Mike LaLonde, Co-Founder, PPC Assist

Whether you see it as good or bad depends on which team you’re on, but AI in digital marketing automation has caused a shift for paid media managers, especially in paid search where creativity is less impactful than in more visual experiences.

Google’s (and Microsoft’s) shifts to more black-box automation and AI-driven bidding have tied the hands of paid media managers. What used to take a lot of time, consideration, and data analysis, not only isn’t as advantageous as it once was, but it isn’t even as possible.

For that reason, we’ve shifted management tactics and have embraced the big company march toward AI. At PPC Assist, we’ve launched a low-cost, on-demand management service that embraces the AI-driven, conversion-based bidding strategies promoted by Big Tech. This allows small businesses to run campaigns more efficiently, putting a much higher percentage of their budget toward actual advertising. Of course, when they want to make changes, we’re there when they need us.

This movement away from granular optimizations by paid media managers toward AI-based conversions is only going to continue in the future. Targeting options will continue to be removed and simplified in favor of AI, and sooner or later the market will have to adjust and accept it

Laia Quintana, Head of Marketing and Sales, TeamUp

One specific negative impact that low-code and AI have had on marketing automation is the potential for over-automation. While these technologies have made it easier to automate tasks, they’ve also led to a surge in impersonal, generic communications. Customers are increasingly receiving messages that feel robotic and lack a personal touch, which can harm the customer experience and brand perception.

Moving forward, there’s a risk that this trend could intensify. As more companies adopt low-code and AI solutions, the volume of automated communications could increase, further diluting the personal connection between brands and their customers. It’s crucial for businesses to strike a balance between efficiency and personalization, to ensure that their communications resonate with their audience and build meaningful relationships.

Marco Genaro Palma, Freelance CMO and SEO Consultant, GenaroPalma.com

One issue I’ve observed with AI’s role in marketing is the flood of content it produces, which tends to be quite similar and not always of high quality. This can make it challenging for truly unique and insightful content to grab the spotlight.

Fortunately, search engines like Google have become quite adept at recognizing and rewarding original content. They’re equipped with sophisticated methods to identify and promote content that genuinely offers something new and valuable. So, looking ahead, there’s a real opportunity for creators who prioritize uniqueness and quality in their content to stand out and succeed.

Ryan Esco, Chief Marketing Officer, FireRock Marketing

In my over 25 years of experience in marketing, particularly at FireRock Marketing, I’ve seen the transformative impact of low-code platforms and AI on marketing automation. One significant impact is the democratization of technology, allowing smaller businesses with limited technical resources to implement sophisticated marketing automation systems. This has opened up new avenues for these businesses to compete with larger enterprises by enabling them to craft personalized customer experiences and automate repetitive tasks, which has led to increased efficiency and scalability.

A concrete example of this is a small retail client we partnered with. By leveraging a low-code platform, we were able to quickly deploy a customized marketing automation solution that integrated seamlessly with their existing systems. This solution automated the client’s email marketing campaigns, using AI to segment customers and personalize content based on their behavior and preferences. The result was a 40% increase in email engagement rates and a 22% rise in conversion rates within the first six months of implementation.

Looking forward, the continuous advancements in AI will push the boundaries of what marketing automation can achieve, particularly in predictive analytics and customer journey mapping. We’re likely to see systems that can not only analyze and react to customer behavior in real-time but also anticipate future actions and adapt strategies autonomously. This will enable businesses to stay several steps ahead in their marketing efforts, ensuring they remain relevant and responsive in a rapidly changing landscape. The key for businesses will be to stay informed and leverage these technologies to enhance their marketing strategies, keeping the focus on creating exceptional customer experiences.

Gary Gilkison, Principal Analyst, Riverbase Cloud

In my journey from IT enthusiast to a leader in the startup ecosystem, I’ve witnessed the significant impact low-code and AI have made on marketing automation. A particularly compelling instance was during my time at PacketBase, where we used low-code platforms to quickly develop and deploy marketing automation tools without the need for extensive programming knowledge. This agility allowed us to iterate our marketing strategies rapidly, leveraging AI to refine and personalize communication at an unprecedented scale. We were able to triple our lead generation within a quarter, all thanks to the precision and efficiency these technologies brought into our marketing operations.

AI, in particular, has transformed the way we approach data analysis and customer engagement. For instance, by using AI-driven insights, we were able to predict customer behaviors and preferences, tailoring our marketing efforts to meet their specific needs. This not only improved our engagement rates but also significantly enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. The use of AI in analyzing marketing performance data helped us identify patterns and trends we would have otherwise missed, enabling us to make data-driven decisions quickly and accurately.

Looking to the future, I believe the role of low-code and AI in marketing automation will only expand, offering even more sophisticated capabilities for predictive analysis and customer journey optimization. These technologies will enable businesses to not only respond to current market trends and customer behavior but also anticipate future changes, staying ahead of the curve in a competitive landscape. The key will be to leverage these tools in creating more meaningful and personalized customer experiences, which will be paramount in achieving long-term success in any venture.

Kartik Ahuja, Digital Marketer, kartikahuja.com

The occasional error in the information offered by AI algorithms is one disadvantage I’ve come across. Even with their enhanced capabilities, there have been times when the insights or recommendations produced by AI haven’t properly matched the state of the industry or customer behavior. As a result, certain poor decisions were made, and the effectiveness of several efforts slightly declined.

Going forward, I think it’s very important that marketers continue to make use of these tools, but they also need to continue exercising human oversight and a critical eye to ensure the data and insights produced are accurate and pertinent. Optimizing low-code and AI’s benefits for marketing automation while reducing risks will depend on striking the correct balance between automation and human judgment.

Max Maybury, Co-owner and Developer, Ai-Product Reviews

As an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the technology business, notably in software development and AI, I’ve seen firsthand the impact of low-code and AI on marketing automation. One specific positive impact is the democratization of automation technologies via low-code platforms, which allows marketers with limited coding skills to construct sophisticated automated workflows. This has enabled firms to streamline their marketing processes, enhance productivity, and improve results without relying heavily on technical skills.

However, one possible disadvantage of this development is the risk of oversaturation and decreasing distinction in the marketing automation field. With the rise of low-code solutions and AI-powered marketing tools, it’s conceivable that some firms may favor quantity over quality, resulting in generic, cookie-cutter ads that don’t connect with their target audience.

Looking ahead, the incorporation of AI into marketing automation is set to dramatically transform the sector. AI-powered algorithms can use massive volumes of data to tailor marketing campaigns, predict customer behavior, and optimize campaign performance in real-time. This will allow organizations to deliver hyper-targeted and highly relevant content to their target audience, resulting in increased engagement, conversion rates, and, ultimately, higher ROI.

Henry Allen, Digital Marketing Manager, Loyalty Lion

In my experience, the integration of low-code and AI into marketing automation has brought about a significant transformation. It has democratized automation capabilities, allowing marketers like me, with limited technical skills, to create and execute advanced automated campaigns more seamlessly.

This accessibility has greatly enhanced the efficiency and scalability of our marketing operations, enabling our team to optimize resource allocation effectively. Looking ahead, I anticipate that the ongoing advancements in low-code platforms and AI technologies will further revolutionize marketing automation. This progress will empower us to develop even more personalized and targeted campaigns on a larger scale.

However, I also recognize that along with these advancements come challenges, such as the need to address data privacy concerns and establish robust governance frameworks to ensure ethical AI usage in marketing practices.