Using AI for social media content: Dos and don'ts

Social media is a bit of a beast these days. It's content on content on content, and more recently: it's a lot of AI-generated content too. Why? Because AI truly is an invaluable tool when it comes to content creation and efficiency.

But if you're looking to stand out (which, we're guessing you are), you want to strike the right balance between AI efficiency and what makes your brand special. Social media is not the time to skimp on creativity, your unique brand voice, and authenticity that makes your audience want to be best pals with your brand.

Here's how you can use AI to scale your social media content production, in the best way possible:

1. Brainstorm post ideas

By this point, it comes as no surprise that AI is a great (read: indisputably great) source when it comes to writers’ block. It’s quick to generate a whole bank of content ideas that are—or should be—tailored to your brand, audience, and campaign themes.

Whether you’re just stuck in a bit of a rut, struggling with creative burnout, or just want to get lots of ideas fast, AI can offer fresh inspiration across different content formats, without compromising on relevance.

Example prompt: "Give me 10 social media post ideas for a sustainability-focused fashion brand promoting a new spring collection"

2. Content repurposing

One of the best uses of AI is squeezing more value out of existing content; we call it squeezing the marketing lemon. You can take a blog post, podcast, YouTube video, or a whitepaper and ask AI to transform it into an entirely different piece of content for your different social media platforms.

This saves you time, really helps with consistent messaging, and keeps that content pipeline looking very healthy (without having to start from scratch).

Check out our guide to content repurposing with AI for the full lowdown.

Example prompt: "Summarize this blog into 5 LinkedIn posts with a professional but conversational tone: [Insert blog text]"

3. Faster first draft captions

Coming up with witty captions can take time and a certain type of energy—we feel that. If you’re a fan of Ann Handley, you’ll know about the art of the “messy first draft”. When you’re stuck for time, you can make the most of AI to help you get it on the (digital) page faster.

Don’t be afraid to upload your almost-unintelligible scrawls from the notepad on your desk—a good AI tool, with the right prompt, will be able to make sense of them and turn them into something you can do something with.

Example prompt: "Write 3 Instagram captions in a witty tone for a coffee brand promoting a new cold brew line"

4. Translation and localization for global audiences

AI translation tools can quickly adapt your content to different languages, as well as leaning into cultural contexts and idioms. They’re especially useful for brands working across multiple markets or with global teams.

Need that social post about that Berlin event in German? Kein problem. Want to reply to customer in French? Mais bien sûr!

Example prompt: "Translate this Instagram caption into Spanish, keeping the tone playful: 'Craving something cool? Our mango smoothie has landed!'"

5. Analysis of what’s working (and what’s not)

Sifting through data isn’t always the most enjoyable of tasks, and it’s all too easy to miss things too—which is exactly where AI can help.

By inputting your past social performance or engagement data, AI can examine what kind of content performs best on each platform, looking into format, tone, time of day, and more.

Example prompt: "Based on this engagement data, what type of social media content performs best for our audience? [Insert data]"

1. No editing

Risk: In a world full of AI-generated content, it pays to not sound like a robot—so when you don't edit things, you can sound a little robotic.

Solution: Before publishing, always make sure to edit for tone, clarity and that brand personality your audience know, love, and want to hear more from.

2. Real-time reactions to trends and crisis comms

Risk: Not only can AI outputs be generic and off-brand if you're not using the right prompts or training it properly, they can also be tone-deaf, culturally insensitive, or misaligned with current events. AKA things you absolutely do not want from your social media content.

Solution: Use human judgment for trendjacking or crisis communications; AI should never be the final filter, particularly in these kind of circumstances.

3. Fake testimonials or comments

Risk: Not only do you risk a loss in trust and credibility as a brand if it becomes apparent you are using AI for fake testimonials and social media interactions, it can really impact that oh-so-precious community building which works wonders for your brand omnipresence.

Solution: Stick to real user-generated content here (but if you *really* have to use AI-generated posts, include disclaimers).

4. Overuse of stock AI visuals (with no strategy behind it)

Risk: Generic and—let's be honest—repetitive visuals and aesthetic will only dilute your brand in the eyes of your target audience. In other words: Snorefest.

Solution: Customize AI-generated visuals to match your brand style, or combine them with original content to give them that extra buzz.

Now, whether you are silently or openly sat there, holding your hands up to a few of the Don'ts, you're all good. This is exactly what this blog post was for.

Now, what's next? Well, for one, Optimizely are leading the way with AI-powered marketing magic. And guess what? Optimizely Opal really is about to become your new bestie.

Content creation, optimization suggestions, experimentation ideas—along with AI agents that translate your content, understand your target industries, and more—are just a things under Optimizely's Opal's hood. Yep, we're talking more than just a chatbot or AI assistant, we're talking about an AI workforce, entirely at your disposal.

Follow our Hype to Hero video series for more info.