The impact of AI-powered digital marketing operations: empirical evidence from case studies

Background: Artificial intelligence has brought big changes into digital marketing practices during the recent years. However, even if AI-powered technologies and big data allow the development of new innovative solutions in digital marketing, the application of them is still in its beginning. This research topic has been of great interest between researchers but previous studies provide little information related to data that marketing specialists should implement in AI-powered digital marketing operations in order to achieve the best possible results. Purpose: This paper focuses on the impact of AI-powered digital marketing operations. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to explore what kind of data marketers should use in AI-powered digital marketing operations in order to achieve the best possible results by the theoretical framework developed by the authors. The aim is also to provide an understanding of the factors that affect properties of the data. Methodology: In order to answer the research question an empirical research was conducted and data was collected through semi-structured interviews using guidelines inspired by literature review. Participants in the semi-structured interview consisted of people who are using Salesforce in their digital marketing operations. Results: The study largely supports the literature review, but also offers new insights related to data perspective in AI-powered digital marketing operations. The study suggests that in order to succeed in AI-powered digital marketing operations, the data should be high quality data, as well as complete and reliable. In this way, marketing specialists can get deeper, effective and more precise results. The result also revealed that external data is playing an important role, so internal data should be combined with external data. Furthermore, data privacy issues are affecting the data collection process and it is important to keep in mind the trust of customers. However, before implementing AI in digital marketing operations, marketers should understand the company's business goals. Conclusion: All in all, this research contributes to the AI-powered digital marketing literature in the specific context of data-driven approach. The theoretical framework has been updated by the emerging findings from the qualitative analysis.