Mediaboss Marketing

Want to get viral page views? That's easy. Write a piece called: "AI is going to replace _____ [insert creative professions here] - and... it's already happening! " Update your LinkedIn profile everyone; you're porked!

I already blew a gasket about AI displacing content creators. But a new piece, larded up with sensationalist BS, got me going again, because of this assertion: "You've probably read its work without realising it's an AI."

Then I got a chance to put a new (free) AI writing generator, YouWrite, through its paces. My goal?

Find out if enterprise media - the kind we do on diginomica - is in clear and present AI danger. Here's what I've concluded:

Let's start with Danny's workmate is called GPT-3. You've probably read its work without realising it's an AI. These articles got a second wind because GPT-3 is clearly an advance in bot sophistication - much moreso than Meta's new Blenderbot, which is already getting trashed for being a comparatively dumb (and weird) bot. But GPT-3 has a few things going for it, which leads us to Danny's GPT-3 workmate. The piece asserts:

Danny Mahoney's workmate never leaves, sleeps, or takes a break. Day after day, the AI writing assistant churns out blog posts, reviews, company descriptions and the like for clients of Andro Media, Mr. Mahoney's digital marketing company in Melbourne.

No accident: this example is about marketing copy. That's just about the only type of copy where the bar is low enough to accept AI verbiage, and use it at web scale. I'd love to see a compelling, bot-generated blog post (no examples are provided). There's an uncharted technical gulf between a short company blurb, and a coherent post.

"Writers are expensive. And there's a limit to how much quality content a human can produce," Mr. Mahoney says.

Well yes, that's why writing is a profession.

"You can get the same quality of content using AI tools. You just get it faster."

Since I've never seen a coherent article generated by AI, I'll call BS on that.

Every SEO [Search Engine Optimisation] agency that I've spoken with uses AI to some extent.

Sure, but that's about jamming web sites with keyword-generated schlock, manouvering one step ahead of Google, which is cracking down on that same bot-generated content.

Another example:

The AI tool now writes pretty much everything for his company, Moto Dynamics, which sells motorcycles and organises racing events. Its output includes employee bios, marketing copy, social media posts, and business proposals.

I wouldn't let a bot near my own bio, but go ahead, generate some raw copy. Have fun posting bios loose on facts (bots suck at getting facts completely right; they like to run "facts" up text pattern flagpoles).

Bots excel at mediocre, short blurbs of text that provide a boilerplate paragraph or two on a given topic. I'd bet my Doordash lunch, however, that these bots are not creating effective social media posts. Short-form posts require cleverness to stand out amidst deafening social noise - that's not for bots. Announcing this Sunday's dirt bike race? Sure, a bot can do that.

The "Danny's workmate" article - which is well-researched, I concede - goes on to ask the question "can AI write good?" The proof points? More generic paragraphs. Bots can't handle the narratives readers need for article-length content. Paragraphs are base camp. Narratives are AI's Mount Everest, and the technology is not close. Notice that the article did not include a good lead paragraph sample... Bots can't provide the hook, and the hook is kind of a big deal - in marketing and beyond. Then the article backs up, reverting to this quote:

"It helps you overcome the blank-page problem."

If you stare at the blank screen, maybe seeing machine-generated junk spewed on it would get you started. It's more accurate to say:

Which brings me to YouWrite. YouWrite is a free, AI text generation engine launched by You.com search. With sign up, you get 50 free text generation attempts (I think that resets monthly). YouWrite churns out a paragraph of content at a time - about what AI is capable of.

I thought: why not test YouWrite's enterprise chops? Can YouWrite put me out of a job?

YouWrite has a really elegant, clean design. You choose the type of writing, the type of audience, and provide keywords to get the bot started. I started with - what else? Digital transformation:

I picked "persuasive" for the tone, because, let's face it, we all need to be persuaded about so-called "digital transformation." YouWrite served up:

Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword it's a fundamental shift in the way businesses operate. By embracing digital technologies, companies can create new opportunities and efficiencies, improve customer engagement, and drive growth.

