I had ChatGPT do my homework, and then I critiqued it.

My digital marketing professor came up with an interesting idea for an assignment to help teach about the advent of AI, and more specifically, ChatGPT.

He had us students each write up a prompt to give ChatGPT, a conversational artificial intelligence model, that in May of 2023, is currently the hot thing to learn. What I am going to do is provide the exact prompt I gave ChatGPT, and then debrief the results, including:

• My general thoughts on using ChatGPT, separate from it's effectiveness in answering my query.
• My critique of the "blog" ChatGPT is about to write for me - this is where I will judge its effectiveness in answering my query.
• AI's applications in the digital marketing space, hopefully with a lesson or two learned from this experience.

Without further ado, let me introduce the prompt. The general idea behind the assignment is to have ChatGPT tell me about the future of digital marketing. Future strategies, advances in AI, new social media platforms, media consumption patterns, and web3 marketing are some topics I'd expect it to cover.

The Prompt:

Here's What ChatGPT Replied With:

Title: Embracing the Future: Revolutionizing Digital Marketing Strategies, Practices, and Technologies

Introduction:

As the digital landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, businesses must stay ahead of the curve to remain relevant and competitive. Today, I want to share my insights on the future of digital marketing strategies, practices, and technologies, and how they will shape the way we connect with our audience, build brand loyalty, and drive business growth.

1. Personalization and Customer Experience: In the future, personalization will no longer be an option but a necessity. Advanced data analytics, AI, and machine learning will enable us to understand our customers on a deeper level, allowing for highly tailored marketing experiences. By leveraging customer data, we can deliver personalized content, recommendations, and offers, creating meaningful connections and driving customer loyalty.
2. Voice Search and Conversational AI: Voice search is rapidly becoming a dominant force in the digital landscape. As smart speakers and voice assistants continue to gain popularity, optimizing our digital presence for voice-based interactions is crucial. Conversational AI technologies, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, will play a significant role in providing instant customer support, personalized recommendations, and streamlined purchasing experiences.
3. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): AR and VR technologies have already started reshaping the way consumers engage with brands. In the future, these immersive technologies will provide unparalleled opportunities for interactive marketing experiences. From virtual try-on features for fashion brands to virtual tours of real estate properties, AR and VR will enable us to create memorable and engaging customer experiences, ultimately driving conversions and brand loyalty.
4. Influencer Marketing and User-Generated Content (UGC): Influencer marketing will continue to thrive, but its approach will evolve. Instead of solely focusing on high-profile influencers, brands will harness the power of micro-influencers and nano-influencers who have smaller but highly engaged audiences. User-Generated Content (UGC) will also remain a valuable asset, as customers become co-creators of brand content. Encouraging and leveraging UGC will help foster a sense of community and authenticity around our brand.
5. Data Privacy and Ethical Marketing: With increasing concerns about data privacy, businesses must prioritize ethical marketing practices. Transparency in data collection and usage will be paramount. Striking the right balance between personalization and respecting user privacy will be crucial to maintain trust with our audience. Investing in secure technologies and adhering to data protection regulations will be non-negotiable.

Conclusion:

The future of digital marketing is both exciting and challenging. Embracing the latest technologies, focusing on personalization, and delivering exceptional customer experiences will be key to staying ahead. By adapting to the changing landscape, investing in innovative strategies, and upholding ethical marketing practices, we can forge deeper connections with our audience and achieve sustainable growth in the digital era. Together, let us shape the future of digital marketing and unlock new possibilities for our brand.

Remember, the future is ours to create.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Title/Position]

[Company/Organization Name]

Debrief

Wow. I am impressed. I have some critiques, but, for my first prompt, this was definitely not what I was expecting. My experience in ChatGPT is minimal - I don't use it at school or at my internship - so, really I'd only ever asked it basic questions just for fun. I referenced a blog my professor recommended to learn more about writing prompts, and utilized these three tips in drafting mine:

1. Specifying the format - I made sure to clarify I wanted a blog. Not a short answer, not an essay, and not a research paper.
2. Role setup - I made sure I specified I wanted this from the POV of an "executive". I didn't go deeper than that, because I wanted to see what it could do without full-on handholding.
3. Keywords - I knew in my head, if I were writing this blog, I'd focus it around the "strategies" and "practices" going on, so, I included those words.

So what did I like about ChatGPT? It is really fun. I just wrote a blog about taking my Edge ST on a 500-mile road trip in the Cascades, and since I was thinking about cars, I decided to prompt it with "ford performance suv's" first. The response it gave blew me away. It is an incredibly easy-to-use platform, with a great user interface and sensible layouts for different chats. It also isn't sensory overload. It is very addicting to use - overall, I love working with ChatGPT.

So - the main question of interest here is, how well did it answer my query? What did I think?

First off, the length was perfect. Not too short, not too long, perfect amount of detail for this purpose. It also referenced itself in first person, "my insights", noting it listened to my request to come from the POV of an "executive". The answers all sound correct too - user-generated content, virtual reality, voice search, conversational AI, and personalized marketing are all aspects of future digital strategy I anticipate seeing.

It's answer to what the future of digital marketing looks like is sound. It offers good advice to where marketers can look for future innovations, and uses both industry-specific terms and everyday language to convey the important points. I also like that it came up with ethics on its own - data privacy is a very relevant issue that, when I thought of my own ideas about the future of digital marketing, I regret to say I didn't think of off-the-cuff.

It has all the elements of a good blog - except...

Well, there's a few things. My most glaring issue is this blog offered up no data or statistics to back up claims. It says to do things like create memorable customer experiences to drive conversions or leveraging UGC to foster a sense of community around a brand. I don't doubt either of these statements are true - but where's the evidence? This is great if I need a quick answer to a question, or want to clarify a difficult concept - but using ChatGPT results to assert claims, without data to back it up, is tough.

I believe I could have phrased my prompt in such a way that it would have provided data to back up the ideas. Still - without knowing that, a lot of people could take what it says as absolute truth and make decisions without fully understanding the story. I don't think this ruins the platform, it's just something to be aware of in relation to your use case for it.

The blog written also lacks a personality. It is quick and to-the-point, which is a wonderful short-term gain. But it isn't an "enjoyable" read. There are no anecdotes or real-life examples or anything. It's like reading a much-easier-to-read textbook.

I also found the structure to be...sensible, but uninspired. It is a list at the end of the day. I like lists, but a blog that is just a list with a short intro and conclusion doesn't get me to read. It gets me to skim.

AI Tech Such As ChatGPT - Future Applications?

There is a lot of value here, though. In terms of developing a starting point for any written project, ChatGPT is great. I think the human aspect really comes in with developing structure, consistent voice, anecdotal experiences, and personality; making me want to re-read this author's work, because I like their style of writing. That being said, ChatGPT also accomplishes this goal in it's own way - each time I have a new query or want some foundational information, I'll return to it.

AI will do a lot for us - according to this article, managing algorithms and executing SEO analyses will become much easier. This will help users understand deeper insights about their web presence, and even those of their competitors. Adidas will be able to figure out which pages on Nike's website perform the best, almost immediately. The sheer amount of data that will be available, is staggering.

And on the customer side - ChatGPT outlined it quite will. Streamlined purchasing, instant customer support, and virtual tours of just about anything, anywhere, will all change the marketing landscape as we know it.

Marketing is one of the most revolutionary fields to be in. Things move at a revolutionary speed here, not an evolutionary speed. Creating value means creating relevance, usefulness, and engagement. The only way to maintain or gain a competitive advantage now is to execute on these ideas at all levels. The funnel is more important to understand than ever, and AI is about to become the value driver of the early 21st century.