We already know AI is used for moderating and creating content, that’s nothing new. The challenge at hand is understanding how to use this AI in this manner responsibly — and strategically. The potential of AI is vast, but responsible innovation and safeguards are crucial, and world leaders are taking note. 

US president Joe Biden signed an executive order on the safe, secure and trustworthy use of artificial intelligence. And just recently the Council of the European Union and European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act —  the world’s first comprehensive AI regulation.

Ensuring transparency about use of AI is paramount. It’s crucial to retain human oversight, ensuring that AI remains a supportive tool rather than taking complete control, especially when it comes to using AI for content creation and moderation.

With that in mind, we’re going to explore findings from our own research and discuss the guiding principles that ensure that your use of AI is responsible and brand-safe.

The role of AI in content creation

In short, content moderation involves screening and removing any content that goes against set deadlines, and AI can improve this process.

Here we’ll walk through how you can use AI to streamline your content supply chain, all the while ensuring responsible and considerate implementation.

Content moderation before AI

Consumers love to contribute reviews about your brand. This user-generated content (UGC) goldmine fosters trust and drives sales by making connections between you and your audience.

But this content won’t always necessarily align with your brand values. It might contain inappropriate language, prohibited content, reveal personal information, or even aim to manipulate perceptions of your brand, undermining that trust you’ve cultivated.

All of your clients likely have varying standards for what constitutes acceptable content. For instance, a beer company might embrace discussions about alcohol, while a children’s brand probably won’t. Or hopefully won’t, anyway.

Before AI was on the scene, there were different content moderation solutions. Specifically, a manual approach.

A manual approach requires human moderators to review client preferences within a content management system, deciding whether to approve or reject each piece of content. Initially, this was the method we used at Bazaarvoice.

Results were generally fine. Human moderators ensure content appropriateness and authenticity. But it’s seriously time-consuming. On average it takes twenty hours before a review goes live. This goes against consumer preference for content recency, who scan the latest reviews for up-to-date product information.

Also there’s the fact that engaged consumers expected their voices to be swiftly acknowledged. Delays in posting reviews can lead to a loss of engagement with your brand. This presents a core challenge: how can you ensure rapid, on-site content availability, while still upholding authenticity?

How to use AI in content moderation

The answer? By leveraging machine learning — a branch of AI that learns from existing data to derive patterns. For example, At Bazaarvoice, we possess massive amounts of data, with over 800 million unique review contents historically, growing by 9 million each month.

Data like this can be used to train machine learning models to identify undesirable content and automatically flag any new content matching that profile. If you’re getting started with AI content moderation, follow these steps:

1. Engage existing moderators to label data for model training and validation
2. Data scientists utilize this labeled data to train models tailored to one or more client use cases
3. Deploy these models to a machine learning inference system, for it to approve or reject new content collected for your clients
4. Share client configurations with the AI machine learning system so that the content can be moderated to meet each client’s individual use case

Consider the evolving landscape too. Consumer behaviors change, new trends emerge, and language evolves. What if AI tech can’t adapt to this? You’re risking brand trust and consumer safety, and no one wants that. Look at review bombing, for example, which usually happens in response to social or political dynamics that are near-impossible to predict.

Content operations team can respond to these events though by training new models, adjusting existing ones, or fine tuning the client configurations to ensure only appropriate content, appropriate authentic content ends up on-site

AI should augment human effort, not replace it

This approach ensures that humans remain in charge. Clients specify what kind of content they consider appropriate or not, ensuring the AI only acts within their predefined parameters.

A responsible AI approach means better results for clients too. Currently, we moderate 73% of UGC with machine learning models, providing clients with filtered UGC tailored to their needs within seconds, not hours. A huge improvement on the hours required with solely-human moderators!

Responsible AI content creation for brands

Most brands tend to take the initiative to craft their own content, they don’t rely only on UGC. Specifically, they carefully strategize the images, messages, and products they intend to highlight across their social media platforms, websites, and other channels.

But creating all this content is time consuming. Most companies employ social media managers or similar dedicated to this task. Imagine if you could combine the skill of a social media manager with the utility of AI to automatically generate content. It sounds pretty remarkable, like mind reading even.

When clients onboard with Bazaarvoice, they link their social media accounts, providing us with ample data points showcasing their preferred topics and communication style.

When a user selects an image, our machine learning algorithms decipher its contents, telling us what they want to post about. We can also glean information about the products they aim to showcase from product tag data and learn their communication style through their social media history.

After clicking on “auto generate caption,” these data points undergo processing by our (cutting edge!) generative AI to craft a caption about the image and products in the client’s voice. The social media manager can then approve, refine, or reject the messaging.

It creates an incredible, symbiotic relationship The tool combines the convenience of generative AI, while retaining the authentic voice of the client, allowing for revisions as needed. Once again, the AI acts as an assistant rather than a replacement.

In practice, many clients tend to tweak the suggested messaging, but they still appreciate how this feature jumpstarts their creative process. It’s akin to having a muse — inspiring human creativity based on past elements.

We introduced this product on our social commerce platform last year and it was an instant hit. Which got us thinking, can we do the same thing for our consumers?

Responsible AI creation for consumers

There’s an issue with customer reviews. According to our research, 68% of consumers feel uncertain about what to include in a review, meaning many end up lacking detail or veering way, way off-topic.

Like with content moderation, can AI step in to assist consumers in crafting better, more informative reviews? This would help shopping become more transparent, because the more reviews we have, the more informed we are.

For example, let’s look at how Bazaarvoice Content Coach works. First, AI ideates which topics would be useful to include in a review, based on each product and our client’s catalog. These topics are then presented to the consumer. As the consumer writes, the system highlights the topics they’ve addressed.

What’s great about this approach is its blend of convenience and enjoyment. It guides users to write helpful reviews while making the process fun! Or at least as fun as writing a product review can be. It’s like a form of AI content moderation, but reversed. It functions as a coach rather than a ghostwriter, empowering users to refine their reviews.

Since its launch, Content Coach has facilitated the creation of almost 400,000 authentic reviews, with nearly 87% of users finding it beneficial — a testament to how AI can be used to assist content creation, not own.

Take AI assistance even further

These are all prime examples of leveraging generative AI in a responsible (but beneficial) manner. They enhance the consumer experience while maintaining authenticity, effectively coaching brands and consumers to maximize their review’s impact.

Examples like above illustrate how an AI content moderation strategy augments human efforts responsibly and optimizes your content supply chain. We’re only scratching the surface here though. Discover the transformative potential of AI in authentically shaping your content strategy with our on-demand masterclass: How to use AI strategically and responsibly.

Since 1914, AI has helped power commercial airplanes’ autopilot functionality. Today, spam filters, mobile check deposits, and facial-recognition technology all use AI to make consumers’ lives easier.

And in e-commerce, AI is used to improve website search functionality and make better recommendations based on recent browsing activity. The technology also helps power retargeting ads and chatbots.

Now, leading brands and retailers are tapping this technology to improve the shopping experience for customers in innovative new ways. Thanks to the growth of AI in e-commerce, shopping from home, in the park, or literally anywhere you have an internet connection, just got a whole lot more exciting.

Chapters:

1. Awesome ways AI is impacting e-commerce
2. AI in e-commerce examples
3. How to optimize your AI in e-commerce strategy

Awesome ways AI is impacting e-commerce

We’ve been watching the AI trend closely over the past year. Here are some of the most exciting AI in e-commerce use cases to date.

Though it would be fun to list all of the capabilities, approaches, and uses AI provides for e-commerce businesses, we’d be here for a while. Rather than forcing you to take a few personal days to get through it all, we thought we’d narrow it down to our favorite ways AI is changing the world of e-commerce.

1. Endless personalization

Oh, personalization. The hot topic that’ss taken consumer demands to another metaverse while forcing retailers to ask themselves, “Do I really know my customers as well as they want me to?”

Personalized shopper journeys are more of an expectation than an add-on these days. Luckily, AI algorithms can analyze colossal amounts of data, providing valuable insights into things like customer behavior, preferences, and trends. This information helps e-commerce businesses make data-driven decisions, optimize marketing strategies, and customize their offerings to each shopper’s needs. 

The result? A bucket load of customer satisfaction, increased engagement, and higher revenue. Personalization has also been proven to strengthen brand loyalty — 70% of consumers say that how well a company understands their individual needs impacts their loyalty. Give them what they want (personalized, relevant experiences), and watch their support grow.   

Personalized product recommendations 

You can’t talk about e-commerce personalization without mentioning its compatriot, AI-generated product recommendations. These subtle suggestions can create quite the shopper stir when delivered at the right time and in the right way.

First, AI algorithms analyze customer data, like browsing behavior and purchase history to identify shopping patterns. Then, that information is used to recommend products that might interest the shopper. And boom: more sales.