However, embarking on a digital transformation journey can be daunting. It's important to have a clear strategy and roadmap in place, as well as the right tools and resources. Professional services firms can help organizations navigate this journey and achieve success.

Pretty accurate. But I would never use it, unless I was trying to get a project manager to take a nap. What if we dial back the promotion? I tried "digital transformation" again on YouWrite, but selected a "neutral" tone:

Digital transformation is a process that helps organizations to change the way they work in order to meet the demands of the digital age. It enables them to use technology in new ways to improve their performance and competitiveness. By embracing digital technologies, businesses can create innovative customer experiences, optimize operations, and discover new sources of revenue.

I wouldn't call that neutral, but that's a notable tone shift. Now, YouWrite's "witty" option scared me a little. If bots start getting witty, I start updating my resume. Here is the "witty" version of "digital transformation":

Digital transformation is a critical process for businesses in the 21st century. It allows companies to take advantage of new technologies and changes in consumer behavior to remain competitive. By digitizing their operations, businesses can improve efficiency, create new products and services, and better understand their customers. While there are challenges associated with digital transformation, the potential benefits make it a necessary step for any company looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Okay, not so witty. How does YouWrite feel about low-code? Here's the "persuasive" version:

Low code platforms are revolutionizing the way professionals build and deploy applications. By abstracting away much of the complexity of traditional programming, low code platforms allow anyone with basic coding skills to create sophisticated software solutions. This makes low code an ideal platform for prototyping and proof-of-concepts, as well as for small businesses that need to quickly develop custom applications without investing in a full-time developer.

If you're persuaded by this, I know some low-code vendors who would just love a word with you. Here's the "witty" version:

Low code is the perfect solution for businesses that want to get up and running quickly with little or no programming experience. Low code platforms allow you to create custom applications without having to write a single line of code.

Witty? No, but if you need a couple lines of overhyped assertions for your web site, and want to come off like a tech carnival barker, feel free to copy/paste that.

I give YouWrite credit for attempting to provide "witty" bot text. I suspect there are some wittier responses outside of tech jargon. But bots can't really be witty. You can teach them to be provocative, punchy, and offensive. YouWrite's bot struggled with "neutral" when it comes to tech terminology. What does that say about the model, training data, or our underlying techno-optimism?

Still, the bot's ability to shift from "persuasive" to (somewhat) "neutral" was pretty cool. Notice, however, that the bot didn't provide choices like "critical" or "expert." For high-caliber enterprise writing, I'd go with:

1. expert/knows their stuff (most important quality),

2. critical (ability to evaluate tech hype and vendor speak) and, yes,

3. witty/clever/creative.

4. satirical or snarky, to keep it real. Oh, and don't take for granted: a coherent blog narrative.

Notably, AI comes up quite short on all my top characteristics. Crafting a working definition of digital transformation is redundant with Wikipedia.

Frankly, marketers should be insulted that these AI bot articles throw your profession under the bus. Can marketers can get away with such low quality that AI can step in and replace you? The "Danny's workmate" article says:

With proper guidance, GPT-3 (and other AI writing tools) can be good enough for standard professional writing tasks like work emails or content marketing, where speed is more important than style.

Work emails? Tread carefully. Style is not important to work emails, but facts and specifics are everything. Bots can save you time with a one-liner, like "got the TPS report," but if you want to keep your job, I wouldn't take it further.

Content-for-marketing? Perhaps.

Content marketing? No. There is a monster difference between content-for-marketing and content marketing. Verbiage a marketer could plug into a web site - maybe AI can help. But "content marketing" is now very competitive. Content marketing is meant to engage the distracted reader, through exceptional entertainment or relevance. You're not winning at content marketing with bots.

Ironically, these sensational stories miss where AI can have true impact: all the tools that support the creative process. AI excels at analyzing articles for contextual keyword usage., or even spitting out possible article headlines for consideration. My two main uses cases: transcripts and grammar/spell check/writing improvement, the latter of which I used on this piece (see: How an AI service won me over by becoming an AI platform - the Otter.ai machine learning transcription example).

