How Automation and AI are Changing Marketing

How Automation and AI are Changing Marketing

By Kuno CreativeJan 17 /2019

Mobile banking was created for convenience. It allows a person to save so much time, as opposed to going to the bank. With just a few taps on a mobile phone, a transaction is completed. As more and more advancements become available, end users start to have better access to improved efficiency.

The same thing can be said about the way automation and artificial intelligence (AI) work and how they are transforming the landscape of marketing.

At this point, you might be wondering what is AI, really? And why is it becoming increasingly popular?

 What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence (AI) falls under the category of Computer Science. More than focusing on the study of theories, design and the engineering of computers, it involves a cognitive aspect. AI gives machines a supercharged version of humankind’s cognitive abilities.

AI empowers machines to grasp extremely complicated concepts and derive insights from the information they were provided. Not to mention, these machines are able to respond and carry out tasks just like humans. The difference is that AI can perform all of these tasks at a much faster rate and on a larger scale.

What makes AI so powerful is its machine learning function. It gives it the ability to function like a human brain, making it capable of processing information, deciphering vision, and storing knowledge.

Like humans, AI-powered machines have the ability to learn from their experiences. They can easily adapt to new input with the help of learning algorithms.

Here are other reasons why this tech is on the rise:

  • It reduces or eliminates errors, resulting in greater work efficiency.
  • It analyzes big data and provides relevant insights.
  • It supports the capabilities of various smart devices such as voice assistants and home automation systems with useful algorithms.

Because of its exceptional ability to mine relevant information from big data, AI is bound to reshape every aspect of the world of business. Healthcare, banking, and marketing are a few industries that have a high demand for AI capabilities.

Automation and AI are still in their early phases. But when they are fully utilized, their abilities can extend to redefining what marketing is about in the future.

How Is Artificial Intelligence Changing Marketing?

While most people associate AI with virtual personal assistants, there’s so much more to this burgeoning tech than its ability to eliminate menial tasks. For instance, AI empowers digital marketers by equipping them with the information they need to move their business forward.

Thanks to AI, marketers can use data analytics tools that help them learn more about their consumers, the best ways to reach them, and the most effective strategies to improve their business.

Here’s how AI can improve your digital marketing efforts:

  1. Get to know your audience better. AI technologies can predict your customer’s buying behaviors by analyzing their habits. With the help of machine learning capabilities, you can understand how your target audience makes decisions regarding the products or services they purchase.
  2. Gain data-driven marketing campaigns. There’s no room for guesswork when you have AI technologies. It lets you use all the data you’ve gathered to create effective and well-targeted ad campaigns.
  3. Improve customer experience. Reach out to consumers at every stage of the sales funnel using the right marketing tactics. With AI, you can easily divide customers into different groups and create a more personalized content that each group will surely like.
  4. Boost productivity. AI algorithms enable you to automate mundane and repetitive tasks. In doing so, you can focus your attention on more important ones. You can save so much time and money as you move your business forward.
  5. Increase return-on-investment (ROI). When you make AI a part of your digital marketing strategies, you can reach target audiences with the right content and the best deals they won’t be able to refuse.
  6. Focus on the bigger picture. A lot of people are hesitant to embrace AI, thinking that if they do, it will replace entire marketing teams. It won’t. Instead, it will empower marketers to get ahead of the game by giving them more time to apply what they’ve learned from the data.

Ready or not, artificial intelligence is set to change the marketing landscape. Tech advances such as virtual assistants and chatbots have improved the relationship between companies and customers over the years. Still, AI has the potential to narrow that gap.

AI provides relevant insights from the data you gather on platforms such as social media channels and websites. In doing so, you can create an ad experience that keeps users engaged and influences their customer journey, as well as their purchasing decisions. Best of all, you can deliver marketing messages that build brand loyalty.

How to Use Artificial Intelligence to Your Advantage

Now that you understand the advantages of artificial intelligence, you should start implementing it into your digital marketing strategy.

By embracing AI, you can drive valuable traffic to the right platforms. You can reach target audiences and keep them engaged. You can retain existing clients and gain new ones. In turn, you can improve sales and take your business to the next level.

Here are five ways you can integrate AI into your marketing strategy and gain a competitive edge:

Strengthen your customer service relations with chatbots

Per day, how many inquiries do you get from customers? Wouldn’t it be great to have a dedicated customer service representative for each one? Chatbots do the trick, no matter what the scale is.

The primary function of a chatbot is to communicate and engage with the audience on a personal level. It can work around the clock in observing a customer’s buying journey. As a result, the information obtained in real time will be interpreted by AI. From there, it can understand and suggest what the user might want and need at that specific moment.

