How I work with AI as a paid media marketer

AI can feel mysterious. Is it a super-smart assistant, a creative powerhouse, or just a sophisticated search tool? For me, it’s become an indispensable colleague, helping me cut through the data chaos, organise creative ideas, and deliver results for clients at Times One Hundred.

Marketers often fall into two AI camps: those who barely scratch the surface, and those lost in endless jargon. The real magic is in the middle, using practical and simple workflows to make AI a valuable partner. If you feel buried in spreadsheets or can’t wrangle your next big idea, here are the biggest ways AI has transformed my day-to-day.

Cutting through the data overload

More data doesn’t always mean more insight. Often, it just means more noise. We collect endless numbers on funnel events, impressions, and clicks, but the real story often gets lost. My partnership with AI began here: instead of just researching topics or managing my day, I started using AI to build smart tools to make sense of the chaos. 

For example, AI helped me reframe what we track and why, challenging my assumptions about which metrics actually matter, without needing to become a data scientist. Now, I quickly identify which numbers move the needle, focusing reporting on what truly counts.

How I use AI every day

1. Taming creative chaos 

My brainstorm sessions used to result in messy notes and scattered ideas. Now, I toss all my rough thoughts to my AI partner. It instantly organises them into clear, actionable strategy documents. My creativity provides the spark; AI brings the structure.

2. Learning new industries instantly

Working at a marketing agency means jumping between wildly different clients. One day it’s film distribution, the next, the UK credit reporting sector. AI is my shortcut, pulling market insights, identifying customer pain points, and suggesting campaign hooks. This is all performed in minutes instead of weeks of manual research.

3. Taking repetitive tasks off my plate

Project estimate requests from clients used to steal hours every week, manually digging through data, segmenting by region, and crunching numbers. Now, an AI-powered forecasting tool does it automatically. What once took two hours per request now happens in minutes, giving me back valuable strategic time and delivering faster results for high-volume clients in film and live events.

4. Smarter creative scoring

Looking at a single metric, like cost per acquisition, never tells the whole story. We built an AI-based creative scoring system that evaluates campaigns across multiple KPIs, letting us analyse hundreds of ads to see which creative elements truly connect. This insight would’ve been nearly impossible to gather by hand.

Sifting for gold: my top AI tips

Getting the most out of AI is a lot like sifting for gold. You have to dig, refine, and iterate - it’s a conversation, not just a command.

Here’s what’s made the biggest difference for me:

Ask the AI what it needs - before starting, I ask, “What other information would help you do this better?” It usually responds with smart, targeted questions that make the results much stronger.

Let AI write your prompts - not sure how to start? Ask AI to create the prompt. When you love the output, request a reusable template for future tasks.

AI isn’t a truth machine - AI can sound confident even when it’s wrong. Always apply your critical thinking. It’s up to you to be the expert in the loop.

Start small - don’t try to solve your toughest problem on day one. Use AI for small wins first, like rewriting emails or summarising your to-do list. As you gain confidence, scale up.

AI brings scale and structure, but it’s our human experience, creativity, and instinct that make marketing connect. When you treat AI as a collaborative partner, not just a tool, you’ll find a smarter, more effective way to work and achieve better results for your clients.