AI in Digital Marketing – Black Hills Energy

For this week’s assignment I have to show how technology like ChatGPT and Leonardo.ai can be useful tools when it comes to digital marketing. To begin with I wanted to create a customer persona, so I have ChatGPT the prompt – “I want to create a customer persona. What information do you need to create it?” It responded with the following :

To create a customer persona, I would need the following key information:

  1. Demographics:
    • Age range
    • Gender
    • Location
    • Education level
    • Occupation and income level
    • Marital status and family size
  2. Psychographics:
    • Interests, hobbies, and values
    • Lifestyle and daily routines
    • Personality traits and motivations
    • Shopping behavior and decision-making process
  3. Goals and Challenges:
    • What are their personal or professional goals?
    • What challenges or pain points do they face?
    • How do they seek solutions to these challenges?
  4. Buying Behavior:
    • Where do they shop? (Online, in-store, both)
    • How do they research products/services before purchasing?
    • How often do they make purchases? (Frequency, spending habits)
    • What motivates them to make a purchase (discounts, convenience, quality)?
  5. Brand Interaction:
    • What types of content do they consume (blogs, social media, podcasts)?
    • Which platforms do they engage with most (Instagram, Facebook, etc.)?
    • What kind of relationship do they have with brands (loyalty, expectations)?
  6. Objections or Concerns:
    • What concerns might they have before purchasing (price, quality, trust)?
    • What factors would cause them to choose a competitor?

I then filled the questions in for the company I have selected for this week, which is Black Hills Energy.

Customer Persona: “Eco-Conscious Homeowner”


Demographics:

  • Age Range: 35-55 years old
  • Gender: Male and Female
  • Location: Rural and suburban areas across South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana
  • Education Level: College-educated (Bachelor’s or higher)
  • Occupation: Middle to upper-middle class, working professionals (engineers, teachers, healthcare workers, etc.)
  • Income Level: $60,000 – $120,000 annually
  • Marital Status: Married or in long-term relationships, with children
  • Family Size: 2-4 people in the household

Psychographics:

  • Interests: Environmental sustainability, energy conservation, community engagement, and local activities
  • Values: Strong commitment to reducing carbon footprints, supporting clean energy, and lowering utility costs
  • Lifestyle: Active community members, likely to attend local events; may own homes with energy-efficient appliances and renewable energy setups (like solar panels)
  • Personality: Practical, cautious, but forward-thinking with a strong desire to be energy-conscious
  • Motivations: Want to lower energy bills, reduce environmental impact, and access reliable energy

Goals and Challenges:

  • Goals:
    • Reduce overall household energy costs
    • Transition to more sustainable energy sources like solar
    • Stay informed about local and national energy trends
  • Challenges:
    • Understanding energy usage and how to optimize it
    • Balancing upfront costs for energy-efficient solutions with long-term savings
    • Navigating any technical complexities around switching energy providers or implementing renewables

Buying Behavior:

  • Where They Shop: Primarily local home improvement stores and online for energy-efficient appliances
  • Research Process: Conducts thorough research online, reading reviews, and comparing energy plans
  • Purchase Frequency: Moderate – invests in home energy improvements every few years
  • Purchase Motivators: Incentives like rebates, energy savings, environmental impact

Brand Interaction:

  • Content Consumption: Engages with educational blogs, energy tips, sustainability news, and social media (Facebook and LinkedIn)
  • Platforms: Black Hills Energy website, email newsletters, community outreach events, and social media (Facebook, LinkedIn)
  • Brand Relationship: Values transparency and expects regular communication about service improvements, pricing changes, and new energy-saving programs

Objections or Concerns:

  • Concerns Before Purchase: High costs of energy, fluctuating bills, unclear explanations about energy programs
  • Competitor Factors: May choose competitors if they offer lower rates, better renewable energy options, or superior customer service

Then I asked ChatGPT to give me an individualized customer persona for a client with the prompt : Now, you seem to have all the information to create a customer persona. Using the information in our conversation, create a customer persona.

