Key Takeaways:
- LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini help speed up research, content planning, and repetitive tasks.
- AI tools support efficiency, not strategy. Human creativity and brand voice still lead the way.
- Consistency matters. Customize prompts and always refine outputs to match your brand.
- LLMs can be inaccurate or biased. Fact-check everything and review for tone and clarity.
- Beyond LLMs, helpful AI tools include Notion AI, Descript, Adobe Firefly, Canva Magic Studio, and HubSpot AI.
- Outages happen, so don’t rely on AI tools alone. Keep creative skills sharp and marketing workflows flexible.
- Use the tools that fit your team. Focus on smart, strategic adoption that’s right for your team and brand. Not sure what those are? A good marketing partner can help with that.
From generating content to analyzing customer behavior, AI tools (especially LLMs, or large language models) are helping businesses move faster, smarter, and more strategically when it comes to digital marketing and their online presence.
Not sure how it all works, or how it fits into your brand’s marketing mix? You’re not alone.
Let’s break it down in simple terms…
What is an LLM, and Why Does It Matter for Marketers?
LLM stands for “large language model,” a type of artificial intelligence trained to understand and generate text that sounds natural and human. These models are the engines behind tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and the privately-held company, Jasper AI, along with many others.
So, how do these generative tools work? Simply put, these models have “read” billions of pieces of online content from brands and consumers, which helps them quickly respond to your questions or prompts in conversational ways.
Why does this matter for marketers? Instead of starting from a blank page, LLMs can give your team a faster starting point, saving time and energy on everything from campaign planning to initial content creation.
Think of an LLM as a “launch pad” for your team’s creative output and repetitive content tasks. But just as it’s important to know what AI tools can do for your team, it’s also important to understand what they can’t (or shouldn’t) do for it.
What LLMs Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Brand
LLMs can be powerful tools, but they are not a silver bullet for your brand’s identity or content — and it’s definitely not a replacement for human strategy or creativity in marketing.
In marketing, LLMs and AI tools are great for:
- Drafting content outlines or briefs
- Brainstorming ideas for campaigns
- Summarizing meetings or research
- Organizing or reconfiguring existing information
However, these advanced digital tools still have room to grow in:
- Understanding your brand identity & nuances in tone of voice
- Producing original ideas and content grounded in your brand or team’s experience
- Making judgment calls about your audience
In short: AI can help you do your job more efficiently, but it won’t do the thinking for you. The best results happen when marketers and creative professionals lead the way, using AI as a support tool, not a shortcut.
How to Use LLMs without Losing Your Brand Voice
The biggest risk with using AI-generated content is sounding generic or robotic. That’s why it’s critical to layer in your brand’s tone and personality.
Here’s how to stay on-brand when using LLMs:
- Customize your prompts with voice traits (e.g., “friendly and professional” or “bold and confident”)
- Add key information about your brand, products/services, and audience to “projects” or “profiles” to strengthen outputs (depending on what your LLM of choice calls it)
- Train the tools by providing past brand content when possible
- Never — and we mean never — copy and paste; always refine and rework final outputs to reflect your unique perspective and make the brand’s content your own
Content Accuracy of LLMs & Ethical Use of AI in Marketing
AI tools are helpful, but they aren’t flawless, and they’re only as reliable as the data they’ve been trained on. Most large language models pull from a wide range of online content, some of which may be outdated, inaccurate, or biased.
That means even the best AI output still needs human oversight. LLMs can confidently present incorrect facts, overlook important nuances, or use language that feels off-brand or insensitive if left unchecked.
To avoid mishaps like misinformation, brands and marketing teams should always:
- Fact-check everything AI writes or recommends
- Watch for biased, exclusionary, or off-brand language
- Respect privacy laws & data regulations when feeding tools sensitive information
- Be transparent if AI is used in customer-facing content (when appropriate)
Beyond LLMs: Popular AI Tools for Marketing Teams
Outside of ChatGPT and other widely discussed writing tools, there’s a growing list of non-LLM AI platforms designed to support different areas of marketing, such as planning, design, video editing, and customer relationship management.
While these tools aren’t powered by large language models, they still use artificial intelligence to speed up workflows, spark ideas, and reduce repetitive tasks.
Here are a few of the most popular tools marketing teams are using today:
- Notion AI – Useful for internal planning and project management. It can help summarize notes, draft task lists, and keep teams aligned.
- Adobe Firefly – A powerful tool for generating images, effects, and design elements that integrate seamlessly into Adobe’s Creative Cloud tools.
- Descript – A time-saver for video and audio teams. It offers AI-powered editing, transcription, and clip generation for podcast or social content.
- HubSpot AI Assistant – Built into the CRM platform, it helps draft emails, social posts, and automate routine customer communication.
In addition to these tools, our team at Asen utilizes leading AI platforms for tasks like SEO analysis, audio transcription, video editing, and more. But keep in mind — just as LLMs aren’t meant to replace writers and editors, these creative tools aren’t meant to replace designers, strategists, and creative marketing experts.
Plus, not every tool is right for every team or brand, so you’ll need to find the right “mix” of platforms and people to truly maximize AI tools of any kind in the workforce.
Outages & Over-Reliance: What Marketers Should Know
While AI tools are great for efficiency, it’s important to remember that even the best platforms aren’t foolproof. Tools built on LLMs can experience outages, downtime, or glitches, and most of the time without warning.
As marketing teams begin to rely more on these tools, creative output can take a hit when they’re unavailable. While occasional downtime isn’t unusual, it’s important to keep your core creative skills sharp so you’re not left scrambling when tech isn’t on your side.
So… Should Every Business Be Using AI?
Not necessarily, but most can benefit in some way. If your team is small, your deadlines are tight, or your marketing efforts are growing, AI tools and LLMs can help fill the gaps. But it’s not about using the most tools, it’s about using the right ones in ways that support your goals.
Start small: Try an LLM on one or two simple tasks, test what works for you and your team, and don’t be afraid to revisit your workflow as the tech evolves. Because it will.
AI in Marketing: It’s Just Getting Started
Whether you like it or not, AI and LLMs aren’t going away anytime soon — in fact, they’re only becoming more powerful as they evolve. Marketers who understand how to use them effectively (and responsibly) will have a major advantage in the future.
If you’d like help building a modern marketing strategy that blends human creativity with smart tech, reach out to us online or email us at info@asenmarketing.com to start the conversation.
We can’t wait to help you outgrow the ordinary in your industry’s digital landscape!
This article was authored by Dave Bloom, M.B.A. and Digital Strategist for Asen Marketing. Dave has 10 years of experience in paid digital marketing, SEO, and creating AI content for Asen and other businesses.