Generative AI is quickly becoming a go-to tool for marketers, business owners, and content creators. Whether you're using it to brainstorm ideas, write blog posts, nail down an email subject line, or create social media captions, there’s no denying that AI can save time. But simply handing things off to AI comes with risks. It’s critical to not jeopardize the branding you’ve spent time and money to establish. Here are some ways to guide it, so that your content still sounds like “you.”
Start with a better prompt
AI is like a lightning-fast assistant who can draft anything you ask. But just like an assistant, it doesn't know your business, your customers, or your brand voice unless you teach it.
AI tools are only as good as the instructions you give them. That’s why it’s worth spending the time to set up your prompt with clear and comprehensive direction.
Here is an example of the types of details to include when writing a prompt:
- Who the target audience is
- What the tone should be (e.g., friendly, professional, playful)
- The platform it will be used on
- The overall objective
- A call to action, value proposition, or tagline used by your brand
- What not to do (e.g., do not use jargon, avoid passive voice, don’t make direct reference to competitors)
It can also be helpful to assign AI a role. For example, AI writes differently when acting like a journalist versus acting like a marketer. Direction like “Write as if you’re a brand ambassador talking to an existing customer” shapes its writing style and is a big step toward getting the type of content you’re looking for.
Here’s what the above looks like when written into a prompt:
You are the social media manager for Maple Grove Bakery, a 25-year-old family-owned bakery known for nostalgic comfort and high-quality local ingredients. Write three Instagram captions (max 50 words each) to promote our new Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes. Use a warm, cozy, and slightly nostalgic tone that appeals to moms aged 30–50. Reference the changing leaves and our “From Our Oven to Your Table” tagline. Avoid clichés like “fall is in the air” and keep the reading level to Grade 7 or below."
Edit, edit, edit
One of the most important things to remember is that AI doesn’t know your business. It doesn’t pull from your brand guidelines, your customer experience, or even from verified, up-to-date facts. That’s why editing for voice and accuracy is a must.
Review the content for:
- Tone (does it sound like you?)
- Local references (are they relevant?)
- Industry language or terms your customers expect
- Claims that are overstated or that fall under legal or government guidelines
AI loves patterns and tends to default to certain phrases or formats. The result can be content that feels generic, bland, repetitive, or even robotic if you rely on AI tools too heavily.
Along with careful review, you might even want to rewrite sentences, adjust for structure or make different word choices. Replace generic terms with vocabulary, expressions, or emotional nuance that are more relevant to your brand or customer.
This bit of extra work can make the content feel more human - because, of course, it is!
Feed AI multiple samples
Your existing work helps AI better understand your style. Providing samples of past content (e.g., blog posts, social media captions, newsletters) shows the different ways your brand communicates. More data lets AI pick up on patterns and “learn” your brand’s voice and style.
As it reviews your content samples, it creates embeddings that represent the text in a way AI understands, which it can then use to generate content that sounds like you. The more examples of your writing it has to work with, the better it will understand your style, tone, and meaning of your content.
You can supply past content in reference datasets, or collections of past content. This can be done as a follow-up prompt with explanation, or you can provide links to existing content if your AI tool allows. The AI can then analyze these linked sources to hone in on key messages, nuances, and the overall personality of your brand.
This is a fast-track way to get AI output that is closer to your established voice and what customers expect from your company.
Double-check the facts
AI is not a natural fact checker. It’s been known to invent statistics, use outdated info, or completely make things up. And it’ll do it while sounding perfectly confident.
Always review important details like prices, product names, claims, direct quotes, or anything that could affect your company’s credibility. AI can communicate with you in a way that sounds like a person, but it’s wise to be far less trusting of its output than you would be of something a person provided.
Add the human touch
The best-performing content still includes something AI can’t replicate: your experience. Real examples, behind-the-scenes insights, photos from your team, or a story from a customer are details that make your content resonate.
Instead of treating AI as the final word, use it as a first draft. Injecting your knowledge, personality, and perspective is what turns basic content into something that builds trust.
Be mindful of search engines
If everyone is using the same tools to generate similar content, how do you stand out? Search engines are starting to factor in originality, value, and experience when ranking content.
Even light personalization like including local context or expert insights helps signal to search engines (and readers) that your content has value.
Using AI to improve your voice
Even if you’re not sure what your brand voice is, or if writing marketing content isn’t your strength, AI can help with that too. Explain who your target audience is, the platform, and what the objective of the piece of content is. It’s also helpful to note the type of reader you’re asking it to write for.
When you tell AI who your audience is, it can suggest ways to make your content clearer, friendlier, and more engaging. It can help make your message more concise, less technical, and easier to understand by people outside your industry or by an audience with varying literacy levels. It might suggest swapping formal phrases or jargon for plain language, or breaking up long paragraphs for easier online reading. You can then choose the suggestions that fit your style and ignore those that don’t.
Using AI this way lets you keep your brand’s personality while better connecting with your customers.
Where AI shines and what it can’t replicate
Generative AI can be a powerful time-saver, but it’s not a replacement for your voice, your expertise, or your judgment. The best results come from using it as a tool instead of a substitute for you or the people on your team. Don’t let what makes your brand distinct slip away. Add a human touch to keep the connection you’ve cultivated with your customers.
In the end, they still want to hear from you. Make sure your brand’s voice comes through loud and clear.
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