Constant Contact, a digital marketing platform for small businesses and nonprofits, has revealed the results from its recent Small Business Now report. The study looks into the perspective of small businesses on artificial intelligence (AI) and marketing automation. The findings suggest:
Positive Impact of AI: A majority, 91%, of small businesses using AI believe it has bolstered their business success. AI is seen as a tool that reduces manual errors, saves time, and promotes growth.
Financial Benefits: About 28% of the participants anticipate AI and automation will save them a minimum of $5,000 within the upcoming year.
Value of AI: Small businesses are witnessing the immediate benefits of AI adoption. 60% of those utilizing AI or automation for marketing have saved time and enhanced efficiency. Moreover, 33% have saved over 40 minutes weekly on their marketing efforts due to these technologies.
Growing Interest: There’s a rising interest in AI and automation among small businesses. 74% expressed interest in employing these technologies. Yet, 46% admitted to having a basic understanding of their advantages.
Challenges and Concerns: The chief concerns associated with AI and automation are data security, cost implications, and the learning curve. The foremost challenge faced by small businesses is customer acquisition, with 60% highlighting it as their principal hurdle.
Marketing Struggles: Many small businesses grapple with marketing and feel they lack the necessary expertise. 60% cited attracting new customers as their primary challenge, followed by targeting marketing (39%) and lead conversion (35%). Social media marketing is the domain most want to enhance in the forthcoming year.
Laura Goldberg, CMO at Constant Contact, emphasized the transformative role of AI for small businesses and highlighted Constant Contact’s efforts in integrating AI-powered features. She said: “AI has been around for years, but it has finally matured to a point where it is making a real difference for small businesses. Our report shows that small businesses who harness the power of AI and marketing automation to solve their biggest challenges, like acquiring new customers and creating more memorable experiences, are much better positioned for success. Constant Contact has been ahead of the curve here with features like our AI Content Generator and AI spam protection, and we will continue to look for new ways to leverage them to help small businesses save valuable time, drive impact and become better marketers.”
