7 Ways to Automate, Optimise & Streamline Your Social Media with AI

So, have all our favourite blockbusters and books about the uprising of Artificial Intelligence been a prediction all along? Is our world, as we know it, doomed to be overrun by robots? Only time will tell…

JK, we’re not doomed – we’ve come a long way since the days of ‘computerphobia’ in the 1980s. Whether it’s our “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” survival instincts kicking in or our “k, what’s next” realism tendencies, there’s no hiding that AI is here to stay.

As with the arrival of all new technology and innovations, as creative entrepreneurs, we have two choices:

1. Ignore it and carry on
2. Embrace it and evolve

While the first option allows you to stay in the safety of your comfort zone, it poses a huge opportunity cost and the very real risk of being left behind. You’re willingly giving your competitors an advantage, the opportunity to get ahead and leave you in the dust.

The second option, as intimidating as it may be, gives YOU the perfect opportunity to rise above others. You can use it as your unique point of differentiation, levelling up your business while better serving your clients.

Use AI to revolutionise your social media management and save you from the sinkhole

As creative entrepreneurs, we’re often plagued by the two B’s – we’re either ‘busy’ or we’re ‘burnt out’. Often running a one-person show, we take it upon ourselves to do everything ourselves. And as incredible as social media can be for growing our audiences, it’s also quickly turned into the bane of our lives.

From trying to keep up with the fickle algorithm changes to regularly creating content and ensuring “active” engagement, social media is a complete sinkhole. Draining our time, energy and creativity, sometimes it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle and getting nowhere. Not to mention its impact on our mental health when we don’t set clear boundaries or fall victim to the vicious comparison trap.

But, what if you could harness the power of AI tools to streamline and automate your social media management? What if you could leave all the “boring”, soul-sucking tasks to AI so you can focus on what you LOVE?

Forget about the hypothetical “could”…because you CAN – and you can do it TODAY.

In this blog, we’ll cover seven key areas where you can use AI tools to power up your social media

TL;DR? Click on any of the links below to jump to a specific section.

 

1. Content research & curation with AI
2. AI-powered image creation & editing
3. Content scheduling using AI
4. Social media reporting & analytics with AI
5. AI social media monitoring
6. AI chatbots
7. Social media advertising using AI

 

7 ways AI tools can simplify your social media management process

With AI evolving at an (almost terrifyingly) lightning pace, new AI tools and apps are popping up just as quickly. That’s why this blog is designed to be a general guide to inspire you on how you can start taking advantage of AI to streamline your business’s social media activities.

Please consider your own specific needs and budget when researching and evaluating the various available AI tools for your business. With that *cough* disclaimer *cough* out of the way, let’s get stuck into it!

1. Content research & curation with AI

Image Credit: BuzzSumo

Content research has to be the most laborious and tedious step when it comes to staying on top of your social media. After a long day, the last thing you want to do is to sit at your desk, trying to find and curate inspiration for your next post…especially when Netflix is calling your name. Dunno about you, but draiiiner, amiright?

…AI to the rescue!

You can use AI-powered social media platforms such as Buffer, BuzzSumo, ContentGems, Scoop.it!, and Curata to brainstorm trending content and hot topics. Using keywords and topics to filter, these platforms will do all the time-consuming scouring on your behalf, providing you with all the ideas and inspiration you need to create tailored content for your target audience.

2) AI-powered image generation & editing

Image Credit: Adobe Firefly

Unless you’re a photographer, videographer or naturally-gifted Photoshop whiz, creating and editing your visual content can be a time sink.

Midjourney and Shutterstock.AI offer AI image generation and tools to bring your ideas to life within seconds. Already got those images? Both Canva and Pixlr provide free photo editing and design tools with AI power.

Familiar with Adobe? With Adobe Firefly, you can add, extend and remove content from your images with simple text prompts through their beta app. On the other hand, Imagen AI is an AI-powered photo editing solution for Adobe Lightroom Classic that evolves with you, learning your personal style and saving you time.

With a powerhouse of content creation tools at your fingertips, you can source, edit and create stunning visuals within minutes.

Side note for photographers: Read our other AI-focused blog on the 15 best AI tools for photographers and sign up for a replay of Jai Long’s 30-minute webinar about using AI to get more leads for your photography business.

