AI for Marketers

How AI Can Help You Choose Target Audiences and Conduct Research

By now, if you’re like many Kiwi business people, you’ve probably tried out ChatGPT or one of the other AI models, and perhaps used it to write some content and do various other tasks. But have you ever used AI to conduct research or even identify prospective buyers for your product or service?

If you’re anything like us, you might not have given it much thought.

But then we were watching a “Marketing Against the Grain” video (hosted by senior HubSpot marketers) and their guest Mike Taylor shared a cool prompt that can give any business valuable insights about their customers and prospects.

Mike’s key insight was this: if you ask ChatGPT or any AI large language model (LLM) to define a target audience for your  product/service, you’ll likely get a typical, generic answer. But if you ask the LLM to provide 10 potential target audiences (personas), you’re much more likely to get useful information, with each individual audience persona exhibiting unique and actionable characteristics.

Then if, at the same time, you ask a research question and instruct the LLM to answer (a) for each individual persona, and then (b) collectively on their behalf, you will get some really meaty results.

Here’s our version of the core prompt that Mike shared:

The Prompt Template

We offer [PRODUCT OR SERVICE AND WHAT IT DOES]

**First**, identify ten demographic personas (regular people) who could be prospective buyers.

**Then** have each persona answer the question below critically from their perspective, given their background and experience, and provide the answers for each persona.

Question: [YOUR QUESTION]

**Finally**, combine these responses into a single combined response as if these people had collaborated in writing a joint anonymous answer. Do not name any of the people in the combined response.

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And here’s how we used that prompt:

How We Used the Prompt

We fed the following prompt into several LLMs (ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grok and DeepSeek):

We have an online training course entitled “AI for Marketers”

**First**, give us ten demographic personas (regular people) who would be buyers of this course.

**Then** have each persona answer this question critically from their prospective, given their background and experience, and provide the answers for each persona.

Question: “What three article topics would most helpful for you to assist with your AI marketing needs?”

**Finally**, combine these responses into a single combined response as if these people had collaborated in writing a joint anonymous answer. Do not name any of the people in the combined response.

The Response

Here’s the most useful answer we received, in this instance from Google Gemini (2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental):

Here are ten demographic personas who would be potential buyers for your “AI for Marketers” course, followed by their individual answers to your question, and finally, a combined response.

Ten Demographic Personas for “AI for Marketers”

  1. The Small Business Owner (Sarah, 42): Sarah runs a boutique online clothing store. She’s tech-savvy but marketing is only one of her many hats. She’s budget-conscious and wants practical, immediately applicable solutions. Demographics: Female, 40-45, Small Business Owner (E-commerce), Located in a suburban area, Moderate Tech Skill, Limited Marketing Budget.

  2. The Marketing Manager at a Mid-Sized Company (David, 35): David manages a team of marketers at a company selling SaaS solutions. He’s under pressure to improve campaign performance and wants to explore AI to gain a competitive edge and improve team efficiency. Demographics: Male, 30-39, Marketing Manager (SaaS Industry), Located in a city, High Tech Skill, Medium Marketing Budget.

  3. The Freelance Marketing Consultant (Maria, 28): Maria offers freelance digital marketing services to various clients. She needs to stay ahead of the curve and offer cutting-edge services like AI-driven marketing to attract and retain clients in a competitive market. Demographics: Female, 25-29, Freelance Digital Marketing Consultant, Works remotely, High Tech Skill, Medium Marketing Budget (variable per client).

  4. The Non-Profit Marketing Coordinator (James, 50): James works for a non-profit organization with a limited marketing budget. He needs to maximize impact with minimal resources and is interested in AI to help personalize communication and target donors more effectively. Demographics: Male, 45-55, Marketing Coordinator (Non-Profit), Located in a rural area, Medium Tech Skill, Very Limited Marketing Budget.