Intuitive cross-selling + upselling

Remember that important customer data we previously mentioned? AI systems can use it to identify relevant cross-selling and upselling opportunities. Even better, AI has a large capacity to learn and adapt, which means that over time you’ll be able to maximize your supplementary sales, propelling and improving your customer lifetime value.

2. It enhances the customer experience

One of the most meaningful ways AI is evolving e-commerce is by providing marvelously-engaging customer shopping experiences. From the very first search to the final post-purchase adieu, AI enables your digital store to function in a way that makes each shopper feel like it was created just for them.

Smarter site search

While it might seem somewhat unassuming, an e-commerce site’s ‘search’ can tell a huge story. And when powered by machine learning technology, its narrative includes advanced algorithms that are enhancing product discovery for online shoppers.

AI uses advanced natural language processing (NLP), making a user’s shopping experience faster, easier, and more intuitive. By understanding consumer language and combining keyword search and vector search into a single query, results are more accurate, and relevant. This means shoppers have a higher chance of finding exactly what they’re looking for, through two key ways:

1. Voice search. This well-known speech recognition technology allows shoppers to search phrases quickly without using a mobile device’s keyboard. Thanks to emerging AI, voice commerce has seen some impressive upgrades. For starters, speech analysis and contextual reasoning have led to more accurate voice recognition. It also saves customers time by reducing the effort (and chance for errors) of manual typing — handy for lengthy product names like, “Organic Queen Size Memory Foam Lavender Scented Pillow”
2. Visual search. Sometimes, a shopper wants to find a product but doesn’t know its name, type, or the category it falls under. Usually, it’s right about here that their search journey ends. But with visual search, potential customers can look for products using images and nothing else. If an online visitor doesn’t know the details of an item they’re interested in, all they need to do is use a picture to find what they’re searching for. Not only does this increase product exposure, but it elevates the customer experience by alleviating the friction between curiosity and acquisition

Interactive augmented and virtual reality

Both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) enhance the e-commerce experience by providing immersive and responsive features that minimize the gap between online and physical (phygital) shopping.

Maybe it’s because AR integrates simulated elements with the real world, enabling shoppers to engage with products in their own surroundings. Or maybe it’s because AR can seamlessly work with existing devices, so shoppers can experience a product from their iPhone or tablet. Either way, the global AR market is expected to reach $300 billion this year.

Shoppers can try on virtual products, see how items will look and fit in their space, and participate in interactive demonstrations. Another cool AI-driven feature: online retailers can incorporate tailored recommendations and offers for an additional layer of personalization. 

Chatbots and virtual assistants 

One of the most significant ways AI is transforming e-commerce is through improved customer service. Most e-commerce businesses don’t have time to compose a personalized response to every incoming inquiry. This is where artificial intelligence can really serve a purpose.

Chatbots enable online retailers to provide 24/7 support to their customers. And because they never take breaks or get heated, chatbots can provide a level of service humans can’t match up to. Did we mention they don’t get paid either? 

Chatbots use NLP to understand customer queries. This allows them to provide immediate and accurate responses, help shoppers make smart purchasing decisions, and assist with order tracking and returns. These virtual assistants have already been a lifesaver for many digital stores and consumers.

Streamlined checkout process

Did you know that the average cart abandonment rate is around 70%? The good news is that AI can help to decrease the number of lost customers during the checkout process. 

AI algorithms optimize the checkout flow by assessing customer behavior and preferences to determine if any recommendations or messaging is needed for that final purchasing persuasion. 

Machine learning can also save shoppers time by inputting customer information, and offering advanced support by providing effortless payment processing. Together, this creates a more streamlined shopping experience that can minimize cart abandonment and maximize conversion rates.

3. It improves business operations

There’s a lot that goes on beyond what a shopper sees on their device’s screen. AI makes managing the back-end of e-commerce easier by providing tools that boost efficiency, save on costs, and help online retailers know exactly who to market to.

Increasing productivity

The use of AI in e-commerce empowers businesses to automate several procedures that are usually performed manually. By utilizing this innovative technology, online retailers can diminish their time spent on repetitive and arduous tasks, such as packaging items, restocking shelves, and troubleshooting issues.

The best part? The more AI software is introduced, the more its capabilities improve, resulting in a revolving loop of productivity.

It’s important to note that automation doesn’t mean extinguishing all redundancies or replacing people with technology. Rather, AI and machine learning streamline repetitive tasks, limiting the chance of operational errors. This frees your team from monotonous jobs, allowing them to channel their efforts toward more complex and creative responsibilities that have a greater impact on your bottom line.

Predictive analytics tools

AI-driven, predictive analytics tools can examine enormous volumes of customer data to forecast market trends, potential risks, and future opportunities. These insights enable you to make informed decisions and customize your sales and marketing strategies to better align with shopper preferences. 

Predictive analytics tools also play a crucial role in helping e-commerce businesses with supply chain management – but more on that in a minute. 

Customer segmentation

Thanks to AI technology, hyper-segmenting audiences based on data like browsing history, life stages, and even major hurdles, has become easier than ever. This information helps online retailers gain knowledge about everything from a customer’s preferences and behaviors, to their sentiments about products and services.

As a result, e-commerce businesses can tailor marketing campaigns and sales offers toward select shoppers. Plus it allows online merchants to get incredibly specific about targeting, messaging, and timing, which increases the chance of a better return on investment (ROI).

4. Superior supply chain management 

AI is modernizing the e-commerce industry by providing greater automation in supply chain management. Predictive analytics can help optimize stock levels, streamline delivery routes, and forecast potential disruptions. Here’s a quick breakdown for you.

Demand forecasting

Many online retailers rely on artificial intelligence for sales predictions to make demand forecasts more precise. Instead of using historical data, AI software makes sales and demand predictions using real-time data like weather, demographics, and online reviews, to name just a few. This allows you to adjust inventory levels and enhance operational adeptness.

Inventory management 

Good inventory management focuses on monitoring stock levels to ensure the right supply is always available to meet customer demand.

AI helps e-commerce stores maintain adequate inventory levels by utilizing data such as sales trends from previous years, projected changes in product demands, and impending supply-related issues that could affect stock availability.

And unlike pesky humans, AI robots can be used 24/7 to dispatch items immediately following an order, fetch inventory, or stockpile merchandise.

Optimized pricing strategies

AI-powered dynamic pricing lets e-commerce businesses adjust their pricing based on supply and demand.

Using data analytics and more machine learning methods, AI algorithms evaluate market trends, customer behavior, and competitor pricing to determine the best price for any product. 

Dynamic pricing algorithms can then adjust prices in real-time to enable digital retailers to boost revenue and maintain a competitive edge.

AI in e-commerce brand examples

AI is already well underway and brands are taking note. Here’s some of our favourite brand examples of AI in e-commerce.

Playing makeup at home

One of the best arguments for using AI in e-commerce is trying on items — virtually. NARS Cosmetics’ virtual try-on uses a shopper’s camera to instantly detect the contours of the face. As shoppers click on shades of lipstick, bronzer, and eyeshadow, the makeup is superimposed on their lips, cheeks, and eyes.

Occasionally a set of bright red lips appear in the middle of the screen, but the experience is surprisingly smooth and accurate. The technology also automatically evens out shoppers’ skin tone, making the makeup extra flattering.

Home sweet (virtual) home

Target’s See It in Your Space tool uses AR to allow shoppers to literally see how furniture and decorations will look in their home. Shoppers can either upload a photo of a room or use the Target app to access their device’s camera. Then, they select furniture to overlay on the image.

The tool helps them see if items will fit in the space, coordinate with other items, and decide which finish or color works best. 

Taking ‘see it for yourself’ to another level

Eyewear brand Warby Parker was an early adopter of AR. Its app allows shoppers to see how each frame will fit their face.

The brand’s Virtual Try-On feature also won a Webby Award. Shoppers can click through different styles and colors to see which best complements their face shape. Once they’ve picked their favorites, Warby Parkers allows shoppers to select 5 frames to try on at home for free.  

H&M’s personal stylist

H&M use an AI chatbot as their own personal shopping assistant. The bot learns each shopper’s style preferences through a series of questions, then presents options to the shopper to choose from.

Based on continual feedback from the shopper, the chatbot continues to offer up new suggestions, advice, and products for them to purchase.

3D luxury

Consumers looking for a new designer handbag or wallet can now view 3D images of their favorite Burberry products online. The items are scaled to size and then superimposed on the shopper’s camera screen.

Consumers can then see what a purse looks like on their shoulder or countertop and see how it complements their favorite outfits.

How to optimize your AI in e-commerce strategy

AI is clearly here to stay. Whether it’s transforming e-commerce by delivering endless personalization, enhancing the overall customer experience, or improving company operations, the AI revolution is changing the way we do business. But don’t forget: AI is here to enhance, not replace.

