To automate or not to automate: How to combine modern marketing technology with the human touch

Automation is reshaping marketing, but the real magic happens when it’s used strategically. Sure, it can streamline tasks, boost efficiency, and deliver results—but the secret to success lies in knowing when to automate and when to bring in the human touch. At HubSpot INBOUND 2024, industry leaders explored this balance, revealing how smart automation paired with personal engagement is the key to truly connecting with audiences. 

Dive in as we analyze the latest industry trends and provide our recommendations on mastering the art of marketing automation.

Key takeaways from HubSpot INBOUND 2024

Our team had an incredible experience attending INBOUND 2024, where we explored the theme of balancing automation with human creativity in marketing. While Ryan Reynolds didn’t focus specifically on automation in his keynote—aside from joking, “I hope everything doesn’t become automated”—the concept emerged from the diverse perspectives shared throughout the conference. HubSpot’s leadership, including CEO Yamini Rangan, CTO Dharmesh Shah, and EVP Andy Pitre, highlighted the potential of AI and automation with tools like Breeze. On the other hand, Reynolds advocated for maintaining the human touch and creativity in marketing, reminding us that emotional connections are built through personal, creative input. This left us asking: how can we find the right balance between automation and human engagement?

When it comes to knowing when to automate and when to engage directly, start by thinking about your customer. Automated workflows are ideal for repetitive, data-driven tasks, but human creativity is essential for crafting messages that connect on a deeper, emotional level. Successful marketing requires both—leveraging automation to streamline processes while reserving key moments for personalized, human-driven interactions that truly make an impact.

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HubSpot also introduced its new AI solution, "Breeze," which empowers users to leverage the full potential of AI within HubSpot’s customer platform. Breeze is designed to streamline workflows by automating repetitive tasks, enabling marketers to focus on creative strategy and personal engagement, while still maintaining the essential human touch. This powerful integration within HubSpot offers a key benefit by maximizing efficiency without sacrificing the personal connections that drive meaningful marketing.

These innovations highlight the evolving role of AI in marketing, making automation more intuitive and less intrusive. However, they also emphasize the importance of thoughtful integration, ensuring that while automation takes care of the heavy lifting, marketers retain control over the moments that require human creativity and empathy.

Need support managing HubSpot? Aimtal can help align your tools and workflows for scalable growth:

To automate or not to automate?

Automation can significantly enhance your team's efficiency by managing repetitive tasks, freeing them to focus on impactful and creative work. Implementing automation in email campaigns, social media scheduling, and lead scoring allows your team to devote more time to developing innovative strategies or producing creative content like an engaging video series. This balance ensures that operational tasks are handled efficiently while preserving the creativity that drives successful marketing campaigns. 

Let's explore three critical areas where automation can be beneficial, but human oversight remains essential.

1. Email marketing: Enhancing workflows with automation

Email is one of the most powerful tools in B2B marketing, and automation enhances its impact by allowing you to create workflows that reach audiences with precision. Trigger-based automation allows marketers to send personalized, timely content based on user actions, like signing up for a newsletter or interacting with your website. This process ensures leads are consistently nurtured without requiring constant manual intervention, allowing teams to focus on bigger strategies. As Janet, CEO and Co-Founder of Aimtal, puts it, "Marketing automation helps you reach the right people at the right time — but don't forget the personal follow-up."

The beauty of automation is its ability to maintain ongoing engagement, delivering the right message at the right moment. However, as Janet emphasizes in the CTA video, an over-reliance on email workflows can lead to challenges—such as too many workflows, gaps in follow-up when workflows end, and a lack of proactive engagement. To address this, sometimes a simple, regular monthly email, like the ones we send at Aimtal, can be a valuable complement to automated campaigns. By combining automation with genuine human touchpoints and consistent outreach, brands can strengthen relationships and keep audiences meaningfully connected.

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2. Paid ads: Balancing automated and manual bidding

When optimizing LinkedIn ad campaigns, manual bidding often proves to be more cost-effective than using auto-bidding, or LinkedIn's "Maximum Delivery" option. While auto-bidding may seem convenient because it automates the bidding process, it often results in higher costs without necessarily yielding better results. 

According to AJ Wilcox, a LinkedIn ads expert, maximum delivery can lead to LinkedIn aggressively bidding to deliver your ad to as many people as possible, but, in many cases, this may result in LinkedIn spending more on ads (at a higher cost per click) than you actually need to.

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On the other hand, manual bidding allows you to control costs by setting your own maximum bid and determining how much you're willing to spend on a click or conversion. Wilcox advises starting manual bids low, in fact, slightly lower than the recommended range by LinkedIn. Once you start getting consistent conversions, try reducing your bid by ~$1 every couple of days.

This strategy often results in more qualified leads at a lower cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-conversion, compared to the sometimes inflated prices of auto-bidding options. Ultimately, manual bidding gives you more control over your budget, leading to a more efficient use of your ad spend.

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3. HubSpot: Leveraging automation for better lead scoring

HubSpot's marketing automation features, particularly in lead scoring, are transforming how businesses prioritize and engage with prospects. When lead scoring is properly implemented... HubSpot can automatically analyze user behavior.... etc etc etc and then assign a score to each lead based on how much they are engaging and if they fit your company's ICP (ideal customer profile).

This enables your sales teams to easily identify and focus on the most promising leads – those who are more likely to convert – while spending less time on manual sorting and qualification. This data-driven approach not only improves efficiency but also helps marketers and sales teams align more effectively, ensuring that high-value leads receive immediate attention.

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However, while automated lead scoring provides critical insights and organization, it’s the personal outreach that ultimately builds trust and drives conversions. While automation can identify key engagement signals, closing deals still hinges on human interaction to foster relationships and tailor communications for each prospect. 

HubSpot’s tools effectively streamline this process, but marketing and sales teams need to complement automation with personalized follow-ups to nurture leads into long-term customers. By combining automation with meaningful engagement, businesses can enhance their conversion rates and build lasting client connections.

Incorporating automation into your marketing strategy

Automation is a powerful tool, but its true value comes from using it strategically. As Tucker, Growth Marketing Lead at Aimtal, wisely points out, "Strategy is the guiding beacon for aligning automation with long-term goals." Evaluating how you leverage automation in your marketing efforts is crucial—identify where you're achieving success and where there’s room for improvement. 

According to Ascend2’s State of Marketing Automation Trend Report, 43% of marketers identified optimizing their overall marketing strategy as the top priority for improving automation efforts. This focus on strategy is essential because it ensures that automation aligns with long-term business goals rather than simply performing tasks more quickly. Emphasizing strategic planning in automation not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters deeper connections with your target audience, ultimately driving sustainable growth for your business.

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The intersection of automation and human connection in marketing 

The evolving landscape of marketing automation highlights the necessity of blending technology with the human touch. By understanding when to automate and when to engage personally, marketers can create deeper connections with their audiences, ensuring that their messages resonate on an emotional level.

Looking for more marketing deep dives to support your team's next campaign? Tune into Called to Action to uncover insights into today’s marketing trends and gain solutions to your marketing challenges.

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