Marketing automation software is rapidly changing the world of business. It’s making the sales process a lot easier, allowing you to build a more personalized relationship with your customers.
Because of this, it has become one of the most popular trends, becoming incorporated into a wider array of businesses. Let’s take a closer look at who is using this and how this trend can evolve.
Marketing automation first start to appear in 1992. Initially, much of the focus was placed on email systems. However, it wasn’t until the mid-2000s that this technology started to become more advanced. This is when companies like HubSpot were beginning to take off.
Since then, marketing automation has started to become more advanced. It has gone beyond email marketing, to encompass things like SEO and social media campaigns. As a result, this technology has been growing more popular.
Today, it’s estimated that 51 percent of businesses are currently using marketing automation. More people are planning on incorporating this into their business. Because of this, the future of marketing automation is strong. It’s believed that this market could be worth $8.4 billion by 2027.
How Much Marketing is Digital?
To understand why marketing automation has been growing so quickly, we need to understand a larger societal shift. The rise of digital marketing. This has also been getting much more prevalent.
Historically, physical marketing was the gold standard. The best way to reach someone was by putting a letter in the mail. But the internet has changed all this. It’s estimated that there are around 4.6 billion active internet users in January 2021. This represents over half of the world’s population.
In richer countries, the number of people who have access to the internet is huge. 90 percent of the people in the United States have the internet. Other countries are even higher, with close to 100 percent of the population regularly using the internet.
This presents a huge opportunity for companies. Social media companies have billions of active users, across all age brackets. These sites are designed to be addictive, with users spending hours a day browsing through social media. 50 percent of adults report being unable to live without their phones. The pandemic has increased dependence.
This is the ideal environment for marketing. You will be assured that people will see your messages. With a good campaign, you can get massive conversion rates. Because of these results, there has been a huge growth in the amount that companies are spending on digital marketing. It’s estimated that companies will be spending $156 billion on marketing to mobile users by 2023. It’s believed that 46 percent of marketing spend will be spent on digital efforts.
But some companies opt to focus all of their attention online. Some traditional retailers are even ditching physical locations in favor of a cheaper online presence. As this trend accelerates, you can expect to see the amount being spent on digital marketing increase.
Biggest Trends in Marketing Automation
Like all fast-growing organizations, there are a few trends in the world of marketing automation. Let’s look at some of these areas.
The Rise of AI
One of the biggest trends is the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There are a few ways that this can be used. First, it can be used to collate information about the customer. This can allow you to figure out the best time to reach your customers and what type of products they are most interested in.
This allows for the process of machine learning. They can use the gathered data and combine it with A/B testing. This allows you to quickly figure out which campaign will have the best results. Often, this can be tailored to better suit the target audience. As these systems grow more advanced, they will likely be able to gather more data and target the campaign more effectively.
More Advanced Chatbots
Chatbots are a great way for customers to get to know more about a business. Any questions can be answered instantly, rather than having to wait for a person to become available. AI can likely be used in this area too, developing a more naturalistic tone. This can be a great way of improving your customer service.
More Personalized Emails
One of the best ways to communicate with people is through emails. When done right, you will be able to establish a direct line between you and your customers. It can be used to drive sales and form a closer personal relationship. However, the average person receives 121 emails each day. Because of this, you need to find a way to make your company’s emails stand out. This is where marketing automation software can help.
You will be able to gather information about your customers. In this case, you can get to know the best time of day to send the email. You’ll be able to start your messages with their name, instantly grabbing their attention. The AI will learn what they are interested in. As a result, you will get a higher clickthrough rate and a greater chance that they will take the required action.
The number of emails that are being sent each year is expected to continue to increase over time. Because of this, the personalization of emails will continue to advance. This sophisticated software will allow those using digital marketing automation to stay one step ahead of their competitors.
Social Media Will Grow in Popularity
Social media is expected to become even more lucrative for marketers. Today, most people regularly use social media. The number of users, and the amount of time spent on the platform, are expected to continue to rise. There are currently 4.45 billion users.
This is set to become a global network, with companies increasingly trying to bring new people online. For example, Facebook is giving out free internet to those in the third world, as long as they use their services.
As the influence and audience of social media sites, it will become increasingly important for marketers to use them. Use it correctly, and you could have access to a ballooning global audience. But if you don’t take advantage, you risk being left behind. As we’ll discuss later, the services of marketing automation can help you use social media better.
Why is Marketing Automation Growing so Quickly?
There are a few ways to explain this sudden rise in the number of people using marketing automation services. Let’s look at some of these.
Increased Sales
One of the biggest reasons why people choose to use marketing automation services is because they get results. If you can successfully grab your customer’s attention, you will be able to increase the number of clicks you are getting. The more people you get to open your ads, the better you will be at selling your products.
We can see the benefits that this affords marketers who take this approach. According to studies, digital marketing automation can make getting a lead 451 percent more efficient. This can end up generating thousands of dollars.
Generating Customer Data
One of the biggest focuses for organizations is gathering and using customer data. There are a few reasons why this has become a priority. First, it allows you to make more personalized advertisements. This is a good way of getting people’s attention, so they will click on your messages.
But it can also be used to inform decision-making. For example, you can see what age group your customers are in and where they live. You can watch, in real-time, as their interests change. By doing this, you will always be able to evolve with your audience.
