AI in Marketing - Top Tools for Automation and Analytics

AI has revolutionized marketing (digital marketing too) by automating and enhancing workflows across creation, distribution, and execution. Discover the top AI Marketing tools for fast outcomes.

Aug 02, 2024

Generative AI & Marketing - What happened exactly?

Until 2022, we relied on skilled professionals to plan and execute marketing strategies. Last year, OpenAI launched ChatGPT to the public.

And it changed the game all entirely…

Previously, like many of us, I procrastinated when it came to writing. But ChatGPT transformed our workflows.

Earlier, We used to depend on machine learning based predictive analytics and NLP models, but now we leverage text-generating models—an innovation that has reshaped everyone’s KRAs and KPIs.

The conversation shifted from

“Let’s hire a digital marketing agency or look for marketing executives”

“Let’s find an AI agent/tool for that... AI can help us save costs.”

AI agents and marketing tools are now automating at least 60%-70% of workflows. People have started calling this "AI Marketing" or "AI in Digital Marketing".

What once required a six-person team can now be managed by a three-person team with AI marketing tools. It's not just about the scarcity of skilled resources but also about having

“a skilled resource giving 2x throughput with AI tools.”

I have been experimenting with and using these tools for the past 18 months, and I frequently get asked, “Which tool do you recommend?”

My response is always the same: “What’s your workflow need?”

You can’t fit a workflow into the tool. The tool should fit into your workflow.

Thanks to artificial intelligence, the time to launch SaaS apps has significantly reduced, at least by 50%-60%.

That's why, if you notice, there has been an abundance of AI tools launched in the last 15 months, since ChatGPT and other generative AI models have launched.

Workflows - use AI ?

As a founder or marketing leader, one topic that always comes up in GTM meetings is:

What’s our Demand Capture and Demand Generation Plan?

This question is then followed by several others:

1. What kind of budgets do we need?
2. Do we need to hire, or can we use tools?
3. Who is going to lead this?
4. How will we fight the competition?
5. How will we control our CAC?
6. How can we take AI help in marketing campaigns without disrupting our prospect journey and customer experience?

Typical Management Goals

Now that AI is available, let's aim to save at least 60% of our human resource costs in marketing efforts.

To find the best tools that can help you automate parts of your workflow, let’s dive deep...

Before we deep dive, if you are enjoying, please share with your friends and peers…

Demand Capture Workflow

Your target audience is aware of their problem and is actively looking for a solution.

Goal: Capture all the audience looking for solutions, tactics, or techniques.

Major initiatives in priority order to capture demand:

Performance Ads (because they are searching on Google) - Search, Display, and Social - wherever the target audience hangs out or evaluates.
Engaging influencers to share about your product and unique solution.
Thought leadership initiatives like interview series, weekly newsletters, customer case studies, and white papers.
Content and SEO initiatives.
Discussions around solutions in industry/target audience communities.
Review sites.

Demand Generation Workflow

Your target audience hasn't yet identified a solution to their existing challenge. For them, the challenge must first become a priority issue.

Goal: Build trust, convert the audience into followers who are curious to learn more about the problem and solution, and bring them into the funnel.

Major initiatives in priority order to generate demand:

Thought leadership initiatives like interview series, weekly newsletters, customer case studies, and white papers.
Engaging influencers to share your unique POV, product, and solution.
Build a community of professionals aligned with your unique POV and thought leadership.
Social media postings on unique POV and engagement with thought leaders and other industry professionals.
Create exclusive content pieces like eBooks, white papers, etc.
Regularly plan exclusive webinars and events to nurture the audience interested in delving deeper into the problem.
Discussions around problems in industry/target audience communities.

Marketing Activities to Convert

Choosing AI solutions for your go-to-market strategy depends on the workflow you're following and what is important to your target audience.

Before deciding on the activities, consider which ones will make the greatest impact and reach your target audience effectively:

1. What are their content needs? -- Understand their pains, challenges, and desires.
2. Where are they highly active? -- Identify the platforms and communities they frequent.
3. What actions are they willing to take based on their trust level? -- Determine the easiest steps they can take to engage with your content.
4. What are their trust-building steps, and how long is the cycle? -- This varies across different audience segments; for some, it's a 3-step process, while for others, it may take 10-12 steps.

This exercise typically takes 4-5 working days, including reviews and brainstorming, and it provides a clear picture of the kinds of experiments you need to execute.

