AI is changing many industries, including marketing. Generative AI can automate many marketing tasks through the creation and distribution of content. This new technology will impact how businesses reach customers at each stage of the marketing funnel.
Awareness Stage
Generative AI is starting to create branded digital content at scale to boost awareness. It can automatically generate thousands of high-quality images, videos, articles and social posts tailored for a brand’s target audience. Seeing so much engaging AI-generated content across channels, more people will become aware of products and services. AI helps cast a wider awareness net by understanding customer intent and interests online to deliver the right content to the right people. It ensures a steady stream of awareness content is always being distributed through owned channels or by influencers.
Interest Stage
Once someone is aware of a brand, AI content aims to pique their interest. Generative systems have advanced in crafting tailored, emotionally engaging narratives and stories about products and services. Instead of generic promotional messages, AI creates unique and personalized stories for different audience segments based on behaviour data. Seeing content that deeply resonates on an individual level better grabs attention and triggers interest.
By identifying customer interests more precisely, AI curates a continuous flow of nurturing content delivered through preferred mediums. An interested person receives content that directly relates to their personal needs and desires. Staying engaged over the long-term builds stronger relationships and moves people further into consideration of a brand. AI automates this ongoing interest stage process so marketers can focus on higher strategic work.
Consideration Stage
When a potential customer is actively considering options within a category, AI steps in to guide them. Generative systems model out ideal customer journeys based on similar previous buyers. Using behavioural analytics, AI creates unique touchpoint content designed to move people seamlessly through each stage of consideration.
Content nurtures prospects through the exploration and evaluation stages by addressing common questions and objections. AI crafts straightforward responses and recommendations tailored for where each person currently stands in consideration. Compelling graphics, videos and social stories showcase real customer testimonials and experiences with a brand in order to build trust. Interactive and immersive content brings products to life for virtual trials before purchase.
Conversion Stage
Once customers have decided on a brand, AI automates the final conversion experience. Using real-time signals, it detects active shoppers close to purchase and immediately serves up optimized conversion content. AI estimates an individual’s propensity to convert with personalized offers, limited-time discounts, and streamlined checkout designed to tip them into actual sale.
Content nurtures the buyer’s journey from browsing to cart by addressing common final concerns unique to each person’s profile and signals. AI intelligently schedules this conversion-focused content precisely when people are most receptive based on behaviour data. At the moment someone is ready to transact, AI ensures a seamless purchasing experience with automatic one-click options.
Retention Stage
Getting new customers is only the start – AI helps maximize their lifetime value through retention. Based on usage patterns and engagement signals, generative systems gauge satisfaction and automatically serve helpful content designed to deepen relationships over the long run. AI curates continuous educational, inspirational and incentive content catered towards each customer’s unique profile, ensuring ongoing engagement.
By automating customized retention programs on a massive scale, AI frees up time for human marketers. They can focus on big-picture strategy rather than manual tasks. AI prevents churn by proactively handling ongoing buyer relationships behind the scenes through individually-tailored content and service. It maximizes lifetime value through ongoing automated retention.
Advocacy Stage
The final stage of the funnel is to turn satisfied customers into vocal brand advocates. AI gauges overall sentiment to identify superfans most likely to influence others naturally. Generative systems craft emotive narratives that trigger sharing among these influential advocates. Content emphasizes communal themes likely to spread organically when posted publicly by advocates.
By cultivating communities of loyal superfans, AI aims to maximize organic word-of-mouth effects. At the same time, it gauges overall earned sentiment to surface new areas for improvement. Insights enable marketers to enhance offerings or supporter programs.
Conclusion
AI is transforming marketing by automating personalized engagement across the entire customer funnel. Generative content tailored for individuals enables more efficient awareness, interest, consideration, conversion, retention and advocacy. By handling routine content creation and distribution behind the scenes, AI gives marketers freedom to focus on strategic brand-building. Most importantly, AI seeks to optimize the customer experience on a massive personalized scale not possible through human efforts alone. As technology progresses, generative AI will become an indispensable partner for growth across every industry.