Lackluster paragraphs of buzzword-drenched AI text isn't going to help good marketers become great marketers. The race to the bottom is another matter.

For now, enterprise writing is safe from robotic authors. We aren't safe, however, from the algorithms that decide which content matters. Short-form virality dominates our online discourse. The warning I issued last year still applies:

If engagement is the chosen KPI, isn't the door open to all kinds of "snackable" content, fleeting-but-measurable content moments, each of which can be followed by the next sensationalized bite? If so, that's the type of content AI is potentially capable of creating.

This redefinition of "quality" via engagement, and (AI created) content snacks threaten hand-crafted creative content? If we say "yes," that's a tragic concession. We would be accepting life in a distracted dystopia of factually ambiguous content "snacks."

Fortunately for enterprise content creators, we need more than snackable content to get projects across the finish line, or see transformations through. Complex issues require deeper content dives.

But: if the world around us descends into viral content snacking, I don't like our chances. Instead of celebrating AI's ability to polarize us, we should push back. That may seem like it's beyond the scope of diginomica; I'm not so sure. We can't operate in enterprise productivity bubbles. It falls on us, then, to show why human-crafted content still matters, rather than celebrating the modest content achievements of machines that excel at other things.

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Are B2B content creators threatened by AI text bots? Putting YouWrite to the test - Diginomica

Ill give you one guess about the answer to the titular question: Is getting an SEO certification worth it?

Its every SEO pros favorite response.

Thats right: It depends! (If it didnt, this would be a much shorter article.)

SEO certifications can be valuable if youre new to the industry or expanding your skillset into different disciplines.

But do you need a specific certification to be successful? Probably not.

Certifications and courses are great for building your base skills and familiarity with industry tools. But SEO evolves so quickly that experience and testing are often the best teachers.

Experienced SEO pros who can prove results dont need certifications for work they already do.

But you still might find something helpful in the right training. Everyone needs to upskill.

Lets examine which certifications could be the most valuable for your time or money.

There isnt one single widely-recognized SEO certification. Theres no SEO degree or common curriculum which might sound discouraging if youre trying to learn how to get started in SEO.

But it makes sense.

SEO is a huge discipline that requires many skills and includes many people.

Developers, designers, writers, marketers, data analysts, influencers, salespeople, managers, and other professionals all have something to add to the SEO industry.

There are tons of ways to contribute and plenty of entry points.

However, the academic community seems to be taking more notice lately. Certifications offered by colleges have started popping up.

Many businesses offer their own courses and certifications. But, these can be pricy.

The short answer is: Pay for what you learn, not for the certificate.

With the number of free resources out there, from SEO beginner guides to advanced SEO strategy guides, I dont advise paying a lot of money for basic certification.

The certificate itself probably isnt whats going to move the needle for you.

This industry cares about what you can prove and for the most part, all a certificate proves is that you can Google the answers to multiple-choice questions.

On the other hand, the courses themselves can be extremely valuable when they go beyond the basics. If theres a course you want to take, and you think youll gain helpful skills from it, then its absolutely worth paying for.

So evaluate a certification or course based on what actual educational value you get from it.

Ive also noticed that many paid certifications are companions to a specific premium SEO tool. So, theyre likely worth it if youre committing to that tool.

My advice is to check out the free content first. If you like what it does and feel like youd get actual business value out of the course or certification, then go right ahead!

Learning new skills and tools can propel your career and help you command greater compensation. Plus, a series of specialized certifications can build an impressive LinkedIn profile and CV.

If youre new to the industry, certifications can help you prove your knowledge to attract your first clients or jobs.

Unfortunately, if youre hoping for official certification from Google, it doesnt offer anything directly that fits that description.

However, it does offer certifications in all of its tools. It also provides a variety of digital marketing, career development, and data courses though not all of these come with certificates.

If you browse the Digital Garage, youll also find courses from providers outside of Google, such as Coursera and educational institutions.

The Google resources are helpful in their granularity.

You should be able to tell which are relevant and useful to you quickly. Not all will be, but you should at least consider taking tool-specific courses.