If you're operating in the B2B space, your activities will generally fall into three categories:

1. Creation (Marketing Messages / Assets that generates trust)

2. Distribution (Marketing Channels that works)

3. Execution (Ground Activities that builds relationship)

Here’s a comprehensive list of activities that marketing teams can choose from:

Creation

Thought leadership content pieces like eBooks and guides. Ex - Semrush’s State of Content Marketing Report
Industry-specific white papers addressing particular problems. Ex - White Paper on “How to evaluate a Sales AI Tool”
Writing thematic newsletters. Ex - Future of Prospecting for Sales Folks
Social media posts offering unique points of view. Ex - Wendy’s Twitter Account (known for sarcastic and witty tweets)
Collaborative guides with other creators. Ex - Moz Blog
Listicles and curated information and learnings. Ex - 30 WTF Facts: Business, Marketing & Other Random Stuff
Video interviews and video learning series.
Podcast series.
Best examples, comparisons, and detailed analyses of other works.
Memes and satires.
Counter-opinion series on established beliefs.
Content creation for SEO.
Courses and certifications.
Infographics.

Distribution

Sharing on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter (Social Media Marketing)
Sharing in communities on Slack, LinkedIn, Twitter, Discord, Telegram, and WhatsApp.
Sending 1:1 messages to people on LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and Twitter.
Sending emails to known lists and unknown databases.
Partnering with influencers and other key individuals to share and spread content in their networks.
Running paid ads on Google, LinkedIn, Meta, YouTube, and Twitter. And Programmatic Advertising too.
Collaborating with industry news sites, pages, associations, and communities.

Execution

Running webinars.
Organizing events.
Hosting roadshows and conferences.
Setting up and managing affiliate partnerships.
Interview podcast series.
Customer and thought leader interviews.
Competitions and challenges.
Workshops and live training sessions.

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Automation, Analytics, and AI in Marketing Campaigns

Of all the marketing decisions that the team needs to take, we must identify:

1. What can be created, distributed, or executed with the help of AI and other automation tools?
2. What can be analyzed using AI? And what inferences would help us improve?

Below are examples of AI tools along with use cases that I found helpful across the verticals of Creation, Distribution, and Execution.

Creation (use AI)

1. Thought Leadership Content Pieces (eBooks, Guides)

- Tools: Jasper, Copy.ai

- How: Generate outlines, draft sections, and refine content based on specific topics and industry insights.

- How to Analyze: Use Google Analytics to track downloads and page views. Monitor engagement metrics like time spent on page and bounce rate.

- Metrics: Downloads, page views, time on page, user feedback.

- Inferences: High downloads and engagement indicate valuable content. Low metrics may suggest a need for better promotion or content adjustments.

2. Industry-Specific White Papers

- Tools: MarketMuse, Grammarly

- How: Input key findings and data, allowing AI to structure and draft comprehensive reports tailored to specific audiences.

- How to Analyze: Use Knotch or Chartbeat for reader sentiment analysis and Google Analytics for traffic and engagement tracking.

- Metrics: Downloads, shares, reader feedback, engagement rate.

- Inferences: Positive sentiment and high engagement suggest effective targeting and relevance. Low engagement could indicate a mismatch with audience needs.

3. Thematic Newsletters

- Tools: Substack, Convertkit, Claude.ai, Perplexity, ChatGPT

- How: Create engaging content based on themes, automate scheduling, and personalize for different subscriber segments.

- How to Analyze: Track open rates and click-through rates (CTR).

- Metrics: Open rate, CTR, unsubscribe rate, engagement metrics.

- Inferences: High open and CTR indicate relevant content. Increasing unsubscribe rates may signal content misalignment with subscriber interests.

4. Social Media Posts

- Tools: Taplio (for LinkedIn), Hypefury (for Twitter), Hootsuite (for management)

- How: Create multiple variations of posts from a single idea, optimizing for different platforms and audiences. Engage with the audience and thought leaders. Generate content from inspirational posts.

- How to Analyze: Use Hootsuite or Taplio to measure engagement and reach.

- Metrics: Likes, shares, comments, impressions, engagement rate.

- Inferences: High engagement suggests resonant content. Low interaction may require content optimization or different posting strategies.

5. Collaborative Guides with Other Creators

- Tools: Notion, Google Docs with AI plugins

- How: Draft sections collaboratively, integrating feedback and suggestions in real-time.

- Metrics: Number of contributions, revisions, user feedback.

- Inferences: Active collaboration indicates deep thought going into content. Low contributions may suggest a need for clearer objectives or incentives for creators.

6. Listicles and Curated Info

- Tools: BuzzSumo, Copy.ai

- How: Compile trending topics and insights, using AI to generate engaging list formats.

- Metrics: Shares, comments, backlinks, engagement rate.

- Inferences: High shares indicate appealing content. Low performance may require a review of topics or presentation style.

7. Video Interview Series

- Tools: Synthesia, Opus Clip, Simplified

- How: Record interviews and use these tools for editing, generating highlights, and creating engaging clips.

- Metrics: Views, watch time, engagement rate, audience retention.

