So, you used AI in your marketing and now your social media is going viral in a bad way, and people aren’t happy. While this is most often due to AI-generated graphics, AI-generated text can also be the culprit if it sounds too different from your online “voice” or includes statements that don’t make sense or aren’t factually accurate. Either way, when customers noticed you used AI, you need to take a breath, read the criticisms, and respond in the best way for your marketing.
A Real-Life Example: Defending AI Artwork
Below is a real-life exchange between a business owner and customers over a Facebook AI flyer they had produced for their business. We’re keeping names out, but this is a good example of common criticism leveled at AI-produced content… and common issues owners can have when responding.
Note here that the business owner runs the entire gamut of emotions in their responses, from dismissing issues to fighting in the comments, but in the end they do listen to their audience and revise their flyer, which was accepted much more warmly than the original.
Lessons to Learn: Your Business & Your Customers
From this exchange and the many like it that occur on Facebook, other social media channels, and even review sites, we can pull some lessons that any business thinking about using AI or dealing with an AI backlash can learn.
Understanding the Criticism
First, it’s important to understand where these comments are coming from. Actually read what they are saying. Criticisms can often be broken down into three major categories:
- This conflicts with their values. It’s a personal affront that you’re using AI (or using it in this way). You won’t be able to convince them that they are wrong.
- This feels like a change from past content. The AI-generated content doesn’t feel like your brand and previous content. You may need to work on it or go back to what works.
- This doesn’t seem in line with your brand’s values. If you say you value hard work or working with the community and then use AI instead of doing the work yourself or hiring a local artist/writer to help, it can be seen as hypocritical.
Separating Commenters from Customers
You need to figure out who is upset. If you’re seeing a lot more activity than usual, your post may have gone viral. Take a look and see if you recognize familiar names, comments about past use, or locals. It’s important to know what your customers think of AI marketing, and if your customer base is speaking up about it, it might not be worth dying on this hill. If AI is supposed to make your marketing easier and it’s doing the opposite, it’s worth looking at using it better or seeking better marketing.
Train and Supervise Your AI
Here at Vision, we have a rule for AI use: treat it like an intern. This means two things. First, it needs to be trained to do its job your way—out-of-the-box AI can be pretty obvious in both text and images. You need it in your voice and style. Second, you need to review everything it makes for errors and issues. AI makes errors just like the rest of us.
When and Where to Use AI
Regardless of where you’re on the fence about AI, most agree it’s best used for the tedious rather than the creative. When it’s giving you ideas, fleshing out outlines, and reviewing your work, that’s where it shines.
Handling Negative Comments & Reviews Online
At the core of this problem is reputation management: people aren’t happy with your use of AI content, and you need to do damage control. Seeing what went wrong above and the lessons you should learn, here’s what I suggest when it’s time to respond:
- Respond After Reflection: Acknowledge what you’re hearing without getting defensive or turning your response into a multi-paragraph statement on why they are wrong.
- Don’t Argue: Reputation management isn’t about winning an argument on the internet. It’s about protecting your relationship with customers and your brand’s reputation.
- Address the Issue: Reflect on what people are saying if responses (including responses to your responses) expose legitimate points and disconnects between you and your customers or brand.
- Decide on AI: Make a decision on how you’re going to use AI going forward. Tell people what you’ve learned and what you’ll do differently. Remember: “can we use AI for this?” and “how will OUR customers feel about us using AI for this?” are two very different questions.
It’s important to note that this isn’t just something to apply to dealing with AI, negative reviews and comments happen for many reasons, and responding to them in the proper way is a vital part of managing your business’s reputation.
Every business owner has limited resources, especially their time, and there are tools that can save time and money. Of course you want to use them. But using them poorly often has worse outcomes than spending those resources. Sometimes that means working with a marketing agency instead, like Vision. Sometimes that’s more education, like the rest of our Vision blogs, our enVisioning Success podcast, and our downloadable Marketing Strategies Playbook!
And if you’re interested in having a discussion about this topic, make sure to see my LinkedIn post about it and leave a comment!