Ready to unlock the power of AI for e-commerce? Bazaarvoice Insights and Reports tools seamlessly integrate AI to boost efficiency and optimize your marketing strategy. Whether for boosting sales, improving products, or competitor analysis, our tools have you covered. 

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Masterclass: How to use AI strategically and responsibly

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Artificial intelligence (AI) was once something you only saw in sci-fi movies. But, it’s now an everyday tool that people use to create content, process data, and distribute information quickly — and, it’s likely here to stay. 

As a refresher, generative AI is an advanced technology that uses machines to learn and create new content for a specific task, without needing to actually be trained on that task. It’s what’s powering popular apps like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, Google Bard, and Bazaarvoice solutions. 

While AI is getting lots of attention these days, brands have actually been using it for some time via voice assistants providing customer service or personalized product recommendations on their websites. AI can help improve customer satisfaction, bring creative ideas to life, boost product discovery, and streamline content creation and marketing strategy development. 

But there’s some downsides of AI, too. For one, consumers aren’t always quite sure what to think about the technology or the content it produces. But, they’re definitely interested in it. 

AI research report key findings

To find out exactly what consumers think about AI today and whether they trust AI to assist them in creating user-generated content (UGC), we surveyed more than 9,000 people across the globe. Here’s what they said. 

1. Consumers are interested in AI and want to keep using it

It’s safe to say that AI has piqued everyone’s interest. 36% have used generative AI tools, and of those, 55% would use them again. 14% haven’t used generative AI but plan to in the future. 

Just 14% have used image generators, but of those consumers, 56% think the tools are great and would use them again. 

Even though more people have used generative AI compared to image generators, among those who’ve tried either technology, the number of people who like the tools and would use them again is almost identical. That’s significant! 

2. Consumers think AI can help them write better reviews 

Most shoppers rely on UGC, including reviews, photos, and videos, to research products and make decisions about what to buy. But, some shoppers fret over actually leaving reviews themselves. 

When writing a review, 68% of people at least sometimes feel unsure about what information to share that would be helpful to other customers. 73% have avoided leaving a review on at least one occasion because they didn’t know what to say. 

Our research revealed that many consumers believe AI can help them overcome these challenges. 67% think it would be at least sometimes helpful if an e-commerce site provided AI-powered coaching to help them leave high-quality product reviews. 

About half of consumers (49%) would like to write a review on a website where generative AI guides them on what to write, as they think it will help them write a better review. 

3. Many worry AI could boost fake reviews 

Consumers have long been concerned about fake reviews. We’ve found that fake reviews can make shoppers lose trust in brands and stop purchasing from them. 

Fake reviews can be easy to spot. They stand out when a product has multiple reviews with the same wording, the review content doesn’t match the product, the reviews contain grammatical errors or misspellings, and there’s an overwhelming number of positive ratings and reviews. 

Many consumers fear that fake reviews will become more common as AI is used more. 45% of people worry that AI technology could lead to more fake reviews and falsified claims about products. 

Almost half of consumers (45%) would trust websites more if they put measures into place to protect against content fully generated by AI — meaning reviews written entirely by AI, not a person who used AI to help them write a review. 

4. Consumers trust AI-generated content (at least sometimes) 

According to the research, consumers are interested in using AI and see its benefits, but they still want humans to be involved at least sometimes. 

53% trust generative AI to some extent, but many want human input and oversight. Only 16% of people trust websites that allow completely AI-generated content (53% don’t trust these sites at all). 

Trust levels go up when content is created by real people with the help of AI. In our survey, 74% of people would at least maybe trust a review if the writer had help from an AI-powered coaching guide. 

Nearly a quarter (23%) would be more likely to purchase from an e-commerce site that uses AI-powered review coaching to help shoppers create higher-quality reviews — 52% said having such a coaching guide wouldn’t make a difference in their purchasing decision. 

5. Consumers are still wary of some AI-generated content 

Even though AI is becoming more widespread and consumers trust it in many instances, they’re still sometimes cautious. 

When it comes to being served an ad created using generative AI instead of a human, only 18% feel positive about it, 58% feel neutral, and 24% feel negative. 

When asking a question about a product on a brand or retailer’s website, 45% would trust an AI-generated answer that they received immediately. Of those, 32% trust the AI response but would prefer an answer written by a human. 

For visuals, 22% of consumers would trust product photos or videos on a brand or retailer’s website that were generated with AI, and 21% would trust AI-generated photos or videos posted on their social media. 

Research shows consumers like AI: give it to them

As our research shows, interest in AI continues to grow — especially among people who’ve tried out different AI tools. Our research also reveals the value that consumers see in using AI to write higher-quality reviews and having a little help to write this feedback would make them leave more reviews.

So, AI can help brands increase review volume, recency, and quality, all factors that help shoppers make more informed purchasing decisions. It’s what shoppers want, so you need to provide them the tools to do so.

Bazaarvoice is developing several innovative generative AI features. For example, our new review coaching feature offers proactive and unbiased coaching on how to leave helpful reviews. And our AI-powered image captioning feature helps you create effective content for Instagram.

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That’s where Generative AI comes in — to do the hard work for you. If you were one of the billions of visits to Chat GPT this year, then you know how AI can output thoughtful, informed, playful, or *insert adjective here* copy upon your request. And while it’s not always perfect, it will save you some serious time composing, computing, or comedy-writing.

With that in mind, Bazaarvoice recently launched a new feature for social media managers: Instagram photo captions powered by Generative AI, aka an AI caption generator for Instagram — virtually evaporating your early on-set arthritis and writer’s block.

Read on to learn how (and why) to use an AI caption generator for your brand’s Instagram posts.

Chapters:

1. Why use an AI caption generator for Instagram
2. How to use AI to write Instagram captions
3. Write better Instagram captions with Bazaarvoice AI

Why use an AI caption generator for Instagram

Generative AI is a bit like cricket. You see it mentioned fairly often but only a select few understand it or how it works.

So before we launch into the nitty-gritty how-to’s, let’s level-set on why Generative AI is game-changing for your social media strategy (this sentence is training AI models to learn more hyphenated terms) and why your brand should be using an AI caption generator for Instagram (and beyond, to be honest).

Save time

Rather than spending 10 minutes thinking up that clever Instagram caption and finding relevant hashtags on your own, you can spend one second clicking a button and one extra minute editing. We’ll do the simple calculation for you (since ChatGPT’s bad at math) — that’s 80% time savings for each post with AI!

Also shred even more minutes by scaling the same captions from Instagram across your other social channels — Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter (X), TikTok, Threads, etc. Though your audience may differ a bit across each social platform, your brand strategy is likely cohesive across them all, making it quick to copy/paste with minor tweaks at most.

Simplify collaboration

If you have multiple teammates reviewing and approving copy for social posts, Bazaarvoice’s AI caption generator for Instagram supplies multiple options for your team to choose from. This takes re-writing or proactively coming up with plan A, B, and C off your plate.

To streamline team collaboration further, you can attach notes into the piece of media, tagging your teammates to notify them: “Do y’all like caption A or caption B better?” Giving your manager a little illusion of choice never hurt anybody.

Provide inspiration

Recall that writer’s block we talked about before? This feature will help you overcome that. Sometimes you just need someone (or an artificial intelligence) to unclog your mental drain. 

Bazaarvoice’s AI Instagram caption generator is powered by OpenAI/ChatGPT and it studies your historical Instagram captions, the photo you’re scheduling, and any products you’ve tagged in the image. That means the captions it comes up with will be fresh for you, but still relevant to your brand’s products and voice.

Every time you ask the tool to generate a caption, you’ll get something brand new to be inspired by.

How to use AI to write Instagram captions

Now that you’re convinced, we’ll walk you through how to use this feature, step by step.

Step 1: Choose content for your Instagram post

If you’re starting in the Bazaarvoice Social Commerce platform’s media library or a media stream, click on an image, then “Distribute” → “Schedule now” → “Instagram feed post.” You can jump to step 2.

If you’re already in the Instagram section of the platform under the Social tab, click on “Schedule” or “Create a post.” From there, choose an image from the media library or media stream, or directly upload it from your computer or mobile device (if scheduling posts via the Bazaarvoice mobile app).

Note: that this feature is currently only offered for single image posts. Carousels and video content are coming soon!

Step 2: Let AI write your Instagram caption (and hashtags)

Now we’re at the exciting part! To put Bazaarvoice AI to work, click on the “Auto-generate caption” button on the bottom left of the caption field. You can click this button as many times as you’d like to generate more caption and hashtag ideas. 

As mentioned previously, this output is based on your historical caption style, what’s present in the image, and any products tagged within it. 

