What’s waiting for us in 2023, in terms of digital advertising? As advertisers and publishers who use ad networks, it’s important to keep up to date in the current and future trends of digital marketing. We’ll try and help you do just that. And first up – automation.
What is digital marketing automation?
Digital marketing automation is the use of software and technology to automate marketing tasks and processes, such as email marketing, social media marketing and ad targeting.
Why should you use automation?
Some advantages of digital marketing automation include:
Increased efficiency: automation allows you to set up marketing campaigns and processes once, and then let the software handle the execution of those tasks. This saves time and resources that can be better spent on other areas of your business, such as customer service, content creation and more.
Better targeting: automation tools allow you to segment your audience and tailor your marketing messages to specific groups of people. This way, you can create more effective marketing campaigns and achieve higher conversion rates.
Improved customer experience: digital marketing automation helps you deliver personalized, relevant content to your customers at the right time, which can improve their experience with your brand.
Enhanced data analysis: advanced analytics capabilities are often coupled with automation tools. This way, you can track the success of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions about your marketing strategy.
Cost savings: who doesn’t want to save a bit of money? Automation can help you streamline your marketing efforts, reducing the need for manual labor and potentially lowering your overall marketing costs.
Common digital marketing tools
- Email marketing: these tools allow you to create and send automated mail messages, such as welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, and newsletters. Examples include Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Sendinblue.
- Social media automation: there are so many social media channels, it’s hard to keep track and publish content efficiently on all platforms. Automation tools allow you to schedule and publish social media posts, as well as track and analyze your social media performance. You can try using Hootsuite, SocialPilot and Sprout Social.
- Marketing automation platforms: these tools combine a range of marketing automation features, such as email marketing, social media marketing, ad targeting, and CRM, in a single platform. Examples include Marketo and Pardot.
Automation mistakes you should avoid
- Failing to segment your audience: this can lead to generic, one-size-fits-all marketing campaigns that are less effective at converting customers. Know who you’re talking to, in order to send the right message to them.
- Non-personal marketing messages: another mistake is failing to personalize marketing messages based on the specific interests and needs of different audience segments. This can result in a lack of relevance and impact.
- Not setting clear goals and metrics: without clear goals and metrics in place, it can be difficult to determine whether your automation efforts are successful. Don’t just run with it – make sure to set clear goals and track the metrics that matter most to your business, and check them on a regular basis.
- No testing: it’s important to test and optimize your automation campaigns to ensure that they are performing as well as possible. This may involve A/B testing different subject lines, call-to-actions, or other elements of your campaigns.
- Relying too heavily on automation: automation can be a powerful tool, but it’s important to remember that it’s not a substitute for human interaction. Make sure to find a balance between automation and personalized, human-to-human communication with your customers.