  5. The Seasoned Marketing Executive (Catherine, 55): Catherine is a VP of Marketing at a large retail chain. She understands traditional marketing well but is less familiar with the practical applications of AI. She needs a strategic overview of how AI can revolutionize her department and improve ROI across various channels. Demographics: Female, 50-60, VP of Marketing (Retail), Located in a major city, Medium Tech Skill, Large Marketing Budget.

  6. The Entry-Level Marketing Assistant (Michael, 22): Michael just started his first marketing job. He’s eager to learn and sees AI skills as crucial for his career advancement. He needs foundational knowledge and practical entry points into AI in marketing. Demographics: Male, 20-24, Marketing Assistant (Agency), Located in a city, High Tech Skill (Gen Z), Limited Marketing Budget (personal development focus).

  7. The Content Marketing Specialist (Jessica, 38): Jessica focuses on content creation and strategy for a blog network. She is interested in AI to enhance content planning, generation, and performance analysis, but worries about maintaining authenticity and creativity. Demographics: Female, 35-40, Content Marketing Specialist (Media), Located in a suburban area, High Tech Skill, Medium Marketing Budget.

  8. The Social Media Manager (Kevin, 26): Kevin manages social media for a fast-growing consumer brand. He is constantly looking for ways to improve engagement, automate tasks, and gain deeper insights from social data using AI tools. Demographics: Male, 25-30, Social Media Manager (Consumer Brand), Located in a city, Very High Tech Skill, Medium Marketing Budget.

  9. The Marketing Professor (Dr. Emily Carter, 48): Emily teaches marketing at a university. She needs to update her curriculum to include AI in marketing and wants to understand the current landscape, tools, and best practices to effectively educate her students. Demographics: Female, 45-50, Marketing Professor (Education), Located in a university town, High Tech Skill, Medium Budget (Professional Development).

  10. The E-commerce Customer Service Manager (Rajesh, 40): Rajesh manages customer service for a large e-commerce platform. He understands the importance of personalized customer experience and is exploring how AI can enhance customer interactions and marketing touchpoints through service channels. Demographics: Male, 35-45, Customer Service Manager (E-commerce), Located in a city, Medium Tech Skill, Medium Marketing Budget (Customer Experience Focus).

Persona Answers to “What three article topics would be most helpful for you to assist with your AI marketing needs?”

1. Sarah, the Small Business Owner:

“For me, it’s all about the how-to. I need to know:

  1. Simple AI Tools for Small Business Marketing on a Shoestring Budget: What are the affordable or free AI tools I can actually use today for things like social media scheduling, email marketing, or even basic ad copy? I need to see real examples and comparisons.
  2. Using AI to Understand My Customers Better (Without Being a Data Scientist): How can AI help me figure out what my customers really want so I can target my marketing better? I need this explained simply, without a ton of jargon.
  3. Quick Wins with AI: Tasks I Can Automate Now to Save Time: What are the easiest marketing tasks I can hand over to AI right away to free up my time to focus on other parts of my business? Think practical automation tips.”

2. David, the Marketing Manager:

“As a manager, I’m thinking about strategy and efficiency. I’d want articles on:

  1. Building an AI-Driven Marketing Strategy for SaaS Growth: How do I strategically integrate AI across our marketing funnel – from lead generation to customer retention – specifically for a SaaS business? I need frameworks and strategic approaches.
  2. Measuring the ROI of AI Marketing Initiatives: Metrics That Matter: How do I prove the value of AI investments to upper management? What are the key metrics to track and report on to demonstrate AI’s impact on marketing performance?
  3. AI for Marketing Team Productivity: Workflows and Tools to Enhance Efficiency: How can AI tools streamline our team’s workflow, improve collaboration, and reduce manual tasks? I’m looking for practical tool recommendations and workflow examples.”

