Less AI, More YOU! Social Media Marketing Tips

In April I attended Social Media Marketing World's conference in Anaheim, they had a whole day dedicated to AI, but the real takeaway for me was the people.

I met folks through the app, at table talks, Disneyland, in food truck lines, and even on the escalator.

The conference spanned three levels of the Anaheim Convention Center. Upstairs, the message was to be real. Downstairs, it was all about AI and efficiency.

It felt like a contradiction. But the word that kept coming up was authenticity.

Yes, AI can (sometimes) help you move faster and be more efficient. (I’m for it as a tool, but I have a love-hate relationship with it.)

But here's the thing—AI can’t build trust for you; that still comes from you as a human being. Not some perfect and polished version of you. The real you.

It’s the everyday work. The unplanned moments. And the “ums” in your videos.

That’s what people connect with. That's what shows proof of your humanity and builds trust.

The further we go into the AI underworld, the more we need to balance it with something real, analog, and human on the other side. So this time around we're delving deeper into how you can build trust in your social media marketing.

Plus, a word from José, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz our feathered friends from the Enchanted Tiki Room.

1. The Strategy: Show Proof of Your Humanity

Showing proof of your humanity gives you the marketing edge. Focus on connecting with your community and building relationships one-on-one. Create content that AI can't replicate.

Big Waves Foundation Social Media Post Example for Nonprofits

2. Low Tech Tools

Create content on your phone. Leave in that dog barking or the trip up over your words, and build your videos with Instagram's Edits.You'll get better reach if you use their tool, because they want more people using their tool. Go figure.

Soft calls to action. Go soft with CTAs in your content. Ask your community questions. Or ask them to drop a ❤️ below if they can relate to your content to encourage engagement.

Create a “Brain Dump Gold Mine.” Use tools you already have. Voice memos, the Notes apps, and recorded Zoom sessions capture unfiltered thoughts and insights. It's a gold mine for nuggets of insights and inspiration.

A real world example of content that's working from Log and Timber Solutions

3. Real World Example

Did you catch the graduation speech backlashes? The people have spoken and they don't want AI clones or slop. And the numbers back it up. I'm seeing a boost in numbers for my clients using this strategy.

Views 34.3K • Interactions 178 • Link clicks 0 • Follows 69

The reel above was filmed on a phone, edited using Edits, and posted via Meta Business Suite. (This client isn't on TikTok so we don't need a fancy social media scheduler either.)

Log and timber Worx Log Home Roadmap to Maintenance Brochure

4. Take it Offline & IRL (In Real Life)

Move beyond social media and digital marketing platforms with “analog” touchpoints. Send a handwritten note, a brochure, or a “surprise and delight” package to past customers and clients just to say hello without asking for something in return. The above brochure was designed as a Roadmap to guide to log homeowners on their maintenance journey. It was inspired by the AAA TripTiks of the 1990s and 2000s.

What Can Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room Teach Us About AI in Marketing?

What do a room full of singing parrots and AI have in common?

More than you might think.

I read Before the Birds Sang Words by Ken Bruce last year. It's a dense read about the technology and people behind the design of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.

And it got me thinking. As businesses experiment with AI in marketing for content creation, customer service, and design and more Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room has a few lessons to teach us on how we apply this technology to enhance the human experience.

Read the fully story here.