Creative Talk with Natalie Maybury, Digital Marketing Specialist

This month, we talk with Natalie Maybury, a Digital Marketing Specialist, about her approach to AI and how it is integrating into her daily work life.

 

You recently went to California for an AI conference, what were the top takeaways from this?

Before going to the conference, I was already using AI, but mostly at surface level. I knew there was more to it, but I also felt overwhelmed by where to start.

 

Going to Social Media Marketing World and AI Marketing World in California completely changed my perspective. Hearing speakers like Dr Nici Sweaney and Molly Mahoney talk about operational AI and automation made me realise AI is much bigger than just content creation.

 

One phrase I kept hearing was “automate the mundane.” A lot of us spend too much time on repetitive tasks that could be automated, freeing us up to focus on more meaningful work.

 

Where do you think AI will replace marketing roles vs just enhance them?

AI will replace a lot of repetitive production-based work first.

 

But humans won’t disappear from marketing. Marketers who know how to use AI well will become incredibly valuable.

 

As a Digital Marketing Specialist you work closely with CRMs and Ecommerce, in what ways have you seen automation and AI taking a stronghold?

One quote from the conference stuck with me: “AI won’t replace marketers, but marketers using AI will replace marketers who don’t.”

 

AI is already embedded into ecommerce and CRM, from EDMs and customer journeys to reporting, customer service and audience targeting.

 

What feels different now is the speed. AI is helping marketers analyse data faster, personalise at scale and automate work that used to take hours. Businesses embracing it properly are moving significantly faster than everyone else.

 

How are you currently using AI in campaigns?

I use AI across the entire campaign process, from ideas and strategy through to EDM copy, social hooks, reporting and problem solving.

 

One of my biggest learnings is that AI is only as good as the context you give it. Generic prompts create generic content, but when you train it properly, the output becomes far more powerful.

 

What parts of digital marketing should NOT be automated with AI?

Human judgement.

 

AI can help speed things up, but businesses shouldn’t blindly automate everything without human oversight.

 

There still needs to be people guiding it, questioning it and making sure it aligns with the bigger picture.

 

What’s one AI trend you think is overhyped right now?

One speaker talked about using AI agents to produce huge amounts of content online, and mentioned getting a phone call about an article “he wrote” that he hadn’t even read himself.

 

It was a reminder that while AI can massively increase speed and output, there’s also a risk of becoming disconnected from the content being published under your name or brand.

 

What’s the biggest ROI win you’ve seen from AI so far?

Time.

 

Time I can spend with my family, focus on work I can’t automate, and honestly, keep learning AI itself.

 

Can you walk me through a campaign or project where AI made a measurable difference?

Most of my AI use so far has been around reducing time spent on repetitive work, whether that’s campaign ideation, EDM copy, reporting summaries or strategy support.

 

I’m now becoming more interested in operational AI, particularly around analysing data and helping automate manual workflows.

 

Do you optimise content differently knowing AI might summarise it?

Yes. Clear, well-structured content is becoming more important, both for people and AI tools. But honestly, the industry is still figuring this out as AI evolves.

 

What happens to organic traffic when AI answers everything?

Organic traffic probably will decline for some types of content, because people are already changing how they search for information.

 

If I have a question now, whether it’s something factual, a product recommendation, or a random question at midnight, I’ll often go straight to AI because I can get an answer instantly instead of searching through multiple websites.

 

But SEO doesn’t disappear. Brands with real expertise, strong opinions and a clear voice will still stand out.

 

Which AI tools are actually worth paying for right now?

For me, ChatGPT and Claude have been the most valuable.

 

I use them both differently, but they’ve become part of how I think, work and problem solve.

 

I’m also really interested in Claude Cowork and tools that help build more context around a business, not just one-off content generation.

 

Last words?

I honestly feel like I had a bit of an AI awakening in California. I came home feeling excited, slightly overwhelmed, but mostly aware that AI is going to become part of everyday business far faster than most people realise.