What’s really holding back your content marketing in the age of AI? (It might be you.)

By Anna Larson, Director of PESO Content – Flint Group

A human question in a machine moment 

It’s a sunny morning, coffee in hand, and I’m thinking about stories.  

Not just headlines or campaigns, but the kind of stories that make someone click “read more” or stop scrolling. The kind that feel true. 

Lately, it feels different from when I was a reporter.  

As a former journalist turned marketer, storytelling has always been the work. Now, there’s a new thought sitting at the agency desk with me: If AI can generate content in seconds, what’s left for us?  

It’s not a hypothetical anymore. Depending on the source, the numbers vary, but the direction is clear: most marketers (70%+) say AI will significantly change their work, and nearly everyone is already using it in some capacity. Companies using AI in marketing report up to 30% higher ROI. 

AI is here. And it’s powerful. 

Love it, hate it, or try to ignore it – it’s shaping how we work, even influencing the content we once thought lived only inside our journalistic and creative minds.  

The uncomfortable truth is: AI isn’t the problem. 

How we use it and what we build around it is. 

But we can fix that.

A quick reset: The PESO model still matters 

Before we get too deep into AI, it’s worth grounding ourselves in something foundational. 

The PESO Model (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) isn’t new, but it’s more relevant than ever. It also happens to be the framework our agency operates within. These channels aren’t siloed. Content can (and should) move fluidly between Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned. 

• Paid: Amplifies your reach. 

Think: Ads, advertorials, lead gen, etc.

• Earned Media: Builds credibility through third-party validation. 

Think: PR, podcasts, creators, newsletters, media tours, media kits, partnerships, communities, influencers, etc. 

• Shared: Where conversations (and reputations) are shaped. 

Think: Social media, partnerships, co-branding, influencers, etc.  

• Owned: Your home base, where your story lives. 

Think: Your website, blogs, native advertising, reviews, email, videos, brand journalism, case studies, UGC, etc.  

AI can accelerate each of these. But it can’t fix a broken strategy underneath them.

So… What’s actually holding your content back?

Most of the time, it’s not one big issue. It’s a handful of small, fixable gaps that quietly hold your content back. Starting with…

1. You don’t have a real strategy. 

A lot of content today is busy. Not intentional. Not connected. Just constant. 

Just 29% of marketers with a documented content strategy consider it highly effective. Most (58%) say it delivers moderate results, while 12% feel it’s only slightly effective and 1% say it doesn’t work at all. 

It’s a reminder that having a strategy isn’t the same as having a strong one. Without clear direction, it’s like setting out on a road trip without knowing where you’re going: You might move fast, but you won’t get anywhere meaningful. 

Fix it: Slow down before you speed up. 

• Who are you actually trying to reach? 

• What do they care about? 

• What action do you want them to take? 

Start there and then use the PESO Model to map how your content supports that journey. 

2. Your messaging isn’t consistent. 

If your brand sounds different on LinkedIn than it does on your website, people notice. And they don’t trust it. 

Trust is built through familiarity. Consistency isn’t about being robotic; it’s about being recognizable every time someone interacts with you. In fact, research shows that consistent brand presentation can increase revenue by up to 30%.

That’s not a creative preference. It’s a business outcome driven by trust. 

Fix it: Create a clear, usable brand voice guide. 

• What do you sound like? 

• What do you not sound like? 

• What do you believe? 

  
  

Define it clearly, and then actually use it across teams, channels and campaigns. 

3. You’re either overusing AI … or avoiding it completely 

This is where things get interesting. Some teams are handing everything to AI and wondering why their content feels hollow. Others are avoiding it altogether. 

Both approaches miss the point. 

AI is already reshaping marketing. It can reduce content production time by up to 50%, and 90% of marketers say it’s improved productivity. But faster doesn’t automatically mean better. 

The real opportunity is balance – using AI to enhance the work, not replace the thinking behind it. 

Fix it: Use AI where it’s strongest. 

• Research 

• Ideation 

• Optimization 

• Data analysis 

But keep humans where it matters most: 

• Perspective 

• Emotion 

• Storytelling 

• Judgment 

AI can write. But it doesn’t care. Your audience can tell the difference. 

4. You’re ignoring SEO (or treating it like an afterthought) 

You can write the most beautiful piece of content in the world, but if no one finds it, it doesn’t work. 

That’s where SEO comes in. 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and organic search drives over 50% of website traffic for most industries. 

SEO isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s how your content gets discovered. It’s distribution. 

Fix it: Treat SEO like distribution, not an afterthought. 

• Build content around real search intent. 

• Use natural, relevant keywords (not keyword stuffing). 

• Write headlines people actually want to click. 

• Structure content for readability (like this). 

Good SEO doesn’t compromise good writing. It ensures it gets seen. 

5. You’re not evolving with the way people consume content 

The way people engage with content is changing, fast. 

• Short-form video continues to dominate. 

• Attention spans are shrinking. 

• Audiences expect authenticity over polish. 

And yet, many brands are still creating content like it’s 2015. It’s overproduced, overthought and disconnected from how people actually show up online today. 

Fix it: Pay attention to behavior, not just trends.  

• What are people actually engaging with? 

• Where are they spending time? 

• What formats feel natural to them? 

Then adapt without losing your core voice. 

So, where does AI actually fit? 

AI is not the enemy of good content. If anything, it’s revealing the gap between content that’s efficient and content that’s truly effective. 

AI can help you move faster, scale your efforts and uncover patterns. But it can’t replicate lived experiences, emotional nuances, or original thinking. 

The best content in this era will come from people who know how to do both.

Use AI to support the work – not replace the reason the work matters. 

Final thought: Good content still feels like something 

At the end of the day, the question isn’t: 

“Is this optimized?” 

“Is this efficient?” 

“Did AI help write this?” 

It’s simpler than that: Does this feel like something? 

Because the content we remember, the content that actually works, still has one thing in common: it makes us feel something.  

And that’s the part no tool can automate.  

Ready to make your content better? 

If your content isn’t hitting the way you want it to, it’s probably not a tool problem.

It’s a clarity problem. A strategy problem. A voice problem. A “what are we actually trying to say?” problem. 

The good news? Those are all fixable.  

If you want to figure that out and build a content approach that actually works in this AI era, I’m always up for a conversation. 

Your story is still the most powerful thing you have. 

Let’s make sure it actually gets told.