The courses are categorized by time, skill level, and whether youll get a digital certificate at the end.

At the time of writing, theyre all free so theres really no reason not to check out something youre interested in.

A Google account with a healthy selection of completed certificates can be helpful if you lack real-world experience with the tools.

Plus, Google partner organizations often require Google certifications.

This list includes some of the most highly-regarded certifications that provide a lot of value in the learning process. Ive focused on free certifications first, but well talk about paid courses that might be worth it later on.

This ones not technically an SEO certification but features SEO modules, including modules about search ads and local search.

If youre going to be using Googles tools, theres no better teacher than the people who made them.

Plus, earning certifications for all the tools you regularly use is a great and quick way to communicate your technical expertise.

This one is particularly relevant to, well, everyone who used to use Google Analytics.

GA4 brings changes and new features, so you should keep up with the times!

University of California, Davis offers this specialization in SEO.

Its a series of five courses culminating in a capstone project.

Out of all the options, this is likely the most time-intensive. Its also the most intriguing.

HubSpots Academy is legitimately cool. Its all free and online, not unlike Googles learning resources. Its also easy to search for certifications on various digital marketing-related topics.

Semrush structures its courses and certifications a bit differently.

It lists courses separately from the exams.

If youre confident in your knowledge and up for a challenge, you can quickly jump into the exams and earn a certification.

Or, you can do as many courses as you like before tackling a single exam.

Alternatively, you can skip certification exams if you dont care for them and just want to learn.

This certification exam is paired with a course of the same name, but Semrush features several SEO-focused courses and certifications.

Im cheating a little bit with this one. Theres no certification at the end of the course, but as Ive already stated, I can be dubious about the sole value of certifications themselves.

So, you wont get a digital certificate to add your LinkedIn profile but you can still brag about it.

I like this one because its no-nonsense; its a YouTube playlist. Easy access, anytime.

Im cheating again; I decided to group the paid certifications here. Trusted names in the industry offer these, so youll likely get a lot of value from them.

But if youre new to the industry and just looking to get started, consider saving these for later on.

Moz Academy

The Moz training academy includes a variety of courses.

Theres one free course to get your feet wet, but the certifications are $395 or $595.

Moz does offer a robust learning center where you can get a lot of insight from these industry veterans.

Yoast All-Around SEO Training

Yoast is the ubiquitous WordPress SEO plugin.

If youve done any work on the content side of digital marketing, youve probably encountered it.

Its training course is an annual subscription model for $99 a year. Theres a free course you can try out to get started.

Theres a critical difference between a course and a certification. Not all courses have certifications. Some of the best ones dont.

Certifications have their uses. Theyre quick ways to demonstrate proficiencies to employers and clients and if you dont have a lot of experience, they can act as proof of your skills.

Getting certified in specific tools is great for your resume if you work with them. An at-a-glance list of your certified tools is impressive and helpful!

But the content you learn is much more important than the digital certificate. You shouldnt discount a course because you dont get a certification out of it.

In fact, a digital certification in and of itself isnt particularly impressive.

Dont let that dissuade you from seeking out learning opportunities. Digital courses, both free and paid, can be critical in your career.

You can learn new skills, keep up with the industry, and command higher rates with the right application of knowledge.

Dont focus on getting SEO certified. Focus on learning SEO.

More resources:

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7 Best SEO Certifications: Are They Worth It? - Search Engine Journal

NEW YORK, Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Goldman Sachs Asset Management today announced that it will become a premier sponsor of the SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) Tech Developer, with a commitment of $2.25 million over the next three years. The SEO Tech Developer is SEO's latest initiative aimed to provide Black, Latinx, and Native American undergraduate computer science majors with the skills, coaching, and experience needed to be competitive candidates in the growing tech industry.

The grant will support the growth of the program over three years and propel the program's mission to increase diversity in the tech industry. The SEO Tech Developer, which hosted its first cohort of 62 students in Summer 2021, is an immersive training program that hones students' existing tech skills. In partnership with Codio, a leading global developer of computer science curricula, SEO Tech Developer offers students a customized curriculum centered on a team-based project approach. The program provides access to sustained exposure to industry professionals, educators, and recruiters. Since its launch, the program has shown promising results with more than85% of the inaugural cohort securing internships for Summer 2022at companies including Amazon, Meta, Google, and Microsoft.

