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4 Ways AI Is Transforming Social Media Marketing

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Rebecca Barnatt-Smith explains how marketers and content creators can use AI-powered predicative analytics, content personalisation and scheduling tools to create successful social media campaigns.

Is artificial intelligence (AI) the next big thing for social media marketers?

With over 4.26bn social media users to serve, AI is set to transform targeting and improve content personalisation for a more focused marketing future.

AI is not a new phenomenon in the marketing world. When surveyed, over 56pc of chief marketing officers (CMOs) said they use automated assistants for content personalisation and tracking consumer insights. AI-driven social strategies are just the next step in a fast-approaching digital future of campaigning.

However, could a push for AI-infused social campaigns pose ethical concerns for future marketers? From breaching consumer privacy to decision system bias, with great technology comes great responsibility.

Here we look at AI’s impact on social media marketing and discuss some of the best AI-infused platforms that are tipped to lead social strategies in 2023.

How can AI improve your social media?

Using AI, you can quickly segment large demographics into targeted groups, track viral trends and schedule personalised content responses in seconds.

If you want to compete against commerce giants and industry leaders, your social content should be consistent, compelling and customised to each and every consumer. Here are some insights into how AI can help.

Content personalisation

In 2023, 73pc of shoppers expect brands to offer them a personalised experience and content that speaks directly to their values. AI can enhance a brand’s personalisation potential in a number of ways.

Automatically harvesting behavioural and historical consumer data, AI-generated platforms can quickly learn about a user’s interests and predict what products or services they’d be most likely to interact with, resulting in a hyper-individualised experience that can boost engagement and increase the chances of conversion.

However, with 69pc of consumers now concerned about how their data is collected and used on mobile apps, it’s important to use content personalisation tools with caution.

“As consumers continue to learn and become more informed about their data rights and how their data is currently used, I expect we’ll see more and more calls from consumers to have their data protected,” claims Swish Goswami, CEO of browser extension platform Surf.

The key here is to keep your consumers in the loop. Give your followers a chance to choose what they share, and make sure the data you collect is transparent. Personalised ads, posts and targeting is a business game changer, as long as you have consent.

Automated content posting

Creating content for your brand is the driving force behind audience engagement.

While experts recommend that brands upload social media content daily, this process can be time-consuming. Using AI-driven social media tools, marketers can feel the pressure drain away, as automated assistants not only create original content formats but automatically schedule them too.

For example, AI-infused content planner Sprout Social can generate personalised tweets that reply to fans and followers in seconds. Instead of physically manning social channels and checking for replies, Sprout Social monitors a brand’s comment section before analysing the tone and sentiment of a reply. Sprout can then suggest an auto-response that aims to carry on the conversation between the brand and the consumer.

While automatic replies can pose ethical questions about a brand’s true identity, Sprout Social ensures that before an automatic reply is posted, the social media manager is able to review and edit the content. This guarantees that the brand’s voice still has a human tone when connecting with its audience.

Hubspot is also a nifty tool to have under your belt, especially if you’re struggling to develop new content ideas. By simply pasting a content link into Hubspot’s content generation feature, it uses AI to quickly analyse the metadata and create an original social post.

Social media advertising

Social platforms are the perfect vessels for advertising success. Whether you choose TikTok or Instagram, with the ability to post a pop-up on a user’s scroll-down feed, or a sponsored TikTok that blends seamlessly into a For You Page, social channels allow for a more organic future of ad placement.

However, with so many brands utilising social media, it can be hard to make your ad stand out from the crowd. Your ads must be full of compelling captions, quick links to your online store and contain a personalised hook for your target consumer.

Using AI, brands can optimise their ad performance on social channels. With the ability to analyse historic campaigns and current trends among industry leaders, AI-driven ad tools such as Sprinklr can make recommendations for smarter campaigns that drive better results.

Also, AI-infused ad strategies are more likely to be personalised to each user’s feed. AI tools like Phrase can generate customisable ad phrasing that adapts to target individual customers. This is a great way to ensure your ad captions remain fluid and speak directly to a diverse set of leads.

Predictive analytics

While it’s easier than ever to track social media performance, acting on your results can be tricky. AI-generated monitoring tools utilise the data harvested on content engagement, clicks and consumers, and turn these insights into predictions for new campaigns, content formats and new target groups to work on.

The key here is to take these predictions and turn them into content campaigns that frame the values of your brand. It’s also important to do your own research before jumping into an AI-generated content campaign, as just like humans, AI can have a decision system bias.