Makes Marketing Easier
One of the biggest positives, though, is the ability to make digital marketing easy. This is an area that can easily make people feel confused or unsure. The AI system will be able to take a lot of this workload away. Everything will be automated, greatly reducing your workload. This allows you to spend more time focusing on running your business effectively.
Gathering Statistics
There is lots of information that you need to know when preparing to run a campaign. What’s the best time to post on social media? What keywords should you be targeting for SEO? How often should you send emails? The data gathered will be able to help you with this approach. This will allow you to communicate more effectively, generate more leads, and boost your conversion rate.
Plus, tracking your campaign will be easy. You’ll be able to see the number of leads you have. You can monitor lead activity. This will allow you to find which activities produce the best conversion rates. You can then do more of these activities, increasing the number of sales you are generating.
Upselling and Future Purchases are Easier
It’s always easier to get an existing customer to make another purchase than it is to acquire a new customer. This is why it’s so important to build a quality dialogue with your users. An automated system will make this easier. You’ll have a better idea of what they are interested in. Because of this, you’ll be able to recommend products that they will be interested in.
Plus, a more personalized way of communicating goes beyond selling more products. It allows you to start fostering a relationship. You can become their preferred shopping destination. If they have a good time, they’ll be more likely to tell friends and family. Word of mouth remains the most effective way of generating growth.
Better Informed Sales Team
A good marketing automation system shouldn’t exist purely in the digital realm. It can also be used as a tool to help the sales team. For example, they will be able to learn the amount of time that they are spending on each lead. They can also do more in-depth reports, so they can better learn from their experiences.
What is Stopping People From Using Marketing Automation Software?
With these advantages in mind, it’s clear why more people are turning to digital marketing. But there are still some businesses that have their doubts. There are a few reasons why they might not be ready to embrace this software.
Too Difficult to Set Up
One of the biggest perceived problems is that it can be difficult to get set up. This can be a problem, especially if you want to use multiple services, like HubSpot and Marketo. The good news is that you don’t need to get everything set up by yourself. If you use a team, like S.R. Pro, everything will be taken care of for you.
Too Complex to Operate
Another potential factor is that there is a perception that managing a digital marketing campaign can be too unwieldy. This can be especially complex if you are trying to target people of multiple demographics with personalized messages. Plus, you also need to keep track of the results, so you can learn what’s working and what needs to be re-thought.
However, this is often a misconception. You will be able to track everything from a dashboard. This gives you all the information at a glance. Our company will be able to help you manage the campaign and help you understand how it is going. This makes managing everything a breeze.
Too Expensive
Finally, some businesses are concerned about spending money on paying for a monthly marketing subscription. Because of this, it can be tempting to try and do it all in-house. However, when viewed rationally, this isn’t a logical decision. Most small businesses won’t have the team or resources needed to manage one of these campaigns. This can lead to poor results and a lot of headaches.
On the other hand, S.R. Pro offers a range of affordable plans with top-rated software packages. Plus, we include training, so you can get your team up-to-speed on how to use these tools. When you compare the amount you will be spending to the money you’ll be making through newly converted leads, using our services will work out better in the long term. Plus, you don’t want to give your competitors an advantage by waiting to take advantage of digital marketing automation software.
Taking Advantage of Digital Marketing in Your Business
Now that we have a better idea of how popular this technology is and why so many businesses are choosing to incorporate it, let’s look at how you can take advantage. It’s often best if you use a marketing agency, like S.R. Pro, to help you get everything set up. This lets you know that it has been done properly. Here is a quick overview of some of the ways that we can help you.
HubSpot/Marketo Onboarding
We’ll be able to help you get your CRM system set up properly. This will give you lots of valuable information about your leads. We’ll also give you training, so you can become familiar with how to work the new system.
HubSpot/Marketo Ongoing
Once you have set up your CRM, you might need some ongoing support. This includes looking at your lead's activities, finding which approaches are yielding the best results. We’ll also be able to help you create and implement smart campaigns.
Salesforce Onboarding
If you prefer to use the Salesforce platform, we can help you get it set up properly. We can also give you some training, so you can operate it competently.
Software Development and Implementation
We employ in-house professionals, to help you meet your technological needs. For example, you might want to create landing pages. This is a great way to increase your conversion rate. We can also help you create software or custom-built integrations, so you can offer a unique service to customers.
Marketing Strategy
Our team can help you connect with your customers, grab their attention, and get them to make a purchase. We do in-depth research on your target market. This will help you craft the ideal message. We’ll also help you find the right channels to connect with them. In the end, you should have a clear marketing plan to follow.
SEO
SEO is critical. If you aren’t appearing at the top of the search results page, you are losing customers. Our team will do a thorough examination of your current situation. We’ll find some of the areas that you can improve on to boost your search engine ranking. We can also help you create professional content. This is great for blogs or newspapers and helps you gate your content appropriately.
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing is one of the most important areas of business. It allows you to connect with customers and generate sales. Because of this, more people are investing in marketing automation software. This makes managing your campaigns easy, giving you all the information you need at a glance. Plus, it offers you more advanced tools, so it will be easier to get the attention of your target audience. Because of this, more than half of businesses are already using it, and many more are currently planning to implement this software. To make sure that you aren’t left behind, get in touch with S.R. Pro and find out how our team can help you set up a smart CRM.
Contact us now: info@SRpro.marketing.