"While Tech is a high-growth industry, only 5% of tech employees at leading tech firms identify as Black, Latinx, or Native American. We launched SEO Tech Developer to address the preparation gap facing historically underrepresented students by speeding the development of the technical and soft skills required for entry-level tech roles at leading companies," explained Julian Johnson, Executive Vice President, SEO. He added, "Our goal is to ensure students have the tools they need to land top tech roles upon graduation."

Since its inception in 2021, the SEO Tech Developer has supported over 130+ sophomore computer science and engineering majors. The program was designed under the guidance of tech industry experts and uses a 12-week approach to teachstudents key skills across CSS, Flask, API's and more in addition to a final group project to add to their portfolio. With support from Goldman Sachs, SEO Tech Developer will grow to serve 200 students annually by 2024.

"At Goldman Sachs, we strongly believe that a diverse workforce is critical for business success and are committed to advancing racial equity across industries," said Julian Salisbury, global co-head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management and SEO board member. "We are proud to support SEO in its mission to strengthen the pipeline of diverse candidates in the tech sector and positively enact change in a way that drives innovation and growth in the global economy."

For more information about SEO Tech Developer, visit https://seo-usa.org/tech.

About SEO

SEO was founded in 1963 with a mission to create a more equitable society by providing exceptional educational and career opportunities to talented and motivated young people from underserved and historically excluded communities. For almost 60 years, SEO has been an innovator in education, mentorship, peer-to-peer support, the delivery of excellence, and the leveraging of diverse networks and communities to turn untapped potential into newfound greatness. Learn more at http://www.seo-usa.org

About Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Bringing together traditional and alternative investments, Goldman Sachs Asset Management provides clients around the world with a dedicated partnership and focus on long-term performance. As the primary investing area within Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), we deliver investment and advisory services for the world's leading institutions, financial advisors and individuals, drawing from our deeply connected global network and tailored expert insights, across every region and marketoverseeing more than $2 trillion in assets under supervision worldwide as of March 31, 2022. Driven by a passion for our clients' performance, we seek to build long-term relationships based on conviction, sustainable outcomes, and shared success over time. Follow us on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Sponsors for Educational Opportunity

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Goldman Sachs Asset Management Announces Commitment to Support SEO Tech Developer to Increase Diverse Talent Within the Tech Industry - PR Newswire

It was in the 1960s that some pioneers in the US Dept of Defence decided to create an inter-connected network of all their computers to ease data sharing and communication. At the root of all human invention lies the simple need to make life easier. And with the creation of this network, the ARPANET, the US Dept of Defence had effectively ushered in a new era. An era of inter-connectivity at a hitherto unseen level. And further accelerating this phenomenon was the invention of the World Wide Web in 1989 at CERN, which was made public in 1991. Suddenly, a plethora of information became available at our fingertips. And the creation of the web served as the genesis of the age of Web 1.0. The age of the internet was born.

The commencement of the web 1.0 period was marked not only by novel technologies and greater connectivity but also by the creation of new jobs and employment opportunities. Web 1.0 signaled the arrival of new opportunities in the employment market. Jobs such as Web developer, User experience designer, software engineers and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist all were introduced into the world. For many, these jobs didnt seem lucrative and vague. But those who ventured into the possibilities that Web 1.0 offered often reaped significant rewards. The advent of Web 1.0 thus, not only signaled a change in the world of tech but also served to create new opportunities for those who were bold enough to claim them.