“AI is fallible and in a perfect world should be used critically, responsibly and democratically,” says Annie Brown, founder of the creative sharing platform Lips. “AI is only as fair and accurate as the algorithm, and the algorithm is only as fair or accurate as the human-generated information it gathers.”

For example, if the only data your AI tool collects is from a specific consumer group, it’s likely to inherit the same biases. Therefore, it’s important to perform your own content research if you want your brand voice to remain objective on social media.

However, with more data to inform their strategy, brands that use AI to influence their social campaigns are more likely to see higher conversion payoffs.

As social platforms continue to become more visual, AI can also enhance video and image analysis. For example, AI algorithms can now identify certain aspects of Instagram images and TikTok videos, making it easier to gather more data on a user’s interests and behaviours.

Visual analytics could help a brand improve its content styles as AI tools learn more about audience preferences and the formats going viral.

Could AI take social media marketing to the next level?

AI can enhance the experience a consumer has with a brand on social media. With predictive analytics at play, the content targeted users receive is more likely to speak directly to their values.

While there are still ethical concerns surrounding an AI-infused future of campaigning, there’s hope on the horizon for data-sharing transparency and the impact of algorithmic biases as both consumers and marketers take control of how data is gathered and shared.

As machine learning gets even smarter, the possibilities are endless for brands that want to get close to their leads. From automated responses to automatic content creation, the future of social media marketing is AI-driven.

By Rebecca Barnatt-Smith

Rebecca Barnatt-Smith is a freelance content writer and multi-media marketing executive at Solvid Digital, specialising in social media trends and widespread digitalisation in the marketing sector.


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Luxurious four-bedroom riverside penthouse with views of London skyline goes on market for £6m

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Life at the top! Luxurious four-bedroom riverside penthouse with 2,599sq ft of space over two floors and fantastic views of London skyline goes on the market for £6million

  • The stylish duplex is located in the Victorian goods warehouse of Butler’s Wharf 
  •  As well as being split over two floors, the apartment has a unique water feature

A luxurious four-bedroom riverside penthouse with 2,599sq ft of space over two floors and fantastic views of the London skyline has gone on the market for £6million.

The spectacular home has three terraces, all of which boast incredible panoramic views overlooking Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Thames and the London city skyline.

The stylish duplex is located in the historic Victorian goods warehouse of Butler’s Wharf, which has made its name for being one of the most sought after addressed on the waterfront.

Butler’s Wharf was built in 1873 as a shipping wharf and warehouse complex for exotic goods like tea, coffee, fruit and fine fabrics that had been imported to London from Asia and the Caribbean. 

Today, it is known as the flagship residential building on the Tower Bridge riverside.

The stylish duplex apartment has three terraces to enjoy the panoramic views overlooking Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Thames and the London city skyline

The stylish duplex apartment has three terraces to enjoy the panoramic views overlooking Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Thames and the London city skyline

The apartment is on the sixth and seventh floors with an open plan living/dining room and a large kitchen/breakfast room on the seventh floor

The apartment is on the sixth and seventh floors with an open plan living/dining room and a large kitchen/breakfast room on the seventh floor

The four-bedroom penthouse in a historic Victorian goods warehouse is one of the most sought after addresses on the waterfront

The four-bedroom penthouse in a historic Victorian goods warehouse is one of the most sought after addresses on the waterfront

Most impressively, the property also features a walled garden with a unique water feature, which can be accessed from the main bedroom

Most impressively, the property also features a walled garden with a unique water feature, which can be accessed from the main bedroom

Butler's Wharf was built in 1873 as a shipping wharf and warehouse complex for exotic goods like tea, coffee, fruit and fine fabrics that had been imported to London from Asia and the Caribbean

Butler’s Wharf was built in 1873 as a shipping wharf and warehouse complex for exotic goods like tea, coffee, fruit and fine fabrics that had been imported to London from Asia and the Caribbean

When the docks in Shad Thames closed in the late 1960s, early 70s, the building was used as a film set and artists’ space – even featuring prominently in a 1983 Doctor Who episode about the Daleks. 

Then, in the late 1980s, it was converted into residential properties by British designer Sir Terence Conran.

In fact, the restaurants that Conran launched – including Le Pont de la Tour, where the Clintons and Blairs famously dined in the 1990s – are still there today.

This duplex apartment is one of the larger penthouses.

The large space also provides an incredible space for entertaining.

It has 2,599 sq ft of accommodation, which is split over two floors. 

The apartment is on the sixth and seventh floors with an open plan living/dining room and a large kitchen/breakfast room on the seventh floor.

