AI for Small Business Marketing: The Best Tools and How to Use Them

Between managing your team, keeping customers happy, and making sure the lights stay on, marketing often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. You know you should be posting on social media more, sending regular emails to customers, and keeping your website fresh—but who has the time?

That's where AI marketing tools come in to save you from the task crunch. It's like having an extra team member who handles all those marketing tasks you've been putting off. And no, you don't need to be tech-savvy to use it. 

{{banner-cta}}

What is AI for small business marketing?

Think of AI for small business marketing as a digital assistant that learns what works for your business. Instead of spending hours writing social media posts or trying to figure out when to send emails, these tools do the heavy lifting. 

AI marketing tools look at what's working (and what isn't), and automatically adjust to better engage your target audience and get better results. 

The best tools–like the ones we’re walking you through in this article–are designed for busy business owners like you, not tech experts or marketing pros.

How can you use AI to market your small business?

In 2024, Semrush reported that 68% of small businesses have been seeing an increase in their ROI from content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) after using AI tools. 

Remember when big companies with massive marketing budgets were your only competition? That's changing fast. These days, small businesses are using AI tools to level the playing field—without hiring a marketing team or working 80-hour weeks.

Here's what these tools can do for your small business:

Get to know your customers better (without stalking them).

What makes AI tools different from the marketing software you might have tried before is that AI learns and adapts to your business. 

Regular tools just follow the same rules over and over—like automatically posting at 9am every Tuesday because that's what you set up. But AI tools watch what works specifically for your customers and adjust automatically.

Think about it this way: Regular tools are like having an assistant who follows your instructions exactly. AI tools are like having an assistant who notices that your Tuesday morning posts aren't getting much attention anymore, and suggests trying Wednesday afternoons instead—because that's when your customers are most engaged. 

Tools like Lately.ai, for example, do exactly this, learning from your successful posts to help you create content that resonates with your audience. This is particularly effective in social media marketing, where AI tools can streamline your content creation, engagement analysis, and performance measurement.

Create content in minutes, not hours.

Remember the last time you sat staring at a blank screen, trying to write your next social media post or email newsletter? Well, you don’t have to do that anymore. 

AI writing tools like Jasper and ChatGPT are changing the game for small businesses. Give them a few details about your weekend special or new product launch, and they'll generate multiple options for social posts, email subject lines, and even full blog articles—all matching your brand's voice.

The magic isn't just in the speed, though. These AI tools tap into their own customer data about what makes people click, read, and buy. 

It's like having a marketing expert and a writing assistant rolled into one, helping you create content that not only saves time but actually drives sales. Additionally, AI-powered tools can give a significant boost to your ad campaigns by keeping your audience engaged, leading to improved conversion rates and ROI.

Keep your brand's reputation strong online.

Traditional social media monitoring means constantly checking different platforms to catch your customers’ comments and track mentions of your business. AI tools like Brand24 act as your digital ears, instantly alerting you when customers talk about your business anywhere online—whether it's a review, social media post, or blog mention.

But these tools do more than just alert you. They analyze the sentiment behind what people are saying and help you spot trends you might miss. 

For example, if customers keep praising a specific menu item on Instagram or complaining about wait times on Yelp, you'll know right away and can adjust accordingly.

What are the challenges of adopting AI for small businesses?

Adding any new technology to your business ops can feel overwhelming. Before we dive into the specific tools you can use, let's talk about the speed bumps you might hit—and more importantly, how to get over them without losing your mind or your budget.

1. Managing the costs (without breaking the bank).

Another tool roundup article, and you’re probably thinking, “stop getting me to buy more software subscriptions!” The marketer writing this article is right there with you. While AI tools can save you money in the long run, those monthly fees can add up fast.

The smart approach? Start with tools that bundle multiple features together. For example, Mailchimp includes both email marketing and basic GenAI (that is, AI that writes for you) features in one subscription. 

Or look for tools with solid free plans you can use while testing the waters—ChatGPT's free version is surprisingly capable for basic content creation.

2. Getting comfortable with the technology (without becoming a tech expert).

You didn't start your business to become an AI expert, and you shouldn't have to (and if a tool asks you to become one, then it’s not the tool for you). The good news is that today's AI tools are designed to be as easy to use as every other app on your smartphone. 

