It doesn’t matter which social media platform you’re scrolling through — these days, AI-generated content is everywhere. While AI undoubtedly offers all kinds of benefits to time-strapped social media managers, audiences are also becoming increasingly attuned to spotting content created by AI — and are often tuning out and scrolling past overly-automated posts.
So, how can you create authentic social media content that feels real and resonates with your target audiences in the age of AI? Here are some strategies to help:
#1: Feature Actual People
Although it may seem obvious, one of the most surefire ways to ensure your content feels authentic is to put the people in your organization front and center on social media. For example, if you’re making a social media post aimed at recruiting new people to join your team, a post featuring a photo of a current employee (either candid or staged) is almost guaranteed to perform better than a post featuring a generic stock photo of someone in your industry.
Similarly, look for other opportunities to bring your social media content to life by leveraging the people who make your organization shine. Instead of merely linking to the latest blog on your company post, consider having the team member who wrote it film a short video introducing the blog and sharing key takeaways (similar to this example from our own agency).
#2: Engage With Your Community
Another easy way to prove that there is an actual human behind your social media content is to place a renewed emphasis on community management. At the very least you should be liking/reacting to any comments left on your brand’s social media channels, but when possible try to go a step further and use those comments as a jumping-off point for further conversation with your followers. Even a short, well-timed response can make all the difference in humanizing your brand!
#3: Embrace Imperfection
As you may have seen with a lot of the AI-generated content popping up on your own feeds, social content created with AI can often feel a little too polished. With that in mind, it’s important to remember that there is a distinction between content that is polished and professional and content that is “perfect.”
Especially when it comes to social video (such as Instagram Reels and TikToks), give yourself permission to experiment with new things and to be imperfect. For example, if your entire team is together at an event (such as a company retreat or even a Reds game), consider posting a few fun photos and videos that feel more spontaneous than staged — and know that it’s okay if the lighting isn’t just right or the sound is a little off.
Being able to show this more human side of your brand can go a long way toward fostering a deeper connection with followers, while also helping to remind them of the real people behind your brand’s social media efforts.
#4: Put More Personality into Posts
While AI can do a great job of drafting social content that checks all of the boxes from a technical standpoint, truly exceptional and authentic social media content usually includes a bit more nuance than can be worked into a prompt. As the social media manager for your brand, only you know just the right tone to take for posts — for example, when and where puns are acceptable, how many emojis is too many, and beyond.
There are also plenty of times when you can leverage the institutional knowledge you have about your brand to instill more personality into your posts — which is something AI just isn’t able to do.
For example, at Scooter Media, we create social media posts to celebrate team member milestones such as work anniversaries and birthdays, often including references to the team member’s interests and/or inside jokes. Those kind of references help the post to feel more authentic and personal — and are things AI definitely wouldn’t have been able to generate!
At the end of the day, the most important thing to keep in mind is that social media was built upon the premise of human connection. While AI can be invaluable for saving time and streamlining your workflow, creating truly authentic social media content still requires a personal touch. By using AI as a helpful tool — not as a substitute for creativity and empathy — you can strike the right balance between efficiency and authenticity, ensuring your social media content stands out in the age of AI.
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