How AI is Changing Marketing: A Simple Guide to my 3 Marketing pillars: Analytics, Strategy, and Operations

AI is everywhere these days, and it’s quickly becoming a game-changer in the world of marketing. It can save time, improve results, and help marketers make smarter decisions. But to really get the most out of AI, it needs to be part of three key areas of marketing: Analytics, Strategy, and Operations.

Let’s break each one down and see how AI can make your life easier in every stage of your marketing journey.

1. Analytics – Turning Data Into Real Insights

Analytics is where it all begins. It’s how we understand what consumers are doing on our website, social media , email marketing or any other channel , and what content they care about, how they interact with our brand. This kind of insight helps us improve user experience, tweak campaigns, and make better decisions.

Tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) let you track things like clicks, scrolls, time spent on a page, or when someone drops off before making a purchase. All of that information helps you figure out what’s working and what’s not.

How AI Helps

AI takes it further by spotting patterns you might miss and predicting what users might do next. For example, GA4 includes predictive metrics that use machine learning to highlight users most likely to purchase or bounce. You can then build custom audiences based on that data and retarget them with personalised ads.

Example:Let’s say you run an online store. You notice people are spending a lot of time looking at products but not buying. GA4’s AI features can highlight which users are most likely to buy in the next few days. You can then run targeted ads just for them with a special offer or reminder—boosting conversions without wasting your ad budget.

2. Strategy – Building Smarter Campaigns With AI

Once you’ve got your insights, it’s time to use them to build your marketing strategy. But strategy isn’t one-size-fits-all. You need to understand your company’s short-term and long-term goals. Are you trying to build awareness, generate more traffic, get leads, boost sales, or improve customer loyalty?

Knowing where you want to focus in the funnel is key. AI tools can help speed up the process by analysing your data and even recommending actions based on what’s most likely to work.

How AI Helps

AI tools like HubSpot’s AI assistant, ChatGPT, or Jasper can analyze your campaign data and customer behavior. Based on this, they can suggest which channels to focus on, what kind of content to create, and how to personalise messages for different audiences.

Example:Imagine you’re launching a new product and want more leads. AI tools can look at your website data, find out which types of content are already attracting traffic, and recommend blog titles or ad copy that’s more likely to convert. Some tools even help you generate that content in seconds.

3. Operations – Getting the Right Tools (and Making Them Work Together)

This part is all about the platforms and tools you use every day—from your website to your email platform to your content management system. Good operations mean making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, and making sure you use tactical integrations wisely and cost efficient.

It’s not just about picking the right tools but also knowing how they work, what their limitations are, and whether your team has the time and skills to manage them properly. You also need to think about things like hosting, page speed, accessibility, cookie consent, and data privacy ( GDPR).

How AI Helps

AI can simplify and automate a lot of the day-to-day tasks that can otherwise take up your time. Whether it's optimising your content for SEO, making your website more accessible, or staying on top of privacy rules, AI has your back.

Example:Let’s say you built your website on Wix/Squarespace/Wordpress/Elementor or using a more sophisticated CMS such as Adobe/ Episerver or Drupal. You want to make sure it’s optimised for search engines and fully accessible ( It is a standard rule). An AI tool like Frase or SurferSEO can audit your pages, suggest keywords, and highlight improvements. Meanwhile, a tool like Cookiebot can automatically manage cookie consent and help you stay compliant with privacy laws without having to code anything.

Wrapping It Up

AI doesn’t replace great marketing, but it makes great marketing easier and more effective. By weaving it into your analytics, strategy, and operations, you’ll not only save time and money, you’ll create smarter campaigns that truly connect with your audience.

So whether you're just getting started with AI or already using it here and there, now’s the perfect time to think bigger and build it into the core of your marketing efforts.

by Priscilla Mills