The document discusses the process of automating content generation for a beauty affiliate site. It describes how the site had thousands of new products added weekly and no existing content, so automated text was needed. A simple process was used where rules and a shared lexicon were created to generate short text blocks about ingredients and ethics using product and brand data. Issues with duplicate content and incomplete data were addressed. Examples of generated text are also included.

1. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Providing value to the user at scale
through automated content
generation

2. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
There are nearly 450k products
on the site from 1,710 brands
and this is growing as more
affiliates come on board.
The main aim of the site is to
allow users to find the right
product at the best price.
BEAUTY AFFILIATE SITE
WITH 200K+ INDEXABLE
URLs

3. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
The primary aim of the project was to
provide the user with information about the
product that would help them make a
purchase decision.
The secondary aim was to ensure that this
content would help the site to rank well or at
least not jeopardise rankings
About the project

4. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
The site was new with no history of content
built up over time to rely on.
Thousands of new products were added
each week.
The team was lean with no outsourcing.
We had to focus on product pages to rank
for anything at all.
Why automated text?

5. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
WHAT INFORMATION HELPS USERS CONVERT?

6. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ethics / Religious
considerations
Price Reviews Ingredients

7. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Affiliate Price
Comparison

8. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Reviews

9. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ethics and Religious
Considerations

10. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredients

11. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
ABOVE THE FOLD CONTENT WAS LIT

12. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
BELOW THE FOLD CONTENT WAS NOT SO
GOOD

13. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
SO WE DECIDED TO USE THE DATA WE HAD TO
PROVIDE MORE VALUE TO THE USER

14. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
1. WHAT DO WE WANT TO CREATE?
Text blocks based on ingredients and ethics/religious data
that help the user to convert and uses the main product
name only once.
Price and review data is fine but ingredients data needed
unpacking further.
Fragrance notes were also added at a later stage.

15. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Multiple, fairly simple sentence structures
Sentences would need to fit together well
Text blocks would be fairly short
Sentences would need to allow for lists

16. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
BECAUSE THE OUTPUT WAS SIMPLE, WE USED A
SIMPLE METHOD OF TEXT GENERATION

17. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
● Affiliate/brand feeds
● PIM/PIP bulk upload
● Manual Attribution
● Scraping
● {{product}}
● {{brand}}
● {{category}}
If X = Y then action Z
DATA DATABASE RULES SOMETHING
Content
Generation
Process

18. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences
“This Aromatics Elixir body
wash from Clinique is vegan.”

19. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences
This {{product.Name}} is {{ingredient}}.
PIM / Feed ??

20. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO CREATE WHAT
WE WANT TO CREATE?
No.

21. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
● Affiliate feeds
● PIM/PIP bulk upload
● Manual Attribution
● Scraping
● {{product}}
● {{brand}}
● {{category}}
If X = Y then action Z
DATA DATABASE RULES SOMETHING
Content
Generation
Process
It’s quicker to categorise a brand
and cascade that down than
manually attribute every
product.
It’s quicker to categorise a brand
range than manually attribute
every product.

22. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences
This {{product.Name}} is {{ingredient}}.
PIM / Feed Manual
Attribution

23. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
This {{product.Name}} is aloe vera.
This {{product.Name}} is jojoba oil.
This {{product.Name}} is stearic acid.
This {{product.Name}} is coconut oil.

24. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
IS THIS DATA STORED IN A USEFUL WAY?
Also no.

25. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
● Affiliate/brand feeds
● PIM/PIP bulk upload
● Manual Attribution
● Scraping
● {{product}}
● {{brand}}
● {{category}}
If X = Y then action Z
DATA DATABASE RULES SOMETHING
Content
Generation
Process

26. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Unique data
This {{L3}} is {{ingredient}}.
“This product is vegan.”
“This Aromatics Elixir body wash from
Clinique is vegan.”
This product is {{ingredient}}.
This {{product.Name}} is {{ingredient}}.
Duplication Woes
“This body wash is vegan.”

27. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
This Iconic London
product is cruelty-free.
Duplication Woes
ICONIC London
Day to Slay
Eyeshadow Palette
ICONIC London
Powder Contour
Palette
ICONIC London
Luminous Powder
This Iconic London
product is cruelty-free.
This Iconic London
product is cruelty-free.

28. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Chloé Eau de Parfum
Duplication Woes
Chloé Absolu Eau de
Parfum
Chloé Eau de Toilette
The Eau de Toilette from
Chloe features pink peony,
rose and cedarwood
fragrance notes.
The Absolu Eau de Parfum
from Chloe features pink
peony, rose and cedarwood
fragrance notes.
The Eau de Parfum from
Chloe features pink peony,
rose and cedarwood
fragrance notes.

29. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
WHEN ATTRIBUTING PRODUCTS AT A BRAND
LEVEL, ALL THOSE PRODUCTS AUTOMATICALLY
HAVE THE SAME DATA

30. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
● Affiliate feeds
● PIM/PIP bulk upload
● Manual Attribution
● Scraping
● {{product}}
● {{brand}}
● {{category}}
If X = Y then action Z
DATA DATABASE RULES SOMETHING
Content
Generation
Process
By choosing the right data from the
database and creating a number
of rules that can be used and
making compound sentences you
can get far more variation and
unique text.

31. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
ARE WE CREATING DUPLICATE CONTENT AND
DO WE CARE?
Yes and yes.

32. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences
“The 3 In 1 Foundation from 3INA
is vegan and contains vitamin C,
which helps to protect against
free radical damage. It also
contains vitamin E.”

33. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences
{product.Name}} from {{brand}} is
{{ing.IS}} and contains {{ing.C}},
which helps to {{Ing.C.Benefit}}. It
also contains {{ing.C}}.

34. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences

35. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
HOW DO I PRESENT THESE RULES IN A WAY THE
TEAM CAN UNDERSTAND?
Create a shared lexis

36. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Rule Example Output
The {{product.Name}} from
{{brand}} is {{Ing.Is}}, {{Ing.Is}}
and {{Ing.Is}}.
The Boss In Motion Eau de Toilette Spray 90ml from Hugo
Boss is vegan, halal and hypoallergenic.
The Lip Essentials Gift Set from High Definition Beauty is
vegan, halal and hypoallergenic.
The Buffet 30ml from The Ordinary is vegan, halal and
hypoallergenic.
The The Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting from Kevyn Aucoin is
vegan, halal and hypoallergenic.
Try to break the sentences as much as possible

37. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
● Affiliate feeds
● PIM/PIP bulk upload
● Manual Attribution
● Scraping
● {{product}}
● {{brand}}
● {{category}}
If X = Y then action Z
DATA DATABASE RULES SOMETHING
Broken
Sentence
Woes

38. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
ALWAYS REQUEST A FINAL OUTPUT AND CHECK
ON STAGING / A LOWER ENVIRONMENT

39. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
DO I NEED HELP FROM OTHER PEOPLE?
Yes, please.

40. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Ingredient Preferences

41. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
WHAT DEVELOPMENT RESOURCE DO I NEED
AND HOW EXPERIENCED ARE THEY?
Let’s ask.

42. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
How is this
information added
to the page? –
Injected via JS?
Code-based and in
the source?
Q1
Is this based on
seeded or continual
randomisation? Is this
text going to be the
same each time?
Q2 Q3
If the data changes
when will this be
reflected on the
page?
A Few Questions to ask your Developers

43. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
If you don’t have
development
resource, try AX
Semantics
1
Become the
development resource
2 3
GTP-2 and 3 if you
can get your hands
on it
Ways to Create Automated Text

44. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Fudge Paintbox Hair
Colourant
Bioderma Atoderm
Ultra-Nourishing
Shower Cream
Some Final Examples
Rituals The Ritual of
Ayurveda Body Mist 50ml
This Rituals perfume for women is
paraben free, cruelty free and
phthalates free and features
floral and oriental fragrance
notes.
This moisturiser from Bioderma is
paraben free, hypoallergenic
and non-comedogenic and
contains citric acid, which helps
to exfoliate skin.
This hair colour from
Fudge is ammonia free
and peroxide free

45. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
PHB Ethical Beauty Anti-aging Eye
Gel is perfect for those looking for a
product with anti-ageing
properties.
It’s also vegan, paraben free and
alcohol free, and contains vitamin
C, which helps to fight
photo-ageing. It also contains
collagen, argan oil and lavender
oil.
Clinique Anti-Blemish
Solutions Liquid Makeup
STARSKIN After Party
Face Mask
Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid
Makeup is great for those with normal
and oily skin, looking for medium and
sheer or natural coverage and aiming
to get a natural finish.
It’s also vegan, oil free and
dermatologically tested, and contains
salicylic acid, which helps to prevent
pimples from forming.
PHB Ethical Beauty
Anti-aging Eye Gel
STARSKIN After Party Coconut
Bio-Cellulose Second Skin Brightening
Face Mask is perfect for those looking
for a product with hydrating properties.
They’re also paraben free, mineral oil
free and sulphate free, and contain
vitamin C which helps to gently
brighten skin. It also contains coconut
oil.

46. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
Philip Kingsley
Weatherproof Hairspray
Bloopers
Philip Kingsley Weatherproof Hairspray is
built to target uv protected and shiny hair.
These Philip Kingsley hair styling products are
cruelty free and contain aloe vera, which
helps to promote elasticity.
NYX Professional Makeup Honey
Dew Me Up Primer
NYX Professional Makeup Honey Dew Me Up Primer
is ideal for those with normal, mature and dry skin
who are aiming to get a dewy finish.
This face makeup from NYX Professional Makeup is
cruelty free and contains hyaluronic acid, which
helps to keep skin moisturised. It also contains
lavender oil.

47. @SPEAKERNAME/#SMX
SEE YOU AT THE NEXT SMX!
Thanks!
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