intended audience. As a result, media embeds will transform into integral, personalized components of marketing strategies.
This enhancement in content creation will significantly boost on-site engagement, taking storytelling and brand communication to a more dynamic and impactful space.
The resulting rethink of corporate websites
While there are these immediate on-site content opportunities, the ongoing advancements in generative AI and LLMs suggest that traditional corporate websites may ultimately become obsolete.
AI-driven experiences are shifting user expectations about what the web is and what it can do for them. Current browsing experiences can seem increasingly cumbersome when you’ve used an LLM that gives you exactly what you asked for.
We might see a digital landscape where instead of navigating through conventional websites, users interact with AI models tailored specifically to a brand's identity and values. These brand-owned LLMs could offer a unique, personalized experience, providing information, services, or conversations that align closely with the user's profile and preferences.
The development of brand-owned LLMs not only changes user interactions but also introduces the possibility for new business models. Companies could offer access to specialized LLMs, trained on exclusive data, as a premium paid service. This approach might open up recurring revenue streams; converting what might traditionally been seen as a cost centre into a revenue centre.
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A personalized approach: Implications for B2B marketing strategy
The rise of generative AI and LLMs will necessitate a profound reevaluation of traditional B2B marketing strategies and organizational structures. Marketers must adapt to a landscape where AI-driven content and interactions are fundamental to meeting audience expectations.?
Generative AI will enable personalization at an unprecedented scale in B2B marketing.? By leveraging AI and LLMs, marketers can create highly personalized experiences for each contact.
This level of personalization, previously unattainable, will become crucial in effective B2B marketing strategies, leading to better engagement rates, better customer experience, which can in turn lead to improved connection to marketing-derived revenue.
Data's role in future strategies
In this new era, the role of data is becoming increasingly important. The success of generative AI and LLMs depends on good quality data, a challenge that only grows as a company becomes larger and more complex.
As corporate websites start using more AI, it's not just about collecting data, but also about understanding, governing, and using it effectively, ethically, and legally.
This means turning data into useful insights that can improve customer experiences and offer value to the business. Understanding data in this way is key to making smarter decisions and refining marketing strategies for better results.
Challenges of AI integration in corporate websites
While the integration of AI into corporate websites opens up exciting opportunities, it's important to recognize the complexity of these challenges. Beyond data privacy and bias concerns, there's the issue of constantly evolving AI technology, requiring ongoing updates and adaptations.
This continuous evolution requires specific technical capabilities and might strain resources, especially for smaller businesses. Moreover, ensuring that AI solutions are user-friendly and enhance rather than complicate the user experience is crucial.
Navigating these challenges successfully demands a strategic approach, where businesses not only implement AI solutions but also commit to their continuous improvement and alignment with user needs and expectations. A focused AI roadmap is critical.
Adapting to AI: Future B2B marketing
The integration of generative AI and LLMs will transform corporate websites and B2B digital marketing strategies. This shift represents a comprehensive overhaul of how companies interact with clients, emphasizing more dynamic, personalized, and efficient customer interactions.
As we navigate these changes, the innovative use of AI technologies becomes vital for businesses to stay competitive. This AI-driven evolution in digital marketing is not just imminent but essential, paving the way for a future where marketing strategies are more dynamic, personalized, and data-driven.
The ability to adapt and leverage these emerging technologies will be key in shaping successful, future-forward B2B marketing strategies. Embracing this change will enable businesses to redefine their digital presence and forge deeper, more meaningful connections with their clients in the AI-integrated digital landscape.
This is my own opinion not that of my employer.
Please do comment if you agree / disagree / have more thoughts.
Content Strategist | Publishing & Editorial Director | Digital Marketing Leader | Transformation Maker | EY Alum
6 个月Really interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Strategy Partner at VOLUME: Content, Community & Culture for B2B Brands || Strategy Director at VIDA Media: Growth Partner & Advisory for Next-Gen Media
9 个月Thanks for sharing this David - proper insight.
Head of Marketing at Dalcour Maclaren
9 个月Thanks David, great blog post. Hope you are well. The opportunity for personalisation is really interesting. How do you see corporate websites adapting to ensure that AI uses their content to surface when, as you say, why would B2B customers spend time doing ‘cumbersome’ searches when LLMs will deliver it for them? Should B2B content producers shift from creating content discoverable via SEO to content discoverable by LLMs? And what happens when these LLMs deliver inaccurate information about one’s organisation? How can companies protect against that? Be very interested in your opinion