Exploring the Power of AI in Digital Marketing (Beyond the Basics)

Cyrus Jabbari

Cyrus Jabbari

AI in digital marketing? Let’s see…

85% of B2B marketers use gen AI and more than three-quarters are happy with the results.

What this means is, if you’re a digital marketer who isn’t using AI yet, you’re probably putting yourself at a disadvantage. 

But with so many AI marketing tools out there, it’s difficult to know which ones are worth using. Knowing how to use them well is another challenge. 

For instance, if you don’t know how to prompt ChatGPT in an advanced way and edit the output, you’ll get poor results for your marketing copy and content. 

In this guide, we’re going to give you a rundown of the top tools, as well as some pro tips on how to get the best possible results from AI in digital marketing.

What is AI in Digital Marketing?

Broadly speaking, AI in digital marketing relies on tools for analyzing data, and automating or speeding up certain tasks. Artificial intelligence in marketing can be broken down into four main categories: generative AI, predictive AI, conversational AI, and analytical AI.

Generative AI in digital marketing: 

Creates content, such as text, images, audio, and videos, based on learned patterns and data inputs. You can use it to generate sections of text for articles, social media posts, emails, and more. However, generative AI still needs human intervention to prompt the models in the right way and edit the output to make sure it’s accurate and engaging. ChatGPT is the most popular AI tool for writing sections of content, Midjourney for image generation, ElevenLabs for audio, and Runway for video snippets.

Predictive AI in digital marketing: 

Predictive AI analyzes historical data to forecast future outcomes. In digital marketing, this helps you predict consumer behavior, optimize ad placements, and personalize messages based on different customer segments.

Conversational AI in digital marketing: 

You can interact with AI chatbots and virtual assistants on websites, social media platforms, and messaging apps. AI customer service agents are trained to give instant responses to common issues, which can lead to improved customer satisfaction and retention.

Analytical AI in digital marketing:

Can be used to automate aspects of ad campaign management, such as bidding, buying, and placement. For instance, Outbrain uses AI to decide the context of an ad. It then predicts the best audience, time, and place for the ad to be displayed, all using a privacy-first and context-driven approach. 

Top Tips To Use AI In Digital Marketing Effectively

1. Scale up marketing personalization

Until the recent AI boom, content personalization was laborious and time-consuming. You’d have to go through a ton of data, such as purchase history, page visits, and click-throughs to identify audience segments. Then you’d create personalized content and manually place it.

Sure, there were tools to speed up elements of the marketing personalization process, but the bulk of it was left for marketing managers and assistants to sort out. Recent AI tech advances have changed the picture. Now, AI automates much of the process, taking away repetitive tasks such as data analysis and content delivery.

Machine learning algorithms can analyze user data, such as past behavior, content preferences, engagement, interactions, etc. to offer up content recommendations that are highly relevant to the user.

Big companies like Netflix have done this for years by analyzing viewing patterns and ratings to recommend shows that fit with each individual’s tastes. Amazon also uses AI algorithms to analyze browsing and purchase histories, then suggest products or offer targeted discounts.

AI-powered ad placement

You don’t have to be a big company with proprietary systems to use AI to place contextual ads. For example, Outbrain’s Onyx Audience Solutions apply an AI model to predict user interests and deliver personalized ads in the right place, at just the right time. The AI uses visitor data that’s aggregated across various sessions without the need for cookies. This is ideal for the “cookieless” future we’re moving towards right now.

2. Using AI to speed up content creation

There are plenty of AI-powered writing, editing, and publishing tools out there to speed up the content creation process. Let’s look at some of the main tools and how they help you create more content in less time.

  • Drafting and content optimization: Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Jasper (formerly Jarvis) help content writers produce outlines and tidy up first drafts based on user prompts. These tools are powered by LLMs (Large Language Models) which use natural language processing to produce coherent, contextually appropriate text.
  • Content ideation: Speed up your brainstorming by using AI to analyze trends, search queries, and competitor content. You can also prompt AI chatbots to take on a persona similar to your target audience and chat with it. Doing so can help uncover relevant topics that are more likely to resonate with your market.
  • Editing and grammar: AI-powered editing tools like Grammarly provide spelling and grammar checks, while also analyzing sentences for clarity, tone, and style. When used properly, these tools enhance readability without stripping away the writer’s unique voice.

Although AI takes some of the repetitive work out of content creation, the human touch is still needed to inject creativity, emotional depth, personal insights, and humor that AI can’t do on its own.

Use AI chatbots iteratively for better results

In other words, don’t just prompt generative AI tools once and accept the first output. If you’re using ChatGPT, a powerful way to use it is to get it to take on a persona similar to your target audience and chat with it in depth, as if talking to a real person. You can ask probing initial and follow-up questions to find new angles for your content.