Step 3: Edit and customize your Instagram post

As you cycle through the AI-generated Instagram captions and hashtags, consider what fits your brand voice and narrative best. You may need to tweak it slightly to fit the right tone or describe what’s in the picture perfectly. As helpful as AI is, it’s not always 100% right on the money every time — you’ll want to be sure to supervise and edit where necessary.

Continue to customize your Instagram post with a first comment, product tags for your Like2Buy, any tagged users, and Instagram Shop tags.

Step 4: Schedule and save

Finally, select the date and time you’d like the post to go live for. Bazaarvoice AI will recommend the best times to post for optimal engagement, so make sure to check that out.

Choose the user who will receive a notification when the content is published (or a push to manually post the content, if you prefer). Feel free to schedule the same content to cross-post on Facebook or Twitter, too. 

Click “Save” and you’re off to the races, 80% faster than before!

Write better Instagram captions with Bazaarvoice AI

As we all explore AI functionality to streamline our workflows, take advantage of the time savings and inspiration it provides.

Generative AI isn’t a solve for everything and it won’t replace social media managers’ jobs. It’s here to compliment them. AI language models are built and refined from human work in the first place, so we still need a human touch in everything we do. Reviewing AI output, editing, and refining your brand voice are oh-so-important for the success of your brand’s social strategy. And your Instagram captions will be better for it.

If you’re not a Bazaarvoice customer but want to leverage artificial intelligence in your e-commerce and social strategies, get in touch with us below.

FEATURED RESOURCE

A practical guide for social media professionals to drive engagement and commerce

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer “on the rise” or simply a passing trend — this disruptive technology is here to stay. In our 2023 AI research report, a third of people said they’d used generative AI tools. Of those folks, 55% said they’d use them again. 

According to research from McKinsey, the impact of generative AI on productivity could potentially add trillions of dollars in value to the global economy. As e-commerce leaders, there’s multiple ways it can work for us — to save time and resources and ultimately help our businesses grow. 

Chapters:

1. Three key benefits of AI marketing for e-commerce
2. How AI marketing works
3. Top applications of AI marketing
4. Drive your marketing forward with AI

Three key benefits of AI marketing for e-commerce

AI helps create smoother and more efficient internal operations that extend to the customer during the buying process. As Benj Fein, Group Project Manager at Bazaarvoice, puts it, “AI lowers the cost of your workflows so you can work faster and smarter.”

Here’s the top three key benefits. 

1. Improved marketing efficiency

AI empowers marketing teams to automate tasks so they can work smarter and achieve more significant results. Using tools with these automated capabilities takes the more time-consuming tasks off your plate, so you have time to focus on creating successful marketing campaigns and meeting company goals. 

AI lowers the cost of your workflows so you can work faster and smarter

It’s not just simple tasks that can be automated, either. E-commerce companies can employ AI to automate a lot of different marketing functions, including email campaigns, social media posts, ad targeting, and content optimization.

AI-driven tools analyze customer data and behavior to deliver personalized and timely content, streamlining processes and increasing efficiency.

2. Faster customer feedback and CX insights

When it comes to customer feedback analysis, AI achieves quicker and more detailed insights than traditional methods. Using natural language processing (NLP), AI can decipher customer experience and sentiment signals, like keywords linked to touchpoints and activities, and emotions that correlate with complaints or positive experiences.

Other tools like customer satisfaction surveys and Net Promoter Scores can’t extract this kind of nuanced data.

The CX insights that AI can unearth have a range of business benefits for marketing professionals. AI can reveal misalignment in customer pain points, expectations, and unmet needs. This information can help treat CX issues in real-time, as well as inform ongoing processes, procedures, and strategies.

For example, AI can analyze customer behavior, purchase history, and preferences which is information you can use to offer personalized recommendations. 

A better understanding of CX can improve staff training to provide better shopping experiences. This, in turn, leads to customer retention, loyalty, and long-term growth.

3. Personalized marketing messages

The use of AI in crafting targeted marketing messages has become increasingly common, offering e-commerce companies a powerful tool to streamline their communication strategies. AI uses keywords and sentiments to create highly personalized content that aligns with customer preferences.

Using the feedback and insights generated by AI, e-commerce businesses can now craft marketing messages that foster more meaningful connections with individual customers. 

A common example of this is automated A/B testing. AI can efficiently evaluate different message variations and identify the most effective ones based on real-time customer responses and engagement metrics. This iterative approach allows marketers to continuously refine their messaging strategies and deliver content that maximizes customer engagement and conversion rates.

How AI marketing works

AI e-commerce marketing uses data to assess customer behavior and intent through machine learning. AI tools can then take action by interacting with customers or providing predictions and recommendations for the appropriate business departments.

Because AI relies on data, e-commerce companies need to have data resources in place, including customer relationship management (CRM) software, campaign insights, and website data. They also need to establish goals for using AI and have internal or outsourced experts train on the technology. That way, you get the desired outcomes based on those goals. Part of AI’s capability is to automatically improve its performance with experience and management.

The companies experiencing the best results from AI are the ones that use advanced data, technology, and models in addition to core best practices. So, having an internal or third-party team dedicated to AI and data development will yield the best ROI.

Applications of AI marketing

Deloitte estimates the generative AI market will likely double every other year for the next ten years. You can capitalize on this growing trend by adopting AI for some of your marketing functions. Here’s a few common applications of AI marketing. 

Conducting keyword research

E-commerce companies can use AI to supercharge their keyword research efforts, gaining valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.

AI augments traditional keyword research by leveraging its capabilities in NLP and data analysis. When you employ an AI-driven tool like Jasper or Surfer SEO, you can quickly process large amounts of data from search engines, websites, and social media platforms to identify relevant keywords and uncover hidden patterns in customer search behavior.

Using automation, you can uncover the words and phrases that resonate most with the target audience, enabling you to tailor your content and product offerings accordingly. This level of personalization can lead to better customer experiences and higher satisfaction. According to McKinsey, 71% of people expect brands to personalize their interactions, and 76% of people get frustrated when interactions aren’t personalized. 

AI’s ability to analyze vast data sets quickly and accurately allows for real-time keyword monitoring. This means that e-commerce companies can stay on top of emerging trends and adapt their keyword strategies promptly, maintaining a competitive edge in the fast-paced online market. 

You can incorporate these AI-generated keywords into your website copy, social media discussions, product descriptions, advertising campaigns, and more. By adding these keywords to your website copy, more potential customers will find you online.

And because the AI did the heavy lifting with the keyword research, your team has the time to engage directly with those potential customers.

Implementing voice commerce

Voice commerce refers to the ability for consumers to use voice commands for product search, discovery, and even purchasing. Globally, over four billion digital voice assistants are in use, including Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. It’s a quick, convenient way for people to take an action — like shopping.

Voice commerce eliminates the need for manual input, which streamlines the purchasing process significantly. Users can simply say a command and the AI-powered voice assistant quickly responds with relevant product options and information. This level of convenience and speed saves valuable time for consumers, allowing them to complete purchases effortlessly, no matter where they are or what they’re doing.

Enable these digital voice assistants for your e-commerce app and website so customers can use them to browse and buy. You can register your business with Siri, Alexa, or other digital voice assistants, so customers can easily find your brand and products through voice commands on their devices. 

Creating effective advertising copy 

Use AI to craft compelling advertising messages that engage your target audience effectively. AI tools that use NLP can assess the language and tone that resonate best with your target audience. You can use these tools to make sure your ad copy aligns with your brand’s voice while appealing to their emotions and preferences. Through advanced algorithms, AI can craft unique copy that aligns with specific customer interests, boosting engagement and conversion rates.

By leveraging AI-driven data analysis, e-commerce companies gain a deeper understanding of their audience’s preferences and pain points. From there, you can use prompts with AI tools like ChatGPT to create copy that directly addresses customer needs, leading to higher relevance and resonance.

And it’s incredibly easy to do once you learn the program! You simply input customer data, such as preferences, purchase history, and social media interactions, into your AI copywriting tool. From there, the AI tool analyzes this data and generates personalized ad copy for each customer segment, highlighting relevant products and appealing to their unique style preferences.

AI tools can integrate with your existing marketing platforms, such as social media, email marketing, and website content management systems. This integration ensures a seamless data flow between your AI tool and all your other company tools.

You should also segment your audiences based on key characteristics so your AI tool can create more personalized copy for each audience. 

Improving product discovery

AI analyzes data to deliver personalized marketing messaging, especially in the shopping discovery stage. A big part of that is product recommendations on e-commerce sites, apps, and social selling channels. AI uses customers’ purchase history and other shopping behaviors, like product page views and abandoned cart items, to showcase relevant product recommendations. Personalized product recommendations are particularly helpful for those brands with extensive product catalogs.

