How to Use AI in Email Marketing

Email marketing remains one of the cornerstones of digital marketing, but cutting through the noise in crowded inboxes is becoming more and more difficult. AI has emerged as a game-changer, helping email marketers personalize their campaigns and drive better results.

Kristela Panesa
Kristela Panesa November 4, 2024

Email marketing has been one of the cornerstones of digital marketing for years, giving businesses a direct line to their most valuable asset: their audience.

Although new platforms have emerged, email remains a powerful tool for fostering customer engagement and driving conversions. Studies from last year reveal that 69% of marketers continue to use email marketing to disseminate content.

However, with the growing volume of emails flooding people’s inboxes, cutting through the noise has become increasingly difficult. Generic email blasts are ignored, and people have become selective of the emails they read.

This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. Email marketers are leveraging AI to personalize their campaigns and turn the tide.

In this piece, we’ll explore AI’s role in email marketing and outline the different AI tools you can use to get better results. Read our guide to learn how to create AI-powered email marketing campaigns.

The Role of AI in Email Marketing

Contrary to popular belief, AI’s role in email marketing goes beyond automation.

Although automating time-consuming tasks is certainly a valuable benefit, AI’s true power lies in its ability to leverage advanced algorithms to deliver highly targeted content to the right people at the right time.

This can be achieved through various key functionalities, such as analyzing large data sets from previous campaigns, segmenting email lists, and generating content tailored to your audience’s unique needs.

In addition, AI also allows you to do tasks like:

These functionalities allow you to effectively personalize campaigns while simultaneously reducing the time you spend creating content.

How to Use AI for Email Marketing

If you’re planning on using AI for your email marketing campaigns but don’t know how to, here are five different use cases to get you started:

Write subject lines that get opened every time.

In most cases, the success or failure of an email marketing campaign depends heavily on the quality of the subject line.  Since the industry-wide open rates are below 30%, your email subject line is likely the only thing most of your subscribers will see.

That said, you must write subject lines that will compel audiences to open your email and read your well-crafted copy. Fortunately, AI tools like Phrasee can help you accomplish this using natural language processing (NLP) and natural language generation (NLG).

NLP and NLG are the two primary technologies most AI marketing tools use to generate subject lines. NLP acts as the reader, analyzing vast customer data, such as your audience demographics and past email performance.

NLG, on the other hand, acts as the writer. It will use all of NLP’s insights to create engaging subject lines and personalize them by including the subscriber’s name and preferences.

Some of the world’s biggest firms, like eBay, have incorporated AI solutions when writing their subject lines. They use tools like the IBM Watson Tone Analyzer to evaluate which subject line will work best for your audience.

Personalize email copies for maximum impact.

Personalization is one of the most effective strategies for increasing your open rates. It demonstrates that you know your audience’s needs and helps build trust.

Several tools allow you to analyze hundreds of customer data points. From there, you can start crafting copies tailored to their behaviors and preferences. 

For instance, you can leverage the insight you’ve gathered from their site activity to send them product suggestions in your next campaign.

Automate your processes to boost productivity.

Tasks like cleaning your email list, segmenting subscribers, and writing responses to the same queries can be tedious. But the good news is that AI can help you automate them.

For instance, MailerCheck allows you to verify emails in real time through its email verification API. This feature verifies and filters email addresses with typos or errors.

AI solutions are also useful for segmentation. These tools can sort your target audience into different groups based on past purchases, browsing activity, and even location. This way, you can send the right messages to the right groups of people.

Lastly, AI can assist you in crafting and sending automated responses to common queries. Automating common tedious email marketing tasks gives you more time to focus on other important aspects of your digital marketing strategy.

Map out your customer journey.

Another excellent way to use AI for email marketing is to map your customer journey.

Customer journey refers to the different stages a potential customer goes through when interacting with a business. You can use AI to understand your audience’s specific needs and interests at each stage of the journey.

Will AI Replace Human Marketers?

Whenever ground-breaking AI technologies are launched, marketers can’t help but wonder whether they’re being replaced for good.

Although there’s no denying that AI can process and analyze data faster than we can, it can never replace human marketers. Instead, it will empower them.

In an interview with Hubspot, Jasper.ai’s Head of Enterprise Marketing, Samyutha Reddy said, “AI augments the human experience, but it doesn’t replace the human within that experience.”

Reddy goes on to explain, “We value writers in our society because they’re able to give us a thought-proving human perspective on the world. It isn’t just about summarizing facts that are out there. It’s about humans sharing opinions on very real topics that help build your perspective on how you feel about something.”

As she sees it, AI cannot replace the human touch that brings effective marketing strategies to life. While she admits this new technology will force marketers to re-skill, Samyutha believes AI will give them more time to be creative.

Instead of viewing AI as a replacement, it’s better to consider it a reliable sidekick that will help you improve your marketing campaigns.

A New Marketing Paradigm: Importance of Fostering AI-Human CollaborationThis new reality is ushering in a new marketing paradigm where humans must collaborate with AI technologies.

Despite all its advancements, AI still needs human oversight and guidance. After all, the results AI generates are only as good as the direct inputs it receives. So, if you want to make the most out of your AI-powered email marketing campaign, you’ll have to master the art of writing the most effective prompt.

There’s also the matter of ethics. Several ethical considerations must be considered when using AI for email marketing, like ensuring transparency, avoiding bias, and preventing plagiarism.

These concerns are not mere potential pitfalls; they’re issues you must take seriously to ensure the ethical use of AI. Remember, email marketing campaigns are meant to help you build a trusting relationship with your audiences.

Before you start using AI for email marketing, we highly suggest you understand the ethical implications of using these technologies and develop a clear framework for its responsible use.

The Future of Email Marketing is AI-Powered

In conclusion, AI has revolutionized how businesses develop and implement email marketing campaigns.

While there are plenty of new platforms online, email remains as relevant as before. The challenge is making your email stand out in a crowded inbox.

By leveraging AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of data, automate tasks, and tailor email copies to your audience’s preferences, you can increase your open rates and drive more conversions.  

However, it’s important to remember that AI is only a tool; it’s not the end-all of your campaign. Its effectiveness hinges on how you use it. Don’t let AI replace the creativity and strategic thinking you can bring to the table. Instead, use it to elevate your skills as an email marketer.

To learn more about developing AI-powered email marketing campaigns, check out Growth Rocket’s blog here

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