Hi, I’m Suzanne, your ‘elder millennial’ marketing director who’s been running Facebook pages since back when the “poke” button was still a thing (IYKYK). I even earned my marketing degree before social media was part of the curriculum (because business pages did not yet exist on social media…yes, that was possible). I am many others my age have a unique stance; we grew up without technology, learned and embraced it at a very young age, and we continue to adapt as new tech arises. So, when I share thoughts on social media marketing, it comes from nearly two decades of hands-on experience, not just theory.
Lately, AI tools like ChatGPT have been a popular topic in both professional circles and casual conversations. Personally, I’m a fan. I’ve used it for everything from testing out new gluten free recipes to identifying which random backyard plants are toxic to my two dogs. But when it comes to managing a business page on social media, the question gets bigger: is AI a game-changer, or just a shortcut gone wrong? Here’s my hot take.
AI is a Powerful Assistant (But Still an Assistant)
First, let’s give credit where it’s due: AI is a time-saver. Need 10 caption ideas? Done. Writer’s block? Gone. Want to rework a long blog into a punchy little LinkedIn post? Easy!
AI can generate more ideas in 30 seconds than most of us can in an entire day of content planning. Honestly, it feels unfair that we had to do this “the old-fashioned way” for so long. That speed is valuable, especially when you’re managing multiple platforms and juggling all the other parts of your job – hellooo typical day at Twin Oaks!
But here’s the key: AI is a starting point, not the finished product.
The Missing Ingredient: Personality
Here’s where things get tricky in my opinion. AI can sound polished, but it doesn’t know your brand’s inside jokes, the way your team talks, or the story behind why your business started.
It won’t remember that your community loves seeing behind-the-scenes pictures of your staff (like our candid tech moments), or that your CEO has a habit of ending posts with three exclamation points (and everyone finds it endearing). Those little quirks are what build trust and connection between business and audience. AI can’t fake that.
From my experience, social media is personal. It’s about relationships, not just content.
Something to be Aware of: Misinformation
It’s also important to note that AI does NOT get it right every time. It’s always best practice to cross-reference your information before blindly trusting it as fact.
Our website team knows this from experience. When pricing Shopify hardware for a client, it was easy to just ask Chat! However, upon cross-referencing our own information, we found that the pricing differed from the actual Shopify website. We are so glad we checked before passing along misinformation to a customer!
On a personal note, we can talk about the time my husband almost fed us RAW LOBSTER because ChatGPT assured us that the lobster claw meat from Butcher Box was precooked…it wasn’t. (sorry for calling you out, Grant!)
The Sweet Spot: AI + Human Voice
Pro Tip: Use AI as your creative partner, not your ghostwriter.
- Let AI brainstorm captions, then edit them so they sound like you.
- I personally consider any AI content as my first draft, which I will rewrite or edit until it is written in the correct brand voice. Put your personality back into the final draft.
- Oh, and hot tip…leaving the em dashes in your copy/pasted AI content will give it away every time. Plus there is just something about the formatting and placement of certain emojis in social media posts…I can spot a ChatGPT written caption from a mile away. Let’s be honest, a player knows the game!
Final Thoughts
So, is AI helpful or hurtful for social media? My hot take: it’s both, depending on how you use it.
If you rely on it 100%, your content will quickly start sounding generic and disconnected. If social media turns into strictly AI generated content, then what’s the point? But if you treat it like the assistant it was designed to be, AI can free you up to focus on the most important part of social media: actually connecting with people and building community.
At the end of the day, AI can write the words, but it’s your voice, your personality, and your stories that make people stop scrolling and start engaging!
At Twin Oaks Technology, we help businesses find the right balance between utilizing the best tools available without losing the personal touch that makes your brand unique. If you’re ready to level up your social media, our team’s here to help.