ChatGPT’s introduction of advertising within an AI chat is poised to be one of the most significant shifts in digital marketing since the introduction of social media. This new frontier, often called conversational advertising, will create new opportunities for businesses to connect with customers in a more natural and less restrictive way. Instead of competing with other businesses for clicks on a search result page like Google or Bing, brands will be looking to get AI’s attention and recommendation.
For a majority of business owners, this may sound intimidating or even overly complex. However, the principles behind preparing for this change are rooted in good marketing fundamentals. By taking proactive steps now, you can position your business to thrive in this emerging ecosystem of AI search.
Re-evaluate Your Content: Optimise it for AI
The first step, and arguably the most important, is to shift your mindset about content. When discussing conversational AI, your website, blog, social media, and product/service descriptions become your brand’s resume, so to speak. An AI model like ChatGPT will scan and interpret this information in order to gauge whether your business is a credible and helpful resource to recommend to users.
Your goal should be to make it as easy as possible for AI to understand what you do and why you’re the best choice to use as a resource.
- Answer questions directly: Structure your content to answer the specific questions your audience is asking. Make sure to use clear headings and create dedicated FAQ sections on relevant pages.
- Prioritise clarity over jargon: AI models value clear and straightforward language. Review your website and remove any unnecessary corporate jargon or overly technical terms that aren’t explained. Explain your products or services in simple, easy to understand terms. If your content is easy for people outside your industry to understand, it’s probably ready for AI to analyse.
- Focus on factual accuracy: Make sure that all data, statistics, and claims in your content are accurate and, where possible and appropriate, linked to authoritative sources. AI prioritises trustworthy information and sites. Being able to show your expertise through well researched content will help build your brand’s credibility with both AI and human users.
Adopt a Conversational Tone
If you’ve ever used ChatGPT you’d notice that it takes a conversational tone when replying to you. ChatGPT advertising will follow this trend of being conversational. The brands that will succeed in using ChatGPT ads will be those whose tone aligns with this format. An overly stiff and formal brand voice will be out of place as ChatGPT usually sounds friendly and helpful.
- Write like you speak: Read your content out loud. If it sounds like something a real human would say, you’re on the right track. If it sounds robotic or like it came out of a school textbook, you’re probably better off rewriting it. Use contractions like “you’re, don’t, we’re, you’ve, it’s” and write in an active voice to make your content more engaging and approachable.
- Use “you” and “we”: Address your audience directly by saying “you”. This simple change makes your content feel more like a conversation, rather than a lecture. On the same vein, use “we” to refer to your company as it fosters a sense of a team ready to help. These small changes will help build a connection before a customer even speaks to a member of your business.
- Tell your brand story: People don’t really connect with features or stats. They connect with stories. By weaving your brand’s mission, values, and story into your website, namely your “About Us” page and blogs, you can better connect with your audience. Tell people who you are, why you started your business, and what problems you’re passionate about solving. A compelling story makes your brand more memorable and more “recommendable” by AI.
Master Your Online Reputation
When ChatGPT is deciding on a business to suggest, it looks into more than just your website. It’ll analyse your company’s entire digital footprint, including reviews, social media, and media mentions. A strong online reputation will be one of your most valuable assets once the ChatGPT ads come in.
- Actively encourage and manage reviews: Your customer reviews on platforms like Google, Trustpilot, Yelp, and industry-specific sites are critical. Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback. On a similar note, make sure to reply to all reviews, both positive and negative. A thoughtful response to a negative review shows that you’re engaged and committed to bettering the customer experience, which may even turn a negative review into a positive signal.
- Build digital PR and backlinks: Seek opportunities for your business to be mentioned on reputable news sites, blogs, and industry publications. Every high-end backlink from a trusted source acts as a badge of trust that your brand can wear. This helps with traditional SEO and with AI, as it signals that your brand is legitimate and that you’re an authority in your field.
- Be active on relevant social platforms: Maintain and active, helpful presence on the social media platforms your customers spend their time on. By sharing valuable content, engaging in conversations, and building a community, you build up a trustworthy reputation. These activities contribute to your overall digital presence and shows that your brand is both active and relevant.
The Future Is Conversational
The shift towards AI-driven ads isn’t a distant possibility, it’s literally happening now. Ignoring for a second, all of the rumours about ChatGPT adding seamless ads to its platform, it’s the next logical stop in the evolution of digital marketing. While the exact specifications of ChatGPT ads are still being developed, the groundwork for success can be laid right now.
By focusing on high-quality, question based content, adopting a more “human” and conversational tone, and actively managing your online presence/reputation, you’re not just preparing for a new ad platform. You’re investing in a much stronger, more resilient brand that will be better equipped to interact with customers across different channels.
Start implementing these changes now. The businesses that embrace this change early will be the ones that are poised to gain the most once they roll out these changes. By adapting to the conversational AI changes, you’ll be able to build deeper customer relationships and stay ahead of your competition.