Look for tools that offer:

• Short and easy-to-follow video tutorials
• Templates you can use right away
• Live chat support when you get stuck
• A free trial period to test things out

Most importantly, give yourself permission to learn gradually. Start with one simple task, like using AI to write social media posts, and build from there.

3. Keeping customer data safe (without losing sleep over it).

Your customers trust you with their information, and protecting it matters. But you don't need a law degree or fancy security certifications to do it right. 

Look for AI tools that already have strong privacy features built in—kind of like how your phone automatically encrypts your messages. The best tools will handle the heavy lifting of data protection for you, staying compliant with regulations like GDPR and CCPA automatically.

When choosing tools, look for ones that:

• Let you easily delete customer data when asked
• Keep your customers' information private by default
• Come from companies with clear privacy policies
• Include regular security updates

4. Integrating everything (without the tech headache).

Nobody wants to juggle ten different apps that don't work well with each other. Before adding any new AI tool to your stack, check if it plays nice with the software you already use. 

For example, if you're using Shopify for your store, check the Shopify app store to make sure your new AI marketing tool can pull in your product details and customer data automatically.

This isn’t the biggest concern because most modern AI marketing tools for small business are getting better at connecting smoothly with popular software. Just look for phrases like "integrates with" or "works with" when shopping for tools, and always test the connection during your free trial period.

Top 10 AI tools for small business marketing.

We spoke to many small business owners at companies like Wilson Plumbing and Heating, Profit Leap, and Cafely to understand what tools they prefer. As the marketers writing this article, we’ve also tested dozens of AI tools to find the ones that actually make sense for marketing small businesses like yours. 

Each tool in this list had to pass three important tests:

1. Can you learn it in a short amount of time?
2. Does it save you more money than it costs?
3. Will it work for small businesses?

Here are the winners—organized by what they do best, with real pricing and features you'll actually use:

1. Jasper: content creation and copywriting
2. Canva: designing social media and marketing visuals
3. Lately.ai: social media and marketing automation
4. InVideo: generating videos using text
5. Brand24: social media monitoring and brand awareness
6. Adcreative.AI: creating ads that get you customers
7. Mailchimp: email marketing and automation
8. Photoroom: quickly editing product pictures
9. SurferSEO: optimizing content and improving search rankings
10. ChatGPT: brainstorming ideas and marketing strategy

1. Jasper: content creation and copywriting

• Best for: Small businesses that need regular content but don't have time to write.
• Price: Starts at $39/month (free trial available).
• Pro tip: Start with the free trial and use their templates—they're pre-optimized for local business marketing.

Jasper excels at writing everyday marketing content like social posts, email newsletters, and product descriptions. Feed it one message and it'll create different versions for each platform you use. 

The real standout feature is how it learns your brand's voice and industry language, so everything sounds authentic.For example, you can tell Jasper "Write a Facebook post about our new weekend brunch menu," and it'll give you several ready-to-use options in seconds. You can edit any suggestion to match your style perfectly.

2. Canva: designing social media and marketing visuals

• Best for: Small businesses who need professional-looking designs but don’t have the resources to hire a full-time designer.
• Price: Free plan available, paid plans start at $12.99/month.
• Pro tip: Use Canva's "Brand Kit" feature to save your colors, logos, and fonts—this ensures all your designs stay consistent and saves tons of time.

You really don’t have to be a designer to know that good visuals can make a huge impact on your marketing. Canva is an intuitive, AI-powered design tool that lets you create professional-looking graphics in minutes. 

Whether you need a flier, a social media post, or a simple logo, Canva’s easy drag-and-drop interface makes it accessible for anyone—no design experience required.

With Canva, you get access to pre-designed templates and AI recommendations for colors, fonts, and layouts, so you don’t have to stress about getting everything just right. It’s a great way to create stunning visuals without spending hours figuring out complex design software.

3. Lately.ai: social media and marketing automation

• Best for: Small business owners who need consistent social media presence but can't hire a social manager.
• Price: Starts at $49/month (14-day free trial).
• Pro tip: Start by feeding Lately.ai your best-performing blog posts or long-form content—it'll automatically turn them into dozens of social media posts while maintaining your brand voice.

Managing multiple social media accounts and posting regularly is definitely a full-time job. Lately.ai takes the work out of social media by automatically generating content based on the data it analyzes from your past posts. 

