Many C-level executives are convinced AI is a must-have competitive tool. According to a recent study from IBM’s Institute for Business Value, 75% of CEOs believe that competitive advantage will depend on who has the most advanced generative AI.
Following AI directives from the top, marketers and commerce leaders are hurrying to research AI solutions and consider how they might harness them to improve the customer experience. AI has the potential to drive organizational productivity while delivering new digital experiences at every stage of the buyer’s journey.
However, marketing and commerce teams are just getting started. Despite big plans for the future, over 76% of senior executives are still working on or planning their AI roadmaps.
Why you need a connected ecosystem
Most marketing and commerce teams are familiar with generative AI, in which models create content like text, images or video, based on patterns learned from their training data. Marketing teams already use it to create new content or customize product listings and other existing content so that they work better for customers in a specific location or market segment.
Other forms of AI harness machine learning algorithms and statistical models to crunch historical data and make predictions about customer behavior.
But AI tools of any kind are most effective when they are fully integrated in the same connected ecosystem.
For example, you might use AI to analyze engagement data and predict which kinds of creative will be most effective — and then incorporate those insights into new creative briefs. Alternatively, you could use AI to quickly generate numerous content variants and then test them in real time.
Proven ways to leverage AI in a connected ecosystem
A suite of connected AI tools spanning both marketing and commerce tech stacks can be transformational at every stage of the customer journey. It allows marketing teams to:
1. Elevate marketing strategy and planning
AI allows organizations to design and optimize marketing campaigns, media planning and commerce strategies, thereby delivering better customer experiences and higher conversion rates.
AI makes it possible to understand the impact of individual campaign elements, such as content assets and ad design, on key success metrics like conversion rate and average order value. This information can then be used to inform personalized campaigns that span multiple channels and feature content that’s custom-tailored for individuals and segments.
Marketers can also use AI to adapt content strategies in real time in response to key engagement and sales metrics.
2. Hyper-personalize customer experiences
AI helps marketers and commerce teams go beyond basic segmentation to achieve true one-to-one marketing.
For example, some AI tools can recommend tailored experiences based on customer profiles and preferences that are continuously updated as customers interact with new touchpoints. And others can create thousands of image and content variations that bring recommendations to life.
3. Accelerate content creation
AI allows marketing teams to develop insightful content roadmaps and then build them out at record speed, producing the kind of fresh, relevant content customers want to see.
It can analyze historical engagement data for different types of content assets, identify trends and suggest which types of content will be most effective at every stage of the customer journey.
AI then speeds up the end-to-end content lifecycle, from ideation through copywriting and design, to reviews and approvals, and finally to delivery and content activation.
4. Connect and orchestrate customer journeys
AI helps marketers design customer journeys that feel effortless and cohesive. The latest AI tools are capable of analyzing vast amounts of data to identify the most effective touchpoints and interactions, and which ones are most effective for different market segments.
When deployed in real time, AI tools can guide customers through personalized journeys that increase engagement and conversion rates. Based on real-time engagement data, other AI capabilities can optimize the content and communications that power these journeys.