Artificial Intelligence for Real-World Marketing
When we hear the phrase “artificial intelligence,” what comes to mind is often the stuff of science fiction movies. Robots that take over the world, computers that drive cars, and robots that become our friends.
In the world of business, however, artificial intelligence is the next big thing in digital marketing, but its uses are a little less romantic. First, what exactly is artificial intelligence? According to Wikipedia, “Artificial intelligence” (AI) is intelligence exhibited by machines…. when a machine mimics “cognitive” functions that humans associate with other human minds, such as “learning” and “problem solving.”
So what are a few ways AI is used in real-world marketing?
- Chatbots, or bots, are basically computer programs that allow people to chat with computers. Businesses can use them to provide automated, human-like customer support, e-commerce recommendations, and other interactive experiences. One bonus is that it’s available any time of day or night. The bot can be programmed to provide product suggestions based on the conversation, or even display relevant ads during times when the “agent” is “researching” an answer to a question or finding a solution to a complaint.
- Speech recognition is something AI can be programmed to do, which can translate (pun intended) into widening a company’s customer base. When more people can talk to a search engine or communicate with customer service using their native language, business can be enhanced.
- If you use Facebook, you’ve already likely noticed ad targeting. Advertisements relevant to your last comment or “like” almost magically appear in your newsfeed. AI is used for ad targeting, and Facebook is just one platform where it’s used effectively.
- Website design is an exciting, new way that artificial intelligence is being used by businesses. One company, Grid, boasts that companies can have a website that builds itself and evolves as content is added over time.
- Finally, and maybe obviously, AI is put to good use via search engines. Users are just regular people asking regular stuff, and they may not know the most eloquent way to get good results. Artificial intelligence can help figure out what people are trying to ask, and can quickly get them the search results they probably need. This technology can help businesses when they use search engine optimization (SEO) to build their sites. And with websites that build themselves, SEO is seamlessly integrated.
Want to take your company to the next level? Spend some time researching artificial intelligence and how you can apply it to your marketing ventures. If you don’t, you’re sure to miss out on this soon-to-be essential digital marketing tool.