Meanwhile, the terraces span the width of the penthouse.

This duplex apartment is one of the larger penthouses. The large space also provides an incredible space for entertaining

This duplex apartment is one of the larger penthouses. The large space also provides an incredible space for entertaining

Three of the four bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and two have walk-in wardrobes

Three of the four bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms and two have walk-in wardrobes

On the sixth floor there are four bedrooms, three of which have en-suite bathrooms and two have walk-in wardrobes. 

Most impressively, the property also features a walled garden with a unique water feature, which can be accessed from the main bedroom.

It also has two secure underground parking spaces and 24-hour concierge service. But the new owner will need to pay a £15,000 service charge each year.

Speaking about the incredible property, Jon Byers, director at Anderson Rose who are selling the apartment, said: ‘This duplex penthouse is one of the neighbourhood’s finest homes.

‘As we come into the spring and summer seasons, residents can entertain across the penthouse’s three terraces whilst providing their guests with some of London’s most magical views.

‘The duplex is a London gem which we anticipate will garner much interest and not remain on the market for very long.’

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Grade II listed cottage where banoffee pie was created 50 years ago goes on the market for £550,000

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A Grade II listed cottage which was the birthplace of banoffee pie over 50 years ago has gone on the market for £550,000.

Monks Rest is one of the Hungry Monk Cottages which was created after The Hungry Monk restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex, closed down in 2012.

The owner of the eatery Nigel Mackenzie and his head chef Ian Dowding claim they invented the banoffee pie in 1971 after creating the dessert based off a San Francisco recipe for Blum’s Coffee Toffee Pie.

Now the detached house has been put up for sale, boasting oak beams and benefits from off-road parking to compliment the half a million pound price tag.

Described as a ‘spaciously proportioned charming period cottage’, the house also includes two bathrooms, a downstairs shower room, and three bedrooms including one with an en-suite.

Grade II listed cottage Monks Rest in Jevington, East Sussex, which was the birthplace of banoffee pie over 50 years ago has gone on the market for £550,000

Grade II listed cottage Monks Rest in Jevington, East Sussex, which was the birthplace of banoffee pie over 50 years ago has gone on the market for £550,000

Monks Rest is one of the Hungry Monk Cottages which was created after The Hungry Monk restaurant closed down in 2012

Monks Rest is one of the Hungry Monk Cottages which was created after The Hungry Monk restaurant closed down in 2012

The owner of the eatery Nigel Mackenzie and his head chef Ian Dowding claim they invented the banoffee pie in 1971 after creating the dessert based off a San Francisco recipe for Blum's Coffee Toffee Pie (file photo)

The owner of the eatery Nigel Mackenzie and his head chef Ian Dowding claim they invented the banoffee pie in 1971 after creating the dessert based off a San Francisco recipe for Blum’s Coffee Toffee Pie (file photo)

Now the detached house has been put up for sale, boasting oak beams and benefits from off-road parking to compliment the half a million pound price tag

Now the detached house has been put up for sale, boasting oak beams and benefits from off-road parking to compliment the half a million pound price tag

Where did the banoffee pie come from?

The banoffee pie recipe by Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding was first published in The Deeper Secrets of The Hungry Monk in 1974.

It was later reprinted in their 1997 cookbook, In Heaven With The Hungry Monk.

In the early 1980s, supermarkets began to sell their versions of the sweet treat, but instead titled them as ‘American Pie’.

Mackenzie was keen to keep the title as the co-inventor of the much-loved dessert annd offered the public a £10,000 prize to anyone who could disprove their claim to be the English inventors of the pie

Speaking to the Telegraph in 1984, Mackenzie described the copying as ‘terribly galling’ and described the M&S version of the dish as ‘outstanding’ and Tesco’s as ‘disgusting’.

Said to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite food to make, banoffee pie has been re-created by many celebrity chefs in the years since including British Bake Off legend Mary Berry.

Nigel Mackenzie sadly died in July 2015, and Ian Dowding works as a consultant chef and writer.

The area in which the property is located has been described as ‘the picturesque old-world village of Jevington within the South Downs National Park.’

The Hungry Monk Cottages property listing reads: ‘This Grade II listed cottage affords a 22′ sitting room as well as 2 further reception rooms and a 15’ kitchen/breakfast room.

‘Attractive features include a wealth of old oak beams and joinery as well as two inglenook-style fireplaces.

‘The property also benefits from off-road parking. An internal inspection will convey the charm and considerable appeal of this fine home.