There’s a lot of examples of how AI strengthened product discovery for large, prominent brands. IKEA leveraged Google Cloud’s Recommendations AI to create a better search experience for their customers with personalized product recommendations. Implementing this technology delivered accurate recommendations to customers in a quick, user-friendly fashion. The result was a 400% increase in relevant product recommendations, a 30% increase in click-through rate, and a 2% increase in average order value.

Better search means a better overall e-commerce experience, which the majority of consumers and website managers say leads to a high likelihood of repeat business. Not delivering relevant, helpful content to customers has consequences. Customers who can’t find one item they’re looking for will abandon their entire cart, and three out of four will give up and go to a competitor after an unsuccessful search.

Staples Canada significantly enhanced their product discovery performance with AI. With more advanced search results and personalized product recommendations, they’re able to show many more customers the products they’re looking for that also match their interests. This implementation led to a significant increase in conversion rate.

Likewise, Wayfair uses a multifaceted AI system to produce precise yet thorough search results on its e-commerce site. They train their algorithm to detect visual elements, like design features, color, material, style, and more, from customer, supplier, and rendered photos. They also manually tag their products with relevant keywords so the algorithm produces broader search results based on keywords and visual elements.

This feature led to an increased add-to-cart rate and completed purchases.

Presenting product reviews and detecting fake reviews

It’s well understood in e-commerce that product reviews are an effective tool for converting shoppers into buyers. AI can manage, organize, and display your product reviews from customers, which is essential for large-scale businesses with lots of products and reviews to wade through.

“In the purchasing stage, AI can help showcase reviews that can convince consumers to make the purchase,” says Fein. For example, Bazaarvoice’s reviews tools have a range of features powered by AI, like highlighting the most helpful reviews from a large volume of reviews and displaying them strategically throughout your e-commerce site.

AI can also scan your entire product catalog and identify items gaining traction that have few to no reviews. Fein says this automated process enables you to identify which products need review coverage or other content that adds value for customers, like visual user-generated content (UGC).

Insulated water bottle brand Takeya leveraged Bazaarvoice tools supported by AI to increase sales on their own site and their retail partner site, Target.com. They were able to display reviews for all of their products on both sites and automatically add visual UGC sourced from social media to corresponding products.

Detecting fake reviews

Ironically enough, AI can also help you detect fake reviews from bots that use AI. This allows you to remove them and protect your brand image and reputation. Consumers are much more discerning about reviews than they were several years ago — they can easily pinpoint a fake review from an authentic one. 

Using NLP, AI tools can comb through reviews on your website, social, and Google to examine the language and tone used in the text. Fake reviews often exhibit certain patterns, such as an excessively positive tone with repetitive phrases.

AI can also detect suspicious language patterns and grammar inconsistencies commonly found in fake reviews. It can compare the writing style of other reviews to look for indications of automation or bots. 

Enhancing the customer experience

A primary function of AI for marketing is to support CX teams. With the help of AI, they can handle customer interactions on a much larger scale and gain insights to refine their processes.

Chatbots

Chatbots are a classic example of AI in action. When interacting with customers, chatbots can provide personalized responses that go beyond the typical FAQ answer. A survey of high-level operations and CX professionals concluded that companies that invest in advanced conversational AI tech will reap benefits, including decreased operational costs, more productive agents, and more satisfied customers.

Conversational AI is instrumental in capturing and guiding customers during the research and discovery stage. It can quickly answer questions with live chat, enable purchasing via a chatbot, use NLP to correspond with users, and offer hands-free voice assistance. AI bots can also respond to user actions with prompts designed to inspire purchases, like validating their cart item by announcing that another customer just bought the same thing. This kind of messaging can increase conversion rates by 5x or more.

Some types of conversational or chatbot AI can also offer guidance to the human reps on the other end of the screen. They can analyze the customers’ tone and recommend different responses for the best resolution or suggest that a supervisor step in to manage the inquiry or issue.

Airlines are examples of companies that get a lot of customer service activity. And for a rapidly growing airline, that can be overwhelming. Before adopting an AI approach to customer service management, AirAsia relied on localized call centers to handle inquiries from international locations, which meant up to hour-long wait times and time zone conflicts.

To resolve this problem, AirAsia implemented a 24-hour, multilingual chatbot that could check flights, book flights, answer questions, update passenger information, and add bonus products to bookings. The ROI included a 98% wait time improvement, an 8x increase in upsells, and significant live agent relief.

Translation technology

With machine translation, NLP, and other capabilities, AI can automatically take your marketing efforts global. This is more than just translating basic small pieces of web content in other languages, which often doesn’t produce the most accurate or natural results. AI can pick up on tone and context to provide quality translation and communication on a larger scale. As with other AI applications, this doesn’t replace professional human staff but makes their job easier and more efficient.

The translation technology industry is in high demand and thriving because it can provide significant support in translating documents, software, and websites in multiple other languages. This is crucial for meeting brand, communication, and legal standards for all pertinent audiences.

Analyzing customer feedback

AI can mine through all your customer touchpoints — from website comments and messages to product reviews and social media interactions — to synthesize all kinds of customer feedback. These insights keep you up to date on any service or product issues that need resolving and let you know what customers are liking. So you can give them more of it. AI tools can organize this info by customer, making robust customer profiles by tracking positive or negative experiences, questions, product reviews, and more.

AI algorithms can understand vocabulary that expresses a range of emotions and perspectives that “can directly shape both short-term and long-term actions to retain customers,” according to Harvard Business Review. And it can deliver this analysis in real-time, so staff across departments can all be aligned on customer behavior and pain points.

Customers aren’t shy when it comes to making their grievances or exceptional experiences heard. That’s why Bazaarvoice’s customer sentiment analysis tools give you the full rundown of what customers are saying using advanced machine learning and NLP. Not only that, but our Premium Network Insights can categorize sentiment by topic and product and compare that feedback against your competitors.

Boosting efficiency and strategy optimization

AI supplies you with insights and goes the extra mile to recommend what actions to take in response. Fein considers this one of AI’s best functions. “The most effective features in AI for marketers are ones that are built with data personal to marketers, [so] the system is saving time making recommendations similar to what the marketer would choose if they had more time themselves,” he says.

An example of this is using customer reviews as a resource to inspire product and messaging improvements. The toy manufacturer KidKraft uses Bazaarvoice Insights tools to evolve their brand according to customer demand. These tools provide KidKraft with, “an automated way to understand what customers are saying about its products and see recommended actions the brand can take to improve its marketing strategy and design better products.”

This extends to social content as well. Fein says part of Bazaarvoice’s AI can, “highlight trends in your social strategy so that the content you are spending time pushing to your discovery path [is] more likely to receive engagement.” That capability includes recommending the types and timing of content that are likely to perform well based on your past content.

AI can even predict the success of partnering with different influencers. “We have AI to help estimate the value of content generated by your influencers to help you gauge the ROI of those relationships,” says Fein.

AI tools can scan product catalogs to reveal product pages that require content coverage like reviews and visual UGC to display that would enhance the product’s presentation. Customers who interact with this type of UGC on e-commerce sites are twice as likely to convert.

“AI can benefit e-commerce brands by [reducing] the amount of steps in scaling their business. When managing a full catalog and ensuring it’s properly covered in the tons of channels out there, AI can help step in and help automate some of the steps in that process,” says Fein.

Drive your marketing strategy forward with AI

Don’t you wish you could go back in time and invest in Tesla? Back when everyone else was still scoffing at the idea of a luxury electric car? Well, that’s the current situation with AI, and specifically AI marketing. Keep an eye on AI developments and grow with the technology as it evolves and expands.

And remember: AI doesn’t replace your marketing department. It complements and enhances it. here’s some examples of how top brands are using AI, for your inspiration

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For instance, when you plug this into DALL-E 2: A vase of corded earbuds that look like flowers, illustrated the image generator comes up with this:

The image isn’t perfect. But it does complete several complex marketing tasks at once, connecting concepts, products, tone, and palettes. The image could be the starting point for a single ad or a whole campaign. 

Even as it poses interesting philosophical questions for professionals, there’s no doubt AI is touching every creative field — from writing to visual art to music and animation. With careful direction, AI can certainly be an asset to your e-commerce business.

As the world continues to try to catch up to the advancements in AI technology, marketers and advertisers can benefit in many ways. AI can (and will) assist human-led efforts to create meaningful marketing collateral, gather results, and apply insights to new campaigns.

The faster you get the hang of these powerful tools, the more deeply you can understand their impact on your target audience and use them to grow your business — all while maintaining brand quality and integrity.

How artificial intelligence is already (re)shaping the e-commerce landscape

Generative AI collects vast stores of knowledge and data and uses machine learning to algorithmically generate new images, text, and programs based on simple prompts from users. Since OpenAI released ChatGPT and DALL-E to the public in 2022, generative AI has been rapidly changing the way we interact with people and products online.  

