Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is the use of software to automate marketing processes such as customer segmentation, customer data integration, and campaign management. 

The goal of marketing automation is to streamline, automate, and measure marketing tasks and workflows so you can increase operational efficiency and grow revenue faster. 

How Marketing Automation Works

Marketing automation software is typically used to automate repetitive marketing tasks, such as email marketing, social media posting, and ad management. 

With marketing automation, you can do things like: 

• Automate repetitive tasks, like email marketing, social media posting, and ad management
• Segment your customers and prospects for more personalised marketing
• Integrate customer data from multiple sources for a complete view of each customer
• Measure the success of your marketing campaigns 
• Improve operational efficiency and grow revenue faster

Types of Marketing Automation

Below we’ve outlined 7 different common types of marketing automation: 

CRM Automation

This type of marketing automation typically includes features like contact management, lead capture, and lead nurturing. It’s designed to help sales and marketing teams work together more effectively to close more deals, by providing them with the data and tools they need to manage their pipeline and customers. 

Email Marketing Automation

The purpose of email marketing automation is to make sending marketing emails easier and more efficient. It can be used to send a series of welcome or educational emails to new subscribers or to trigger a series of messages based on customer behaviour, such as cart abandonment or product interest. 

Social Media Marketing Automation

This type of marketing automation helps businesses automate their social media posting and engagement. It can be used to schedule posts, track who’s talking about your brand, and measure the success of your social media campaigns. 

Advertising Automation

Advertising automation is a form of marketing automation that uses software to automate the process of creating, targeting, and delivering advertisements. It can be used to create, manage, and analyse advertising campaigns, as well as to track the results of those campaigns.

Lead Nurturing Automation

Lead nurturing automation is designed to help businesses build relationships with their leads and customers. It can be used to send targeted content, such as blog posts or e-books, to leads based on their interests and behaviours. Additionally, lead nurturing automation can be used to cultivate relationships with customers, by sending them relevant information and offers at key points in their customer journey. 

Mobile Marketing Automation

Mobile marketing automation allows businesses to automate and streamline their mobile marketing efforts. It provides the ability to create, track, and manage mobile marketing campaigns, as well as measure and optimise their performance. It can also be used to target specific segments of the mobile market with personalised messages and content. 

Omni-channel Automation

Omni-channel marketing automation is a type of marketing automation that allows businesses to coordinate and manage their marketing activities across multiple channels. This includes managing both online and offline marketing initiatives, such as email, social media, website, and print campaigns. 

Marketing Automation for B2B

Marketing automation for B2B companies can be used in a number of different ways. Here are just a few examples:

• Automated lead generation: B2B companies can use marketing automation to generate leads and sales opportunities through automated processes such as email marketing, webinars, and content marketing.
• Customer segmentation: Marketing automation can be used to segment B2B customers based on their behaviour, allowing you to target them with more relevant content and messages.
• Customer lifecycle management: Marketing automation can automate tasks related to the customer lifecycle, such as onboarding, retention, and cross-selling.

Marketing Automation for B2C

Marketing automation can also be used by B2C companies in a number of different ways, including:

• Personalised content: B2C companies can use marketing automation to create and deliver personalised content to customers based on their behaviour and preferences.
• Automated customer journeys: Marketing automation can be used to automate customer journeys, such as abandoned cart emails or welcome emails.
• Engagement and loyalty: Marketing automation can also engage customers and encourage loyalty through automated processes such as customer success stories or referral programs.

How to Get Started with Marketing Automation

If you’re interested in using marketing automation to improve your business, there are a few things you’ll need to do to get started:

• Define your goals: What do you want to accomplish with marketing automation? Do you want to increase leads, sales, or customer loyalty? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can start looking for the right tools and platforms.
• Identify your target audience: Who do you want to reach with your marketing campaigns? What are their needs and wants? Knowing your target audience will help you choose the right marketing automation tools and platforms.
• Choose the right tools: There are several different marketing automation tools available, so it’s important to choose the ones that are best suited for your business. You’ll also need to consider your budget when choosing marketing automation tools.
• Set up your campaigns: Once you’ve chosen your marketing automation tools, it’s time to set up your campaigns. This will involve creating different customer journeys, defining triggers, and setting up automated messages.
• Test and optimise: It’s important to test your campaigns before you launch them to ensure they’re working as intended. Once you’ve launched your campaigns, you can continue to optimise them based on performance data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should use marketing automation?

Marketing automation can be used by businesses of all sizes. However, it’s often most effective for very large enterprises and quickly growing businesses looking to scale their marketing efforts efficiently.

How much does marketing automation cost?

The cost of marketing automation varies depending on the tools you choose and the features you need. Generally, the more features you need, the more expensive the platform will be.

What are the benefits of marketing automation?

The benefits of marketing automation include increased leads, sales, and customer loyalty; improved customer segmentation; and more efficient use of time and resources.

Can marketing automation replace my marketing team?

No, marketing automation cannot replace your marketing team. Marketing automation is a tool that can automate certain tasks and processes, but it cannot replace the human element of marketing. Your marketing team will still need to create and execute campaigns, track results, and optimise performance.

How is marketing automation implemented?

Implementing marketing automation will vary depending on the tools you choose and the features you need. You’ll need to set up customer journeys, define triggers, and create automated messages. You may also need to integrate your marketing automation platform with your CRM system.

What problems does marketing automation solve?

Marketing automation can help solve a variety of problems, such as increasing leads, sales, and customer loyalty, improving customer segmentation, and more efficient use of time and resources.