Introduction
Marketing was once a manual process that relied on brainstorming, analysis, and trial and error. Over the last few years, AI marketing tools have dramatically changed the role of marketing.
As a content marketer, I leverage AI-powered tools on a daily basis for research, brainstorming and content creation (and to document processes —more on that later!). AI-powered tools help me boost my efforts and save time.
In this blog, we'll take a look at AI marketing tools and how you can apply them to your own business for better results.
TL;DR: AI marketing strategies
- AI marketing tools have revolutionized the industry, transforming the way marketing is done.
- Benefits of AI in marketing include content personalization, improved customer engagement, marketing campaign optimization, better analysis & insights, and higher campaign ROI.
- Types of AI marketing tools include predictive analytics tools, chatbots and virtual assistants, and content creation tools.
- Steps to design an AI marketing strategy involve setting clear objectives, identifying target audience and channels, analyzing competitors, preparing marketing messages, and reviewing & optimizing.
What is AI marketing?
Artificial intelligence (AI) uses machine learning algorithms to analyze large data sets and make data-driven decisions to improve marketing efforts.
AI in marketing is essentially using machine learning to automate tasks, analyze data, and personalize the customer experience.
Generative AI tools help marketers:
- Create content that aligns with your marketing strategy.
- Analyze user data, identify patterns and optimize marketing campaigns.
- Plan and execute marketing campaigns.
Digital marketers use AI tools to automate a variety of processes like email marketing execution, social media SOPs, management and content ideation.
Ways to use AI marketing tools
AI can be a powerful tool to improve your marketing strategies. Here are some key ways AI tools are being used in marketing:
Content personalization
With the help of artificial intelligence, companies can analyze large amounts of customer data, gaining valuable insights into individual preferences. You can use customer data to create personalized content, recommendations and sale offers, improving user engagement and conversions.
For example, Netflix's AI uses customer data to make personalized recommendations on what content to watch.
Predictive analytics
AI can analyze past data to predict future customer behavior. Marketing teams can use predictive analytics tools for tasks like churn prediction (identifying customers at risk of leaving) or lead scoring (ranking potential customers based on their likelihood to buy). They can even cross-sell and upsell to improve customer retention.
Content creation
AI tools help you automate content creation tasks, such as writing product descriptions or generating social media posts.
AI technology uses a type of machine learning called Natural Language Processing (NLP) to generate content optimized for the target audience. Digital marketing teams can also personalize content for different audiences.
These generative AI tools are available as stand-alone applications or as integrated applications built into larger marketing platforms, like a CRM system or marketing automation platform.
Marketing campaign optimization
Marketers can achieve better results by leveraging AI to improve personalization, engagement and efficiency. For example, Seventh Sense analytics tool helped Imagine develop and execute better email marketing strategies.
With AI, you can analyze marketing campaign performance in real time and automatically adjust for better results.
Optimizing factors like ad spend, targeting and creative content can lead to higher ROI and increased revenue.
Chatbots
AI-powered chatbots can provide 24/7 customer service, answer frequently asked questions, and even qualify leads.
Chatbots engage with customers in real time, reducing the pressure on support agents. Not only do they help your customers resolve their queries quickly, they also provide an efficient and hassle-free customer experience.
How marketers use AI in marketing
We asked a few fellow marketers how they use AI tools for marketing to handle different types of tasks.
Brainstorming
Ah, the dreaded blank page. If you're like me, there are times when the words just won't come — and that's where AI can help you get started.
Lizzie Davey, Freelance eCom SaaS Marketer, finds ChatGPT useful for brainstorming headlines:
“I’ve used ChatGPT to get the ball rolling on headlines. […] It dramatically speeds up the [brainstorming] process and comes up with ideas I never would have thought about.”
Create content
AI writing tools like ChatGPT and Copy.ai help marketers improve messaging and engage customers better.
Jeff Glauser, Founder of Brandscribed, uses AI tools to help with ideation.
“I can simply put in a prompt, [with] an intended audience or outcome, or a preferred style/tone, and it will spit out results accordingly. For anyone struggling with messaging, Al has become a game changer!”
Jaison Thomas, CMO of Blusteak Media, also relies on ChatGPT:
“ChatGPT has become an integral tool […] at our workplace. We use it for creating proposals, writing emails, video scripts and social media captions, and brainstorming.”
Research & optimization
Researching and generating briefs can be time-consuming — but they're essential for developing effective marketing content.
Charu Mitra Dubey, Head of Content at SmartLead, uses Frase at work:
“We use Frase for research, detailed content briefs, and content optimization. […] Sometimes, to brainstorm ideas, we also use Notion AI. It helps us get some pointers to use in our articles.”
Anmol Ratan Sachdeva, an independent content marketer, uses a combination of tools for blog growth.
“I use NeuralText AI-powered document generator to create elaborate briefs for my blogs. Then, SurferSEO helps me update and optimize my content.”
Better analysis & insights
AI can help you develop insights quickly, improving customer understanding.
Lana Rafaela, Founder of Cherry Red content agency, has used AI for assistance in creating audience personas:
“We’ve used AI tools like ChatGPT to visualize our Ideal Customer Profiles’ day-to-day stories. We fed the AI with data, and it formulated scenarios for where our customers would intersect with our client’s brand.”
How to design an AI marketing strategy
Integrating AI tools into your marketing team's digital marketing workflow can help you achieve better outcomes. Here are five steps to get you started.
1. Set clear marketing objectives
To create a successful marketing strategy, you need to start by defining your marketing goals and objectives. Do you want to:
- Increase brand awareness?
- Generate more leads?
