Artificial Intelligence is something you’re probably starting to hear more and more about these days. It’s a technological development that’s already changing the world and how things get done in a wide variety of ways, both big and small. Even web designers and digital marketers can no longer escape the reach and impact of AI as it continues its unstoppable ascent. But is all this a good thing for the world of website design and marketing
There’s a variety of opinions out there, but it’s impossible to deny that the recent advances in AI and how they’re being used in website design and digital marketing are impressive. There’ll be plenty more breakthroughs for AI, both in this industry and many others in the years ahead as lots of talented people work to develop uses for this technology. But we’re going to discuss its rise and some of the current day uses for AI in website design and marketing below.
Artificial Intelligence?
Before we look at how exactly AI is being used by website designers and digital marketers, we should define it, discuss how AI works and what’s behind its current rise in prominence and usage. At its core, AI is about computers performing tasks that would previously only be possible for humans to complete. They learn how to do that by performing the tasks over and over again and optimizing and improving these inputs over time.
Of course, none of that happens by itself. In order for artificial intelligence to be able to do any of that, it requires expert programming that enables deep learning. Crucially, the programming needs to make the computer capable of picking up patterns in data as it’s being processed. This is what allows the computer to learn from repetition and to optimize performance.
It’s too early to say how much of an impact AI might have on the world, but it’s certainly on a very sharp upward trend right now…
AI is improving and being used more than ever before and the revenue being generated by AI-enabled applications is rising even faster. There are some common misconceptions surrounding AI and one of them is that it’s best at automating tasks that were previously done manually by humans. But the use of AI in web design and digital marketing proves that this is not necessarily the case.
Now, smart technology is embracing AI and companies are developing uses for artificial intelligence in the home. The possibilities for AI and where it might take us next are innumerable. It’s too early to say how much of an impact AI might have on the world, but it’s certainly on a very sharp upward trend right now. Here’s more about its use in website design and digital marketing functions.
AI & the User Experience
At the most basic level, AI is now being used in website design to power basic user experience elements. Obviously, we designers are massively focused on the user experience when doing their work because that’s what matters most when all’s said and done. AI is now a standard part of website design and you’ve probably already experienced it first-hand, even if you haven’t realized it.
Chatbots with Natural Language Processing (NLP) functionality…. make a real impact for website visitors and users.
For example, chatbots are now very commonly used on a very wide variety of websites. To begin with, they were very basic and didn’t incorporate any AI elements; and, at that point, they also weren’t very useful. Things have changed now though. Natural language processing is now used by many chatbots, allowing them to conduct natural conversations away from the scripts that used to dictate them.
The next wave of chatbot success is just beginning, and people will begin to realize that they do have a useful function. In the past, people ignored them because they understood that it was hard to get useful information out of them. But that’s no longer the case when web designers incorporate chatbots with Natural Language Processing (NLP) functionality. They make a real impact for website visitors and users.
AI in Web Design
AI in web design is known as ADI, which stands for artificial design intelligence. In short, it’s about how web designers are now harnessing the power of AI to design and develop websites from the ground up. It’s no longer confined to small functions, such as AI-enabled chatbots; things are going much further than that now. ADI can recognize and implement features and trends in web design.
In the same way we discussed AI above, the computer learns from processing data and making adjustments to inputs. There are already a few platforms out there that use ADI and allow the public to build websites with it. It’s making the process of creating a website design easier and more accessible. Big names like Wix and Bookmark are already offering website builders that use ADI.
Of course, all of this is still in its relative infancy. Right now, a website builder using ADI will give you a good basis for a website design and you can later make tweaks and changes to it depending on what you’re looking to create. Nevertheless, it’s a big step forward and the technology behind ADI is expected to improve and reach new heights in the years ahead.
Google RankBrain
The task of Google is to offer up results to search queries that the user will find useful in some way. And the people at Google now believe that the best way to do this is to make use of AI. That’s where Google RankBrain steps in. It’s a machine learning aspect of the Google algorithm that can teach itself to make calculations based on the data that it’s being fed to produce results that match the needs of the user.
It’s all about understanding the user’s true intent and offering them search results that reflect and respond to that intent. With RankBrain, that’s made possible because of the many different factors that can be interpreted and taken into account by the machine learning process. Over time, using the data that it processes, RankBrain can understand much better what people are looking for.
A Google algorithm that can teach itself to make calculations based on the data that it’s being fed
It’s seen as being a far more intuitive and human way of responding to search queries. After all, the people making the searches are human, so it makes sense to take into account the human factors that cause them to search for the things they search for. That’s the intent and thought process being Google RankBrain. It is having an impact on SEO, but not in the huge ways that some marketers expected, but it’s something to consider.
Behavior & Predictive Analytics
Understanding user behavior and making predictions based on those understandings is a big part of digital marketing and website design. In order to know how you should approach a digital marketing project or how to design a website, you need to understand the people who are being targeted and who the end users are. That’s where AI is now making waves with regards to behavior and predictive analytics.
Understanding users and the data they create is a task too big for individuals. The datasets available are simply too vast and wide-ranging and that’s why AI is so useful. Machine learning allows businesses to achieve much deeper insights into user behavior, leading to better and more comprehensive predictive analytics. All businesses require this kind of insight, especially larger companies that are looking to grow and expect. It’s no coincidence that they’re spending so much money on AI right now, but it’s generally seen as the right kind of forward-thinking investment.
One of the reasons why this level of behavior and predictive analytics are so important is that it enables businesses to understand their customers much better. And as a result, they can engage and personalize their content much better going forward. Personalization is already a big trend in most industries and it’s something that customers are quickly coming to expect. AI is making it possible to achieve that and deliver on those customer expectations.
AI-Enhanced Digital Advertising
AI is also being used in the realm of digital advertising. For businesses, it’s vital that their adverts are in front of the right people and are being seen by people who are interested in what’s being offered. That can be achieved with the help of AI. It learns when to display the right ads based on what they’re most likely to find appealing, allowing for a better return on investment over the long-term.
…bringing AI into the world of digital advertising are developing as we speak.
This form of Ai is still in a rudimentary phase, but advances are being made and new ways of bringing AI into the world of digital advertising are developing as we speak. It will be very interesting to see where the future takes the combination of AI and digital advertising. It could turn out to be revolutionary for the industry and potentially change how we all advertise goods and services.
As you can see, AI has already firmly carved out a place for itself in the world of website design and digital marketing. If you’re looking to discover where the future of website design and marketing are currently heading, it makes sense to find out more about artificial intelligence and how you might also harness its powers.
