However, in order to utilize marketing automation efficiently, you need to know its trends adequately, which will help you wade through the waters effortlessly.
But before we dive into that, let's find out what marketing automation is.
What’s Marketing Automation?
Simply put, marketing automation refers to software developed for the sole purpose of automating marketing processes.
This is because marketing processes usually involve sending out numerous emails, social media interaction, lead nurturing, as well as numerous other website actions.
Below is a simple graphical illustration of how email marketing automation would work for an online store:
Now, you understand what marketing automation is, here are the top marketing automation trends that will shape 2019:
1. Integration of Instant Messengers into Communications
Integrating instant messengers into marketing communications involves the use of automation tools like Chatbots.
This enables marketers to only send messages and reminders to interested clients.
And these customized messages, unlike emails, are usually connected to the customers Facebook messenger and vibrate the client's phone at a certain period to remind them of their decision to make a purchase.
The messages usually appear like this:
2. Integration of Your Search Marketing in Content Marketing
By utilizing tools such as Buzzsumo and Google Alerts to find out what the trending topics are in your niche, you can easily automate your content creation process.
Now, when it comes to sending your customers content updates, you don't have to manually send emails to your clients when a new piece is out, simply use a tool like MailChimp to automate the email sending process.
Do it in such a way you can effortlessly integrate your search marketing into content marketing through marketing automation.
If you need help and support, contact Bloominari, our digital marketing team based out of San Diego, California. We’ll listen to you, understand your needs, develop a strategy, and help you win at marketing automation.
3. More B2B Marketers Will Implement Real-Time Communication
Recent studies have shown that 80% of B2B buyers expect real-time communication.
This has created a trend in 2019 where more B2B marketers are moving to implement real-time communication in order to meet the demand of B2B buyers.
Even though 75% of marketers say they currently use marketing automation software, no marketing automation system may succeed without integrating real-time communication.
In this digital age, clients expect solutions and answers at the snap of their fingers.
4. Beyond Lead Generation, Marketing Automation Will be Used More Often in the Ensure Customer Life Cycle
According to a survey carried out by Ascend, 41% of marketers state that their major objective in utilizing marketing automation systems is to increase ROI.
This shows that marketers aren't just interested in using automation in generating leads but also in converting potential clients into paying ones.
That's fascinating and is certainly a trend to keep an eye on in 2019. Look beyond lead generation and implement marketing automation in the entire lifecycle of a customer.
5. Lead Quality Will Continually Beat Lead Quantity
It might interest you to know that 67% of lost sales are a result of sales reps. failing to properly qualify a lead before sending them through to sales.
Well, that's why lead quality will constantly trump quantity. Don't just focus on generating a massive amount of leads but ensure you send only qualified leads to the sale department.
6. Businesses Will Use Marketing Automation to Improve Customer Experience
A kapow study showed that 68% of customers leave because they feel the brand is indifferent to them by providing a poor experience.
This is why marketing automation is being used to enhance the customer experience. It can literally boost your customer retention by 68% by offering the best experience, ranging from quick support and customized messages or reminders -- the benefits are immense.
7. The Consolidation and Integration of Technology
The integration of the various tech. aspects of email marketing, social media, and content marketing is the beauty of automation.
As a matter of fact, 87% of marketers stated that having a multichannel marketing strategy is a vital part of their success. Regardless of the number of marketers who stated that integration of all technical aspects is vital, only 8% of them have achieved this.
This is why various marketing automation platforms are seeking to integrate every aspect of the marketing process into a single software.
8. Predictive Lead Scoring Will Drive Decision-Making Processes
By using tools like Marketo, predictive lead scoring enables marketers to quickly make decisions early enough, based on the expected outcome of clients due to specific steps the potential clients take that have been profitable before or unprofitable.
The screenshot below is an example of how predictive lead scoring works.
