AI technologies have transformed the game in the fast-moving creative economy. They help individual producers and small groups make better content, work faster, and reach more people than ever before. These new technologies can help you make your brand stand out, get the most out of your resources, and find new ways to expand. For instance, AI can edit videos, post to social media automatically, and gather information from data. But you need to have a plan based on best practices to help you navigate your way through the huge universe of AI tools, choose the proper ones, and apply them correctly.
1. Before you start utilizing AI, be sure you know what you want to do and how you will use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track your success.
Why it matters: If you don’t know what you want to do with AI technologies, you could waste a lot of time and money on them without getting what you want. When you have defined goals, like getting 20% more people to watch your videos, 30% more people to sign up for your email, or cutting your editing time in half, it’s easier to choose the correct tools and keep track of your success.
You can do these things:
- Find the largest problems. Look at your present process to see where tasks take a long time or where you need more information.
- Be sure that your KPIs are smart. Set goals that are obvious, can be measured, are possible, are important, and have a due date (MindTools).
- Make sure that the AI use cases match what you intend to perform. Connect the tasks that each AI tool can execute to your key performance indicators (KPIs). It can make visuals or turn speech into text, for instance.
A fitness coach, for instance, wants to quadruple the amount of videos on her YouTube channel without putting in extra hours. She notices that it takes 6 hours to edit each movie and sets a key performance indicator (KPI) to decrease that time in half to 2 hours each movie in three months by employing AI-powered video editing software.
2. Research and try out AI tools All the way
Why it matters: Many AI tools claim to be able to accomplish wonderful things. With strict screening, you can be sure that the solutions you choose have been tried and tested, have good support, and clear data rules. This is required per EEAT rules.
You can do these things:
- Read both the case studies and the reviews from customers. There are real consumer reviews on both Capterra.com and G2.com.
- Try out the free trials or the freemium editions. Testing it out reveals how easy it is to use, how well it integrates with other programs, and how nice the results are.
- Make sure the data is safe and follows the regulations. Make sure your products fulfill GDPR and CCPA standards and that you are upfront about how you utilize data if you want your audience and partners to trust you.
A podcaster tests out Descript and Otter.ai, two AI transcription systems, by transcribing a 30-minute show. Both are 95% correct or better, but she liked Descript more because it has an editor and can get rid of filler words, which worked better for her.
3. Start small: do a few AI projects before you go all out.
Why it matters: Using AI tools on a modest scale decreases risks, keeps prices down, and gives you real-world knowledge about how effectively the tools operate, how well the team uses them, and the return on investment (ROI) before you completely commit.
What you can do:
- Pick a project that isn’t too important. Choose a set of content or a process to employ for your test. Changing Instagram Reels is one example.
- Check that the pilot has metrics. Keep note of how much time you save, how much more interested you are, or how many less mistakes you make.
- Get some input. Get feedback on your work from beta testers or coworkers. Ask them what they think and if they see any difficulties.
An instructive YouTuber, for instance, utilizes an AI-powered thumbnail builder to produce the thumbnails for her next three videos. She keeps track of how her click-through rates (CTR) go up and writes down any problems with the design before putting the tool on her complete content calendar.
4. Check to see whether AI works with how you already do things.
Why it matters: People become irritated when tool stacks don’t operate together since it takes longer to finish things. You can use APIs, plugins, and platform integrations to make sure that AI works with your present processes instead of against them.
Things you can do:
- Make a picture of how you work right now. Write down every step, from coming up with the idea to getting it out there.
- Look for places where things can function together. Make sure that the AI tools you desire will operate with the platforms you already use, like WordPress or Adobe Premiere Pro.
- Make it so that handoffs happen on their own. You may apply AI technologies to your CMS, email marketing, or social media schedulers with automation platforms like Zapier (Zapier.com) or Make (Make.com).
For instance, a travel writer uses Grammarly to compose something in Microsoft Word and then sends it to Surfer SEO, an AI SEO optimizer, through a Zap. After being optimized, another Zap submits the draft to WordPress as a waiting article, which makes it easier to publish.
5. Figure out how to find a balance between automation and human inventiveness.
Why it matters: AI can look at data and perform the same thing over and over, but it can’t imitate how people think, tell tales that make people feel something, or use their brand voice. Finding the correct balance keeps things moving smoothly while yet being authentic to who they are.
What you can do:
- Let AI handle the hard job for you. You can compose early manuscripts, transcribe them, verify the grammar, and add metadata with AI.
- Let people make adjustments that are creative. Write stories, practice your voice, and put your own stories into your writing.
- Make a plan for reviews. Make it easy for consumers to check AI outputs to make sure they are high quality and fit with the brand.
An independent game creator, for instance, employs AI to create character concept art and descriptions. After that, the human team improves the designs, adds a story, and makes sure that each character matches with the game’s tone and substance.
6. Use analytics enabled by AI to make choices based on data.
Why it matters: AI analytics can identify patterns, audience preferences, and information about how well material is doing that people can’t observe. The easiest method to attract people to read and share your material is to use data.
You can accomplish the following:
- Connect various analytics tools. Check on how well your YouTube videos and articles are doing with AI-powered solutions like TubeBuddy or VidIQ for YouTube and BuzzSumo for articles.
- Pay attention to what your audience is saying. MonkeyLearn and other NLP technologies can help you read comments, reviews, and mentions on social media.
- Change the content based on what you learn. Change your plan to meet the optimum times, themes, and formats to post.
A financial blogger, for instance, utilizes Google Analytics’ AI-powered insights to learn that articles about personal budgeting on the weekends generate 35% more comments. She modifies how often she posts to add a Saturday newsletter, which pulls in 18% more visitors.
