What is marketing automation and how does it work in 7 examples?
Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2024 6:48 am
At a time when customer experience is more than ever a key differentiator, companies must redouble their efforts to offer personalized and engaging journeys.
This is precisely what marketing automation promises , which consists, to put it simply, of automating and optimizing interactions with prospects and customers based on their behaviors and preferences.
But concretely, what is marketing automation today? How has it evolved list of azerbaijan whatsapp phone numbers in recent years and how does it differ from good old email marketing ?
What are its main benefits for businesses and how to implement an effective automation strategy?
This is what we will see in this article, through 7 concrete application examples.
Whether you're already familiar with the topic or are just discovering the potential of marketing automation, you'll find something here to fuel your thinking and inspire you.
Img_Article_Marketing-Automation
Summary
What is marketing automation today?
The key benefits of marketing automation
How to implement an effective marketing automation strategy?
7 Examples of Marketing Automation Workflows
Marketing Automation Trends to Watch
What is marketing automation today?
Marketing automation is not new .
Appearing in the 1990s with the rise of the web and email, it was first used to automate the sending of newsletters and promotional campaigns.
But over the past 20 years, with the proliferation of digital touchpoints and the explosion of customer data, marketing automation has evolved considerably.
An updated definition of marketing automation
Today, marketing automation refers to all the tools and techniques used to automate marketing processes , from lead generation to customer loyalty , including qualification, lead nurturing and conversion.
Concretely, this consists of:
Collect and analyze customer data (behaviors, interests, preferred channels, etc.).
Create segments and profiles to tailor messages and content.
Define scenarios for automated actions, triggered according to rules based on behaviors.
Deliver the right message to the right person at the right time on the right channel.
Analyze performance to continuously optimize campaigns.
The evolution of marketing automation
While the basic principles have not fundamentally changed, marketing automation has gained in power and precision thanks to advances in technology.
The rise of big data and machine learning in particular makes it possible to collect much more customer data and analyze it more finely. Algorithms are able to identify weak signals, predict behaviors and optimize journeys in real time.
At the same time, marketing automation platforms have been enhanced with numerous features: multichannel , lead scoring, A/B testing, advanced analytics, AI, etc.
They also integrate much more easily with other tools in the marketing stack (CRM, CMS, ad servers, etc.).
Marketing automation vs Email marketing
Despite these developments, marketing automation is still often confused with email marketing.
However, the differences are notable:
Email marketing consists of sending email campaigns to contact lists. Marketing automation orchestrates multi-channel marketing scenarios (email, SMS, push notifications, web, etc.) based on the profile and actions of each customer.
Email marketing is mainly based on demographic and declarative data. Marketing automation exploits all behavioral data (purchase history, web browsing, interactions with customer service, etc.).
Email marketing aims to push mass communications. Marketing automation seeks to enter into conversation with each individual, in a personalized way.
Email marketing measures the success of a campaign based on the performance of an email (open rate, clicks, etc.). Marketing automation evaluates the impact on the entire customer cycle (conversion rate by segment, customer lifetime value, retention rate, etc.).
Of course, email remains the preferred channel for marketing automation , particularly for its ability to deliver rich and targeted messages.
But, in marketing automation, email is integrated into broader cross-channel journey logic , in line with new consumer practices.
The key benefits of marketing automation
If more and more companies are making marketing automation a priority, it is because it offers many tangible benefits.
Here's an overview of the main benefits to expect.
Large-scale customization
With the omnipresence of digital, consumers are more demanding than ever in terms of relevance and personalization: they expect brands to speak to them in a unique way, based on their interests, preferences and interaction history.
Marketing automation perfectly meets this expectation, by making it possible to create tailor-made and engaging experiences on a large scale.
Marketing automation aims to deliver the right content to each individual, at the right time and on the right channel . And this in an automated way, without systematic human intervention. That's the promise.
How does it achieve this? By making the best use of available customer data.
For example, by identifying the product pages viewed by a visitor, we can automatically send them a selection of complementary items by email or offer them a promo code for their next purchase.
Data (and especially its proper use) makes ultra-targeted and automated personalization possible .
Customer journey optimization
Beyond the relevance of messages, marketing automation makes it possible to optimize the entire customer journey , from brand discovery to purchase and after-sales service.
The sequence of actions that constitutes the scenario program can be continuously adjusted based on the analysis of customer behavior at each stage of the lifecycle. The goal? Maximize conversions and customer loyalty.
For example, it is possible to:
Speed up the registration process with pre-filled forms.
Retarget a prospect who visited a page without converting.
Re-engage a customer who hasn't come back for X days.
Offer an upgrade to a customer following their last purchase.
Because it helps to streamline and contextualize the customer journey, marketing automation is a powerful tool for improving the overall experience and customer satisfaction .
Which naturally translates into business performance: increased conversion rates, average basket, recurring purchases and ultimately turnover.
