AI-Based Digital Marketing Strategy: Increasing Customer Engagement and Conversion
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing, Customer Engagement, Personalization, Ethical AI, Qualitative Research, Human-Centered Design, Technological Ethics, Cultural SensitivityAbstract
In the evolving digital marketing landscape, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly utilized to transform how businesses engage with customers, personalize experiences, and drive conversion. While much of the existing literature focuses on quantitative metrics and technological efficiency, this study addresses a critical gap by exploring the ethical, emotional, and strategic dimensions of AI use through a qualitative lens. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 12 marketing professionals and analysis of AI-integrated brand case studies, the research uncovers how AI is experienced not merely as a tool of automation but as a socio-technical agent that shapes customer relationships and organizational culture. Four key themes emerged: AI’s capacity to generate personalized customer journeys, the evolving role of AI chatbots in customer service, real-time engagement through predictive analytics, and the ethical concerns surrounding emotional authenticity and data use. These findings reveal that AI's success in marketing depends not only on technical implementation but on human-centered design that upholds trust, empathy, and cultural context. The study draws on philosophical frameworks, including Aristotle’s concept of phronesis and Heidegger’s critique of instrumental reason, to argue for a responsible and reflective integration of AI. Focusing specifically on the Indonesian digital economy, the study also highlights the need for localized and culturally attuned AI strategies. Ultimately, it suggests that in the age of intelligent systems, sustainable customer engagement is determined not by data alone, but by the wisdom with which data is applied.
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