Technology, and specifically Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning, are reshaping modern marketing today. Over the last decade, businesses have moved toward greater optimization of marketing tasks—specifically by integrating technology and outsourcing the repetitive tasks to powerful software and sometimes machines. In the early stages, these types of technological advances were restricted to email or direct marketing; however, with the passage of time, the scope has widened—from task performance to data analytics, reporting to decision-making, intelligence to prediction. And that’s where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning come in.
Today, Artificial Intelligence and deep learning—which is a part of AI—are two of the biggest disrupters in marketing technology. Have a look at some statistics on that front: (Source: CMO)
- 55% of B2B companies are currently using marketing automation
- 91% of the most successful marketers credit their success to automation and analytics software
- 77% of CMOs agree that adoption of AI has helped them grow revenue
- The predictive software market was $2 billion in 2012 and will reach $6.5 billion by the year 2019
- Technology could automate 45% of the tasks people are paid to perform— hence, reducing the cost of doing business
What is happening?
Since I work with a software development company, I see a number of areas where automation software and AI-powered tools are contributing to effective marketing. From campaign automation to bots (CSR), predictive analytics to behavior analysis, there are a number of areas where technology is reshaping the face, tactics, and strategies of modern marketing.
1. Content Marketing
While I don’t advise you to outsource content strategy to machines, there are certainly some areas where they can be a valuable source of help with content marketing.
Generally, we can use technology and AI-powered software to improve our performance in the following areas:
- Content Strategy – What type of content to produce next
- Campaign Strategy – Which channels, tone, and text to use
- Personalization – Behavior analysis (demographics, psychographics) drives content development
Some software also helps in the production of marketing material and can help reduce the cost of production and decision-making. Marketers are using the power of machine learning to customize their marketing messaging based upon customer preferences and behavior.
For instance, a company might use a customer’s purchase history to send a promotional binder that includes printed images of products relevant to their interests. With variable printing, this process can be automated so that each recipient receives a binder specific to their unique, particular interests—significantly faster than trying to achieve the same effect manually.
2. Customer Experience Management
Customer experience is vital for better marketing—whether online or off. Studies indicate that 73 percent of consumers prefer buying from brands that personalize their shopping experiences. In response, e-commerce companies are using artificial intelligence to gain deep analytics about their prospects and personalize their experience based on behavior. To see this in action, visit websites like Amazon and Netflix and see the type of recommendations you’re offered based on your search history and/or viewing history.
Technology is helping companies with design, user interface, and journey management. Marketers are not only learning customer behaviors, but also crafting a killer user experience/design that engages them and wins business for the company.
3. Search Engine Optimization
Search engines like Google are using AI to refine search results and provide more relevant results for searchers. However, the story doesn’t end there, as AI is also changing the way marketers address consumers’ appetite for content.
Voice search and Google’s RankBrain have a big impact on search results and behavior. As a marketer, you cannot ignore innovations like Echo, Siri, and Cortana as they impact not only search results, but behavior as well. AI powered virtual assistants are issuing a new era of voice search, and that’s going to change everything about how marketers create content intended for their customers and prospects.
Searchers are relying less on keywords and more on multi-keyword queries. For example, instead of “Italian food”, they’re likely to say “where can I find the best Italian food in (X location)”. As a result, you need to put more focus on queries, answers, and long-tail keywords – and produce content aimed to serve those seeking help from conversational AI.
Conclusion
I’ve cited just a few examples where technology and automation are impacting marketing strategy and campaigns. Automation is reducing the cost of doing business, while analytical software is helping to improve strategic planning.
In addition to this, technology is helping marketers study and understand prospects’ behavior, improving digital experiences and content customization. However, marketers cannot and should not simply rely on automation or AI. Instead, take them as a helping hand that supplements strong business decisions.
Other resources on this topic:
What Voice Search Means for Local Marketing
Automation and Artificial Intelligence: Predictions for the Future
Photo Credit: martinlouis2212 Flickr via Compfight cc
- How Technology is Reshaping Modern Marketing: AI and Deep Learning - October 16, 2017
