Why AI is the Future of Marketing, and How You Can Use It

The world has come a long way from crude experimentations with robots and is now moving toward cutting-edge technology that better understands human needs. Though largely unnoticed by the typical consumer, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has found its footing in several major industries. A round-up of surveys recently revealed that 86% of polled businesses now describe AI as a “mainstream technology” in their operations.

As you can glean from that number, AI has a myriad of use cases across different industries — from manufacturing and time optimization to analytics and forecasting. But some of the most interesting applications are in the world of marketing.

AI in Online Marketing

Marketing has always been a competitive field. Industry experts from Maryville University emphasize how effective marketing is a requirement for any organization, and related skills continue to be some of the most in-demand today. Both big and small companies are always on the lookout for highly skilled professionals in this department –– but those professionals have their work cut out for them on a playing field that now amounts to a complex and constantly shifting technological landscape.

With many (if not most) major companies already using some form of AI to stay ahead in marketing, it is becoming more evident than ever before that AI is the future in the space. Of course, that doesn’t mean that professionals in the field won’t continue to play their roles. But artificial intelligence is increasingly responsible for some of the best forms of customer interaction and brand outreach that comprise modern marketing efforts.

It is not easy to summarize the specific ways AI factors into marketing because endless possibilities and applications exist. Broadly speaking, however, AI can improve data collection, make better sense of that data, and thus drive marketing strategies. It can also communicate directly with customers, engage with larger populations via social media and automated email marketing, and assist with on-site navigation. And even beyond these relatively direct marketing practices, AI can help companies with all sorts of internal analysis to determine what products, services, and communication and advertising methods are most effective –– which, again, drives strategy.

With these broad benefits in mind, let’s look at a few of the more specific ways your company can put AI to use in marketing.

Smart Bot Utilization

Online businesses have been using various kinds of chatbots for years now. But in recent years, innovations like Amdocs’ AI-powered “SmartBot” have upped the ante. This bot and others that followed it are more than just your average automated machines designed for repetitive tasks. Unlike regular bots, smart bots employ machine learning to come up with intelligent responses or solutions. These bots can reach out to new leads via email or respond to chat queries from website visitors, acting as real humans would, but on a larger scale. For example, one bot can simultaneously talk to hundreds of people or send several emails to different clients. Crucially, these bots can also recognize when discussions require human intervention.

Some of the most important benefits of using smart bots include lead generation, 24/7 communication with customers, and data collection for analysis.

Advanced Algorithms

While smart bots play a more consumer-facing role in modern marketing (even if consumers aren’t always fully aware of it), advanced algorithms are also part of the equation. We touched on how algorithms relate to social media and online searches in our recent article ‘2022 Marketing Trends.’ Algorithms for social and search companies are constantly changing, and companies that want to build effective modern marketing efforts need to stay on top of the changes.

At the same time, though, we are also seeing more businesses applying separate algorithms internally to make a better (and quicker) sense of data. This is effectively the behind-the-scenes AI that helps interpret the information gathered through transactions and consumer interactions. While the use of algorithms for this purpose has been notoriously fraught for some companies, the ever-improving nature of AI dictates that programs like this will only become more valuable moving forward.

There are other ways to apply artificial intelligence to marketing, but these examples speak to the most significant and most common efforts. Practices like these enable businesses to automate a great deal of effort and develop better strategies for reaching consumers, generating leads, and making sales. It’s safe to say the benefits of AI are rapidly increasing, and there’s no telling how much more impactful AI will become very soon.

Article intended only for the use of catalystmomentum.com

Written by Alicia Robins