Five questions to revamp your content strategy for the GenAI era
Are you worried about how AI will impact your business’s content strategy? If so, you’re not alone. Content marketing has always been a balancing act between quality and quantity, with many failing to achieve effective results.
AI has made it easier to produce informational content with the right prompt. Marketing teams need strategies that make their content more specific to user needs and distinct from the output of a ChatGPT prompt.
With that in mind, here are five questions to help you revise your content strategy going forward.
1. Does AI mean that you have to innovate every time you create something?
Not really. Few companies are doing truly groundbreaking work. For example, if you search for a company in nearly any industry, say digital marketing, you’re going to find a long list of options. And most are doing similar work, albeit with some nuances in process, deliverables, etc.
That said, it is important to be innovative in another sense:
How you share ideas: Presenting ideas differently can help you engage with your audience. You might share ideas from a unique perspective, in a new format, or with your brand’s personality.
Your content’s purpose: Often, giving something of value is more important than innovating. If you can do both, better. But it’s likely that users are coming to your site to accomplish something, so figure out what that is and help them achieve it.
Pro tip: Instead of seeing AI as a foe, why not ask it for ideas on how you could differentiate your content from what’s being produced with AI today?
Try a prompt like this: Many businesses are using AI to create more content than ever before. As a small team, we want to make sure our content stands out. Can you give me some strategies for creating unique content within my industry?
2. What attracts users to content?
Relevance,
new information,
data,
story,
format,
design,
voice,
credibility,
timing,
etc.
This list isn’t complete, and that’s good since it offers businesses an opportunity to find new angles for unique content. As you embark on finding these angles, always remember the needs of the user. For example, if you’re in a technical field, users may be looking for news, tutorials, or something else to help them progress in their jobs or careers. By leveraging user and job stories, you can create precise content that fills those needs.
3. How can you improve your content quality?
The fundamentals of creating content are still the same, but that doesn’t mean you can template your way to victory. Here’s a series of questions to help you analyze your content quality:
Have you done the research? Job and user stories, analytics data, and customer feedback can all help you choose your topics and approach with precision.
Where does it fit on the user journey? Determining this will help you decide on the type of content (blog post vs web copy vs social post).
Does the article have a strong hook? Improve its punching power.
Does my content get to the point? Write using clear language that balances engagement with sharpness.
Am I helping users visualize or taking them on a journey? Descriptive writing makes your content more memorable.
Could I experiment with a different format? Maybe you could experiment with using AI to create audio* content.
Does this content show I’m paying attention? Double down on the content that is already getting clicks and views.
4. How should GenAI impact your content strategy?
GenAI has made prioritizing content quality even more important. While 100% AI-generated content isn’t likely to help you reach your marketing goals, don’t ignore it. Find a balanced place for GenAI in your workflow and view it as a way to empower your team instead of as your replacement. The following questions can help you analyze if you’re using AI in the right way:
Am I leveraging AI to amplify my creativity? GenAI can be a powerful co-creator, helping with ideation, outlining, or even drafting — but it works best when paired with human creativity.
Use AI tools for brainstorming or generating initial drafts that help you visualize the gaps in generated content.
Refine AI outputs to ensure they align with your tone, style, and message.
Am I monitoring and adapting to AI-driven trends? AI is continuously influencing search algorithms, user behaviors, and content standards. Staying informed ensures your strategy evolves with the landscape.
Track analytics to identify how AI is shaping your audience’s preferences.
Stay updated on emerging AI capabilities, such as personalization tools or visual content creation.
Does my content encourage engagement and interaction? AI-generated content often lacks the emotional resonance and relatability that drive meaningful engagement.
Focus on storytelling and emotional appeal to connect with your audience.
Design content that invites comments, questions, or discussions, fostering a sense of community.
What other questions should people ask to align their content strategy with the future of AI? Connect with me on BlueSky and share your thoughts.
5. Why should you value learning more than getting it perfect?
With so much content advice available, it's easy to fall into paralysis. Being brave enough to publish helps you learn what's working and what's not. Instead of waiting to get it just right, start producing and collecting data. In reality, this is the only way to get it right. Reading the advice of others who have started successful blogs could be the motivation you need to start creating.
Thanks for reading! I know this article only scratches the surface, so I’d like to hear what content challenges you are facing. Connect with me on LinkedIn and BlueSky. Let’s consider this article as a work in progress as we see how AI continues to change the content landscape.
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