Brand advertising such as bill-boards and on New York subway ads, the kind that Tommy Hilfiger, Coca-cola and Nike create, usually don't work for unrecognizable small businesses. There is a famous case where an unknown medium-sized business spent $4M in venture capital funding on a 30-second superbowl advert that attracted under 200 new customers. The example is used by a Boston-based business school professor on an online MBA course as a guide of what 'not to do' when launching a new business.
On HostJane, we want to connect your business with experienced social media marketeers who can measurably improve your bottom line by helping you "tune in" to prevailing social media trends.
AI-backed digital marketing can transform small business performance in numerous ways by leveraging data, automation, personalization, and predictive analytics.
Below are detailed examples and features on how digital marketing tools can help you win:
1. Enhanced Content Creation
Examples:
Jasper (
jasper.ai): Automates the creation of blog posts, social media updates, and SEO content tailored to specific niches. A small business owner can use Jasper to produce high-quality content at scale, maintaining a consistent brand voice while targeting niche keywords.
Features:
Content Optimization: AI tools analyze performance data to suggest improvements in content for better engagement and SEO.
Variety of Templates: For different content types, reducing the learning curve for businesses new to digital marketing.
2. Personalized Marketing Campaigns
Examples:
HubSpot's Marketing Hub: Utilizes AI to personalize emails, suggest subject lines, and optimize send times based on subscriber behavior. This personalization increases open rates and engagement for a local bakery's email campaigns.
Features:
Behavioral Tracking: AI tracks user behavior to tailor messages, offers, and recommendations.
Dynamic Content: Adjusts content in real-time based on user data, like showing different product recommendations to different visitors.
3. SEO and Keyword Analysis
Examples:
Ahrefs.com and
Semrush.com with AI: Offers keyword suggestions, analyzes content gaps, and predicts SEO performance. A small tech startup could use these insights to rank higher for less competitive terms.
Mangools.com is a free alternative that has started integrating AI.
Features:
Keyword Research: AI identifies high-impact keywords with lower competition for niche markets.
SEO Audit: AI-driven tools provide actionable insights to optimize website structure and content.
4. Social Media Management
Examples:
Buffer with AI insights: Suggests the best times to post based on when followers are most engaged, significantly boosting a boutique's social media presence.
Features:
Post Scheduling: AI determines optimal posting times for different demographics.
Sentiment Analysis: Understands audience reactions to content, helping tailor future posts.
5. Customer Insight and Segmentation
Examples:
Optimove: Uses AI to analyze customer data from multiple channels, providing insights for segmenting and targeting customers more effectively. A small e-commerce site could use this to offer personalized promotions.
Features:
Predictive Analytics: Forecasts future customer behavior based on historical data.
Segmentation: Creates detailed customer segments for more targeted marketing.
6. Automated Ad Campaigns
Examples:
Albert.ai: Provides ad optimization across channels by analyzing performance data in real time, allowing a local fitness center to maximize ROI on their ad spend.
Features:
Real-Time Bidding: AI adjusts bid strategies based on performance data to win ad placements more efficiently.
Ad Creatives Optimization: AI tests different ad variations to find the most effective one.
7. Customer Service with AI Chatbots
Examples:
Tidio.com: An AI chatbot that can handle basic customer queries, freeing up time for a small business owner to focus on more complex issues or business development.
Features:
24/7 Support: Provides instant responses to common customer queries.
Lead Generation: Engages users, collects data, and even qualifies leads.
8. Email Marketing Automation
Examples:
Mailchimp.com with AI: Suggests content for newsletters, optimizes send times, and even predicts customer churn, helping a small business retain and convert leads.
Features:
Behavioral Triggers: Sends emails based on user actions or inactions.
A/B Testing Automation: AI continuously tests different aspects of email campaigns to improve performance.
9. Voice Search Optimization
Examples:
With voice Search Tools like Siri Assistant, Bing AI and Google Assistant: Small businesses can optimize for voice queries, which is vital as voice search grows. Tools like SEO Discovery can help a local service business appear for queries like "plumber near me."
Features:
Natural Language Processing: Understands and optimizes for conversational queries typical in voice searches.
Local SEO Optimization: Enhances visibility in local searches, crucial for small businesses.
10. Performance Analytics
Examples:
Google Analytics with AI Insights: Provides predictive metrics and anomaly detection, giving a small business owner insights into what marketing strategies are working.
Features:
Predictive Analytics: Forecasts future trends based on current data.
User Path Analysis: Understands customer journeys to optimize marketing funnels.
These examples and features demonstrate how AI can level the playing field for small businesses, allowing them to compete with larger ones through smarter, data-driven marketing strategies. AI tools help small businesses work more efficiently, reach their audience more effectively, and make informed decisions based on real-time data analysis.
The fast changing reality is that if a community PR outreach cannot use AI to drive buyers to websites, get sign ups to events or traffic to promo landing pages, he or she is not going to secure media coverage. The companies who navigated COVID lockdowns managing to stay competitive with good cash flow had trackable audience metrics proving their marketplace activity worked in their niche.
It should be no surprise either that those who pitched and secured print and online interviews with journalists were usually the same businesses who employed AI-backed digital marketing professionals to support their online sales goals.