‘Monks Rest is enviably situated in the heart of the idyllic downland village of Jevington which sits within the scenic South Downs National Park to which there is easy access from Monks Rest.

‘Friston Forest borders the southerly end of the village with the sea beyond at Birling Gap. There are mainline rail services from Polegate and Eastbourne to London Victoria and to Gatwick.

‘Eastbourne is about six miles distant and offers a range of private and state schools as well as shopping facilities. There is a world-class opera nearby Glyndebourne.’

The banoffee pie recipe by Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding was first published in The Deeper Secrets of The Hungry Monk in 1974 and later reprinted in their 1997 cookbook, In Heaven With The Hungry Monk.

In the early 1980s, supermarkets began to sell their versions of the sweet treat, but instead titled them as ‘American Pie’.

Keen to keep the title as the co-inventor of the much-loved dessert, Nigel offered the public a £10,000 prize to anyone who could disprove their claim to be the English inventors of the pie. 

Described as a 'spaciously proportioned charming period cottage', the house also includes two bathrooms, a downstairs shower room, and three bedrooms including one with an en-suite

Described as a ‘spaciously proportioned charming period cottage’, the house also includes two bathrooms, a downstairs shower room, and three bedrooms including one with an en-suite

The area in which the property is located has been described as 'the picturesque old-world village of Jevington within the South Downs National Park'

The area in which the property is located has been described as ‘the picturesque old-world village of Jevington within the South Downs National Park’

The Hungry Monk Cottages property listing reads: 'This Grade II listed cottage affords a 22' sitting room as well as 2 further reception rooms and a 15' kitchen/breakfast room' (pictured)

The Hungry Monk Cottages property listing reads: ‘This Grade II listed cottage affords a 22′ sitting room as well as 2 further reception rooms and a 15′ kitchen/breakfast room’ (pictured)

The home is situated in the 'heart of the idyllic downland village of Jevington' which is within the scenic South Downs National Park

The home is situated in the ‘heart of the idyllic downland village of Jevington’ which is within the scenic South Downs National Park

Located near the Friston Forest borders, the home is on the southerly end of the village which is not far from the sea with the sea at Birling Gap

Located near the Friston Forest borders, the home is on the southerly end of the village which is not far from the sea with the sea at Birling Gap

The banoffee pie recipe by Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding was first published in The Deeper Secrets of The Hungry Monk in 1974 and later reprinted in their 1997 cookbook, In Heaven With The Hungry Monk (pictured is Monks Rest cottage)

The banoffee pie recipe by Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding was first published in The Deeper Secrets of The Hungry Monk in 1974 and later reprinted in their 1997 cookbook, In Heaven With The Hungry Monk (pictured is Monks Rest cottage)

Said to be Margaret Thatcher's favourite food to make, banoffee pie has been re-created by many celebrity chefs in the years since including British Bake Off legend Mary Berry (pictured is Monks Rest cottage)

Said to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite food to make, banoffee pie has been re-created by many celebrity chefs in the years since including British Bake Off legend Mary Berry (pictured is Monks Rest cottage)

Speaking to the Telegraph in 1984, Mackenzie described the copying as ‘terribly galling’ and described the M&S version of the dish as ‘outstanding’ and Tesco’s as ‘disgusting’.

Said to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite food to make, banoffee pie has been re-created by many celebrity chefs in the years since including British Bake Off legend Mary Berry.

Nigel Mackenzie sadly died in July 2015, and Ian Dowding works as a consultant chef and writer.

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How much would it cost to make your home greener?

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Two thirds of homeowners would like to make energy efficient improvements to their properties, a study from Butterfield Mortgages has found.

Environmental concerns are the greatest driver of change with over half (54 per cent) of respondents saying their worries have led them to consider increasing the energy efficiency of their homes.

But the cost of carrying out improvements such as insulation, heat pumps and double glazing can be high. 

Almost a fifth (17 per cent) of homeowners surveyed said they had considered remortgaging to fund energy-efficient upgrades – in the hope that it would then bring their energy bills down. 

Motivation: Some 46% of homeowners have been driven to make efficiency changes in their homes as a result of spiralling energy costs

Motivation: Some 46% of homeowners have been driven to make efficiency changes in their homes as a result of spiralling energy costs

Since coming out of the pandemic demand for gas has gone through the roof, but supply has struggled to catch up. It has sent prices soaring and pushed up the cost of gas and electricity for both households and businesses.

This has been compounded by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has led to a squeeze on gas supplies across Europe.

However, despite the wholesale price of gas and electricity falling since December household bills are still high.