3. Maria, the Freelance Marketing Consultant:

“To stay competitive, I need to offer cutting-edge services. I need articles on:

  1. Offering AI-Powered Marketing Services to Clients: A Consultant’s Guide: How can I package and sell AI-driven marketing services to my clients? What are the most in-demand AI services clients are looking for and how do I price them?
  2. Staying Ahead of the Curve: The Latest AI Marketing Trends and Tools for Consultants: What are the newest AI tools and trends that are emerging? I need to stay informed to advise my clients effectively and maintain my competitive edge.
  3. Ethical Considerations of Using AI in Client Marketing: Transparency and Responsibility: How do I ensure ethical and transparent use of AI in my client work? What are the potential pitfalls to avoid and how do I communicate about AI responsibly to clients?”

4. James, the Non-Profit Marketing Coordinator:

“For a non-profit, every penny counts. I need articles focused on cost-effectiveness:

  1. Cost-Effective AI Marketing for Non-Profits with Limited Budgets: What are the most affordable or free AI solutions that non-profits can leverage for donor outreach, communication, and campaign management?
  2. Personalizing Non-Profit Communication with AI to Maximize Impact: How can AI help us personalize our messaging to different donor segments to increase engagement and donations, even with limited data?
  3. Automating Non-Profit Marketing Tasks with AI to Free Up Staff Time: What are the repetitive marketing tasks that AI can automate for us so our small team can focus on core mission activities?”

5. Catherine, the Seasoned Marketing Executive:

“I need the big picture view and strategic insights. I’d be interested in articles on:

  1. The Future of Marketing is AI: A Strategic Roadmap for Large Organizations: What is the long-term strategic impact of AI on the marketing function? I need a high-level vision for how AI will transform marketing departments in the coming years.
  2. Integrating AI Across All Marketing Channels: A Holistic Approach: How do I ensure AI is effectively integrated across all our marketing channels – from digital to traditional – for a cohesive and impactful strategy?
  3. Managing the Transformation to AI-Driven Marketing: Change Management and Team Upskilling: How do I lead my marketing department through the transition to AI? What are the change management strategies and training programs needed to upskill my team?”

6. Michael, the Entry-Level Marketing Assistant:

“I’m just starting out, so I need the basics. I’d find articles helpful on:

  1. AI Marketing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Key Concepts and Terminology: What are the fundamental AI concepts I need to understand to get started in AI marketing? Explain the jargon in a simple, accessible way.
  2. Entry-Level AI Marketing Skills to Boost Your Career: What are the most valuable AI-related skills I can develop to make myself more marketable as a young marketer? What practical skills should I focus on learning first?
  3. Hands-On Introduction to AI Marketing Tools: Getting Started with Free or Trial Versions: Where can I get hands-on experience with AI marketing tools without a big investment? Guide me through using free trials and beginner-friendly platforms.”

7. Jessica, the Content Marketing Specialist:

“For content, it’s about enhancement, not replacement. I’d be keen on articles about:

  1. AI for Enhanced Content Planning: Topic Generation, Trend Identification, and Keyword Research: How can AI tools help me brainstorm better content ideas, identify trending topics, and conduct more effective keyword research for content strategy?
  2. AI-Assisted Content Creation: Balancing Automation with Creativity and Authenticity: How can AI tools help with content drafting, editing, and optimization without sacrificing originality and human voice? I need to understand the right balance.
  3. Measuring Content Performance with AI: Advanced Analytics and Actionable Insights: How can AI help me analyze content performance beyond basic metrics and provide deeper, actionable insights to improve content strategy and ROI?”

8. Kevin, the Social Media Manager:

“Social is all about real-time engagement and data. I need articles focused on:

  1. AI-Powered Social Media Engagement: Community Management, Content Personalization, and Chatbots: How can AI tools help me automate and personalize social media engagement, improve community management, and deploy effective chatbots for customer interaction?
  2. Social Media Data Analysis with AI: Sentiment Analysis, Trend Spotting, and Audience Insights: How can AI help me extract deeper insights from social media data – like sentiment, trends, and audience behavior – to inform social media strategy?
  3. AI for Social Media Advertising Optimization: Targeting, Bidding, and Performance Improvement: How can AI algorithms optimize social media ad campaigns for better targeting, bidding strategies, and overall campaign performance?”

