AI & Pay-to-Play Marketing: John Rampton on the Future of Digital Strategy
The Rise of Pay-to-Play Marketing
In a recent episode of VB Engage, marketing expert John Rampton—entrepreneur, author, and CEO of Due.com—declared we’re living in a pay-to-play world. With organic engagement rates plummeting below 1%, brands must rethink their strategies to stay competitive.
Key Takeaways:
- Organic reach is declining: Less than 5% of content drives 90% of engagement (Beckon & TrackMaven).
- Influencer marketing is critical: Authentic partnerships amplify reach where traditional methods fall short.
- Content promotion is just as important as creation: Rampton spends 50% of his time promoting content, with headlines being a top priority.
AI-Powered Marketing Tools Shaping the Future
Three groundbreaking AI technologies are transforming marketing across customer service, social media, and consumer insights:
1. Kylie: AI for Customer Service Automation
- Automates responses across email, SMS, Twitter, and chat.
- Reduces reliance on traditional call centers, which are seeing widespread downsizing.
2. Sysomos: AI-Driven Social Marketing
- Unifies search, engagement, and analytics into a “social cloud.”
- Identifies audience affinities to deliver actionable insights.
3. Protagonist Platform: Machine Learning for Narrative Analysis
- Deciphers consumer beliefs by analyzing cross-platform data (social media, forums, etc.).
- Helps brands craft targeted messaging based on deep narrative insights.
How to Thrive in the AI-Driven Marketing Landscape
Rampton’s Formula for Success:
- Headline Optimization: Use tools like BuzzSumo and Google Trends to craft attention-grabbing titles.
- Storytelling Matters: Share both successes and failures—audiences crave authenticity.
- Prolific Content Creation: Consistent publishing builds authority and visibility.
The Bigger Picture:
- By 2025, 6.1 billion smartphones will dominate global connectivity (up from 2.2 billion in 2015).
- AI tools like Protagonist and Sysomos empower marketers to parse vast datasets—a task impossible manually.
What’s Next?
Next week’s VB Engage features Everette Taylor, a growth marketer who overcame homelessness to become a leader in the tech space. Meanwhile, revisit last week’s discussion with Spencer Liu (CEO of KTPlay) on building communities in mobile gaming.
Subscribe to VB Engage for more insights on AI, marketing trends, and entrepreneurial journeys.
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