Customer Persona: Polly Johnson


Demographics:

  • Age: 42 years old
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Spearfish, South Dakota
  • Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in Education
  • Occupation: Middle school teacher
  • Income Level: $65,000 annually
  • Marital Status: Married with two children (ages 10 and 14)
  • Family Size: 4

Psychographics:

  • Interests: Family activities, hiking, community volunteering, sustainability, reading, and home improvement
  • Values: Prioritizes family, education, and environmental responsibility. Strong belief in teaching her children the importance of energy conservation and local engagement.
  • Lifestyle: Busy juggling work and family life. Involved in her children’s activities and the community. Takes an interest in making her home more energy-efficient, including looking into solar panel options.
  • Personality: Practical, responsible, and thoughtful. She’s the go-to person in her family for researching home improvements and making purchasing decisions.
  • Motivations: She wants to save on monthly bills, provide a comfortable home for her family, and ensure she is doing her part to reduce her family’s environmental footprint.

Goals and Challenges:

  • Goals:
    • Lower utility bills without sacrificing comfort
    • Make her home more energy-efficient to reduce their environmental impact
    • Stay informed about rebates, energy-saving tips, and renewable energy options
  • Challenges:
    • Balancing upfront costs for energy-efficient solutions with long-term savings
    • Finding the time to research and implement energy-saving measures while managing a busy household
    • Educating her family on energy usage habits and involving them in conservation efforts

Buying Behavior:

  • Where She Shops: Primarily at local home improvement stores and online for energy-efficient products
  • Research Process: Frequently seeks out recommendations from friends, reads reviews, and follows energy-saving blogs
  • Purchase Frequency: Makes home improvement purchases a few times a year, especially during seasons of high energy use (summer and winter)
  • Purchase Motivators: She’s driven by cost savings, environmental benefits, and recommendations from trusted sources

Brand Interaction:

  • Content Consumption: Enjoys reading blogs with energy-saving tips, watches DIY home improvement videos, and follows Black Hills Energy on Facebook for updates
  • Platforms: Engages with content on Facebook, energy blogs, and community forums
  • Brand Relationship: Polly appreciates clear communication about her bill, energy usage, and ways to save. She values brands that support the local community and offer easy-to-understand information on energy programs.

Objections or Concerns:

  • Concerns Before Purchase: High upfront costs for energy-efficient appliances and upgrades, concerns over unclear billing or hidden fees
  • Competitor Factors: Polly might consider switching if another provider offers better rebates, clearer billing, or more renewable energy options

Polly Johnson is an eco-conscious, family-oriented customer who looks to Black Hills Energy for solutions that balance affordability, sustainability, and ease of use. She values clear communication and opportunities to save on energy without compromising her family’s comfort.

Now using all this information it’s time to get into some real marketing! We will use this information above to help us with SEO research. I took the five keywords below and used the free tools that I demonstrated last week to get sufficient keywords.

Then I asked it the following prompt: Write 10 blog post ideas about Black Hills Energy that the customer persona created earlier is searching for.

From there I chose one of the blog post ideas to have ChatGPT expand on, so I would have a real blog post that I would be able to publish!

Prompt: “I want you to act as a blogger with expertise at Black Hills Energy. You are writing a blog post for “10 simple ways to lower your energy bill this winter”. This post should be helpful for people learning about CHS Inc. There should be a call to action at the end of each section. The length of the blog post will be 1000 to 2500 words. The tone will be informal. You should write as an individual blogger with a personal approach so do not use plural first-person to refer to yourself. Eg. “our”, or “we”. Only use singular first-person. Do not use passive voice.”

10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill This Winter

Winter is coming, and so are the higher energy bills that go along with keeping your home warm and cozy. I know the feeling—trying to balance staying warm while not draining your wallet. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy steps you can take to reduce your energy bill this winter, and I’m here to share them with you. I’ll walk you through these ten simple tips and tricks I’ve found to be helpful.