7. Put ethical AI use and openness at the top of your list of things to do.
What it means: People and platforms want it to be easier to locate information made by AI, especially in areas like health, education, and journalism. Using things in a moral way over time generates trust and a good name.
What you can do:
- Let folks know that AI was involved. Add short remarks where they fit, such as “AI helped write this article.”
- Look at the facts and the sources. AI can make things up, so you should always double-check the facts and consult trustworthy sources like government websites or research papers.
- Respect copyright laws. AI technologies should either create new content or give credit to things that other people have developed.
For instance, a health writer utilizes AI to write the first draft of an article, but they make sure to add references like the World Health Organization (WHO.int) and an editor’s note about AI aid to be honest and respect the guidelines of the platform.
8. Keep learning and improving your skills.
Why it matters: AI technology changes quickly, with new tools and features coming out all the time. People that make stuff and constantly learning stay ahead of the competition and don’t fall behind.
You can do these things:
- Read AI newsletters and blogs. Sign up for The Algorithm or AI Weekly from MIT Technology Review.
- Go to seminars and webinars. Coursera and Udemy are two websites that offer classes on certain AI approaches. Most of the time, people who work in the field give these sessions.
- Get involved with groups for those who create. You can share tips and help each other out by joining Discord servers or Slack workspaces that are solely for creator AI usage.
For instance, a podcast host goes to an AI content creation event every three months to learn about the newest voice-cloning technology. This will let her connect with her viewers more deeply in her episodes.
9. Use AI to make your SEO plans better
Why it matters: Search engines are giving more and more weight to content that indicates E-A-T (Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness). AI technologies can help you uncover keywords, make your pages better, and put your information in a logical order so that Google and Bing can find it more easily.
What you can do:
- AI can help you find keywords. You can find words that might be quite helpful with Ahrefs’ AI Keyword Explorer or SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.
- Create semantic LSI keywords. You can use MarketMuse and Clearscope to find words that are like the ones you already have.
- Make it such that metadata is created by itself. Use AI to help you come up with catchy title tags and meta descriptions that include your target keywords and calls to action.
A blogger who blogs about DIY crafts utilizes Surfer SEO’s AI suggestions to modify the names of her posts and add LSI terms. In just six weeks, this will boost organic search traffic by 25%.
10. Measure, make better, and grow
Why it matters: AI isn’t something you utilize just once; it’s a journey that never ends. To get the most out of your investment, you should check and alter things often.
What you can do:
- Once a month, look at your KPI dashboards. See how well you’re doing with your SMART goals.
- Do tests A and B. Try out both AI-generated material and content authored by people in small groups to determine which one works better.
- Make the pilots who do well bigger. Once you find that it works successfully, you can add new content series or team members to the process or tool.
A lifestyle blogger, for instance, contrasts Instagram captions that were created by AI to ones that she made herself. After learning that AI captions boost interaction by 12%, she started using them in all of her future articles. After that, she chats to her fans about how much time she saved.
In a nutshell,
Digital producers have a lot of power because to AI tools. They can help you come up with new ideas, get things done faster, and use data to improve your firm. If you set clear goals, think carefully about your options, and achieve a balance between automation and human expertise, you may employ AI as a force multiplier instead of a gimmick. To get people in your area to trust and respect you, you should make honesty, transparency, and always learning your top priorities. To stay ahead in the creative economy, you need to continually measuring, iterating, and scaling your AI approach to keep up with emerging technology.
Questions that people often ask:
Q1. Do AI technologies benefit all kinds of creators? AI tools can aid a number of various kinds of people who make things, such as teachers, bloggers, podcasters, and videographers. They can automate actions that need to be done over and over again and offer them information about the data. But the tools and prospective return on investment (ROI) depend on the sort of activity and the medium. You should definitely try out tools that are very similar to how your material is set up and what your audience desires.
Q2: How much would it cost to employ AI at work? Free ones have less features, while business ones might cost hundreds of dollars a month. A lot of producers start with free trials or starter programs and then move up as they get stronger. Always weigh the expense of a subscription against the time and money it will save you.
Question 3: Will AI replace people who make things? AI is wonderful at doing things and looking at data, but it can’t replace the ability to be creative, think critically, or write tales that make people feel. The finest creators don’t utilize AI to replace their own voice and point of view; they use it to make them better.
4. How can I be sure that what AI makes is right? You should always double-check the information AI gives you with trustworthy sources. Add a phase for individuals to examine the facts, update the wording, and make sure that moral and copyright rules are obeyed.
Q5: What are the finest AI tools for folks who are new to the field?
- You may use Canva.com’s AI suite to produce graphics and photographs for social media.
- Descript.com lets you write and modify podcasts.
- Grammarly Premium (Grammarly.com) can help you write better.
- Surfer SEO (SurferSEO.com) can help you make your content better.
- You can use Zapier.com to make your work easier.
References
- MindTools. “SMART Goals.” MindTools. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm
- G2. “Best Marketing Software.” https://www.g2.com/categories/marketing
- Zapier. “Zapier: Automate Your Work.” https://zapier.com/
- Surfer SEO. “Content Editor.” https://surferseo.com/content-editor/
- Canva. “Design Anything.” https://www.canva.com/
- Descript. “Audio & Video Editing.” https://www.descript.com/
- Grammarly. “Writing Enhancement.” https://www.grammarly.com/
- HubSpot. “The Ultimate Guide to AI in Marketing.” https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/ai-marketing-guide
- World Health Organization. “Health Topics.” https://www.who.int/
- Ahrefs. “Keyword Explorer.” https://ahrefs.com/keyword-generator