For instance, AI has made conversational commerce a breeze. Chatbots and text messaging services can now instantly and accurately answer customer questions.

AI also adds extra layers of personalization throughout the customer journey — from answering specific inquiries to recommending relevant product reviews to advanced translation and localization to navigation suggestions. Deep learning enables AI models to fine-tune personalized messaging all the time. 

It’s even modernizing legacy brands. For example, Mens’ Wearhouse’s new suite of AI assistants makes it easier than ever to shop for suits online or in person. And it’s making online shopping more accessible thanks to new features like voice commerce. Estée Lauder’s new voice assistant, VMA, helps visually-impaired users find the right shade of makeup for their skin. 

Ad Age summarizes it well: Using AI in advertising helps marketers “bring creative ideas to life, eliminate production drudgery, and allow low-stress testing and experimentation.” 

Brands in the beauty, apparel, consumer electronics, consumer packaged goods, and home improvement industries especially can benefit from learning the ins and outs of using AI in advertising. For companies with diverse audiences and products that are used on a daily basis, advertising can always be more accurate, personal, and creative.

Let’s dive deeper into the benefits, use cases and examples of AI in advertising for e-commerce sellers. 

Drawbacks of using AI in your advertising strategy

Generative AI is a “creative” force, but exactly how “creative” these AI models can be is up for debate and subject to rapid change. Marketers need to be wary of taking outputs directly from AI and delivering those to customers. Even advanced tools like ChatGPT have been known to deliver fabricated or plagiarized information. 

E-commerce brands looking to experiment with AI ads should be wary of:

• False or fabricated information
• Copyright infringement
• Plagiarism
• Inaccurate recommendations
• Misrepresentational design
• AI-generated ad copy that is discriminatory against certain groups or individuals
• Problems with data privacy or leaks

So even though AI can assist in marketing strategy, ad creation, optimization, and more, it’s not ready to autonomously carry out marketing campaigns. 

Benefits of AI for e-commerce advertisers

Overall, AI saves you time and makes marketing workflows more efficient. However, there’s also a number of specific, concrete benefits that will help you grow your e-commerce business. Business benefits include: 

• Higher ad volume. Programmatic advertising makes it easy to generate variations on ad creative at scale (as long as you have the budget for it!). More ads = greater presence on social media as a result
• Improved ad relevancy. AI can create content that’s tailored to audience demographics and preferences, as well as user behavior. Ads can also be automatically optimized for ad networks such as Google, Facebook/Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn 
• Higher conversion rates. Due to increased reach and better (re)targeting of ad content, customers are more likely to click “buy” at the end of their journey  
• Increased customer engagement. Better targeting means customers are more likely to react, respond, and share your content
• More actionable insights from campaign results. AI can tailor customer data-based insights to your business metrics and goals

Marketing teams can apply learnings from AI tools instantly, creating a continuous loop of ideation, human and robot feedback, and product development. 

How e-commerce brands can effectively use AI in advertising

AI can be used in advertising for online retailers in a number of ways, including:

• Personalizing ads to individual customers. With its ability to process vast amounts of data, AI platforms have the power to deliver personalized ad content in a variety of formats. AI can track inputs such as a customer’s browsing history and purchasing patterns and use this information to recommend new products
• Optimizing ad placement. AI tools can determine the best places to place ads, such as on websites that are relevant to the product being advertised. Best of all, it can carry out placement at scale
• Measuring the effectiveness of ads. AI can be used to track the number of people who see an ad, how many people click on it, and how much money is generated from the ad
• Automating tasks. Generative AI automates repetitive tasks like assembling and scheduling ads
• Generating real-time insights. AI assistants can transform customer data into valuable insights and reports in real-time, creating new opportunities for revenue across the customer journey

While these current use cases of AI advertising are exciting, we’re just starting to see the potential of AI in e-commerce. 

Examples of e-commerce brands already using AI in advertising

Several companies have already deployed advanced machine learning, automation, and generative AI in their advertising. These brands are looking to AI tools to bolster their brand, build awareness and, ultimately, sell more products.

Here’s three examples across retail, beauty, and home improvement. 

1. Walmart

Bazaarvoice partner Walmart has been investing in AI technology over the past several years to improve the customer experience both online and in stores. The company recently rolled out a new initiative, IRL, in a single store in New York. IRL is an experimental approach to using AI for all aspects of the in-store experience for both employees and customers, from inventory and restocking to produce and meat freshness notifications to help kiosks. 

The Walmart app also records data on customer preferences and, thanks to AI, can let customers know online or in-store if an item they want is low in stock. 

In an interview with CNBC, Anshu Bhardwaj, senior vice president of tech strategy and commercialization at Walmart, said that the ultimate goal is to minimize dissonance between customer desires and customer behaviors. 

2. Sephora

Sephora has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to personalization and customer service. The company’s “Live Beauty” chatbot is one of the many ways customers can instantly find what they need. They also offer various beauty quizzes and product-recommendation tools to narrow down choices across categories, such as shades of foundation. 

While chatbots and quizzes have always been a great way to interact with customers on a conversational level, Sephora is also applying advanced AI algorithms to continue those conversations wherever potential customers may be. 

For instance, customers may see product recommendations for lipstick shades they prefer across social media, in banner ads, or on the site itself. 

3. Behr Paint 

Choosing a paint color for your home DIY project can be overwhelming. Behr Paint uses IBM Watson’s AI advertising technology to engage customers in 1:1 conversations and deliver personalized paint color recommendations.

According to IBM, “Conversations use Watson’s machine learning, as well as Natural Language capabilities, to scale personalized connections with consumers, without using cookies or personally identifiable information.”

The trailblazers of e-commerce all have one thing in common: they’re betting big on AI being a major part of the customer experience moving forward.  

Best practices for AI ad creation

Naturally, as a marketing manager, you’ll want to avoid the pitfalls of misusing AI. You’ll also want to make the most of the opportunities that powerful AI models present for retailers.

Here’s our top tips for implementing AI in e-commerce advertising: 

• Use AI as a starting point, not a finished product. AI gets so much right, but it also gets things wrong. AI can help you generate ideas, like Instagram captions, but you need to shape and refine them. And don’t forget to copyedit and fact-check ad copy before sending content out into the world 
• Listen to your customers. You probably won’t get your AI ads right the very first time. Ask for feedback on your marketing campaigns and see which customer experiences resonate the most, then double down on those efforts 
• Incorporate UGC into your AI campaigns. Customer ratings and reviews can teach you almost as much as advanced machine learning. Use your collected UGC as inputs for your AI-powered campaigns 
• Be careful with consumer data. You can use AI to send personalized ads to existing customers and people who are likely to be interested in your product or service — as long as you don’t violate their trust. Follow data privacy laws and guidelines and only input data that you’ve gotten permission to use  
• Track your ad results. Use data tools such as Google Analytics to track the performance of your AI ads and see what’s working and what’s not
• Test and optimize your ads. AI tools are great for rapid experimentation since you can generate new designs and copy quickly. Try out new ad formats, copy, and targeting to see what works best
• Keep your ads fresh. Use automation to update your ads regularly and provide fresh content to your audience
• Be creative. You have a powerful new creative partner in AI. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box with your AI ad campaigns 

Getting start with AI

With the advertising industry catching up to AI trends, agencies will no doubt start to produce high-budget and cutting-edge campaigns. But even in-house marketers at small and medium-size businesses can get in on the ground floor to create inspiring experiences for their customers while staying loyal to brand values and mission. The sooner you start, the better. Learn more about AI in advertising in our full guide to AI marketing.

Or go a step further and discover the transformative potential of AI in shaping content strategy authentically in our on-demand masterclass: How to use AI strategically and responsibly.

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In 2023, AI assistants are everywhere — they’re completing your sentences, managing your projects, scheduling your meetings, and making your playlists. But what if we told you an AI assistant could do your makeup for you?

In January, Estée Lauder launched VMA, or voice-enabled makeup assistant, that does just that. VMA uses both face scanning and voice commands to help visually impaired customers apply the right shades of foundation, mascara, and blush to their faces. It’s just one of the many ways voice-enabled AI will shape the future of the customer experience, improving not only business outcomes but also painting a bright picture of inclusivity and accessibility.

Voice commerce, or v-commerce, will become an increasingly important element of e-commerce in the years to come. As people become accustomed to conversational commerce from the comfort of their own homes and mobile phones, voice assistants will play a bigger role in how they interact with brands. 

Brands will benefit from learning how to harness the power of v-commerce. Here’s how AI-powered voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa can go above and beyond for you.

What is voice commerce? 

Voice commerce is a type of e-commerce experience that allows customers to buy products and services using voice commands. Designed by online retailers to work with voice assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Microsoft’s Cortana, voice commerce reduces friction in the customer journey and tailors the buying experience to each person who uses it. 