The trajectory of human technological advancement always follows a upward graph. And the web was no exception. With the turn of the century, newer additions were made as the nature of the web underwent some prominent changes. The websites were becoming increasingly interactive as the days of static webpages were becoming redundant. The stage was set: it was time for Web 2.0. The term was coined by Darcy DiNucci in 1999 and later popularized by Tim OReilly and Dale Dougherty at the first Web 2.0 Conference in late 2004. A Web 2.0 website allows users to interact and collaborate with each other through social media dialogue as creators of user-generated content in a virtual community. This contrasts the first generation of Web 1.0-era websites where people were limited to viewing content in a passive manner. Examples of Web 2.0 features include social networking sites or social media sites (e.g., Facebook), blogs, wikis, folksonomies (tagging keywords on websites and links),video sharingsites (e.g.,YouTube),image sharingsites (e.g.,Flickr) etc.

And with the arrival of Web 2.0, a plethora of new jobs were introduced. Occupations such as Blogger, copywriter, app developers, Web designers, digital marketer etc all became highly sought after by big tech companies. In fact, to cater to the growing demand, most educational institutions started introducing courses to teach the skillsets required to work in the Web 2.0 world. The social media revolution occurred and the world as we know it, altered.

Crypto, Blockchain and Metaverse are the buzz words in the mouth of most IT experts and followers. The transition is close by. Web 3.0 is waiting at the rafters, ready to take centre stage. Decentralisation is one of the central tenet of the next iteration of the Web. And the world is slowly advancing and accepting new technology. The recent crypto crash, and the subsequent social media reaction, is an indication of the pervasion of Web 3.0 tech in the society. And with the arrival of Web 3.0, newer employment opportunities are bound to come up. Blockchain engineers, solidity developers, blockchain software developer all seem gibberish terms but would soon evolve to be lucrative employment opportunities.

But Web 3.0 is still in its nascent stage and as such, avenues for training in these new jobs are limited. There is a considerable need for effective training tools and methods to prepare interested individuals in venturing into the new possibilities that are gradually opening up. Newer training methods will have to be introduced and syllabuses in colleges and universities would have to be updated! Some companies have already commenced training in the Metaverse, with the most obvious example being Meta (formerly Facebook). In India, ZyenaLABS has tapped into the possibility of utilizing the Metaverse as a training space by introducing Safeverse, a metaverse for providing industry-specific training.

Gartner predicts that 25% of consumers will spend at least one hour a day engaging with the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social or entertainment purposes by 2026. An indication of what the future holds. The onus is on the companies to invest in the next generation of the Web.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Industrial training in the web 3.0 world - Times of India

Upcoming TVING variety show Young Actors Retreat is set to show a once in a lifetime sight for all the K-drama fans. Kim Sung Yoon PDs cast members from his dramas Itaewon Class, Love In The Moonlight, and The Sound Of Magic will all be gathering for a fun trip.

Called MT (Youth Membership Training) for its Korean name the gathering of 15 talented actors who have previously worked with the same crew will be taking up a crucial role in the show, as they reunite and create new fond memories. A new preview still from the program shows the cast posing for a camera in their designated attires where some can be seen in server uniforms, while some seem to have become the chefs.

Itaewon Class team includes Park Seo Joon, Ahn Bo Hyun, Kwon Nara, Ryu Kyung Soo, and Lee Joo Young. Love in the Moonlight team includes Park Bo Gum, Kim Yoo Jung, Jung Jinyoung, Chae Soo Bin, and Kwak Dong Yeon. Finally, The Sound of Magic teams Ji Chang Wook, Choi Sung Eun, Hwang In Yeop, Ji Hye Won, and Kim Bo Yoon are present in the photo.

Interestingly, only Kim Da Mi, who is the leading female character of Itaewon Class seems to be missing. All other main characters from the three shows have made it to Young Actors Retreat. The cast present for filming have all opened a small restaurant/pub and have made sure a helping hand common to their past projects, Kim Hye Eun dropped by.

Young Actors Retreat is set to air its first episode on September 9.

Stay updated with the latest Hallyu news on: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat

ALSO READ: Park Seo Joon, Ji Chang Wook, Park Bo Gum, Ahn Bo Hyun & more display adorable smiles in Youth MT teaser

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Young Actors Retreat: Itaewon Class, Love In The Moonlight, The Sound Of Magic cast members gather for bondin - PINKVILLA