- Increase customer retention rates?
- Improve customer engagement?
Once you have a clear objective in mind, it's time to gather information about your current business performance. Analyze customer data from your CRM, site analytics and other business tools.
Once you've analyzed customer data, you can identify specific goals for your marketing strategy and create a roadmap.
💡 Scribe tip: The best marketing goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
2. Identify your target audience and channels
Next, you need to understand your target audience. What are their needs, preferences and behaviors? This will help you choose the right marketing channels based on your marketing objectives.
Tools like UXPressia and Live Persona by Delve AI can help you build your ideal audience personas.
With customer segmentation tools like Klaviyo, you can divide your customer base into smaller groups with similar characteristics and then tailor your marketing messages to each segment for better results.
3. Analyze your competitors
Use competitor analysis to differentiate your offerings and marketing messages. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush are great for understanding your market and making informed decisions for your strategy.
4. Prepare your marketing messages
Next, work on your value proposition. AI writing software like Copy.ai, Rytr and Writesonic can help you develop clear communication and compelling marketing messages.
5. Review & optimize
Once you’re ready to execute your marketing strategy, marketing automation platforms like Hubspot can help you automate repetitive tasks like email marketing, social media posting, and lead scoring.
Be sure to monitor and measure campaign performance and regularly review them against your set metrics.
Business intelligence platforms like Looker create dashboards and reports that track the performance of your marketing campaigns. You can also use AI to analyze customer data and identify insights you may have missed.
Social listening tools like Brandwatch can help you track what people are saying about your brand and your competitors on social media. You can use this customer data to improve your brand reputation and develop more effective marketing campaigns.
Pros and cons of AI tools in marketing
Like any technology, there are both pros and cons to using AI tools in marketing. Let's take a look at the pros and cons of using AI solutions.
Pros of using artificial intelligence in marketing
Let’s start with the advantages of AI in digital marketing.
1. Data analysis
AI tools can process and analyze large data volumes in real time, providing valuable insights into customer behavior.
Data analysis allows digital marketers to make data-driven decisions and optimize marketing strategies to target audiences.
2. Personalization
With AI tools, you can create personalized experiences for your customers by analyzing their browsing history, purchase behavior, and interactions with the brand. This level of personalization can lead to higher engagement, increased customer loyalty and higher conversion rates.
3. Automation
One of the most powerful advantages of AI is automating repetitive tasks like email marketing, social media posting, and customer service inquiries. This not only saves time and resources but also ensures you're performing routine tasks consistently and efficiently.
4. Predictive analytics
AI tools can predict future trends and outcomes based on historical data, helping marketers anticipate customer needs and preferences — helping your businesses to stay ahead of the competition.
Cons of using artificial intelligence in marketing
AI has proven to be a promising technology — but like any other emerging technology, it also has some limitations.
Let’s look at some of the potential drawbacks of using AI in digital marketing.
1. Cost
New AI tools can be expensive, especially if you're a small business or have a limited budget. Investment in AI technology, including maintenance and training, can be a barrier for some companies.
📌 Related resource: How much does AI cost?
2. Data privacy
AI tools require huge amounts of data, raising concerns for data privacy and security. It's important to comply with data protection regulations and ensure customer data is handled responsibly.
3. Risk losing the human touch in your marketing efforts
While AI-powered marketing tools can automate many marketing tasks, they can be... well, robotic. A human touch is essential for building genuine relationships with customers. As digital marketers, we need to find the right balance between automation and personalization to maintain authenticity.
4. Overreliance on AI
Relying too heavily on AI tools can lead to a loss of creativity and innovation in marketing strategies. With industry changes like Google's "helpful, reliable, people-first content" guidance in March 2024, our focus as a marketing team should be on creating high-quality content that prioritizes user needs.
While AI is a tool that enhances our efforts, it's not a replacement for human creativity.
AI marketing strategy best practices
Here are a few best practices to consider when you're building your AI marketing strategy:
- Assess your marketing processes: Identify areas where you'll see the most benefits from AI solutions.
- Find bottlenecks: Look for tasks that are repetitive, time-consuming or data-driven — these are where to start your AI automation efforts.
- Explore AI solutions: Research the different AI marketing tools available and choose tools and platforms that fit your needs and budget.
- Implementation and training: AI isn't "set and forget" — it requires ongoing training and monitoring to ensure it delivers the desired results.
Getting started with AI marketing tools
By documenting your processes, you can find opportunities to automate and delegate tasks to AI tools.
Scribe's AI-powered process documentation tool turns a process that once took hours (or sometimes days!) into just a few seconds or minutes.
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Scribe's process documentation Chrome extension captures your screen as you work, auto-generating a step-by-step guide with:
- AI-powered titles and descriptions.
- An automatic link to any tool you access.
- Text outlining each mouse movement and keystroke.
- Annotated screenshots to demonstrate each click.
🔥 This is where Scribe stands out from generic AI tools: it automatically creates documents for your company-specific processes.
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Simply prompt the AI to write your entire document, and in seconds you'll have AI-generated content: quick guides, Marketing SOPs, onboarding guides, training manuals, tool implementation guides, you name it.
Once you've documented your processes, it's much easier to identify the ways you can use AI to improve efficiency — and get better results.
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Wrapping up: AI marketing strategies
By striking a balance between AI technology and human creativity, AI tools can contribute to the success of your marketing campaigns.
With the right AI marketing tools, you'll get the best out of an AI marketing strategy.
And hey, while you’re at it — make sure you document it all. If you're ready to boost your marketing efforts with AI, sign up for Scribe today and get started!
