The Do’s and Don’ts of Marketing Automation

Marketing automation can save you a lot of time when it comes to staying on top of your marketing efforts. But, just like all marketing activities, there’s pros and cons to using marketing automation. So you have to make sure you use it correctly!

Hubspot explains that, “ Marketing automation refers to the software that exists with the goal of automating marketing actions. Many marketing departments have to automate repetitive tasks such as emails, social media, and other website actions. The technology of marketing automation makes these tasks easier.” (Source:https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-automation-information)

If you are a marketer that currently uses marketing automation software, or you’re thinking about starting it up then keep reading! Next we are outlining the dos and don’ts of using marketing software automation and you’ll want to learn how to use it to your benefit as it saves tons of time if used properly!

Do’s

Now let’s talk about what you should be doing when you’re using marketing automation. The first and probably the most important do is to always engage with and respond to your audience! Just because the system is automated does NOT mean you can just wash your hands of it once the content is live. As a brand you always want to keep interacting with your audience so they know you care about them and their questions. This will also ensure that your responses don’t look too automated and that there is a human behind your posts. The second major do is set goals for yourself or your business/brand.

Before signing up for a marketing automation system, pinpoint exactly what your purpose for using the system is, that way you have a clear objective in mind. Most marketing automation systems allow you to narrow in on a specific target market, so when you set up content to send out make sure to take advantage of this perk! Also, make sure you create content that will appeal to whatever audience you are sending it to, and don't just create one type of content for every audience or platform.

Don’ts

As a marketer it is essential that you do not assume that a marketing automation system will create content for you. You are still responsible for creating tailored content for your target market optimized for whichever platforms your brand uses. You also need to ensure that you schedule your content properly selecting your optimal days and times for publishing so that your automation software is ready to do the rest of the work for you! Forgetting to follow these simple steps will result in no content being sent out, which does absolutely nothing for your brand or attracting potential customers.

Another don’t is neglecting to look at analytics reports. Most marketing automation systems provide you with data on the performance of your content after it was sent out. These reports include information such as, how many views your posting got, the amount of impressions, or the level of engagement, and finally how many people visited your website/profile page, plus much more! NEVER forget to read these over because it can provide major insight as to what type of content works for your audience and what doesn't. Finally, the last don’t of marketing automation is don’t use it to get out of creating different types of posts for each platform your brand owns.

Whether it’s Facebook, or Twitter, or Instagram each platform is different and you need to be tailoring your posts accordingly. For example, Twitter has a character limit, so if you were creating a Facebook post and wanted to use it for Twitter you need to optimize the character length so that it can fit in a tweet! These may seem like little rules, however they are important to follow. Your audience will know if you are taking the easy way out and using the same posts on every platform. Plus, who wants to read the same thing the same way three or four different times?! Nobody! So be sure you take the time and optimize each of your posts for each platform.

So for all you first time users of marketing automation, remember these do’s and don’ts for the best results when starting to use marketing automation.

If you are now asking yourself “sure, now I know the dos and don’ts of marketing automation, but how do I start?!” You are not alone! StartMarketing can help you get started by setting up an automation system for you specifically designed for your needs. Click here

And while you are here reading this blog you might as well check out our blog on the power of social media.