The ways in which personal information and data is being used by companies has been such a hot topic of late, especially with the introduction of GDPR.

For a lot of people, the notion of living in a very large ‘Big Brother’ society, where phones are listening to every conversation, is very disconcerting. George Orwell’s dystopian novel ‘1984’ describes a world where the walls have ears, and we can relate to this when we’re talking about wanting fish and chips and then the next time we go on the internet on our phones there’s an advert for Harry Ramsden’s.

The advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how robots are using consumer information, has dramatically affected the world of marketing, for both marketers and consumers alike. The insight that marketers can get now enables brands to really focus their marketing and make it more tailored and effective than it ever has been.

Looking at it from the consumer’s perspective, an 18-year-old isn’t going to go on their phone and get ads for stair lifts and fluffy slippers anymore. In this hectic, busy society it becomes advantageous for consumers to not be bombarded with irrelevant information and we’ve become acclimatised to this privilege very quickly. With Generation Z entering into the world of consumerism with force, and this intelligent marketing being all they know, expectations have changed and they are higher than ever before.

It’s a little ironic that the advancements in AI (robots) has resulted in much more of a personal, human approach in marketing. With sophisticated and informed marketing becoming the norm, consumers are constantly demanding an even more personal approach. Marketers are really being kept on their toes, having to find new, more innovative ideas to reach their audience and stand out from the crowd.

With what result? It’s worth taking a look at Generation Z for the answer. This tech-savvy, well-informed generation are ruling consumerism and spend 74% of their free time online. So where online do marketers need to focus their energy?

Our blog can tell you all about the importance of social media and the sea of platforms now out there in the UK and worldwide, but personal advertising on social media platforms is not enough; it’s all about the Influencer. Generation Z is invested in people and wanting the human touch. They want the authentic and they want to hear it how it really is. Cutting through the flowery stuff, and saying it how it is, means that when that person raves about something, their audience believes it really is as good as they say it is. Influencers are beating through the noise of algorithm-created personal advertisements and are almost ‘testing’ the product/service before consumers have to go and buy it for themselves.

Who are people buying from now? There’s no doubt that brands like ‘Apple’ and ‘Coca-Cola’ are bought for their brand and monstrous marketing campaigns, and that will remain because those relationships are fully established. There are whispers of fear that AI will replace the job of humans, yet, the increase in robotic intelligence seems to lead the consumer closer and closer to the voice of a human. Businesses and brands need to think of innovative ways to take the insights they’re now gaining from AI and relay this to their target audience in a more personable way.

People don’t have the time to research the top 10 laptops before buying and are they really likely to take Google’s word for it that the first ranking is the best product? Aren’t consumers more likely to take the opinion of a key influencer, someone who knows their stuff, someone who gives their honest opinions and is seen as a voice of authority in that industry or field? Aren’t you more likely to buy the football boots that Harry Kane is telling you he’s wearing and the make-up that Kylie Jenner recommends? 20-50% of all purchasing decisions are influenced by word-of-mouth and isn’t it true that you’re more likely to go off a recommendation from a friend or someone whose opinions you value rather than just purely going off whichever product ranks the highest on Google.

This isn’t just the case for the UK either, this trend of the product influencer is being used around the world, especially in China. There are no limits to the marketing opportunities in a whole world of social media platforms. It’s clear that for marketers, the number of marketing avenues continues to grow and vary. However, changes are so fast, it can be a challenge to keep up and not fall in amongst the crowds.

If you’re interested to know more about how worldwide social media can impact your business, visit our website.