One example is Whole Foods. It starts out with three general options: Search for recipes, browse recipes, and find a store. From there, the chatbot asks more specific questions to help narrow down the conversation.

Another great example comes from Leadsurance, an insurance marketing automation company that creates custom chatbots for insurance agencies.

These chatbots can be added to your website, apps and emails. You can use these tools to reach out to your audiences and you can program them to respond to common questions that potential clients might have.

Given that chatbot programs can function 24/7, you can provide an awesome customer experience.

Research shows that 64 percent of people believe that the biggest advantage of a chatbots is its ability to deliver 24-hour service. About 55 percent also see its capacity to give immediate responses to inquiries as a top benefit.

Save time, generate accurate leads

AI can improve lead generation. This aspect plays a vital role in sustaining and growing every business. With the help of AI, you can generate more valuable leads compared to the usual methods.

The ability of artificial intelligence to process data faster allows it to generate accurate leads, pulling out potential clientele from the sales funnel. These potential clients often fit a pre-determined set of descriptions, often describing their backgrounds, their personalities and more.

Although often overlooked, AI can also boost your social media campaigns. It identifies which specific parts make an ad effective. It also tells you which aspects can be further improved. For instance, you can run similar ads with different calls-to-action, and it will determine the more effective CTA.

Process data faster

Machines are created to enhance people’s lives. The only difference with AI is that it can function beyond the capability of the usual machines that merely operate on fixed algorithms.

AI has the capability to process, discern, and adapt to the behavior of the subject being monitored. There is only so much information a marketer can absorb. With AI, huge chunks of data can be processed and stored. It saves so much time and effort compared to manually doing research for relevant information.

Gathering data for your customer’s journey takes a lot of time and effort. Marketers have the tendency to “make-do” with existing information just to get things done, given the tight deadline of coming up with deliverables. But with AI, outdated files will never be an option when formulating a marketing strategy.

Automate social media

Social media has proven to be a great venue for marketers to penetrate because of the billions of active users they are catering to. Although social media marketing usually requires more effort in content production to reach the right audience, AI has made the process more efficient and highly productive.

As mentioned, AI can recommend content that your audience will like. But it will also tell you when and how you should post it. By analyzing your data, it can help create an effective content-posting strategy.

AI-integrated apps help by automatically curating content and publishing it at the best possible moment to reach your target market.

Notice how Facebook ads seem to show you products related to other things you bought online the past few days? That’s AI at work. It has the power to make the social media experience even more personal by creating a one-to-one experience based on each individual’s browsing history.

Create relevant content

AI can help determine what type of content your audiences are interested in or most likely to respond to. This way, you can curate your online platforms for individual visitors.

When you tailor your content based on your visitors’ interests, you can deliver an amazing customer experience they will never forget.

In relation to social media content, AI-enabled apps identify which content will work best based on audience insights. It is especially great when it comes to competitor research — something that would help you create content that is not only relevant for your own audience but will also outsmart your competitor’s approach.

It also paves the way for an increase in ROI. Understanding your audience based on their behaviors, customer purchasing journeys, and interests makes it easier for you to create tailored content that will encourage them to act.

Conclusion

To wrap up, here are the main benefits of integrating automation and AI to you marketing workflow:

  • Your responses might be automated, but it can be more human than manually sending templated messages. It goes beyond sending a response: It requires understanding your audience and providing them with concrete solutions.
  • It provides efficiency, allowing you to save time by eliminating tedious jobs done manually. This lets you and your workforce focus on more important things.
  • It is cost-efficient. You can gain your ROI by providing excellent customer service, effectively curating content and reaching the right audiences. It also helps double up the productivity of your workforce.
  • It is versatile. AI usage is not limited to social media platforms but also extends across other digital marketing formats.

With the technological advancements happening constantly, it is best to stay updated and not get left behind. Automation and AI have shown great potential in becoming the next game changers in the marketing industry. Their roles do not only touch the basic aspects of marketing but could play a huge role in driving results. Now is the time to take advantage of their extensive uses to gain leverage among competitors who remain loyal to traditional marketing methods.

 Download How to Create a Digital Marketing Strategy

Author Bio

Callum Mundine is part of the marketing team at One Egg, a PPC agency. He is an Amazon marketplace & white hat link building specialist and has launched multiple successful brands on Amazon.com. Callum like his eggs boiled.

Kuno Creative
The Author

Kuno Creative

Kuno Creative is more than an inbound marketing agency. We blend the best of inbound marketing with demand generation to achieve long-term growth with swift marketing results.
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