Change is the only constant especially when it comes to audience engagement. While audiences are becoming increasingly fragmented across channels and searches, their expectations for unique, personalized experiences are increasing. As artificial intelligence shifts how people search for and engage with companies, connected and permissioned data is the only way to get personalization right in the age of AI.
“Successful implementation of AI needs to go beyond the hype and into practical application and audience experience,” says Jarrod Martin, global CEO at Acxiom, a data and identity solutions company connecting brands with 2.6 billion people globally. “Companies have unlimited opportunity to leverage AI for growth by getting the right balance between future vision and business impact. It can turn your data into an asset that accelerates marketing campaign delivery and audience testing from months to days.”
So how do you prepare your business for this new reality and create opportunities for growth? Below, Acxiom leadership discusses the future of data, marketing and AI.
Build a Data Foundation
Understanding your audience is core to delivering impactful content that drives results. Today, with connected data and identity, companies can gain a deeper and more holistic understanding of their audiences.
“As AI delivers new personalized experience opportunities, getting connected identity right is more important than ever,” says Martin. “Connected identity gives you a complete view of your audience so you can build stronger data-driven segmentation, audience testing and improved experience.”
By connecting all data from ethical sources, companies establish this true view of their audience. Martin adds that none of this happens without permission and transparency. “Personalization only happens within consent and governance guardrails – it’s crucial to build and maintain trust,” he says.
The New Audience Journey
With a rise in zero-click and conversational chatbots, customer and audience journeys are becoming shorter and less reliant on brand websites and ad interactions. Without any interaction with a company, customers can find and compare products and services.
“People are favoring frictionless experiences that take minimal effort,” says Graham Wilkinson, chief innovation officer and global head of AI at Acxiom. “Delivering fast, personalized results and experiences put more importance on data foundations that power AI. It forces us to revisit the marketing fundamentals of ‘know your brand’ and ‘know your customer.’ But now we can do it faster, with rapid experimentation and flexibility.”
With a powerful data foundation in place, Graham adds that marketers can move beyond all-purpose messaging to embrace dynamic, customer-centric content and experiences.
Capture AI-Driven Personalization
Implementing AI solutions for audience marketing isn’t just driving efficiency, it enables companies to deliver unique, personalized and optimized content that ultimately drives growth.
“AI isn’t just changing how we market – it’s redefining what’s possible,” says Courtney Keating, Acxiom’s CMO. “When you combine connected data with AI-driven personalization, you don’t just reach audiences, you accelerate growth at unprecedented speed.”
Interact, an end-to-end marketing platform, leveraged Acxiom’s connected identity and data to drive new customer acquisition and improve return on ad spend for an online entertainment company. Using first-party data and AI predictive analytics, the company engaged with their most valuable prospects and delivered a 60% lift in media campaign performance.
“AI makes personalization at scale a reality, but only if you have the right foundation,” Martin says. “Connected data, ethical practices and strategic implementation – that’s how you turn audience engagement into sustainable growth.”
