The Role Of AI In In-House Digital Marketing

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The Role Of AI In In-House Digital Marketing

John Readman is the CEO of ASK BOSCO, which gives online retailers and marketing agencies the power of AI predictive marketing analytics.

Over just a few years, artificial intelligence has begun to reshape the digital marketing industry completely. According to Salesforce data, only 29% of marketers reported using AI in 2018. This figure reached 84% in 2020. Flash forward and data from Statista suggests that this figure rose to 90% in 2022.

Marketing is a multidisciplinary field, encompassing everything from creative ideation to data analysis and testing. AI can supplement, streamline or entirely replace many tasks, allowing marketing teams to leverage AI to enhance productivity and improve marketing campaign results.

As AI continues to proliferate into marketing, in-house teams can build and launch complex marketing campaigns without having to contract external help.

Could the rise of AI represent a turning point for in-house marketing? My agency helps clients empower their in-house teams, so this is a question we’ve been exploring.

What Digital Marketing Duties Can AI Streamline?

One of the main factors motivating businesses to seek external agency support in marketing is a lack of domain-specific expertise. An in-house team might not have experience developing pay-per-click campaigns or may lack knowledge of how to write effective copy. These small skills gaps can translate into a loss of opportunity for brands, compelling them to source external support to provide these necessary skills.

Yet with AI tools hitting the market seemingly every week that directly address individual facets of marketing, this skills gap is beginning to vanish completely.

An in-house team can leverage AI tools for:

• Image generation: AI-generated images can speed up the process of creating and publishing marketing materials.

• Content writing: Whether generating outlines for articles or drafting social media posts, AI tools can streamline content writing.

• Video creation: AI tools can enhance video demos and marketing videos, translate videos into various languages and create personalized video content.

• SEO: AI can generate meta descriptions, meta titles and keyword implementation recommendations for content.

• Data integration and reporting: AI can help save time on data collation, reporting and visualization, propelling data-driven marketing efforts.

By using AI tools, in-house marketing teams can increase their proficiency and efficiency in each of these areas and more.

Based on a survey by the World Federation of Advertisers, the work produced by in-house teams now has a satisfaction rate of 86%, a stark increase from previous years. As AI tools become more effective and specific products for more niche marketing functions become available, in-house teams will be even more proficient in all areas of marketing.

The Benefits Of Scaling In-House Marketing Production

When armed with an AI-powered tech stack, there is nothing that in-house teams can’t achieve. Combined with a team’s existing experience, AI tools can enhance productivity and help them offer deliverables that they may have previously struggled with.

Instead of investing in outsourcing or agency support, businesses can reinvest in themselves, building a better in-house team with all the tools they need to thrive.

Enterprises that rely on in-house marketing teams can benefit from:

• Full autonomy: When in-house teams work on campaigns, marketing teams have full creative control over the direction of the business’s marketing materials.

• Cost savings: Hiring an external marketing agency can come with a staggering price tag. Keeping marketing in-house can reduce costs.

• Improve skills: When businesses invest in the learning and development of their in-house teams, they help them continuously develop new skills. Upskilling in-house teams with training in AI tools enhances their proficiency while improving loyalty.

With an in-house marketing team, businesses are in full control. Every campaign, marketing material and new project will be fully aligned with the brand’s vision while maximizing cost-savings and fostering internal talent.

Preparing For This AI-Driven Future

To effectively integrate AI tools into your in-house marketing team and adopt a hybrid model where AI handles routine tasks, you can take the following steps:

• Invest in AI training and education: Offer comprehensive training programs to ensure your team understands AI technologies and their applications in marketing. Such programs could include online courses, workshops and certification programs.

• Assess and choose the right AI tools: Identify the AI tools that align with your marketing needs. Focus on tools that can streamline content creation, SEO, data analysis and other routine tasks.

• Start small and scale gradually: Begin by integrating AI tools into specific areas of your marketing efforts. For example, start with AI-driven content generation or data analysis. Once your team becomes comfortable, gradually expand AI use to other functions.

• Foster collaboration between AI and humans: Encourage collaboration between AI tools and your marketing team. AI can handle data-driven tasks, freeing up your team to focus on strategy, creativity and innovation.

• Monitor and evaluate performance: Regularly assess the performance of AI tools and their impact on your marketing efforts. Use metrics to evaluate efficiency gains, cost savings and improvements in campaign outcomes.

• Promote a forward-thinking culture: Emphasize the importance of embracing new technologies and staying ahead of industry trends. Encourage your team to experiment with AI tools and explore new ways to enhance their marketing strategies.

The Future Is In-House

External marketing agencies aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, but AI expansion could represent a turning point. With AI tools reducing the marketing skills gap and empowering internal teams, in-house marketing has never been in better shape.

By investing in their in-house marketing and acquiring AI tools to support their teams, businesses can create the foundation for a permanently more effective marketing team. The adoption of a hybrid model, where AI handles routine tasks and data analysis, will allow their team to focus on strategy, creativity and innovation.

AI will likely transform jobs within the digital marketing sector by automating routine tasks and enhancing data-driven decision-making. This shift will open up new opportunities for positions centered on strategic planning, creative development and AI management.

In 2024, it might be time to look inward.


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