- Inferences: High retention suggests engaging content. Low retention may indicate a need for better pacing or topic relevance.

8. Podcast Series

- Tools: Descript, Podbean

- How: Utilize AI for transcription, editing, and generating promotional content from episodes.

- Metrics: Downloads, listener retention, engagement rate, feedback.

- Inferences: High downloads and retention suggest compelling content. Low metrics may require content reevaluation or improved marketing.

9. Comparative Analysis

- Tools: Jasper, MarketMuse

- How: Input data on various works, allowing AI to generate detailed comparisons and insights.

- Metrics: Engagement rate, shares, backlinks, user feedback.

- Inferences: High engagement indicates valuable insights. Low interest may suggest a need for more compelling comparisons or clearer presentation.

10. Memes and Satire

- Tools: Imgflip, Canva with AI features

- How: Brainstorm ideas for jokes or satire and create visuals that resonate with current trends.

- Metrics: Shares, likes, comments, engagement rate.

- Inferences: High engagement suggests resonant humor. Low interaction may require adjustments in humor style or targeting.

11. Counter Opinion Series

- Tools: ChatGPT, Jasper

- How: Generate alternative viewpoints on established beliefs, providing a balanced perspective.

- Metrics: Engagement rate, shares, reader feedback.

- Inferences: High engagement indicates a successful challenge to established beliefs. Low metrics may suggest a need for stronger arguments or more relatable content.

12. SEO Content Creation

- Tools: SEMrush, NeuronWriter, MarketMuse

- How: Identify keywords and optimize content structure using AI-driven insights.

- Metrics: Keyword rankings, organic traffic, bounce rate, conversion rate.

- Inferences: Improved rankings and traffic indicate effective SEO strategies. Low performance may require keyword adjustments or content optimization.

13. Courses and Certifications

- Tools: Thinkific, Kajabi, Teachable with AI support

- How: Develop course content and assessments, utilizing AI for personalized learning paths.

- Metrics: Completion rate, user satisfaction, engagement metrics.

- Inferences: High completion rates suggest effective content delivery. Low rates may indicate content difficulty or lack of engagement.

14. Infographics

- Tools: Canva, Visme

- How: Generate visual data representations using AI to streamline design and content integration.

- Metrics: Shares, engagement rate, feedback.

- Inferences: High shares and engagement indicate effective visual communication. Low performance may require design or content adjustments.

Distribution (Automation & AI Marketing)

1. Sharing on Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter)

- Tools: Lately, Buffer, Taplio (for LinkedIn), Hypefury (for Twitter)

- How: Use Lately to generate posts from long-form content. Buffer, Taplio, and Hypefury allow you to schedule these posts at optimal times based on audience engagement metrics.

- Metrics: Reach, impressions, engagement rate, click-through rate (CTR)

- Inferences: Analyze which posts perform best in terms of reach, engagement, and clicks. Use this data to optimize content and posting times for each platform.

2. Sharing in Communities (Slack, LinkedIn, Twitter, Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp)

- Tools: Feedly, Circleboom, Whatlist, Taplio, Hypefury,

- How: Use Feedly to curate relevant content and share it across platforms. Circleboom helps schedule and manage posts in various communities.

- Metrics: Engagement rate, comments, shares, new followers

- Inferences: Track engagement and growth within each community. Identify top-performing content and influential members to guide future community engagement strategies.

3. Sending 1:1 Messages (LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Twitter)

- Tools: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, WhatsApp Business, Whatlist, Hypefury

- How: Use Sales Navigator to identify prospects and automate personalized outreach messages, while WhatsApp Business can manage direct communications effectively.

- Metrics: Response rate, conversion rate, customer satisfaction

- Inferences: Monitor response times and customer satisfaction to optimize personalized outreach. Track conversion rates to measure the effectiveness of 1:1 messaging in driving business goals.

4. Sending Emails (Known Lists, Unknown Database) - Email Marketing

- Tools: Instantly, Lemlist, Hubspot

- How: Use Instantly or Lemlist to segment your audience and automate email campaigns, while HubSpot can help personalize emails for unknown contacts based on behavior tracking.

- Metrics: Open rate, CTR, unsubscribe rate, conversion rate

- Inferences: Analyze open and click-through rates to gauge email engagement. Track unsubscribe rates and use A/B testing to improve email content and subject lines. Monitor conversion rates to measure the impact of email campaigns on business objectives.

5. Partnering with Influencers

- Tools: UpGrow, AspireIQ, Passionfroot, Sparkloop

- How: Use UpGrow for targeted influencer identification and AspireIQ for managing collaborations and tracking campaign performance.

- Metrics: Reach, impressions, engagement rate, conversion rate

- Inferences: Evaluate the performance of influencer campaigns based on reach, engagement, and conversions. Use this data to identify top-performing influencers and optimize future collaborations.

