AI technology is rapidly changing the state of business. Last year, around 35% of businesses reported using AI to some degree. This figure is going to rise sharply as more companies discover the benefits of using various AI tools such as ChatGPT.
AI seems to be popping up in all sorts of places, including in marketers’ toolkits. We talked extensively about some of the benefits of using AI in marketing before. While a lot of the discussions are centered around the hype of AI in marketing and some of its applications may be overblown, it is also going to be a gamechanger for the future. Strategy is no longer something dreamed up by humans in a brainstorming room on a Tuesday afternoon. AI is getting into the game when it comes to ideation and implementation.
Ways that Marketers Are Using AI
For marketers worried about the profession’s future, know AI can only be a supercharged assistant at this stage. And you want this technology by your side because it can help you improve your promotional strategies in four ways. Check out how AI enhances marketing approaches below.
1. Create More Relevant Content
As we mentioned in the past, there are a ton of ways that AI can help with content creation. We even listed a number of AI tools that can help with creating great content, such as ChatGPT.
Part of an inbound marketing strategy is to draw leads to your website. Once they’re there, you want to keep them engaged enough to stay. Your online content, whether it’s a blog post or a landing page, is responsible for driving engagement levels. The content must be relevant to your audience’s interests, pain points, and search needs to do this.
A high bounce rate can indicate your website’s content isn’t targeting your audience as it should. Bounce rates are the percentage of people who land on a single page of digital content and leave. They don’t stick around to browse other pages or convert by taking a desired action, such as buying a product.
According to Hawke, average bounce rates have increased from 47% to 56% in 2023. This means brands aren’t captivating and targeting audiences with as relevant content as before. AI programs can help address this issue by refining keyword research and discovering target market insights. Instead of guessing what your market wants to read about and see online, AI can collectively analyze all your data. These sources include your customer service calls.
2. Streamline Everyday Tasks
Do you have a social media manager who’s overwhelmed by having to constantly post to platforms like Facebook and Instagram? This aspect of their job may take up too much of their time. If you’re a smaller company with a one-person social team, everything they’re responsible for can turn into unrealistic targets.
Today’s social media managers aren’t just overseeing digital content. They manage online customer service, digital marketing strategy, and social listening. The growth of social media is one of the reasons why social media manager roles are expected to expand. From 2020 to 2030, the growth of these roles will be a minimum of 10%.
With increased staffing needs, you don’t want your team to be unable to effectively juggle competing tasks. AI can automate the most repetitive of them, including scheduled posts. Other possibilities include streamlining lead-gen campaigns, competitor research, and routine responses to customers’ questions. Your social media manager will have additional time to devote to and perfect digital content strategies.
3. Make Market Research a Breeze
Not doing your homework and expecting to ace the test is usually futile. There’s a high chance you won’t get the results you want. It’s like this with marketing strategies, too. You want to do your homework (aka market research) before you design and execute anything.
Why? Because even if you think you know your audience like the back of your hand, you probably don’t. There’s always something new to discover, and consumer preferences can change. Launching a different set of products, rebranding, and entering unfamiliar markets are actions companies routinely take. You can’t assume two-year-old research is going to do the trick.
However, gathering and analyzing all the data can become a cumbersome project for any team. You’re putting in months of work after you design surveys and collect third-party sources. Your data could become outdated or miss the mark a bit. Thankfully, AI tools can speed up the process of collecting up-to-date information.
AI will show what your clients ask about from conversations with your organization. These tools analyze your existing first-party data so you don’t waste time duplicating it. Your research will also be more accurate, allowing you to optimize your strategies.
4. Predict Emerging Trends
AI isn’t exactly a crystal ball. Still, the technology does take large amounts of customer data and make predictions based on patterns. Known as predictive analytics, it’s one of AI’s most powerful capabilities. As this article from LinkedIn points out, AI can create a powerful advantage for companies trying to predict future trends. Think of it as the equivalent of human wisdom gained through experience. You can predict that x is likely to happen in a specific scenario because you’ve seen it play out before.
A brand like Coca-Cola might use AI’s predictive capabilities to introduce new flavors. A prepaid wireless company like Mint Mobile might see trends in consumers’ concerns about price. The carrier could launch a plan with a lower price as a test. If enough customers switch, AI’s predictive analytics prove correct.
Beyond products, companies can use AI’s predictions to further segment customers. If you can identify who’s most likely to remain brand loyal, you can target them with effective messaging. Automated mobile app notifications based on past purchases and browsing behaviors are examples.
Maybe the data shows a boost in the number of customers who swing by the coffee shop every Friday. AI can isolate who’s stopping by so you can target them with messages about an ongoing BOGO Fridays promo. The trends revealed by predictive analytics have the power to spark ideas about drip campaigns, new promotions, and strategic overhauls.
Refine Your Marketing Strategies With AI
A marketing strategy is only as good as the information behind it. When plans fall short of performance goals, something usually goes awry with the data. Typically, you can point fingers at problems with research methodologies and analysis.
Add in overtaxed marketing teams, and you have another layer of complications. By taking advantage of AI’s capabilities, your company can improve its approaches to targeting and engaging its audiences. The results will speak for themselves.