Improving operational efficiency
Beyond the experiential and business benefits, marketing automation also improves the efficiency of marketing teams .
Why? Because it allows you to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, whether it is creating segments, sending campaigns, lead scoring, marketing reminders, etc.
Result: marketers can focus on higher value-added activities, such as data analysis, A/B testing, collaboration with sales, and monitoring.
It is therefore an interesting lever to promote the development of skills in marketing teams and develop their missions towards more strategic management.
Real-time performance measurement and analysis
Finally, one of the great advantages of marketing automation is being able to track campaign performance in real time .
Marketing automation platforms provide access to the main KPIs in just a few clicks, whether it be the number of leads generated, opening and click rates, conversion rate by channel and by segment, ROI, etc.
And thanks to advanced reporting and machine learning, it becomes even easier to finely analyze the results and detect optimization levers.
For example, you can identify the most effective messages and visuals, spot dropouts in a purchasing funnel, compare behaviors by segment. And of course adjust your strategy accordingly: this is the purpose of dashboards.
Save time and focus on strategic tasks
By delegating repetitive and time-consuming tasks to machines, marketing automation allows teams to focus on real strategic issues :
Understanding customers.
Designing the best experiences.
Innovate.
Collaborate with other departments.
So many activities with higher added value that pull the marketing function upwards.
How to implement an effective marketing automation strategy?
Now that the benefits of marketing automation are clear, the question remains how to actually go about implementing it in your business.
Here are the main steps to follow to set up an effective marketing automation strategy.
Definition of objectives and KPIs
As with any major project, the first step is to set a course , that is, clear and measurable objectives.
Having precise indicators then makes it possible to monitor the performance of the actions implemented.
What are your goals :
Generate more qualified leads?
Accelerate sales?
Boost retention and loyalty?
Reduce customer acquisition costs?
Depending on these business objectives, we can define specific marketing KPIs: number of MQLs, conversion rate per stage of the funnel, turnover generated by the campaigns, customer lifetime value, etc.
Audience analysis and customer journey mapping
The next step will consist of deepening customer knowledge, by finely analyzing the available data:
Who are my target buyers and prospects?
What are their pain points, expectations and motivations?
What are the key touchpoints with my brand?
What are the typical purchasing journeys by segment?
This involves mapping the different stages of the customer lifecycle and identifying the interactions most likely to trigger actions.
This will then make it possible to define the most relevant automation scenarios by segment and by step.
To enrich this knowledge, we can also conduct customer surveys and interviews, do user tests or even use feedback from support and sales. The idea, as you will have understood, is to have the most complete vision possible of the customer experience and needs.
This is precisely what marketing automation promises , which consists, to put it simply, of automating and optimizing interactions with prospects and customers based on their behaviors and preferences.
But concretely, what is marketing automation today? How has it evolved list of azerbaijan whatsapp phone numbers in recent years and how does it differ from good old email marketing ?
What are its main benefits for businesses and how to implement an effective automation strategy?
This is what we will see in this article, through 7 concrete application examples.
Whether you're already familiar with the topic or are just discovering the potential of marketing automation, you'll find something here to fuel your thinking and inspire you.
Img_Article_Marketing-Automation
Summary
What is marketing automation today?
The key benefits of marketing automation
How to implement an effective marketing automation strategy?
7 Examples of Marketing Automation Workflows
Marketing Automation Trends to Watch
What is marketing automation today?
Marketing automation is not new .
Appearing in the 1990s with the rise of the web and email, it was first used to automate the sending of newsletters and promotional campaigns.
But over the past 20 years, with the proliferation of digital touchpoints and the explosion of customer data, marketing automation has evolved considerably.
An updated definition of marketing automation
Today, marketing automation refers to all the tools and techniques used to automate marketing processes , from lead generation to customer loyalty , including qualification, lead nurturing and conversion.
Concretely, this consists of:
Collect and analyze customer data (behaviors, interests, preferred channels, etc.).
Create segments and profiles to tailor messages and content.
Define scenarios for automated actions, triggered according to rules based on behaviors.
Deliver the right message to the right person at the right time on the right channel.
Analyze performance to continuously optimize campaigns.
The evolution of marketing automation
While the basic principles have not fundamentally changed, marketing automation has gained in power and precision thanks to advances in technology.
The rise of big data and machine learning in particular makes it possible to collect much more customer data and analyze it more finely. Algorithms are able to identify weak signals, predict behaviors and optimize journeys in real time.
At the same time, marketing automation platforms have been enhanced with numerous features: multichannel , lead scoring, A/B testing, advanced analytics, AI, etc.
They also integrate much more easily with other tools in the marketing stack (CRM, CMS, ad servers, etc.).
Marketing automation vs Email marketing
Despite these developments, marketing automation is still often confused with email marketing.
However, the differences are notable:
Email marketing consists of sending email campaigns to contact lists. Marketing automation orchestrates multi-channel marketing scenarios (email, SMS, push notifications, web, etc.) based on the profile and actions of each customer.
