AI in Digital Marketing:
Powerful in the Right Hands
Artificial Intelligence has quickly moved from a novelty to a necessity. In just a few short years, AI has transformed how businesses create content, manage data and connect with their audiences. It’s no longer something that’s “coming soon”. It’s already here, influencing how we work, plan and grow.
At ePresence Digital Marketing, we’ve been following this shift closely for several years. From the early days of experimenting with content tools to the more advanced, behind-the-scenes uses of AI today, we’ve consistently seen the benefits; not just for us, but for our clients too.
We’ve never viewed AI as a shortcut or a replacement for creativity. Instead, we see it as a powerful tool. A tool that delivers the best results when used with experience, context and a human touch.
How We’re Using AI: Exploring, Building and Improving
We’ve put together internal teams here at ePresence dedicated to researching and experimenting with AI across different marketing functions e.g. from SEO and PPC to design workflows and campaign planning.
These teams regularly test new tools, create custom GPTs to streamline repetitive work and explore ways AI can support our processes. We use AI to help with data analysis, assist in campaign brainstorming and streamline implementation processes. All of this helps us to provide a better service with more value for our clients: delivering better results for our clients.
We’ve always prioritised staying ahead of trends and that includes understanding how the big players are moving. Companies like Google and Microsoft are now deeply integrated with AI, and we closely follow industry guidance – especially Google’s recommendations around SEO and responsible AI use. We ensure that how we integrate AI into our work aligns with those best practices.
“AI is only as effective as the people guiding it. The benefit for our clients isn’t just faster output, it’s better thinking. For us that means more time to solve problems and more time for value adding activities.”
John Brennan, Director of ePresence
Real-World AI Missteps: What We See Every Day
Despite its power, AI isn’t perfect. Used without oversight, it can lead to mistakes and we’ve seen plenty of those in action:
1. The ChatGPT Quote Request
We occasionally receive quote requests from prospects that look like full-blown digital strategies. Five pages of wish lists, technical terms and idealistic timelines. They tend to be well-written but usually unrealistic.
They often don’t reflect the person’s actual budget or needs and more often than not, they’ve been written by ChatGPT. While it’s great for structuring ideas, these types of requests often result in misunderstandings, delays or misaligned expectations.
2. The Name Slip-Up
We’ve seen quick follow-up emails that sound professional…until they refer to the wrong person. A beautifully written message is instantly undermined when it calls the recipient by the wrong name, repeatedly.
This kind of oversight happens when AI content isn’t reviewed carefully. It’s a small error but one that’s very hard to recover from.
3. Americanisms and Off-Brand Tone
You must have noticed AI-generated content online that doesn’t match a company’s tone of voice. Irish businesses suddenly sound like they’ve been transplanted to the West Coast of the US, full of “supercharged solutions”, “hustle culture” with spellings like “optimize” or “analyze”.
It may seem minor, but these differences can create a real disconnect with your local audience. Brand voice matters and AI doesn’t always get it right.
4. Confident but Completely Wrong
AI can generate convincing content that’s totally inaccurate. We’ve seen tools fabricate stats, quotes or even testimonials. It’s one of the main reasons we never directly use AI output. Everything we use is verified, cross-checked and edited by our team.
How We Use AI the Right Way
Our approach is simple: AI supports our work, it doesn’t do the work for us. Here’s where it genuinely adds value:
- Campaign Brainstorming: AI helps us break creative blocks and explore new directions. But we always shape the final concept based on the client’s goals and audience.
- Content Structuring: It’s great at summarising ideas, creating outlines and helping us plan big content projects. But the voice and storytelling always come from our team.
- Ad Copy & A/B Testing: We can use AI to create variations for ad copy testing, speeding up iteration. But tone, accuracy and polish? That’s still human.
- Workflow & Reporting: We use AI to pull insights from data, prepare dashboards and speed up admin. The result? More time for strategy and campaign refinement.
And this is where clients benefit most. The efficiencies AI creates behind the scenes allow our team to focus on what really matters: creative problem solving, long-term growth strategies and campaigns that drive real results.
“AI helps us work smarter, not just faster. It gives our team more time to plan strategically and create great content, without compromising on quality or tone”.
Declan Clancy, Director of Business Development
Final Thoughts
We’re big believers in the potential of AI but only when it’s used responsibly, creatively and in the right hands.
The businesses who’ll benefit most from AI are the ones who understand how to integrate it thoughtfully, without losing sight of their brand, their audience or their message.
We’ll continue to test, learn and build on what works using AI to make our work better, not easier. Because at the end of the day, marketing still comes down to connection. And that takes a human touch.
Want to understand how AI could support your digital strategy without losing your voice or values? Maybe it’s time to talk, contact us here or call us on +(353) 21 2362901.
