Description: There is a lot of fear-mongering when it comes to AI and machine learning. In this article, we discuss the impact of the two in digital marketing.
AI and Machine Learning in Digital Marketing
Every working man and woman in any given point in time fears the rapid growth of technology. The Luddites smashed machines and fought against the Industrial Revolution. Horse breeders resisted the arrival of the automobile which erased the need for chariots. Paper companies have faced losses due to the increased use of computers. Even cinemas fear the rise of streaming services.
Technology has threatened people every time it seeks to push to the envelope. There have always been martyrs when the efficiency of a process has increased. The coming of artificial intelligence and machine learning present the next great technological changes of our time. Many consider them to be the final piece of the puzzle; the change to end all changes.
Before delving into AI and machine learning, it is prudent we first understand what they exactly mean.
What Do AI and Machine Learning Actually Refer To?
There is a lot said about AI and machine learning. Let’s cut the clutter and find out what they actually mean.
In simple words, artificial intelligence is intelligence displayed by machines. Any machine capable of intelligent thought can be referred to a machine possessing artificial intelligence. Since machines have to be programmed and trained to display intelligence by humans, one can say that artificial intelligence is a simulated form of human intelligence.
In everyday life, machines depend upon human input to perform actions. A phone alarm doesn’t ring in the morning unless we set it. Artificial intelligence ultimately means that machines would be capable of making these decisions on their own, without human input.
For example, imagine a person has a flight in the morning. Before sleeping at night, the person forgets to set an alarm. The mobile, a machine by definition, knows there is a flight tomorrow as there is a message in the inbox detailing which time the flight departs. By evaluating the level of traffic in the morning, the mobile sets an alarm on its own, despite the person forgetting. This kind of independent action is what AI is capable of.
Machine learning is closely linked with AI. By definition, machine learning is the application of AI itself. Through machine learning, a system can learn and improve its intelligence without the external influence of a human. If AI is the reservoir with the water, machine learning would be the pipe system delivering the water from the reservoir to those who need it.
Where Does Digital Marketing Come in?
Both AI and machine learning are scaring people in all domains, including digital marketing. Some feel a large part of their job would get overridden by these advanced technologies. In many cases, this fear could, in fact, come true.
We have already seen how automation has taken away many jobs in the manufacturing sector. Lower level service jobs are being replaced by automated computers. Every field is seeing its share of troubles and tribulations.
Digital marketing has been slightly immune to these developments. Marketing, in general, requires a more creative approach that cannot be replicated by machines yet. This is especially true for processes like content development and search analysis. The intelligence a human digital marketer has while analyzing search intent for keywords has not yet been comprehended by an AI.
A very good example of why digital marketing will continue to thrive to the extent is the direction Google has taken with its search algorithm. Context-based content of good quality is being valued more than content created keeping SEO guidelines in mind.
For the foreseeable future, certain parts of digital marketing such as content development, search and keyword analysis, social media content development, and so on, will remain within the domain of digital marketers.
However, digital marketers trained only in repetitive and laborious parts of the field will face the axe. For example, SEO and SEM analysts would face a tough time as AI and machine learning would be very good at analyzing the functioning of a campaign. The same is true for strategists best-known for making plans and tactical judgments on various parts of a campaign. An AI with information about multiple digital marketing campaigns of the past would be able to create a much more informed strategy.
Thus, digital marketers would have to shift much of their work towards being more creative and innovative in their work. The first victims in the digital marketing setup would be professionals only trained in redundant and repetitive work. Skill development should thus be the focus for professionals of this time. Learning how to code, writing content, imbibing important marketing and business skills will become the key to succeed in a time fuelled by incessant growth driven by AI.
How to Find Stability and Success in Digital Marketing in the Shadow of AI?
Whenever something new comes along, people have the habit of focusing only on those who get left behind. There are always people who manage to take any change thrown at them in their stride and perform regardless.
The coming of AI and machine learning is a test for digital marketers, but not one they cannot pass. By learning and adopting the right skills, digital marketers can respond to the rapid changes brought on by AI and continue to find success.
A large part of responding to AI and machine learning is learning new skills. While it’s always advisable to learn new things, it will become a necessity in the age of AI and machine learning.
Many digital marketers are guilty of becoming too narrow while developing their profiles. An SEO executive is not destined to remain in SEO forever, just as a mechanic will always be a mechanic or a salesman will always sell things. By learning new skills and taking on challenges, digital marketers can make themselves immune to any change brought in by technologies such as AI and machine learning.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, this article covers what exactly AI and machine learning are, their impact on digital marketing, and how professionals in the field can adapt to the challenges posed by this new technology.
About the Author – Gaurav Heera is a digital marketing trainer and entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience in the field. He currently heads development at DelhiCourses.in, an institute well known for its digital marketing course in Delhi.
