Why Use Marketing Automation?

Marketing automation has changed the way leads are generated and nurtured, there's no doubt about it. From email to social, one marketer is now able to do the work of 10 and connect with more potential customers than ever before.

Sounds great, but what's the catch? With such a major shift in the way things are done, there are bound to be a few road bumps and mishaps, so if you want to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly of marketing automation, here's what we're talking about. . .

Articles

Marketing Automation: an industry ripe for change? via smart insights

“New marketing automation platforms that cater to different niches and provide additional value to their customers have been growing aggressively.”

With the advancement of marketing automation comes the evolution of automation platforms. Are the big dogs like HubSpot and Marketo at risk of being surpassed by niche platforms with different value propositions? Two companies have grown to nearly the size of Marketo just in 2016 alone! Check it out to see which companies they are and to see what the big shift is all about.

Marketing automation is only one part of a healthy lead nurturing campaign. For more information, check out our free [guide] How to Create a Lead Nurturing Campaign.

Automation: The Dirty Word in Social Media Marketing via adweek

“To reply in real-time and at scale with content in response to triggers, marketers need social media marketing automation software. They need the ability to listen for certain actions and automate responses to people who trigger them.”

Social media and marketing automation: two of the big players in digital marketing; but how well do they work together? One may guess that it doesn't work well, being as that social media is seen as a one-to-one, personal connection between individuals. However, social media automation and has the ability to “segment users and send the right content, at the right moment, back to the right person, all in real-time.” See what else it can do!

TOP 8 MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WITH MARKETING AUTOMATION via marketing insider group

“By tailoring certain offers to certain buyer profiles, marketing automation becomes far more effective in terms of results, effort and cost.”

Marketing automation can be an incredibly useful tool to cut down on the workload and effort required by the marketing and sales team, but that's only if it's done right. If done wrong, leads will feel a robotic, impersonal, and even annoying presence instead of having a pleasant interaction with your company. Be sure to avoid these 8 common mistakes such as ignoring buyer profiles and being inorganic.

These 10 Ultimate Examples of Automated Email Campaigns Are What You Need to Get Started via Web engage monk

“Automation emails have a 119 percent higher click rate than mass emails, and businesses that use automation see conversion rates as high as 50 percent.”

On board with automation but feeling overwhelmed when you think about where to start? Have no fear! This resource gives not one but ten examples of specific buyer interaction scenarios and exactly how they could trigger an automated email campaign, such as welcome emails, abandoned cart emails, and product return emails. Check it out for inspiration to get started with your own campaign!

5 Steps to Proving ROI of Marketing Automation via launch marketing

“the return on the investment may include intangibles like increased efficiency, brand awareness and better communication overall.”

We all know that ROI is incredibly important; why do something that isn't bringing forth benefits? So is marketing automation a way to increase ROI? According to Launch Marketing, it is if you do it right. Here are 5 helpful ways that you can set up your marketing automation system in order to be the most efficient and effective it can possibly be!

Podcast

Marketing Automation Best Practices with Peter Leshaw via search engine journal

“There's nothing colder than getting an email that says 'dear person'”

When we hear the word “automation” it may sound a bit stiff and robotic, but nothing can replace the feel of human interaction. This podcast emphasizes the importance of making sure automation is personable and not a cold, “dear person” type of interactions in order to get the best results possible.

Report

The State of B2B Marketing Automation in 2017 via marketing profs

“B2B marketers say they use marketing automation most to help with email (73% do so), Web forms (63%), and landing pages (56%).”

Enough with all the talk, let's see some numbers! Here is the 2017 State of B2B Marketing Automation to give you an idea of how big of a role automation has come to play in the world of digital marketing. Learn what marketers are using automation for, why they chose to implement it in the first place, and much more!