1. Seal Drafts and Gaps Around Windows and Doors

Cold air sneaking in through gaps around windows and doors is one of the biggest reasons your heating system has to work harder. Take some time to inspect your home for drafts, especially around windows and doorframes. You can seal small gaps with weatherstripping or caulk, both of which are inexpensive and easy to apply. For larger gaps, consider installing door sweeps at the bottom of exterior doors to keep the cold air out.

Call to action: I highly recommend picking up a simple draft stopper or weatherstripping kit from your local hardware store to start saving energy today.

2. Adjust Your Thermostat Wisely

Lowering your thermostat by just a few degrees can make a huge difference in your energy bill. If you’re like me and like to stay cozy at home, it might seem hard at first, but try dropping the temperature by just 3 to 5 degrees. You probably won’t even notice the difference after a while. When you’re away from home or asleep, lower it even more. A programmable thermostat can help manage this automatically, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Call to action: Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat. Not only does it make temperature adjustments easier, but it can save you money in the long run.

3. Take Advantage of Natural Sunlight

I love natural sunlight, and it’s also free heat! During the day, open your curtains and blinds on windows that face the sun to let in as much warmth as possible. Then, as soon as the sun sets, close them up again to trap the heat inside. Heavier curtains or thermal-insulated drapes can provide an extra layer of insulation for your windows.

Call to action: Try adding thermal curtains to your home—they look great and help keep your space warm without overusing your heating system.

4. Maintain Your Heating System

Your heating system needs some love, too. A system that’s working efficiently will use less energy. Make sure to schedule an annual check-up with a technician who can inspect and clean your furnace or heat pump. Additionally, replace your furnace filters regularly. I try to change mine every 30-90 days, depending on the type of filter and how often my system runs.

Call to action: Schedule a maintenance check for your heating system today, and mark your calendar for filter changes to keep your system running smoothly.

5. Use Ceiling Fans to Circulate Warm Air

It might sound strange, but ceiling fans can help circulate warm air. I know, fans are usually associated with cooling down, but most ceiling fans have a “reverse” setting that spins the blades clockwise. This helps push warm air down from the ceiling, where it tends to rise. Just be sure to turn the fan on low to avoid creating a breeze.

Call to action: If your ceiling fan doesn’t have a reverse setting, it might be time to upgrade. It’s a small investment that can help you save on energy costs all year round.

6. Insulate Your Attic and Walls

Insulation is key to keeping the warm air inside your home. If your attic or walls aren’t well-insulated, you could be losing a lot of heat. I’ve found that even adding a layer of insulation to the attic can make a noticeable difference in your home’s overall warmth. Check your attic’s insulation level to see if it meets the recommended levels for your region.

Call to action: Contact a professional to assess your home’s insulation needs. Even a small investment in insulation can lead to big savings on your energy bill.

7. Use Space Heaters Wisely

If you spend most of your time in one room, consider using a space heater to warm up that area instead of heating the whole house. I’ve found that a small, energy-efficient space heater can keep me warm without the need to crank up the central heating. Just be sure to follow safety guidelines, like keeping it away from flammable materials and turning it off when you leave the room.

Call to action: Choose an energy-efficient space heater that fits your needs. Check for safety features like automatic shut-off to prevent accidents.

8. Install a Humidifier

Dry air feels colder than humid air, which is why homes tend to feel chilly in the winter. I’ve learned that by using a humidifier, you can add moisture to the air, which makes your home feel warmer. This allows you to lower your thermostat without sacrificing comfort. Plus, humidifiers are great for your skin and respiratory health during the dry winter months.

Call to action: Invest in a humidifier this winter to help your home feel warmer without turning up the heat.