6. Running Paid Ads (Google, LinkedIn, Meta, YouTube, Twitter)

- Tools: Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager

- How: Optimize ad targeting and copy based on audience data and performance metrics.

- Metrics: Impressions, CTR, cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rate, return on ad spend (ROAS)

- Inferences: Monitor key metrics like CTR, CPC, and conversion rate to optimize ad targeting, copy, and budgets. Track ROAS to measure the direct impact of paid campaigns on business goals.

7. Collaborating with Industry News and Communities

- Tools: BuzzSumo, Sprout Social

- How: Use BuzzSumo to identify trending topics and potential collaborators. Sprout Social can help manage outreach and track engagement with industry communities.

- Metrics: Reach, impressions, engagement rate, referral traffic

- Inferences: Analyze the reach and engagement generated by collaborations to assess their effectiveness in driving brand awareness and website traffic. Use this data to identify the most valuable partnerships and optimize future collaborations.

Execution (Marketing Activities)

1. Running Webinars

- Tools: WebinarGeek, Zoom, Airmeet

- How: Use WebinarGeek or Airmeet for webinar hosting, registration, and promotion. Integrate with Zoom or directly conduct on Airmeet for seamless video conferencing. Analyze success using metrics like attendance rate, engagement, and lead generation.

- Metrics: Attendance rate, engagement score, conversion rate, audience demographics, feedback ratings

- Inferences: Analyze data post-webinar to assess participant interest and areas for improvement, such as drop-off points and engagement levels during the session.

2. Organizing Events

- Tools: Eventbrite, Hubilo, Airmeet

- How: Utilize Eventbrite for event ticketing and promotion. Hubilo offers an AI-powered platform for event management, including personalized recommendations and insights. Track success through metrics like ticket sales, attendance, and post-event surveys.

- Metrics: Ticket sales, attendance numbers, participant feedback, social media mentions

- Inferences: Evaluate overall satisfaction through post-event surveys and compare attendance against previous events to gauge growth.

3. Roadshows and Conferences

- Tools: Cvent, Hopin, Airmeet

- How: Cvent provides a comprehensive solution for conference management, from registration to venue selection. Hopin offers a virtual event platform with features like live streaming and networking. Analyze success using data on sponsorship revenue, attendee satisfaction, and lead generation.

- Metrics: Registration vs. attendance, sponsor engagement, feedback scores, lead generation

- Inferences: Analyze attendee demographics and engagement to refine future events.

4. Affiliate Partnerships

- Tools: ShareASale, Impact

- How: Use ShareASale or Impact to manage affiliate programs, track performance, and provide insights. Utilize AI for partner identification, commission optimization, and personalized outreach. Analyze success through affiliate revenue, conversion rates, and new customer acquisition.

- Metrics: Revenue generated through affiliates, conversion rates, click-through rates, engagement metrics

- Inferences: Monitor performance regularly to identify high-performing affiliates and optimize strategies accordingly.

5. Interview Podcast Series

-Tools: Descript, Buzzsprout
- How: Descript enables easy podcast editing, transcription, and repurposing. Buzzsprout handles podcast hosting, distribution, and analytics. Use AI for guest identification, show notes generation, and social media promotion. Analyze success through downloads, reviews, and listener engagement.

- Metrics: Download numbers, listener retention, engagement rates (comments, shares), feedback ratings

- Inferences: Identify popular episodes and improve content based on listener preferences.

6. Customer / Thought Leaders Interviews

- Tools: Zoom, Otter.ai

- How: Conduct interviews via Zoom and use Otter.ai for automated transcription. Leverage AI for content summarization, quote extraction, and social media snippets. Analyze success through views, shares, and lead generation.

- Metrics: View counts, engagement metrics (comments, shares), feedback ratings

- Inferences: Analyze which interviews resonate most with your audience to inform future content.

7. Competitions and Challenges

- Tools: Gleam, Woobox

- How: Gleam and Woobox offer platforms for running contests, giveaways, and challenges. Look for participant segmentation, targeted promotion, and prize optimization. Analyze success through entries, social media engagement, and new follower acquisition.

- Metrics: Number of entries, engagement rates, social media shares, new followers

- Inferences: Assess the effectiveness of promotional strategies and participant feedback to enhance future competitions.

8. Workshops and Live Trainings

- Tools: Zoom, Thinkific

- How: Utilize Zoom for live workshops and trainings. Thinkific enables the creation and management of online courses. Integrate AI for personalized learning paths, automated feedback, and post-training assessments.

- Metrics: Attendance rates, completion rates, participant feedback, engagement scores
- Inferences: Analyze participant performance and satisfaction to refine future training sessions.

Which ones have you tried out of all the tools and activities above?

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