9. Dr. Emily Carter, the Marketing Professor:

“For teaching, I need a comprehensive and future-focused perspective. I need articles on:

  1. Teaching AI in Marketing: Curriculum Development, Key Concepts, and Practical Exercises: How do I design a relevant and engaging curriculum for teaching AI in marketing to undergraduate and graduate students? What are the core concepts to cover and what are effective teaching methods?
  2. The Evolving AI Marketing Landscape: Industry Trends, Case Studies, and Future Predictions: What are the current and emerging trends in AI marketing that are most relevant for students to learn about? I need real-world case studies and industry foresight.
  3. Ethical and Societal Implications of AI in Marketing: A Critical Perspective for Future Marketers: How do I equip my students to think critically about the ethical and societal implications of AI in marketing, including issues of bias, privacy, and job displacement?”

10. Rajesh, the E-commerce Customer Service Manager:

“From a customer service angle, I’m interested in enhancing the customer journey. I’d look for articles on:

  1. AI for Personalized Customer Service in E-commerce Marketing: Chatbots, Proactive Support, and Journey Mapping: How can AI-powered customer service tools like chatbots and proactive support systems enhance the customer journey and contribute to marketing goals?
  2. Using AI to Predict Customer Needs and Improve Marketing Touchpoints Through Service Interactions: How can AI analyze customer service interactions to identify unmet needs and inform marketing strategies and touchpoints for improved customer experience?
  3. Integrating AI Customer Service Data with Marketing Analytics: A Unified Customer View: How do I integrate data from AI-driven customer service systems with overall marketing analytics to create a more holistic understanding of the customer and improve marketing effectiveness?”

Combined Anonymous Response:

In considering the most helpful article topics to assist with AI marketing needs, several key themes emerged as important across diverse marketing roles and levels of AI experience. Collectively, we identified a need for practical, strategic, and ethical guidance in navigating the evolving landscape of AI in marketing.

First and foremost, the demand for practical application is clear. Marketers are eager for concrete examples, actionable steps, and tool recommendations. This includes a strong desire for resources that showcase “Simple AI Tools for Real-World Marketing Tasks”. Specifically, there’s a need to understand affordable and accessible AI solutions – even free or low-cost options – that can immediately improve efficiency and performance across various marketing activities. This extends to clear, jargon-free explanations of how to “Automate Marketing Tasks with AI for Quick Wins and Time Savings.”

Secondly, strategic direction is highly valued. Beyond just tools, marketers are seeking guidance on “Building an AI-Driven Marketing Strategy for Overall Growth and Impact”. This includes frameworks for integrating AI across the entire marketing funnel and aligning AI initiatives with overarching business objectives. Furthermore, demonstrating value is crucial, highlighting the need for articles focused on “Measuring the ROI of AI Marketing Initiatives and Proving Their Worth to Stakeholders”. Understanding relevant metrics and effective reporting strategies is essential to justify AI investments and secure buy-in.

Finally, as AI becomes more pervasive, ethical considerations are paramount. There is a collective awareness of the need to navigate “The Ethical Implications of AI in Marketing: Transparency, Responsibility, and Building Trust.” This encompasses understanding potential biases in AI algorithms, ensuring responsible data usage, and maintaining transparency with customers about AI-driven marketing practices. This also includes understanding the societal impact and ensuring AI is used in a way that aligns with brand values and builds long-term customer trust.

In summary, the most valuable articles would bridge the gap between the theoretical potential of AI and the practical realities of marketing, providing actionable guidance, strategic frameworks, and a strong ethical compass for navigating this transformative technology.

We were delighted with those responses, and are using them to help shape our marketing of our AI Marketing course.

If you’d like to learn more about the use of AI in Marketing, check out our online course: https://socialmedia.org.nz/ecourses/ai-for-marketers/

 

PS Here’s the video we were watching:

CategoriesAI for Marketers

Michael Carney Written by: