How to stand out on social media against a world of AI Generated content

In this world of overwhelmingly AI generated content where every piece of video seems to be a short-format clickbait, it feels like it’s harder and harder to stand out. Majority of the content online is not only useless, but they’re specifically targeted to keep you on “brain-rot” mode. AI tools are not helping this much, as they’ve made it easier to produce content. This can be helpful for many artists, however, it has also created a vast amount of garbage content online which are being uploaded endlessly. How can we stand out against competition during this time? 

Having worked with many local businesses as well as been involved with the creative teams behind some of the biggest creators in the world, I have been seeing the shift in the content. I see only 2 major options for success in this environment. You can either choose to use the tools to your advantage, or you can ignore them entirely and focus on authentic first hand experience content. Either way, the best way to nurture and create your own audience depends on authenticity and originality of the content you create. 

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Option 1: Use AI Tools, Combine with your Authentic Story

This is a really basic supply & demand matter. Consider how much of the internet is AI generated now, and how much more will be in the next few years. People are able to train models such as Veo2 to create entire movies from thin air, from a script written by Chatgpt, and all the user had to do was to click a few buttons and modify them. Though AI is very good at re-mixing content, it is not very good at creating original stories and expressing humanity’s needs. The content generated is always limited to the author’s extent of consciousness, because the models will essentially mirror what the author gives them. 

This means if you are able to think deeper about the story you want to share, and you are able to communicate it to the model, you can create one of a kind story that can have a real impact on your audience. AI can enable you to create artwork you may not have been able to create before, such as matching your story with a style of anime, or movies you like. The extent of your creation will always depend on your ability to think deeper about what needs to be communicated and what has to be shared. Depending on the AI tools to tell you the stories and generate them for you will only cause you to re-mix previously available stories instead of creating new ones. 

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Option 2: Forget AI, Create Original Organic Content

Back to supply & demand. When there’s so much supply of artificially created superficial content, people will miss the original and authentic content which had been created. The “Nostalgia Cycle” plays a key role in this, as people will remember how things used to be and want to go back to it. The same way we have been craving Vinyls, Cassettes, and other forms of analog music; we will once again crave authentic and meaningful content. This does not mean the other forms of content may not be present, but it means you will be able to share your stories and your life experiences much better than you had been able to before. 

Back when YouTube first came out, monetization was not an issue with any of the creators. All the youtubers wanted to do was to share their stories, and create something fun. This still exists, but there’s an obvious “monetization” need which makes a lot of theri stories feel and seem performative. 

If you are able to break through that need, you will be able to create content which will resonate with a lot more people who are craving what you want to share. As Rumi said “What you’re seeking is seeking you too”. 

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What now?

The key ingredient in both of these strategies is authenticity in your story telling. You must think deeper about what you are looking to share, the story you want to tell, and let go of your need to be performative for the sake of monetization. There is nothing wrong with being performative if it is a part of your brand, but when you start doing it for the money people can sense it. There are infinite tools available in our current world, and most of them are either really cheap, or free. So get at it!

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