It even schedules posts for the most engaged times, so you don’t have to worry about timing or content creation.

You can use Lately.ai to keep your social media profiles active and engaging without spending hours creating content or managing posts. This tool helps you leverage your existing content and social media strategy, so you can connect with your audience without the hassle. 

Plus, it’s perfect for small businesses that want to build a consistent online presence without taking up all of their time.

4. InVideo: generating videos using text

• Best for: Small businesses who know they need video content but don't have filming equipment or editing skills.
• Price: Starts at $15/month. Their free plan lets you create up to 60 videos per month—plenty to test it out before committing.
• Pro tip: Save time by creating video templates for recurring content like weekly specials or product showcases—then just swap out the text and images each time.

Here's the thing about video marketing: your customers really want it, but creating it feels impossible when you're running a business. InVideo flips the script—just type in what you want to say, and it creates professional-looking videos using AI.

Got a new product launch or seasonal promotion? Type up a quick description, and InVideo will build a video using stock footage, text animations, and music that matches your message. It even has templates specifically designed for restaurants showing off new menu items and retail stores announcing sales.

5. Brand24: social media monitoring and brand awareness

• Best for: Local businesses who want to catch and respond to all customer feedback, everywhere.
• Price: Starts at $149/month (14-day free trial).
• Pro tip: Use the free trial to set up alerts for your business name, common misspellings, and your address.

Missing a negative review or customer complaint online is like missing a customer walking out of your store unhappy. Brand24 makes sure that never happens. It scans everything from Yelp to Instagram to local news sites, instantly alerting you when someone mentions your business.

The AI doesn't just find mentions—it understands them. It can tell if a review is positive or negative, spot recurring issues (like multiple comments about wait times), and even identify your most enthusiastic customers. 

6. Adcreative.AI: creating ads that get you customers

• Best for: Small businesses spending money on social media ads but not seeing results.
• Price: Starts at $29/month (includes 50 ad designs).
• Pro tip: Start with ads for your best-selling product or most popular service—this gives the AI more specific details to work with.

Ever wonder why your competitors' ads look so much better than yours? They might be using Adcreative.AI. Tell it about your promotion (like "2-for-1 happy hour" or "winter clearance sale"), and it creates complete ad sets—images, headlines, and descriptions that actually make people want to click.

The real magic is in the testing. Instead of guessing what will work, it creates multiple versions of each ad and learns from what performs best. Mimi Nguyen, co-owner of Cafely, told us their click-through rate doubled after switching from DIY ads to Adcreative.AI designs. 

Adcreative.AI also follows all the sizing rules for different platforms, so your ads never look stretched or cut off.

7. Mailchimp: email marketing and automation

• Best for: Small businesses who want to stay in touch with customers without manually sending every email.
• Price: Free for up to 2,500 contacts, paid plans from $13/month.
• Pro tip: Start with their free plan and set up just two automations: a welcome email for new subscribers and a thank-you message after purchases. These alone can drive significant results.

Remember when sending an email newsletter meant copying and pasting hundreds of addresses? Mailchimp's AI features have come a long way since then. 

Now it can automatically welcome new customers, send birthday discounts, and even remind people about items they left in their shopping cart—all personalized and timed perfectly.

The best part is how it learns from your customers' behavior. If someone always opens your emails on Sunday mornings, that's when they'll receive them. 

If they click on pasta dishes more than salads, they'll see more pasta promotions. Plus, Mailchimp's analytics show you exactly which emails perform best, so you can focus on what works.

8. Photoroom: quickly editing product pictures

• Best for: Small retailers and restaurants who need clean, professional product photos without a studio.
• Price: Free plan available, paid plans from $9.99/month.
• Pro tip: Use the batch editing feature to process multiple product photos at once—perfect for when you get new inventory or need to update a menu.

Taking great product photos is hard—and then you have to edit them. Photoroom uses AI to handle the tedious parts instantly. 

Just snap a photo of your product with your phone, and the app automatically removes the background, adjusts the lighting, and can even place the item against a professional-looking backdrop.

For retail businesses, this means you can photograph new inventory and have it ready for your website in minutes. Restaurant owners can quickly clean up food photos for menus or social media. 

