“It’s too early to make a big bet on GenAI,” stated a CMO from a $250mil PE-backed SaaS company. “There’s so much hype, but I’ve yet to see the data to show, especially with content creation, that the investment pays out,” he added. Since I’ve added to the hype, his contrarian point of view shocked me into silence. Then I wondered…
Is this CMO putting his job at risk?
Before I answer that, let’s follow his logic. Our AI skeptic didn’t doubt that GenAI helps marketing teams create more content faster. His questions are around effectiveness. Perhaps having more content was helpful in the pre-LLM era, but with SEO-driven site traffic evaporating, does having more content even matter? Probably not. Unless, somehow, that content is optimized for LLM results.
Will LLM-Generated Content Help or Hurt Brand Discovery in LLMs?
Our AI skeptic suspects that LLMs are likely to ignore content created by LLMs. Is he right? I’m not sure. For starters, I would love to know if LLMs can distinguish between human-only, human-mainly, LLM-mainly, and LLM-only content.
GEO (generative engine optimization) is a nascent art form, and though many profess to know what works, few have concrete evidence. Here’s what I’ve heard helps:
- Having extensive Q&As
- Using markdown language that LLMs can crawl
- Having detailed competitive information
- Having pricing data
- Including compliance and security info
- Showing up on Reddit (especially for ChatGPT)
- Positive reviews on review sites like G2 and TrustRadius
- Coverage by trusted news sources
Let’s assume you want to do all of the above. Does it matter from a GEO standpoint if you use LLMs to create and update this content? Probably not, but again, if you know otherwise, please chime in.
The Job Risk Question
New tech skepticism is always warranted (Is it too late for me to get a refund on my Apple Newton and Blackberry Storm?) Software vendors, particularly those in the martech space, have overpromised for years. In fact, we encourage the leaders in CMO Huddles to audit their tech stack every three months and sunset underperformers. That said, LLM-avoidance is akin to the early telephone-denier who said, “If people want to talk to me, then they can just drop by!”
If you're only considering the abilities of LLMs to create speedier copy for your website, then you’re missing the bigger story—and putting your job at risk.
For example, consider internal meeting management, a seemingly infinite time suck for many CMOs. Teams with LLMs can prepare more effectively, create agendas more quickly, brainstorm more broadly, and assign next steps with ease.
GenAI Will Transform All Aspects of Business
Early adopting CMOs are earning a bigger seat at the table, helping their organizations and departments adopt and adjust to an AI-augmented world.
Written by Drew Neisser