9. Dress Warm and Use Blankets

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. Instead of cranking up the thermostat, try layering up. I like to wear cozy sweaters and thick socks at home to stay comfortable without heating the whole house. Keeping a blanket nearby on the couch also helps when I’m relaxing in the evening.

Call to action: Keep your thermostat lower and stay warm with cozy layers and blankets. You’ll save energy and stay comfortable.

10. Switch to Energy-Efficient Lighting

Even though heating is the main focus in the winter, don’t forget about your lighting. With shorter days, you’re probably using your lights more often. Swapping out your old bulbs for energy-efficient LEDs can help reduce your electricity usage. LEDs use significantly less energy and last much longer than traditional bulbs, which means fewer replacements.

Call to action: Make the switch to LED bulbs throughout your home and enjoy energy savings year-round.


By implementing even just a few of these simple changes, you can make a big impact on your energy bill this winter. Remember, every little bit helps, and it all adds up over time. I’ve found that focusing on both big and small adjustments can lead to significant savings.

If you’re ready to take control of your energy usage, start with the tips that fit your lifestyle best. You don’t have to make all the changes at once, but each one will bring you a step closer to a warmer home and a lower energy bill.

Ready to take action? Reach out to your local utility provider for rebates, energy assessments, and tips on how to maximize your energy efficiency this winter.

Now I want a social media post for the customer persona so I will use the following prompt.

Create a LinkedIn post regarding “10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill This Winter” for this customer persona.

Post:

✨ 10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill This Winter ❄️

Winter’s approaching, and for many of us, that means higher energy bills. But it doesn’t have to! With a few smart adjustments, you can keep your home warm and your energy costs down.

Here are 10 simple, practical ways to save energy this season:

1️⃣ Seal drafts around windows & doors to prevent heat loss
2️⃣ Lower your thermostat by 3-5 degrees when you’re home, even more when you’re out 🏠
3️⃣ Let in natural sunlight during the day 🌞
4️⃣ Maintain your heating system with a tune-up and regular filter changes 🔧
5️⃣ Use ceiling fans on reverse mode to circulate warm air efficiently
6️⃣ Insulate your attic and walls to trap heat inside 🛠️
7️⃣ Consider using space heaters in rooms you frequent instead of heating the entire house 🔥
8️⃣ Add a humidifier—moist air feels warmer than dry air 🌬️
9️⃣ Dress warm indoors: layers, cozy blankets, and warm socks! 🧣
🔟 Switch to LED bulbs to cut down on lighting costs 💡

I’ve found that even small changes can lead to significant savings. Lowering your energy bill while staying comfortable is possible with these easy steps.

🔗 Check out the full guide for more tips to maximize your energy savings this winter.

💡 Ready to take action? Contact your local energy provider about rebates or tools to help manage your energy usage efficiently. You’ll not only save money but also contribute to a more sustainable future! 🌍

#EnergyEfficiency #WinterSavings #HomeImprovement #Sustainability #BlackHillsEnergy #LowerYourBill #EnergyTips #EcoFriendly #SmartLiving #WinterHomeHacks

I then had ChatGPT create an image of the following prompt.

Prompt:Today, we’ve seen how AI can revolutionize marketing strategies. ChatGPT has shown its potential in creating customer personas, optimizing SEO, and generating content. Remember, these tools are here to enhance our creativity, not replace it. The future of marketing lies in the collaboration between human insight and AI capabilities. Your challenge is to harness this potential and innovate. With these tools at your disposal, you’re ready to lead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

To which it gave me this image:

Today, I’ve seen firsthand how AI can transform the way we approach marketing. Tools like ChatGPT have made it easier for me to create detailed customer personas, optimize SEO, and generate engaging content. But the key thing to remember is that these tools are here to boost my creativity, not replace it! The future of marketing lies in blending human insight with AI capabilities. The real challenge now is learning how to harness that potential and innovate. With these tools at my fingertips, I feel ready to lead in this fast-paced, ever-evolving digital landscape.