How to Use AI in Digital Marketing: 7 Practical Strategies That Work

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing digital marketing on nearly every level, from content creation to decision-making. Administrative tasks that once took hours to complete can now happen in seconds, thanks to marketing automation. AI-powered data analytics improve business decisions and return on investment (ROI) while making personalization easier and more effective.

This post discusses how you can use AI for digital marketing, even if you're new to the technology, as well as the many ways AI can transform your workflows and the key tools to master.

What AI Means in Digital Marketing

AI enables computers to simulate human thought. Computer scientists use algorithms to "teach" systems how to interpret situations, make decisions and solve problems with minimal input, based on how humans and computers have solved those problems in the past.¹

To understand AI in digital marketing, it's important to know the three most common AI technologies available today:

• Machine learning: Training software to understand data and use it to make decisions, generate content, or identify insights²
• Natural language processing (NLP): Using machine learning to create computer programs that can converse with humans³
• Predictive analytics: Forecasting future events by entering data into machine learning models⁴

As you learn how to use AI in marketing, you'll encounter these technologies in a variety of tools you may already be using, such as:

• Jasper: For content writing and copywriting
• Clearscope: For content optimization
• Grammarly: For editing and grammar
• Runway: For video creation
• Canva: For graphic design
• Zapier: For workflow automation
• Asana: For project management⁵

The benefits of using AI in digital marketing are as varied as these tools. The first step is identifying where AI can most benefit your team. Here are seven ways that can happen.

1. Create and Optimize Content

In a 2025 report from marketing intelligence system Ahrefs, 87% of respondents reported using AI to create content. Most use it in the planning stages, with 76% using AI to generate ideas and 73% using it to create outlines.⁶ Other use cases include:

• Editing and rewriting: 63%
• Drafting headlines: 53%
• Creating briefs: 46%
• Creating content from scratch: 44%

AI is also a valuable tool for search engine optimization (SEO). Two-thirds of Ahrefs responders use AI to optimize content in various ways, from selecting keywords to structuring posts for Google crawlers.⁶ Using AI to handle these tasks gives you more time to work on digital content marketing strategies that drive your ROI.

2. Personalize Customer Experiences

According to a Deloitte Digital report, brands that focus on personalization are 48% more likely to exceed revenue goals and 71% more likely to report improved customer loyalty.⁷ Using AI in digital marketing helps brands understand consumer behavior and target communications based on what consumers want.

AI can quickly aggregate and interpret large volumes of data to generate personalized product recommendations.⁸ As customers engage with those recommendations, AI refines its algorithm to provide more relevant suggestions.

AI can also help marketers customize outreach messaging, including emails, ads and website landing pages.⁸ These targeted communications stand out in a landscape that can still be one-size-fits-all.

3. Automate Marketing Workflows

As digital marketing tools add AI-powered automation components, marketers are discovering how they can do more with less. Email service providers use AI to design personalized drip campaigns, which send a series of messages based on consumer behavior.⁹ AI-powered analytics can individualize these campaigns and launch them automatically.

In addition, AI can improve lead-scoring accuracy to provide a clearer view of who will most likely become a paying customer. These tools then trigger automated follow-up messages based on customer data and interest level to engage more customers.

4. Improve Paid Advertising Performance

Balancing ad spend with results is a major challenge. By learning how to use AI in digital marketing, marketers can improve results on both sides of the equation.

AI excels at generating audience-informed keywords and short-form copy based on performance. It can also suggest changes to creative assets, such as landing pages, for more conversions.¹⁰

On the financial side, AI improves bidding, budgeting and ad placement to improve ROI. Google Ads now offers Smart Bidding, which automatically optimizes your pay-per-click bids and determines where they appear.¹¹ Tools like Google's Performance Planner use AI to conduct predictive analytics, which can forecast campaign results and suggest effective budgets.¹²

5. Leverage AI for Social Media Marketing

AI and automation advancements can help you get more from social media while saving you time. Advanced NLP algorithms conduct sentiment analyses by interpreting the context and human emotion behind comments, messages and brand mentions.¹³ Developers are even creating tools that can detect trends and identify relevant hashtags, helping businesses stay ahead of the game.

Multiple social media management tools also use AI to predict audience response and schedule posts for optimal performance.¹⁴

6. Strengthen Analytics and Decision-Making

AI is elevating data analytics in digital marketing to drive ROI. Algorithms can analyze vast amounts of consumer data to conduct predictive analytics, which suggest how a particular group of consumers will behave. According to a recent Harvard University article, this helps marketers develop more competitive strategies.¹⁵

AI algorithms also excel at integrating new data, allowing marketers to make real-time campaign adjustments. Many marketing tools now feature AI-powered dashboards, which present the insights from these analyses in a way users can understand.¹⁶

7. Enhance Customer Support and Engagement

Customer support is a human-focused field, even in the age of AI. Chatbots and AI-integrated systems enable teams to focus on the human aspect by automating routine interactions and providing resources at scale.

Leading CRM platforms have begun to integrate AI for various tasks, including personalized messaging.¹⁷ These upgrades create a better customer experience and deliver more value at every interaction, allowing teams to focus on relationship development.

AI has also enhanced the experience of interacting with a branded chatbot or virtual assistant, which can answer customer questions 24/7. Brands can also use AI to analyze the most common customer questions and publish better FAQs and knowledge base pages, thereby strengthening engagement across all levels of the marketing funnel.

Ethical Considerations in AI Marketing

As AI becomes more embedded in marketing strategies, it’s important to address the ethical responsibilities that come with these powerful tools.

Data Privacy and Transparency

AI-driven marketing relies on vast amounts of consumer data to personalize experiences and predict behavior. However, collecting and using that data comes with legal and ethical obligations. Regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) require businesses to be transparent about what data they collect, how they use it, and how they protect it.¹⁸

Marketers should prioritize clear privacy policies, obtain informed consent and give customers control over their data. Being upfront about how AI influences recommendations and communications builds trust. According to a Cisco survey, 81% of consumers say how a company treats their data reflects how it treats them as a customer.¹⁹

Avoiding Algorithmic Bias

AI systems learn from historical data, which means they can inherit—and amplify—existing biases. In marketing, this can lead to ad targeting that excludes certain demographics or messaging that unintentionally reinforces stereotypes.

To mitigate these risks, marketers should regularly audit the data sets used to train AI models and test outputs across diverse audience segments. Many organizations are also adopting AI ethics frameworks that establish guidelines for fair and inclusive marketing practices.²⁰ Understanding how to use AI in digital marketing responsibly ensures that campaigns reach the right audiences without compromising equity or brand integrity.

By building ethical guardrails into your AI strategy from the start, you not only protect your brand’s reputation but also create more meaningful, trustworthy connections with your audience.

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At William & Mary, students in the Online Master of Science in Marketing program learn how innovative marketers are transforming the field. The program covers training in marketing innovation, data analytics and the emerging tools reshaping the field in a flexible, part-time format you can complete in as little as 16 months. If you’re serious about advancing your career in marketing, this is how you position yourself for the roles that are defining the next decade of the profession.

To learn how you can be part of the future of marketing, speak with one of our admissions outreach advisors or review our admissions guidelines.