Email marketing is mainly based on demographic and declarative data. Marketing automation exploits all behavioral data (purchase history, web browsing, interactions with customer service, etc.).
Email marketing aims to push mass communications. Marketing automation seeks to enter into conversation with each individual, in a personalized way.
Email marketing measures the success of a campaign based on the performance of an email (open rate, clicks, etc.). Marketing automation evaluates the impact on the entire customer cycle (conversion rate by segment, customer lifetime value, retention rate, etc.).
Of course, email remains the preferred channel for marketing automation , particularly for its ability to deliver rich and targeted messages.
But, in marketing automation, email is integrated into broader cross-channel journey logic , in line with new consumer practices.
The key benefits of marketing automation
If more and more companies are making marketing automation a priority, it is because it offers many tangible benefits.
Here's an overview of the main benefits to expect.
Large-scale customization
With the omnipresence of digital, consumers are more demanding than ever in terms of relevance and personalization: they expect brands to speak to them in a unique way, based on their interests, preferences and interaction history.
Marketing automation perfectly meets this expectation, by making it possible to create tailor-made and engaging experiences on a large scale.
Marketing automation aims to deliver the right content to each individual, at the right time and on the right channel . And this in an automated way, without systematic human intervention. That's the promise.
How does it achieve this? By making the best use of available customer data.
For example, by identifying the product pages viewed by a visitor, we can automatically send them a selection of complementary items by email or offer them a promo code for their next purchase.
Data (and especially its proper use) makes ultra-targeted and automated personalization possible .
Customer journey optimization
Beyond the relevance of messages, marketing automation makes it possible to optimize the entire customer journey , from brand discovery to purchase and after-sales service.
The sequence of actions that constitutes the scenario program can be continuously adjusted based on the analysis of customer behavior at each stage of the lifecycle. The goal? Maximize conversions and customer loyalty.
For example, it is possible to:
Speed up the registration process with pre-filled forms.
Retarget a prospect who visited a page without converting.
Re-engage a customer who hasn't come back for X days.
Offer an upgrade to a customer following their last purchase.
Because it helps to streamline and contextualize the customer journey, marketing automation is a powerful tool for improving the overall experience and customer satisfaction .
Which naturally translates into business performance: increased conversion rates, average basket, recurring purchases and ultimately turnover.
Improving operational efficiency
Beyond the experiential and business benefits, marketing automation also improves the efficiency of marketing teams .
Why? Because it allows you to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, whether it is creating segments, sending campaigns, lead scoring, marketing reminders, etc.
Result: marketers can focus on higher value-added activities, such as data analysis, A/B testing, collaboration with sales, and monitoring.
It is therefore an interesting lever to promote the development of skills in marketing teams and develop their missions towards more strategic management.
Real-time performance measurement and analysis
Finally, one of the great advantages of marketing automation is being able to track campaign performance in real time .
Marketing automation platforms provide access to the main KPIs in just a few clicks, whether it be the number of leads generated, opening and click rates, conversion rate by channel and by segment, ROI, etc.
And thanks to advanced reporting and machine learning, it becomes even easier to finely analyze the results and detect optimization levers.
For example, you can identify the most effective messages and visuals, spot dropouts in a purchasing funnel, compare behaviors by segment. And of course adjust your strategy accordingly: this is the purpose of dashboards.
Save time and focus on strategic tasks
By delegating repetitive and time-consuming tasks to machines, marketing automation allows teams to focus on real strategic issues :
Understanding customers.
Designing the best experiences.
Innovate.
Collaborate with other departments.
So many activities with higher added value that pull the marketing function upwards.
How to implement an effective marketing automation strategy?
Now that the benefits of marketing automation are clear, the question remains how to actually go about implementing it in your business.
Here are the main steps to follow to set up an effective marketing automation strategy.
Definition of objectives and KPIs
As with any major project, the first step is to set a course , that is, clear and measurable objectives.
Having precise indicators then makes it possible to monitor the performance of the actions implemented.
What are your goals :
Generate more qualified leads?
Accelerate sales?
Boost retention and loyalty?
Reduce customer acquisition costs?
Depending on these business objectives, we can define specific marketing KPIs: number of MQLs, conversion rate per stage of the funnel, turnover generated by the campaigns, customer lifetime value, etc.
Audience analysis and customer journey mapping
The next step will consist of deepening customer knowledge, by finely analyzing the available data:
Who are my target buyers and prospects?
What are their pain points, expectations and motivations?
What are the key touchpoints with my brand?
What are the typical purchasing journeys by segment?
This involves mapping the different stages of the customer lifecycle and identifying the interactions most likely to trigger actions.
This will then make it possible to define the most relevant automation scenarios by segment and by step.
To enrich this knowledge, we can also conduct customer surveys and interviews, do user tests or even use feedback from support and sales. The idea, as you will have understood, is to have the most complete vision possible of the customer experience and needs.