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Two marketing thoughts as we look ahead to 2023 👇

1. AI Will Be Mainstreamed In Marketing

This year, you’ll see companies using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to help consumers find products they want faster, and even personalize their shopping experiences.

These innovations aren’t just coming from some startup – these are well-established brands who have been using machine learning algorithms to improve search results and make recommendations.

For example, the company Spotify uses AI to recommend playlists based on what you listen to and where you live.

Similarly, Netflix recommends content based on what you watch; Amazon gives personalized recommendations based on your purchases; Google Assistant helps answer questions about products; eBay suggests similar items based on what you buy; and Walmart offers product suggestions based on what you look at online.

Even traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are adopting AI to make shopping easier. Many now use facial recognition technology to identify customers as they walk through the door, saving them time and ensuring they get exactly what they need.

And those same technologies are being applied to the way people experience retail stores. Shoppers no longer need to wait in long checkout lines – they simply scan their faces in front of an iPad and receive instant rewards without ever having to leave their home.

This is the future of retail.

But as marketers, we still need to understand how AI works for our business. At its core, AI is often just a set of rules programmed into computers to perform a specific task or solve a problem.

But once those rules are created, human intuition comes into play and AI becomes much more than a simple rule engine.

In order to make sure your brand isn’t left behind when AI takes over your industry, you should ask yourself two questions:

• Can I develop a strategy for my brand around AI?
• How do I ensure that my brand continues to thrive even as AI takes over?

2. Millennials Are Your New Best Customers

Millennials have always had a reputation for buying things on social media, and that trend seems to continue today. A recent study showed millennials spend $2 billion per day on social media apps and sites.

That makes them a valuable market for any brand looking to sell something -- and not just digital goods. As a result, many brands are working hard to attract millennial shoppers.

To begin, start with a strong social media plan.

According to a report from social media management firm Hootsuite, 74 percent of millennials say they've heard of a brand via social networking, and 54 percent say they're likely to purchase a product after first hearing about it on social media.

But beyond social media, millennials are also actively searching for deals and discounts. According to a recent survey conducted by CouponCabin, 40 percent of millennials said they were interested in purchasing merchandise when a deal was posted on a retailer's website.

So if you focus on making your store or site stand out among competitors, you may find that millennials are attracted to your brand instead of your competition.

Was this introduction written by me or was it generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) tool?

-Dennis.