Voice-enabled commerce is a relatively new technology, but thanks to recent leaps in artificial intelligence development, it’s quickly advancing in functionality and popularity. 

In terms of practical use, voice commerce is especially well-suited for industries such as beauty, apparel, packaged goods, consumer electronics, and home improvement because of the huge number of content and products available. With voice commerce, you can discover products, look at pricing, and make purchases without manually typing in requests via search engines.  

Hey Alexa, how does voice commerce work?

Voice commerce works at various stages of the customer journey in online shopping — from product discovery and checkout to customer service and support. 

The tech used in voice commerce deploys voice recognition and natural language processing (NLP) software to interpret voice commands and respond accordingly. Newer voice commerce models implement advanced AI and machine learning to adjust responses based on the user’s preferences, sizing, previous purchases, and location.

Whether the customer wants to compare prices for certain products, learn about different models, or add an item to a cart, voice-activated digital assistants can carry out the request in real time. 

For instance, say you’re in the market for a new coffee maker. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you can ask your smart device questions or issue commands such as: 

Hey Google, what’s the difference between a Chemex and an Aeropress?

Hey Siri, how much does a Chemex cost?

Alexa, I’d like to order a Chemex on Amazon. 

Alexa, what’s my order status for the Chemex? 

As a consumer, it’s easy to see why online shopping with voice commands is convenient. It’s as easy as asking a friend to pick something up at the store. 

For online stores, implementing voice commerce is one step closer to a complete omnichannel customer experience. You can reach your ideal customer where they are, when they need you. You’ll also reduce steps in the buying process — no need to attract customers to your site, direct them through multiple landing pages, and have them manually enter payment info. 

Benefits of voice commerce for customers and sellers

Voice commerce is an emerging channel that will develop as new technologies advance. Some of the current and future benefits of voice commerce for consumers are:

• Hands-free convenience. No need to log into accounts, type in search queries, or sift through endless ads
• Frictionless online payments. With payment info stored in smart devices, customers don’t have to manually enter credit card info
• Personalized shopping experiences. Voice assistants collect and process data from previous purchases so that every interaction is personalized for repeat customers
• Knowledgeable voice assistants. Generative AI assistants are getting smarter by the day, harnessing the world’s knowledge and sharing it with users 

Business owners will see impactful benefits as well, such as: 

• Increased customer satisfaction. With voice assistants that “know” their wants and needs, deployed by brands they trust, voice commerce will make the customer experience more empathetic and human (plus, voice assistants can easily collect feedback about how to improve customer service) 
• Reduced support costs. Much like Questions & Answers, voice assistants can also deliver operational cost savings by reducing the volume of requests to your support team. Customers communicate in their preferred way, and get the answers they need without needing to call your support line

With the assistance of generative AI models such as ChatGPT, voice assistants will only become more valuable as functionality increases. Voice commerce models will not only be able to respond more accurately to user questions and commands, but they will also be able to predict user needs and prompt them to take specific actions. 

Ok Google: What does voice commerce sound like in 2023?

There’s never been a better time to get started with voice commerce. Here’s a few facts and figures about the current state of voice commerce within the overall e-commerce landscape:

• 20% of Google searches are voice searches
• 62% of smart speaker users say they’ll probably use their speakers to make a purchase in the upcoming month 
• The smart speaker market is expected to exceed $30 billion by 2024
• As of May 2022, 54% of U.S. consumers are using voice-activated search for retail
• Voice assistants on the market will increase to 8 billion by 2023 (up from 2.5 billion in 2018)
• The estimated value of voice commerce transactions in 2023 is $19.4 billion (up from just $4.6 billion in 2021) 

With online shopping reaching new peaks every year and the use of generative AI becoming widespread, businesses can take advantage of these new technological advances to reach new audiences.

V commerce best practices

The tech behind voice commerce may be advanced, but getting started with it isn’t as complex as it sounds. 

• Do SEO for voice search. Yes, many voice commerce systems are directly linked to search engines like Google. Items you sell via voice commerce should be linked to relevant keywords and phrases that people are likely to use when searching for products or services on voice assistants — think long-tail, full sentence keywords
• Create voice-friendly content. Write content that’s easy for voice assistants to understand and that provides the information that people are looking for. Often people engage with voice assistants conversationally, so include colloquialisms and phrases common to the spoken language 
• Offer voice-activated shopping. Aka, allowing people to purchase products or services using their voice. Bonus points if you can optimize the checkout process to occur in as few steps as possible
• Provide customer support through voice assistants and/or voice-assisted chatbots. Make it possible for people to get help with their orders or questions using their voice
• Track voice commerce results. Set measurable performance indicators such as the number of voice searches, voice-activated purchases, and voice support requests that you receive. Voice commerce is only one sales channel, and the benchmarks you set for it should be aligned with your overall company goals 
• Implement key findings from customer insights. Use tools such as Bazaarvoice’s Insights and Reports tool to transform user-generated reviews and answers into actionable insights for your e-commerce strategy 

AI and the future of commerce

It may seem too early to depend on Google Home or Amazon Echo to bring in impactful revenue — but it’s the perfect time to experiment with the effects it can have on your customers and your business. 

Consider voice commerce as a sandbox and see in what novel and interesting ways your customers will interact with your products. You might discover conversations you never thought you’d have or opportunities to improve acquisition that were sitting right under your nose. After all, robots aren’t the only ones that can listen. You can listen to them, too. 

Voice commerce is just the latest trend in the AI evolution. Next learn how to leverage the innovative tech for e-commerce in our guide to AI marketing.

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As a result, it’s increasingly important for businesses to stay relevant and on top of these changes.

Generative AI can definitely make content creation faster, easier, and at a higher quality, but when it comes to consumer trust and brand safety, authenticity and transparency should always come first. So, in this post, I want to share Bazaarvoice’s approach to generative AI with authenticity, including our development principles and recommendations for industry-wide practices in e-commerce.

What is generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Generative AI is an advanced technology that powers applications like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Google Bard.

It enables machines to learn and create new content for a specific task without being explicitly trained on that task. That means it can generate a vast amount of high-quality and unique text, image, and audio content.

Generative AI at Bazaarvoice

We’ve been working with AI and machine learning in our products for over 10 years. It’s currently powering better moderation capabilities, deeper insights into consumer sentiment, more effective content syndication, and so much more. It’s an area we invest a lot in for research and development.

But here’s the thing: generative AI has some serious implications when it comes to online shopping. And that means we need to be responsible with how we use these tools.

If businesses and their providers use AI haphazardly, it could negatively impact consumer trust in online content. That trust is the cornerstone of building a relationship with your shoppers online. According to our own research, 97% of respondents say fake reviews make them lose trust in a brand.

In terms of generative AI, if people can’t trust whether a product review is genuine and written by a real user, they might choose to shop elsewhere. So, we as an industry need to think carefully about how we approach this technology in a thoughtful and ethical way.

How to remain transparent

Over our history, we have prioritized staying up to date with regulatory requirements around the world and giving input to regulatory bodies where appropriate. We’re committed to continuing to align our approach with FTC best-practices and other major international regulators.

We want to be crystal clear and provide strong recommendations for our fellow consumer content platforms.

1. Authenticity is paramount: We don’t use AI to write reviews on behalf of consumers. It’s important that reviews come from real people with genuine experiences
   
2. Avoid bias: We don’t give shoppers leading questions that might influence their opinions. Instead, we focus on objective and unbiased guidance so that reviews are more detailed and useful
   
3. Respect privacy and security: We never share any personally identifiable information (PII) of shoppers with AI providers. Privacy and security are always a top priority.
   
4. Give users control: We believe users should have control to edit their content
   
5. Account for mistakes and errors: We learn from mistakes to continuously improve our solution and provide a better experience

We’ll continue to keep a pulse on consumer sentiment and regulations around this generative AI and similar technology, which will certainly change as consumers shift their habits. We’ll always keep these principles at the forefront and be open to evolving our perspectives as we monitor requirements from regulators and expectations from shoppers.

Ready for generative AI: new features from Bazaarvoice

It’s an exciting time for technological innovation to enhance the shopping experience while also reinforcing our vision to keep the shopping experience radically transparent.

We know how important it is to collect content quickly and provide shoppers with the best tools to create high-quality content. That’s why we’ve been hard at work developing new features that will not only boost conversion on your site but also supercharge your marketing team’s productivity.

Review Coach

We know consumers trust the opinion of others like them and we want to help your shoppers create even better content. Our new review coaching feature provides proactive and unbiased coaching on how to leave thorough and helpful product reviews.

With sentiment-neutral, AI-powered prompts and stimulating questions, we guide your content creators to make higher-quality reviews that truly help other shoppers make informed choices. Plus, these reviews are keyword-rich, which means additional SEO benefits for your brand.

