SMB Strategy: How AI Fits In With ‘Secret Sauce’ Marketing Tactics

SimpleTexting has released results from its series of surveys of American consumers, small-business owners, and marketing managers, concluding that the “secret sauce” for SMBs is to “blend tech-savvy strategies with the authentic, community-focused charm that small businesses are known for.”

2024’s The State of Small Business Marketing found that online reviews, word-of-mouth referrals, and influencer endorsements were the most influential marketing tactics that SMBs could adopt, with the most influential channels for growth being their website (43%), Facebook (38%), review sites (36%), TikTok (31%), and Instagram (30%).

“Certain digital marketing channels are underused by small businesses,” the report says. “Despite the potential of search engine marketing (SEM) to drive targeted traffic, only 28% of small businesses are currently using this channel. Similarly, just 23% are leveraging a blog to engage audiences and boost their content marketing efforts, missing out on opportunities to build authority and connect with customers.”

The report says that even though websites come up as the most influential marketing channel, only 17% of SMBs use SEO to improve their visibility. Ultimately, 56% of SMBs with a solid online presence are confident that those efforts are driving a positive marketing ROI, with 57% seeing impacts on sales.

“To stay ahead, small businesses should tap into underused channels like search engine marketing and SEO to boost their online game,” the report says. “Consumers are craving unique products and personalized experiences, putting quality over everything else.”

(Source: SimpleTexting)

Looking ahead, 61% said AI and machine learning would be the year’s biggest marketing trend, helping to analyze data, personalize customer experiences, and optimize campaigns. Those SMBs that already incorporate AI are 5.7 times more likely to report greater marketing results than those who haven’t.

“AI offers a big win for enhancing efficiency and personalization, but businesses need to tackle concerns about privacy, costs, and job impacts head-on,” the report says, pointing to the 47% of consumers worried about how their data would be used.

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