Social media networks aren’t my thing. I have a Facebook account, but that’s it. I do, however, fully understand and embrace the power platforms provide for businesses to market themselves, educate customers and learn from other industry professionals.
I have noticed something recently when scrolling through Facebook, though, an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I feel like I am seeing the same exact post over and over again and there is one culprit to blame — AI.
I know AI is here to stay, and I acknowledge it offers plenty of positive uses for businesses. When used correctly, it is a powerful tool. But in the past few months, it seems every restaurant, service business or community event I follow is advertising using an AI-created image, and they all look extremely alike and are very numerous. They have the similar color combinations, use the same layouts and lean into the same general style.
Going blind
Ad blindness is a user behavior where people consciously or subconsciously ignore website content that looks like an advertisement or appears in typical ad locations. It’s a term to describe our own personal mental filters, and something that has been happening to me with these lookalike posts.
Because generative AI models operate by predicting the most statistically likely outputs based on existing data, they naturally pull toward a middle-ground look, which makes a lot of content look practically identical. In social feeds, this creates predictable graphic layouts and caption text crammed with the same buzzwords and structures. This aesthetic triggers a modern form of ad blindness, causing scrollers like myself to instinctively swipe past AI-generated posts before their brains even process the actual product or message.
Differentiate
By all means, use it. I understand you are busy running a business, and using AI means efficiently adding content to your pages that you might otherwise not have time for. But I urge you to take a little extra time to ensure your posts stand out.
To do so, stop letting AI write your final content and start using it as an engine to execute your specific ideas. You have to intentionally prompt what you are looking for, and don’t be afraid to get extremely specific to force image tools to generate raw, candid textures like grainy film shots rather than smooth computer animated graphics. Instruct the AI platform away from using buzzwords and feed it your own real-world stories, quotes and hot takes. When AI handles the rough draft options and you supply the authentic personality, your posts will become authentic content that stands out.
Reality check
Take a minute to make sure the post even makes sense. I have found that when AI content gets extremely busy, many times some of the imagery or background used doesn’t even make sense to the subject of the post.
Before hitting the submit button, give the content a final lookover to ensure there is nothing that jumps out as extremely fake or not relevant that could confuse someone reading it. It helps to have someone else take a second look at it to see what jumps out to them.
I’m not promoting that you stop using AI if doing so means promoting your business and shedding light on this industry that you would otherwise not have time for, but I do urge you to not get lax with it if you use it. Don’t just type in a prompt, download the result and upload it. Encourage the software to make changes, stand out and depict valuable information in a way that is easy to understand.
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