Many of my writing colleagues wonder about the impact AI-created content may have on the content marketing business. It’s no secret that the technology can replace routine types of writing: The surge in share prices for NVidia and Microsoft are a testament to its potential.
Good writing takes time. Excellent writing takes even more. One need only scan the financial press (my domain) to see the difference. Technology can create, proofread, and edit, but differentiating a company’s particular spin requires the human touch to replicate its voice and create an emotional, personalized experience that inspires brand loyalty. In his book, The Big Miss: How Organizations Overlook the Value of Emotions, Zhecho Dobrev emphasizes how emotion builds trust and loyalty to distinguish a company from its competitors.
In time, technology may adapt. But therein lies the challenge. If your company’s communications sound similar to your competitors’ content (just how many ways can the inflation outlook, Federal Reserve policy, and the never-ending recession odds be described?), could your clients begin to question whether your investment management is truly distinctive? For example, companies who tout a large cap growth strategy hold many of the same names. It’s the weightings and buy-and-sell decisions that set their investment strategy apart from their competition. And so does their content.
A website that speaks to your client’s needs (most do not) is a good place to start. Insights that present data in a reader-friendly manner are another. Clients are beset by crushing inflation and high interest rates – good if their goal is income, not so much if they are financing a mortgage, purchasing a new car, or funding their children’s education. Presenting data that doesn’t tie into your clients’ pain points misses an opportunity to further cement a relationship. And don’t forget to thank your clients for their business. We all want to feel appreciated – and when we are not, we can easily look elsewhere.
Effective content is also timely. Rather than spending valuable realestate recapping the past quarter, focus instead on the outlook and risk factors and how these may affect your clients. Are they contemplating retirement? Will their portfolio generate enough income to support elevated prices? Yes, the rate of increase for inflation has ebbed, but prices have not – in fact, anecdotal evidence suggests prices for some services have risen more than 20% year over year as businesses pass rising costs along to their customers. Rates will probably stay elevated until shortly before the election, so propose ways your clients can use them to their advantage to generate income.
Customizing content to your clients’ needs is an important differentiator. AI-driven writing is often devoid of the human touch, i.e., emotion, anecdotes, and nuances that keep content fresh and targeted and inspire loyalty. Don’t let it become a catalyst for your clients to question your investment management skill in the next market downturn, or to conclude you are no different from your competitors. You could come up short.