The AI even helps fix common issues like shadows and reflections that usually require professional editing.

9. SurferSEO: optimizing content and improving search rankings

• Best for: Small businesses who want their website to show up when locals search for their services.
• Price: Starts at $59/month (7-day trial for $1).
• Pro tip: Start by optimizing your homepage and your top service or product pages first—these typically bring in the most local customers.

The difference between showing up first or fifth in local Google searches can mean thousands in revenue. SurferSEO removes the guesswork from SEO by analyzing what's already working for top-ranking businesses in your area and telling you exactly how to improve your website content.

Want your restaurant to show up when people search "best brunch near me"? Or your retail store to show up for "boutique clothing shop downtown"? SurferSEO shows you which words to include, how long your pages should be, and what topics to cover. It's like having an SEO consultant guiding you through every page update.

10. ChatGPT: brainstorming ideas and marketing strategy

• Best for: Small businesses who need fresh marketing ideas but can't afford a marketing consultant.
• Price: Free version available, ChatGPT Plus is $20/month.
• Pro tip: Save your best marketing prompts in a document—when you find one that gives great results, you can reuse it for different situations.

Most AI tools do one thing well. ChatGPT is different—it's like having a marketing consultant on call 24/7. Need ideas for your holiday promotion? Stuck on how to describe your new service? Want to plan content for the next month? Just explain what you need in plain English, and ChatGPT will help you think it through.

The free version is surprisingly powerful for marketing tasks. Ask it to "write five different ways to announce a 20% off sale" or "create a month of social media topics for a local coffee shop," and you'll get practical ideas you can use right away. Unlike other AI tools, ChatGPT can explain its suggestions and help you refine them until they're exactly what you need.

How to start using AI in your small business marketing strategy

Now that you know what AI tools are out there for small businesses, it’s time to put together a plan for how you’ll implement these tools. Here’s how to get started.

1. Start with marketing tasks that take up most of your time.

Look at your typical week. Which marketing tasks keep you at work late? For most small businesses, it's usually one of three things:

• Writing social media posts and responding to comments
• Creating and sending email newsletters
• Updating your website with new products or specials

The task that’s eating up most of your work hours is where you'll see the biggest return on your AI investment. For example, if you're spending three hours every Sunday writing social posts, starting with a tool like Jasper or Lately.ai will give you those hours back immediately.

2. Set realistic expectations and track what matters.

Most small businesses start seeing real results from AI tools within their first month. The key is knowing exactly what "results" look like for your business.

For example, you can start by tracking these three key metrics:

• Time saved on marketing tasks (aim for a certain percentage reduction in the first week)
• Customer engagement (comments, shares, email opens)
• Direct business results (mentions, visits, sales from promotions)

Don't get caught up in vanity metrics like follower counts. Focus on what actually brings customers through your door or to your website. If you're spending less time on marketing and seeing more customer action than without AI tools, you're on the right track.

3. Train your team and prepare them for the shift.

Your team already handles dozens of tasks every day—the last thing they need is complicated new technology. But the good news is that AI marketing tools are designed to be as simple as posting on social media. 

Start with one tool that makes their daily work easier, like scheduling social posts or creating email templates. Pick quiet hours for practice runs when there's no pressure to get things perfect.

Here's what works best for small teams:

• Have everyone practice with the free trial first
• Start with basic features they'll use daily
• Let them experiment with their own ideas
• Share wins and tips in team meetings

Remember: Success isn't about mastering every feature—it's about making marketing tasks easier for your team. Once they see how much time these tools save, they'll be excited to learn more. Most AI tools include simple tutorials and customer support that speaks plain English, not tech jargon.

Use AI for small business marketing today.

The tools we've covered today can transform hours of marketing work into minutes, letting you focus on what really matters—running your business and serving your customers. These AI tools aren't just fancy tech; they're your extra pair of hands for tasks that used to eat up your whole day. 

Start with just one tool that solves your biggest headache, whether that's creating social posts or writing email campaigns. You don't need to become a tech expert overnight—these tools are built for busy people like you who need results.

While you're making your marketing more efficient with AI, let Homebase handle the behind-the-scenes work of running your team. We help thousands of small businesses save hours every week with smart scheduling tools and free payroll that actually works—because the last thing you need is another expensive software subscription.

{{banner-cta}}