Digital Marketing: Can AI Give Your Business the Breathing Space It Needs?

By Wynn Corliss, Chief Operating Officer at Metigy.

Around the US, businesses are turning to digital marketing to connect with their increasingly digital audiences. Providing intimate access to customers, digital marketing, utilizing social media, offers a cost-effective way for brands to connect with consumers.

With the rise of data-led marketing and artificial intelligence (AI) within digital strategies, the benefits have never been clearer. From chatbots to personalized shopping recommendations, AI is truly all around.

However, for many SMEs, it’s often difficult to see the clear value in AI. It is also difficult to understand how to utilize AI to support digital marketing efforts. So, how exactly can AI be used to support your digital marketing campaign?

Here, we will discuss the value of AI for SMEs and why you should invest in AI-powered marketing solutions. We will also highlight how AI can help you give your business a leg up on the competition.

The Value of AI in SME Marketing

With an increase in data, paired with decreasing marketing budgets, small businesses often struggle to sift through copious amounts of customer information to find the golden nuggets they need. However, AI tools can support small businesses by doing the heavy lifting for teams. In the context of how AI supports digital marketing, AI can provide insight much like a digital strategist. It tells you day-in, day-out, not only what to do, but why and how to do it. By implementing AI, businesses are supported with clear and concise data-led recommendations.

But does it really work? In short, yes. The 2021 Social Media Benchmark Report from Metigy and Social Status found that businesses that utilize AI in their social media strategies are seeing as much as a fivefold increase in the visibility of their content on the likes of Facebook and Instagram.

On average, businesses that use AI for Facebook recorded an organic reach rate at an average of 34.54 percent, compared to just 6.05 percent without the help of this technology.

Looking closer, the report found that AI accelerated monthly growth across all social channels. Businesses saw (on average) an 8.12 percent increase on Facebook compared to 1.80 percent without AI, and a 9.58 percent growth rate on Twitter using AI, compared to 0.28 percent without it. With results like these, it’s clear there’s significant value in AI.

Where AI Can Support Your Business

While the results are clear, it can be tricky for businesses to know how AI can be used in a day-to-day setting as well as what’s actually involved in the process.

As well as utilizing data-backed recommendations, automating repetitive and time-consuming processes, like scheduling content, means you can invest more time in product development and creativity while ensuring customer touchpoints are still there.

For small businesses with fewer resources, automation provides breathing space and levels the playing field by providing around-the-clock marketing support, which otherwise would be out of reach.

It also enables teams to leverage demographic information and purchasing preferences which can provide a holistic overview of your customer base. Ultimately, having access to recommendations, backed by data, provides small businesses with the ability to compete against big businesses.

With more consumers turning to online shopping, and the amount of data only set to increase, small businesses can use AI-led digital marketing tools to support their campaigns. And while AI might seem like a concept that belongs in a Hollywood movie, it truly is the next frontier for digital marketing that’s already here. So, will you take the plunge?

Contributor:

Wynn started at Cumulus Media, the second-largest radio broadcast company in the United States. After two years, he became VP of Digital Operations, responsible for operations/execution/strategy for over 450 US radio stations. After Cumulus, Wynn spent time working with digital/marketing startups helping streamline operations and grow their distribution before joining Metigy.

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