For example, let’s say you’re writing content for an audience of plumbers, you can prompt ChatGPT to take on the persona of a plumber, then ask about its pain points, challenges, things it would like to read about, what kind of video content it would like to see, etc. Keep iterating on the responses by asking follow up questions. This can lead to some really good content ideas and golden nuggets of content to use in your blog or social media posts. 

Expert tip!

“We’ve turned to ChatGPT as a content analyst, especially when it comes to sharpening E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). 

“After the draft is in place, we ask it to highlight areas for improvement – maybe adding a bit more expertise, or finding an authoritative source or two – and to offer ways to make the piece more engaging and trustworthy. This simple step has made a marked difference in how our content ranks and resonates with readers.

“We’ve also refreshed some of our older posts, focusing on rewriting definitions and FAQs to better match Google’s AI overviews. This approach has given us content that’s clearer, more engaging, and a lot easier to read. We’ve even had some of these refreshed pieces land in featured snippets.” – Victor Karpenko, Founder and CEO at SeoProfy

3. Smart marketing automation

Automation is all about removing the repetitive elements of your job. Let’s take a look at the type of tasks AI automates and which tools are out there to do it. 

Expert tip!

“We’ve taken to comparing our content to the top-ranking articles on a keyword with a little help from Perplexity AI. We ask it to point out where we fall short and how we can outshine the competition. This little trick helps us polish our posts, patch up weak spots, and offer something truly valuable that the others missed. We’re seeing good results as our content steadily rises to the top.” – Victor Karpenko, Founder and CEO at SeoProfy

4. AI for social media marketing success

AI is having a transformative effect on social media marketing. AI tools help social media marketers speed up their workflows and target their content more accurately. Let’s take a look at the most common ways to use AI in social media marketing.

  • Improving content: AI analyzes large volumes of social media data to recommend the best types of content that resonate with audiences. It can suggest ideal posting times, predict content performance, and even generate content ideas that are likely to engage users.
  • Scheduling posts: AI tools automatically schedule posts at the best possible times for maximum engagement. Using historical engagement data, these tools predict when audiences are most active, which leads to greater visibility.
  • Identifying sentiment: The AI looks at the opinions expressed in social media comments and posts to spot patterns. It helps you understand public perception, which means you can react promptly to negative feedback or make the most of positive sentiment.
  • Spotting trending topics: AI algorithms look through huge amounts of social media data to spot trends as they emerge and develop. Armed with this knowledge, you can quickly post about relevant topics. 
  • Engaging with your audience: You can use AI to automatically post responses to inquiries on social platforms. Be careful with this though and don’t overdo it, as if you lose the human touch, you risk losing your audience.

Expert tip!

“Marketers can supercharge their social media strategies with AI in several game-changing ways. AI tools can analyze vast amounts of data to uncover deep insights about audience behavior and preferences, enabling hyper-targeted content creation and personalized campaigns. AI tools can generate engaging post ideas, craft compelling captions, and even create visuals, saving time and boosting creativity. AI-powered predictive analytics can forecast trends and identify the best times to post for maximum engagement. For ad management, AI can optimize targeting, budget allocation, and ad creative in real time, improving ROI. 

“Additionally, AI can automate social listening, monitor brand mentions, and analyze sentiment, allowing marketers to stay on top of conversations and protect their brand reputation. By leveraging AI, marketers can work more efficiently, make data-driven decisions, and create more impactful social media strategies that resonate with their audience.” – Kim Garst, AI Consultant and Digital Futurist

What is the Future of AI in Marketing?

It’s time to look into our crystal ball and try to predict where things are headed in terms of AI for digital marketing. The truth is, nobody knows for sure and a lot of it depends on how the technology improves over the next few years.

One thing is for sure, digital marketers will get more and more opportunities to use tools that automate elements of their job, leaving more time for creative work and strategizing. 

Ethical considerations will also feature heavily in conversations around marketing AI tools and their future development. For instance, if the data fed into the system is biased or skewed in some way, the results may be unfair or inaccurate.

Imagine a tennis equipment company that is training an AI system to target ads. If the historical data shows that most purchases were made by men (possibly because previous marketing campaigns were aimed at men), then the AI might conclude that men are more interested in tennis equipment than women. 

The AI continues to primarily target men with the tennis equipment ads, reinforcing a cycle in which women are less exposed to these ads and therefore less likely to be recognized by the AI as potential customers in future data.

For that reason, it’s important to keep a “human in the loop”. This means there should be a partnership with the machine doing the repetitive work and a human checking the output, applying ethical judgment, and adjusting the results if necessary.

