Digital marketing is full of shiny new toys. You’ve probably seen trends come and go all the time. There’s this little nagging voice in the back of your head that keeps saying, “This is too complex, it’s not for me,” or “I’ve been doing fine without it, why bother?” Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of those things that’s been making waves lately. And I won’t lie, AI trends make me think if I’m getting left behind by the bandwagon.
You and I, we’re both human. We’re hardwired to resist change and fear the unknown. When we see something new like AI, we naturally feel a pang of intimidation. But let me tell you this: You’re not alone. All of us, even the most tech-savvy among us, felt this way when we first encountered AI. That’s just temporary discomfort.
So how do you leverage AI in digital marketing? You can harness the power of machine learning algorithms to automate tasks, derive insights, and personalise experiences. If you want to use AI tools to your advantage, you’ll need to crunch vast amounts of data and extract meaningful patterns to inform your marketing strategies. At its core, AI platforms are all about turning your marketing from a guessing game into a slightly more precise science.
17 ways to leverage AI in digital marketing
- Personalised content recommendations
- Predictive analytics
- Chatbots and virtual assistants
- A/B testing automation
- Content ideation
- Dynamic pricing
- SEO strategies
- Lead scoring
- Influencer marketing matchmaking
- Content gap analysis
- Social media crisis management
- Surveys
- Ad budget allocation
- Customer journey mapping
- “Try before you buy” experiences
- Sentiment analysis
- Market research
How do you leverage AI in digital marketing?
1. Personalised content recommendations
Personalisation is more than just addressing a customer by their name in an email. It extends to crafting and delivering content that is individually tailored based on a customer’s historical data and predictive behaviour.
At the core of this strategy lies an understanding of your customers’ needs, preferences, and behaviours, all of which contribute to creating content that speaks directly to them.
AI-driven algorithms can analyse vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, enabling businesses to gain insights into what their customers like, how they react to specific types of content, and what motivates them to take action.
Data confirms the value of personalisation in digital marketing. According to a study by McKinsey, personalised content can deliver five to eight times the ROI on marketing spend and improve sales by 10% or more.
2. Predictive analytics
In digital marketing, predictive analytics can help businesses anticipate customer behaviour, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. It helps in identifying the most profitable customer segments, predicting customer churn, and optimising marketing campaigns for the best results. It can also help in understanding how changes in the market could potentially impact your business.
Simply put, predictive analytics allow you to forecast which marketing strategies are likely to succeed and which ones may fall flat.
Example
Australia’s National Australia Bank (NAB) uses predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs and deliver personalised offers. By analysing customer behaviour and spending patterns, NAB can recommend the most suitable banking products and services to its customers, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Chatbots and virtual assistants
These technologies are primarily used to improve customer service, provide instant responses to customer queries, and offer personalised recommendations. They can operate 24/7, delivering timely and efficient support to customers across different time zones.
A significant advantage of using chatbots and virtual assistants is that they can handle multiple customer interactions simultaneously, freeing up your human staff to focus on more complex tasks.
Example
In Australia, Domino’s Pizza utilises a chatbot named “DRU Assist” to help customers with their orders. The AI-powered chatbot can understand a customer’s pizza preferences, recommend toppings, and even handle transactions. This innovative use of AI technology has not only improved customer experience but has also increased the company’s efficiency and profitability.
4. A/B testing automation
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a common practice in digital marketing. It involves testing two versions of a web page, email, or other marketing element to see which one performs better.
AI can automate this process. By testing multiple variables simultaneously and accurately interpreting the results, you’ll be able to save so much time and resources – or in other words, automated A/B testing gives you the benefit of scalability.
5. Content ideation
The value of content ideation shouldn’t be underestimated.
AI can analyse existing content to identify gaps and opportunities for expansion or improvement. It provides insights into what content performs well and why, helping businesses create content that drives engagement and conversions.
As Emily Taylor Gregory from FT Longitude writes, “Unfortunately, many companies waste time and money because they don’t know how to create content that engages with and influences their target audiences.” AI can help overcome this challenge by providing data-driven topic suggestions that are likely to engage your audience and meet your business objectives.