In the survey, 46 per cent said that the energy crisis and spiralling costs had led them to accelerate their home renovation plans. The figure rises to 65 per cent among people aged between 18 and 34 years old. 

Other are motivated to improve the efficiency of their home in order to increase its future sale value, with 36 per cent saying they are making the changes in order to improve their home’s energy performance certificate rating.

Alpa Bhakta, chief executive of Butterfield Mortgages, said: ‘Homeowners are increasingly looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, whether to reduce costs, improve future sale values, or contribute to a greener future. 

‘We can expect millions of owners to invest in home improvements in the months and years to come – and some may be looking to re-finance their property in order to do so.

‘Our research also uncovered a significant knowledge gap among homeowners that needs addressing. Less than half are aware of what the EPC rating of their property is.

Lofty ambitions: Wall or loft insulation is a popular way to make a home more energy efficient

Lofty ambitions: Wall or loft insulation is a popular way to make a home more energy efficient  

‘As sustainability considerations rise, homeowners and buyers alike will be turning to their brokers and lenders for guidance on EPC-related issues, particularly if legislation around residential properties is introduced in the future. 

‘Those who are aware of this growing trend now have an opportunity to become well-versed in the issues ahead of time and can help advise clients appropriately.’

EPC is a rating scheme which bands properties between A and G, with an A rating being the most efficient and G the least efficient. The most common EPC rating for homes in the UK is a D. 

Butterfield’s survey showed that just 40 per cent of homeowners know their property’s current EPC rating.

When asked what they had already done to make their homes greener, the most common improvements were installing LED light bulbs (66 per cent), investing in double or triple glazing (57 per cent), adding loft or wall insulation (55 per cent), and using a smart meter (46 per cent). 

How much do energy efficient home improvements cost?   

For those looking at adding efficiency improvements to your home, it is worth knowing the cost so you can decide what is best for your property.

Double glazing can save you up to £235 a year in energy bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust, keeping heat in and noise and drafts out. However, it comes with an big upfront cost. Fitting A-rated double glazing to the average semi-detached house costs around £7,500.

Keeping more heat in your home through wall or loft insulation is also a popular choice. Around 35 per cent of heat leaves buildings through the walls, according to insulation experts LoftZone.

There are two types of insulation, external and internal. External insulation involves fitting insulating material and then rendering or cladding over it. Internal insulation is mostly a form of thermal sheeting that is fitted to the inside walls. This will reduce room size when installed.

The cost of insulating the outside of a three-bedroom semi-detached home with solid wall insulation is around £12,000, or £8,500 if done inside, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Double glazing reduces energy bills but comes with a significant upfront installation cost

Double glazing reduces energy bills but comes with a significant upfront installation cost 

However, that then leads to a big drop in energy bills – £240 a year for a mid-floor flat all the way up to £930 a year for a detached house.

Cavity wall insulation can save up to £1,800 a year but there can be serious issues if it is not properly installed.

Heat pumps are another way to improve your home’s green credentials. The work by gathering heat from either the air or ground and can replace traditional gas boilers and experts say they can cut up to 25 per cent off your energy bills as the devices require less power to run.

Air source heat pumps can cost between £8,000 and £14,000 to install, according to data from Uswitch.

Meanwhile, ground source heat pumps are generally pricier, with a system costing from £15,000 to £30,000.

What to do if you need a mortgage 

Borrowers who need to find a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is coming to an end, or because they have agreed a house purchase, should explore their options as soon as possible.

This is Money’s best mortgage rates calculator powered by L&C can show you deals that match your mortgage and property value

What if I need to remortgage? 

Borrowers should compare rates and speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act to secure a rate. 

Anyone with a fixed rate deal ending within the next six to nine months, should look into how much it would cost them to remortgage now – and consider locking into a new deal. 

Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added the loan and they are then only charged when it is taken out. By doing this, borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees.

What if I am buying a home? 

Those with home purchases agreed should also aim to secure rates as soon as possible, so they know exactly what their monthly payments will be. 

Home buyers should beware overstretching themselves and be prepared for the possibility that house prices may fall from their current high levels, due to  higher mortgage rates limiting people’s borrowing ability.

How to compare mortgage costs 

The best way to compare mortgage costs and find the right deal for you is to speak to a good broker.

You can use our best mortgage rates calculator to show deals matching your home value, mortgage size, term and fixed rate needs.

Be aware that rates can change quickly, however, and so the advice is that if you need a mortgage to compare rates and then speak to a broker as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right mortgage for you.

> Check the best fixed rate mortgages you could apply for 

Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.

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