How Machine Learning is Transforming Digital Marketing

Machine Learning is dominating more and more conversations around the future of Digital Marketing. From an industry perspective, the technology is still largely in its infancy – but its influence is only going to grow. Already, many businesses are using Machine Learning to solve problems and provide valuable insights into Big Data.

What Is Machine Learning?

Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are often spoke about as if they are the same, but this is not true. Machine Learning is a subset of AI; it’s one of the factors being used in the pursuit of better Artificial Intelligence. 

AI uses algorithm-driven machines to complete tasks in an “intelligent” way; Machine Learning involves the following process. A machine is fed information which it analyzes to find trends and patterns – “learning” about the data it has been provided. As it learns, the machine teaches itself an algorithm to constantly improve the insights it gains from the data.

As you feed the machine more data, it continues to refine and improve its algorithms, reflecting any changes to the data. The more data the machine analyses, the more accurate the algorithm or model is. 

Why Machine Learning Is Influencing Digital Marketing 

Although Machine Learning seems like a modern Marketing buzzword, it’s been around since the 1950s. It’s a technological powerhouse of which Marketing is only one application.  

There’s good reason Machine Learning has earned its tag as one of the most powerful trends in Digital Marketing. Machines can analyze huge swathes of data, quickly and efficiently without human error. A machine’s ability to identify trends and patterns from data can easily outstrip a human’s ability to do the same. 

By removing the need for your Marketing team to analyze data, you free up team members from one of their most time-consuming tasks. It’s led to many industry experts building their own, custom-built ML systems to help deliver better results for customers and clients. 

Read more: Machine Learning is Your Secret Weapon for Customer Acquisition

Four Ways Machine Learning Is Being Used in Digital Marketing

Machine Learning is already being utilized in many areas of Digital Marketing. Here are just four ways businesses are using the tech to enhance their Marketing efforts.

1. Personalization

Customers want to feel like a brand is speaking directly to them. Salesforce says that 52% of consumers are likely to switch brands if a company makes no effort to personalize their communication with them. Thanks to advances in Machine Learning, you can make your customer experience more personal than ever.

Netflix is a pioneering company of personalized user experience. Every time you log in, the TV decisions you make are feeding their machine more and more data. In return, it feeds you with content that it thinks you’ll want to watch. 

For your business, personalization means hitting the customer with the right message at the right time. This might be with an email filled with content they’d be interested in, or products they might like to buy in the “recommended products” section on your website. Amazon is masters of this kind of personalization; 35% of their revenue is generated from their recommended products machine. 

2. Optimized Content 

There are ways you can harness Machine Learning to craft content that resonates better with your audience. Tools are available that learn which messages, tone, and individual words impact your audience the most effectively. You can even use a machine to write the perfect email subject line or Facebook post. 

To come to these conclusions, Machine Learning uses a form of A/B testing to learn more about those engaging with your product or service. On every email, article headline, or paid social media ad, you can experiment with different content to discover which delivers the best return. 

Google is a huge exponent of this kind of Machine Learning. The search engine’s ability to learn your search intent has improved significantly in recent years – all thanks to its Machine Learning capabilities. Today, it’s able to present you with more relevant search results than ever.

3. Smart Bidding 

Pay per click (PPC) is marketing’s most data-heavy channel. Where PPC executives and managers previously needed to spend hours analyzing huge datasets to gain workable insights, Machine Learning can now aid in many areas of the process.

Google’s Smart Bidding uses Machine Learning to optimize each campaign for conversations to increase ROI. Automation is also useful for budget pacing and allocation, optimizing creative, reporting and targeting the right audience. 

The role of the PPC manager is shifting accordingly. Today and in the future, they are required to take on a more strategic advisor role; put the strategy and direction in place, then let the machines do the work. 

Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram are developing ever-more sophisticated Advertising platforms too, allowing you to gain the same benefits across your social channels. 

4. Chatbots 

Chatbots are revolutionizing the face of customer service and support. It’s a common sight to see a chatbot pop up in the bottom corner of a website today. The technology is reliant on machine learning technology to deliver better service to customers. 

Chatbots are used by businesses to answer simple questions and queries instantly. They constantly learn from customer responses, expanding their knowledge base to better answer future queries. Available 24/7 and with no customer waiting time, they’re a great way to use Machine Learning to improve your service. 

It’s one of the best ways to meet the demands of the modern customer too. Insight from 99firms tells us that live chat support has the highest satisfaction level of any customer service channel. Chatbots are a great way to provide this for your customers at any time of day without a huge outlay on support staff. 

Machine Learning is no longer a futuristic, far-away technology. It’s being used every day by brands to save time, optimize your offering and improve the quality of your marketing. Make sure 2020 is the year your brand draws up a Machine Learning strategy.

Read more: 5 Innovative Applications of Automated Machine Learning