Eugen, a client of MarketOwl, recently conducted an experiment to determine the impact of AI-powered posting on his cold outreach efforts on LinkedIn. Here is a detailed account of his findings and insights. Full article in russian is here.
Background
Eugen decided to explore how regular posting could enhance his networking and sales activities on LinkedIn. Due to time constraints, he opted to use MarketOwl, a service that automates the creation and posting of content. The experiment began in late 2023 and concluded on February 18, 2024. His lead generation campaign ran from January to March 2024, allowing him to compare periods with and without AI-assisted posts.
Experiment and Observations
- Social Selling Index (SSI) Impact:
- Eugen noted a slight increase in his SSI score (from 53 to 64), which he used as a rough indicator of profile quality. While he doesn't find SSI particularly meaningful for sales, it served as a useful benchmark.
- AI-Generated Content:
- The content created by MarketOwl AI was functional but lacked depth. These posts generally received fewer views and reactions compared to manually written content. But it balanced by less spent time to approve it.
- Increased Visibility:
- Eugen hypothesized that AI posts helped him appear more frequently in his contacts' feeds. This increased visibility likely made contacts more inclined to respond to connection requests or accept invitations.
- Profile Activity:
- Regular activity on his profile seemed to reassure visitors that Eugen was not a bot, encouraging them to engage further.
- Engagement Statistics:
- Over the last quarter, Eugen sent 935 invites and received 538 profile views. These views included a mix of target contacts, HR professionals, colleagues, and others who found his posts interesting.
Impact on Outreach
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Acceptance Rate:
- With AI posts: The acceptance rate was 45.89%, with 536 invites sent and 246 accepted.
- Without AI posts: The acceptance rate was 43.36%, with 399 invites sent and 173 accepted.
- Difference: The campaign with AI posts had a higher acceptance rate by 2.53%.
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Reply Rate:
- With AI posts: The reply rate was 22.20%, with 536 invites sent and 119 replies received.
- Without AI posts: The reply rate was 20.03%, with 399 invites sent and 81 replies received.
- Difference: The campaign with AI posts had a higher reply rate by 2.17%.
These results suggest that using AI-generated posts in LinkedIn outreach campaigns can increase both the acceptance and reply rates compared to campaigns without such posts.
Recommendations
- Balance AI and Personal Content:
- While AI posts can boost visibility, Eugen recommends mixing them with personal messages to maintain authenticity. Over-reliance on AI-generated content can make a profile seem less genuine and potentially deter potential clients.
- Experiment with Different Approaches:
- The potential for using AI in LinkedIn posting is clear, but its effectiveness may vary. Eugen suggests experimenting to find the right balance that works for individual goals and target audiences.
- Consider Tools and Services:
- For those looking to try AI posting, options include using ChatGPT with an auto-posting service for a cost-effective but time-consuming approach, or opting for all-in-one services like MarketOwl.