Diverse teams are needed for this, as they can provide a wider range of inputs that reflect broader societal values and norms. 

Expert tip!

“AI-powered forecasting tools help teams predict future trends by analyzing data, identifying patterns, and providing actionable insights. They use machine learning to adapt and improve accuracy over time, offering faster, data-driven decision-making. However, can we fully trust their predictions? AI relies on the quality and relevance of its data. Biases, gaps, or outdated information can lead to flawed outcomes, and it lacks the human ability to interpret nuances or unforeseen events. While AI enhances strategic planning and efficiency, it should complement human expertise. Teams must critically evaluate forecasts and use them alongside intuition and experience for reliable decision-making.” – Liron Avraham, MD EEMEA & New Markets, Outbrain

How Can You Use AI in Digital Marketing?

Begin by reviewing your current marketing strategies and tools. Look for areas that are time-consuming or where human error is common, as these are prime candidates for AI integration.

Next, consider areas where your marketing team struggles to keep up, such as data management, customer segmentation, campaign personalization, or ad placement. Look for AI tools that improve efficiency and effectiveness by automating elements of those tasks.

You can also analyze existing campaign performance using AI to generate insights from large datasets quickly and identify gaps in your strategies.

Once you’ve decided which areas are ripe for AI automation, the next step is to set a budget. Find the tools you think would help and list them in order of priority, related to how much ROI you think they’ll bring. Set a budget and choose the top tools from the list that meet your marketing needs. 

It’s best to start with a small pilot program, focusing on one or two aspects of your marketing, then build from there. For instance, you might want to start out using tools for customer segmentation and content creation initially, before applying the more complex predictive analytics tools.

Expert tip!

“I’m really excited about AI’s ability to optimize the marketing funnel.

“With Google Analytics 4’s predictive analytics, we can identify key customer segments. For example, we focus on those likely to buy but spend less, perfect for upselling. AI also identifies at-risk customers, allowing us to intervene before they churn. We re-engage them with loyalty rewards or offers. The ‘Predicted Revenue’ feature helps allocate our marketing budget wisely, focusing on high-value customers.

“All of these AI features stretch our dollar further by providing insights into customer behavior. In the future, the marketing funnel will be increasingly data-driven.” – Gianluca Ferruggia, Managing Director at DesignRush

AI in digital marketing example: Starbucks and Deep Brew AI 

In 2019, Starbucks introduced its Deep Brew AI platform to improve personalized customer interactions and store management.

The AI system personalizes the drive-thru and in-store experience for customers through the Starbucks app. It uses AI to automate elements of order placement, manage customer rewards, and capture consumer data.

Starbucks also used AI analytics to help with store placement, identifying optimal new locations for stores by analyzing factors like traffic patterns, demographic data, and existing market conditions.

Make the Most of AI Marketing Tools

AI digital marketing tools are ideal for speeding up marketing tasks such as content creation, editing, personalization, data analysis, spotting trends, and scheduling posts.

With AI, marketers can manage and optimize multiple campaigns simultaneously with greater efficiency. It also frees up time for marketers to focus on the more creative elements of the job. 

As AI tech develops further, it’ll help digital marketers stay more competitive through data-driven decisions and higher levels of efficiency.

FAQ

What are the benefits of AI in marketing? 

AI in marketing improves personalization, increases efficiency, and enhances decision-making through data-driven insights. When used well, AI marketing tools boost customer engagement and campaign effectiveness.

What are the risks of using AI in marketing? 

Risks of AI in digital marketing include potential data privacy issues, over-reliance on tech which can lead to the loss of a human touch, and the possibility of AI being biased if not properly monitored.

How can I start using AI in my marketing strategy? 

Begin by finding repetitive tasks and areas for improvement in your current marketing efforts, then integrate AI tools that automate these processes or generate data-driven insights.

How can AI improve content marketing? 

AI helps automate aspects of content creation, generate ideas, optimize content for search engines, and personalize content to individual user preferences.

How can AI revolutionize social media marketing strategies? 

AI tools analyze large data sets to optimize content delivery and highlight the best times for posting.

How can AI enhance email marketing campaigns for better results?

AI can predict the best times to send emails, segment audiences, and test different versions of emails to optimize open rates and conversions.

How can AI optimize SEO strategies for maximum impact? 

AI can be used for SEO to analyze trends and predict keyword performance, leading to better visibility on SERPs and more organic traffic.

How can AI be used for PPC advertising?

AI for PPC helps by automating bids and optimizing ad placements to boost the ROI of ad spend.

How can AI be used for customer service? 

AI-powered chatbots provide instant, 24/7 customer support and are ideal for handling routine inquiries. AI chatbots free up human agents to deal with more complex issues.

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