3) Social media content scheduling through AI

Image Credit: Hootsuite

Okay, we all know that consistency is the secret to appeasing the social media algorithm gods, right? But, realistically, who has the time (and patience) to diligently schedule and post content consistently across all the social media platforms? *Not me*

It’s time – no pun intended – to use AI tools like Hootsuite, and Sprout Social to automate and streamline your social media scheduling and posting process. These platforms will not only help you pre-schedule all your content in advance but will also analyse your audience’s behaviour and recommend ideal posting times to maximise your visibility and engagement.

To further optimise engagement when using an automated scheduling tool, set an alarm reminder when content gets published. This will allow you to share your latest post to your story as well as engage with your audience (and other feeds) in real time. That little bit of extra effort will go a long way.

4) AI-enhanced social media reporting & analytics

Image Credit: Agorapulse

Beyond each social media platform’s integrated analytics, you can dive deeper into your metrics to optimise the effectiveness of your content campaigns. It’s essential to track and analyse key data such as engagement, reach, and conversions, to continually refine your social strategy.

With tools like Agorapulse, Sprinklr, AgencyAnalytics and Emplifi, they’ll replace the guesswork with actionable insights.

5) Social media monitoring using AI

Image Credit: Sprout Social

Want to take it a step further? If you’ve built a solid name for yourself, you’re probably also curious about what people are saying about your business. Adding to your publicity footprints, your most loyal fans and biggest haters can make or break your business.

Stay on top of conversations, mentions and overall sentiments about your brand using AI-powered social listening tools. Amassing valuable feedback and real-time insights into your customers’ opinions and preferences, AI tools such as Sprout Social, Brandwatch, Talkwalker, Brand24, and Mention can help you to proactively monitor and better connect with your audience.

6) AI chatbots for chat marketing & customer support

Image Credit: ManyChat

From answering the same questions again and again to responding to potential sales enquiries quickly, delivering 5-star customer support on social media can be challenging. Having a website and/or social media account means that you’re technically open 24/7, which also means people can reach you 24/7.

Of course, one would hope you’ve set clear expectations and healthy boundaries to remind your audience that you’re still human. While you can’t please everyone, you can take advantage of AI-powered chatbots to handle routine queries and provide instant responses.

AI chatbots like Chatfuel and ManyChat can be a lifesaver for keeping your DMs under control by efficiently responding to enquiries outside of your working hours.

7) Social media advertising boosted by AI

Image Credit: Phrasee

Ready to put some money into social media advertising? Whether your goal is to grow brand awareness or promote your latest offer, AI can help you optimise your advertising campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

Phrasee uses AI-powered technology to collate data from your past best-performing marketing assets (e.g. emails, online posts, etc.) to automate, optimise and analyse your ad copy. Phrasee also has brand controls in place to protect and amplify your brand’s unique tone and voice for consistency across all digital touchpoints.

Kicking it up a notch, Cortex uses powerful AI to analyse current industry trends to help you enhance your visual content for maximised engagement. Want an all-in-one platform? Pattern89 takes the guesswork out of advertising with AI-driven analytics, predictive concept validation and optimisation tools to level up your advertising campaigns.

Win back your time by using AI tools to streamline and optimise your social media

No, you don’t have to subscribe to every AI tool or overhaul your entire business overnight.

It’s not a race – it’s about taking that first crucial step and committing to positive change. But if using AI tools can help you progress towards your goals, streamlines your business and/or allows you to enhance your client experience, why procrastinate?

Take the opportunity to audit your business and identify areas where you can best leverage the power of AI. If you’re unsure where to start, choose an area you’re struggling with most (or hate), whether it’s your social media or backend operations. One step at a time.

After all, your business can only grow as much as you are willing to put in the work. The second you get too comfortable or complacent is the second your business starts growing stagnant.

So, let’s get comfortable with being uncomfortable and proactively embrace the “unknown” – your North Star (and robot friends) will always be there to guide you.

Join us at our AI Summit on the 27th of June (PST)

A mini 1-day summit dedicated to all things AI and new technology, we’ll be bringing in all the experts to walk you through how you can use AI to your photography business’s advantage.

Leave the haters and naysayers to the sidelines – this is your opportunity to embrace change and rise above the masses!

General admission tickets are $7 with a 24-hour replay if you can’t join us live. VIP tickets are $47 with 12-month replays.

 Get all the info & purchase your ticket!