9. AI and Chatbots Will Continue to Grow and Be Implemented
Hipmunk, a brand that shows travelers the best travel deals has caught on to this trend and offers amazing user experience through AI and Chatbots.
Basically, based on the customer's location, Hipmunk sends the user travel deals for that location through its Chatbot.
This chatbot can be integrated into Facebook messenger, allowing users to plan a trip while in conversation with other people effortlessly as well as cut down on the number of searches they'd have to make when planning a trip.
Chatbots and AI make communication effortless and boost customer experience to whole new levels.
10. Consumers Will Demand More Personalized Content
56% of consumers are more likely to make purchases from a brand that recognizes them by name.
This is why marketing automation has shifted towards personalized content, as marketers seek to satisfy clients and leads by offering Personalization.
11. Technology Will Not Replace "That" Human Touch
Nick Usborne, a digital marketing professional stated how He got a newsletter from a brand stating "A tweet only contains 140 words", however, in late 2017 twitter changed the max tweet to 240 words.
This shows the error technology can bring into the marketing process, without human involvement.
12. Businesses Will Focus on Giving Customers an Omnichannel Experience
According to a recent Fluent survey, customers that interact with brands on 10 different channels make more sales than customers who interact on just 4 channels.
This is why brands are focusing on ensuring that these customers have an Omnichannel experience by integrating the ability to engage or make sales on various platforms through marketing automation.
13. Automated Email Campaigns Will Become More Interactive
The HubSpot workflow allows marketers to send the target audience emails based on various triggers.
These triggers are page views, downloads, blog subscriptions, offer opt-ins or any other type of criteria you deem fit for a trigger.
14. Businesses Will Use Chatbots to Close More Deals
According to a new study, 80% of businesses are going to implement Chatbots by 2020.
What's more? Chatbots are capable of saving businesses a whopping $23 billion in customer representative salaries, as they can now be used to close deals.
15. Voice-Based Engagements Will Increase
A Comcast research has predicted that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be through voice search. Hence, brands are working up ways to make their offers voice-search ready.
Apps have been made for Amazon Echo and Google Home devices as well as engage in providing real-time results with local listings.
16. Businesses Will Increase More Time and Resources on A/B Testing
A/B testing ensures your marketing endeavors are done confidently. It makes businesses certain of their automation workflows. Take for example the A/B test in the chart below:
It helps you to see the workability of each automated workflow, so you aren't blindly flinging resources at marketing automated flows that you haven't proven.
17. Integration of Machine Learning With Automated Marketing
53% of marketers agree that learning customer personas are one of their major objectives in automation.
Such data is part of the reason that automated marketing is heading towards machine learning integration in 2019. Marketers implement this by introducing content and product recommendations, as well as other personalization features based on specific user interest.
18. Integration of Various Data Sources
According to a recent study, 55% of customer respondents have been sent irrelevant product recommendations as well as irreverent content. This occurs due to poor data integration.
Simply put, you need to know more about your target audience in order to send relevant information and offers to them.
This is why marketing automation is seeking to integrate multiple data sources, in order to identify the perfect persona for each customer.
19. Audience Segmentation Across Marketing Channels
Customers are demanding more and more personalization in the way brands relate to them.
So, you need to be able to efficiently segment potential customers and clients across various channels such as social media, email, and even website visitors.
Below is an infographic of Amazon consumer segmentation, and this shows why segmentation must be spread across various marketing channels due to its diversity.
20. In-depth and Improved Influencer Collaborations
92% of marketers utilize influencer collaboration and find it extremely beneficial.
This is why marketing automation has gotten in on influencer collaboration. Various tools are being used for this, such as Buzzsumo.
Buzzsumo is a powerful tool that makes it possible for marketers to easily find the most-shared content in their niche, identify influencers who shared and amplified these viral content pieces and even get their contact information.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to effectively engage in automating your marketing processes, you must understand the relevant trends that are being used successfully.
By implementing the information in this article, you will achieve significant results from your marketing automation campaigns.
