Marketers are facing a deluge of data and that means they’re increasingly looking to artificial intelligence-powered tech for insights, according to a global study.
The Next Wave of Digital Marketing is Predictive study, including the opinions of 579 senior marketing decision-makers in six countries and conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Rocket Fuel, points to a growing momentum to employ predictive technology in marketing operations.
According to the study, 66% of respondents believe that customer and marketing data comes from too many sources to make sense of. Looking to the future, 82% state that predictive marketing will be essential if they are to keep up with their competitors.
In light of this, the study shows marketers are gravitating to the technology. Eighty-six percent of respondents plan to increase the use of AI to drive marketing insights in the next 12 months, and 80% state they will use AI to deliver consistent, optimised, cross-device content.
Additionally, 86% of respondents stated that predictive technology will help them improve their personalisation capabilities and aid creative optimisation.
“Forrester’s study is evidence that brands will only thrive and survive if they implement AI-powered predictive technology,” said David Gosen, Rocket Fuel general manager EMEA.
Gosen noted that at present just 30% of marketers draw on their own data to understand customer needs, while 63% of those surveyed stated that they find it difficult to personalise adverts due to lack of insights.
“This has to change if brands want to reach individuals at the precise moment they are ready to respond to an ad, deliver the right message wherever consumers might be on their journey, and stay ahead of competitors,” he said.
“In a world where consumer attention is scarce and the channels and messages are aplenty, predictive marketing provides the answer for brands, marketers and media agencies, which must find a way to deliver always-on, intelligence-driven advertising at scale.”
Martin Kovacs is a journalist with experience covering the IT, consumer electronics, retail, finance and energy sectors.