Caption this Photo

If you’re a social media marketer, you’re going to love this! Our AI-powered image captioning feature takes the guesswork out of creating effective content for Instagram. When scheduling posts, our system uses computer vision to understand the images and product tags, and generates captions that match your brand’s tone and voice. This saves you time and effort, while ensuring your social media content is on point.

Automated Answers to Questions

Say goodbye to delays in customer support! Our new generative AI-enhanced capabilities allow your high-intent shoppers to get answers to their questions in real time while providing transparency that the content is AI-generated. It’s the next evolution of our “ask a product owner.”

This means quicker and more efficient decision-making for your customers, leading to increased sales.

Improved Insights

We’re able to provide key AI-powered insights about your content and program. This means you can gain valuable insights and data-driven recommendations to optimize your marketing strategies and enhance your customer experience.

Delve into AI’s impact on content collection, creation, data analysis, consumer experiences, and workflow streamlining in our new on-demand masterclass: How to use AI strategically and responsibly.

Retail tech spending is set to surge to $210 billion in the year 2020 alone. This increase reflects the growing number of retailers that are seeing the benefits that investing in these technologies can have. 

Over the past few years, we’ve seen considerable advancements made in the field of retail technology to make it progressively more intelligent and consumer focused than ever before. From 1-800-FLOWERS allowing consumers to place orders directly from their Amazon Echo to L’Oréal’s recent investment in AR technology, it’s evident that today’s top retail companies are betting on their tech investments to maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

These priorities align with the current consumer trends the industry has been seeing. In a recent survey, 51% of customers stated that they would stop shopping at a retailer completely after just one negative experience. Investing in technology that has the capability to drive satisfaction can help you increase customer retention rates and ultimately achieve retail success.

Let’s dive into a few of the most prominent retail tech trends and the impact they’re having on the retail industry.

Expanded search capabilities

Search capabilities have been a hot topic of discussion in the industry over the past few years, and we’re now seeing diversified search capabilities becoming an integral part of the retail world. 

Chatbots have become increasingly advanced over the last decade with a stronger focus on consumer engagement. Many versions of this user interface tool now have the capability to answer customers’ questions and to assist them with product-specific search queries. Chatbots offer companies the ability to eliminate expensive call centers, cutting down on time-to-sale and increasing productivity rates.

Additionally, investing in voice search related products has been on the rise for retailers. Experts predict 40% of consumers will be using a digital assistant for their purchasing needs within the next three years. This significant spike is related to a surge in voice-enabled devices (such as Google Homes or Amazon Alexa products) and a consumer demand for more unique and convenient shopping experiences. With voice search, customers can use their voices to search for a product, read reviews, and even complete their purchases from the comfort of their own home.

Automation 

Automating your organization’s procurement procedure can be extremely valuable. Source-to-pay can be complicated, especially for larger companies, but an automated process can help mitigate the stress. Using an enterprise resource planning system can help businesses manage their supplier relations with ease. All aspects, such as sourcing, contracting, payment, and risk management, can be simplified with the use of this technology.

Robotics is another source of automation technology that’s helping shape the future of supply chain management. Advanced robotics can improve the speed and accuracy of warehouse personnel as they prepare items for their consumers. These robots are able to recognize the desired product, pick it off the shelf, and send it to be packaged. 

Tech-enabled customization

Recent years have seen a surge in the number of retailers implementing customizable shopping experiences on their sites. This technology allows a customer to fully design a unique product from top to bottom. Whether it be cars, apparel, or electronics, customers are able to build the product they envision before making a purchase.

This trend is helping retailers meet high consumer expectations and demands. Customers are becoming increasingly willing to reveal information about themselves in exchange for more personalized products. This unique opportunity allows retailers to analyze the information and use it to create better products in the future, putting them a step ahead of the competition. 

Artificial intelligence 

Artificial intelligence (AI) gives machines the ability to perform tasks that would have historically required a human to perform them. By implementing this technology, companies are now able to target specific ads to their customers through tailored recommendations for products that are of interest to them. Using real time data, the customer are segmented into relevant groupings based on their past purchasing behaviors so advertisements that appear on other websites, and social networks, will be of relevance and interest to them. This use of AI can be helpful for retailers looking to attract more consumers with a higher likelihood of purchasing. It can also help organizations optimize their Google search rankings by using advanced data to curate more relevant content and better-allocate budgets toward their marketing strategy.

Augmented reality (AR) is a newer advancement playing a significant role in the success of AI implementation for retail giants. AR allows customers to use their mobile devices to see how an item would look on themselves or in a specific location. We’ve seen this with products such as furniture, eyeglasses, and even hair color. AR helps bring products to life and creates a unique experience that gives customers better insight into their purchases before making a decision.

Additionally, machine learning can help retailers more efficiently parse through and identify trends from their data. Instead of trying to make sense of individual customer reviews, retailers can rely on machine learning-powered tools to conduct sentiment analysis of the user-generated content across their catalog to better understand product and UGC performance and identify opportunities to their business to the next level.

These breakthrough advancements are just the beginning of a trend that will likely continue throughout the years, and it’s a welcomed change by consumers. This is evidenced by the fact that each year a larger number of retailers are acquiring tech companies in order to stand out above the competition. Retailers such as Walmart, Nordstrom, and McDonald’s have all recently acquired impressive new technology that will help them compete in a market primarily dominated by Amazon. As digital innovations and consumer trends continue to emerge each day, which retailer will be the next to invest in retail technology?

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Want to get ahead in 2020? Connect with us here.

Because of this growth in our content volume and network, many products now have hundreds or thousands of reviews. But from our observations, few shoppers take the time to read all the reviews about any product. Distilling “what’s good” and “what’s bad” about a product and making those insights quickly available to shoppers is a frequent request from retailers and brands that work with us. Today’s news is so exciting because it means we can serve customers by helping them make better purchase decisions when they shop inside the Bazaarvoice Network.

We’re excited to announce that Bazaarvoice has acquired AddStructure, which is hands-down the best firm we’ve seen leverage natural language processing and machine learning to create specific applications for e-commerce and consumer-generated content (CGC).  Since its founding and growth in the Techstars Retail Accelerator, a program in partnership with Target, AddStructure has worked with some of the largest and most innovative retailers – such as Target and Best Buy – to summarize large amounts of CGC to help surface the most useful information and improve search and discovery for shoppers. AddStructure is leading the pack in solving difficult problems in e-commerce — like knowing that “quiet” is good for dishwashers, but bad for headphones. Simple natural language processing tools simply can’t compare to what the AddStructure team has built.

This closely follows the acquisition of Bazaarvoice itself by Marlin Equity Partners. A key part of our decision to go private was to deliver on our long-term strategy of increasing value to all stakeholders in the Bazaarvoice Network of consumers, brands, and retailers. Acquiring AddStructure is the first step in a process to do just that.

AddStructure’s advanced capabilities in natural language processing and machine learning are an incredible addition to Bazaarvoice’s technology stack. We have already started work to integrate all of AddStructure’s products into the Bazaarvoice offering. But we’re most excited about AddStructure’s technology as a platform for future innovation and to help us achieve our mission of building the world’s smartest network of consumers, brands, and retailers, so that every shopping experience feels personal.   

We’ll begin by rolling out an advanced version of review summarization and follow up by improving the speed and accuracy of automated moderation. Both of these features are important to our core business, and we can start rolling them out to our clients right away.

Further improvements to our product catalog, search engine optimization tools for category-level pages, and other applications across our Ratings & Reviews, Questions & Answers, and Curations platforms are also in the works. In an internal demonstration project, AddStructure co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Will Underwood showcased the ability to build a grocery list with the sound of his voice. We couldn’t be more excited to explore these new technology additions, while we develop the future of shopping alongside our clients.

AddStructure’s content summarization and product graph have been developed to serve English-language clients and, initially, these enhancements are available to sites with English-language content. However, the AddStructure team believes access to one of the world’s largest databases of content in other languages will accelerate the development of the machine learning tools and product knowledge graph necessary to successfully work in global languages with Bazaarvoice’s global clients.

Clients that use AddStructure today will continue to receive the great products and support they have historically received. We’ll be looking forward to adding members of AddStructure’s client success team to Bazaarvoice, so we can begin working together to visit our current clients and discuss different synergies in the post-acquisition environment.

We believe that AddStructure will supercharge our internal investments in data science and data analytics. What’s more, there are numerous other natural language processing capabilities that remain interesting to us from an acquisition and internal development standpoint. If what you read above is exciting and you would like to join one of the best teams in data science working on one of the world’s largest sets of consumer data, please connect with us on the Bazaarvoice Careers page.

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome AddStructure into the Bazaarvoice family, as we build the future of consumer-generated content and enhance the e-commerce experience for brands, retailers, and consumers.