Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have noticed AI is having a moment right now. Everywhere we look online, people are raving about the latest whiz-bang AI tools that can supposedly do everything better than us humans. 

But how can we put these AI capabilities to use in email marketing? In this post, I’ll discuss the practical ways AI can help make your email marketing more efficient and effective.

Now we all know email marketing delivers great ROI, with stats showing $36-42 back for every $1 spent. But crafting stand-out, personalised emails at scale is tough without some extra help. That’s where artificial intelligence comes in. 

AI isn’t going to replace the human touch in email marketing. But it can automate tedious tasks, surface key insights, and take testing and personalisation to the next level. Let’s explore some of the top applications of AI for email marketers:

AI Makes Personalisation Possible

One of the biggest promises of AI is hyper-targeted content customisation. With the help of AI tools analysing customer data, you can craft emails featuring personalised product recommendations, location-specific deals, and custom segments based on interests and behaviours. This results in emails that feel tailor-made for each subscriber.

AI Lends a Hand with Analysis 

Pouring over the metrics and testing variables from each email campaign is time-consuming and complex, especially if you’re running lots of campaigns and automation. AI software can crunch the numbers for you to highlight top-performing segments, subject lines, content types, timing, etc. The AI reveals what resonates so you can refine your approach.

AI Takes the Pain Out of A/B Testing

While A/B testing emails is critical for optimisation and the cornerstone of any good email strategy, coming up with endless variations is easier said than done. Let AI lend a hand by automatically generating different versions changing up subject lines, content, layouts, images, calls-to-action, and more. AI will methodically test combinations to pinpoint what maximises engagement.

Pro-tip: Try A/B split testing AI-generated subject vs human-generated subject lines and see what delivers the best results.

AI as Your Copywriting Sidekick 

Even the best copywriters have trouble dreaming up fresh, compelling copy every time. AI-powered tools can suggest subject line and body copy ideas to kickstart your creative process. The AI acts as a sounding board for crafting your final, refined email copy with a human touch.

Pro-tip: Try ChatGPT and Bard using the same prompt and see which one delivers a better result for you.

AI Uncovers New Ways to Segment 

Targeting each campaign to your entire subscriber base will reduce your engagement and lead to customers unsubscribing. Leverage AI to uncover subscriber patterns based on demographics, interests, and behaviours so you can divide them into precise segments. Each micro-segment can then receive ultra-relevant emails.

AI Provides Insights into Your Customers

Looking to better understand your subscribers? AI excels at discovering trends and making predictions by analysing customer data. It can map out the typical lifecycle and project future needs. These insights help you engage subscribers at exactly the right times.

While AI opens up exciting possibilities, smart email marketers know not to hand over the reins completely. Combining AI’s analytical and creative muscle with human oversight, strategy and judgment takes email marketing to the next level. 

Does AI have you rethinking your email marketing approach? Share your thoughts on how AI could help boost your email game!