Unlocking AI for small business marketing
If you're running a small business or charity, you're probably already wearing 12 hats, juggling your to-do list, and wondering how you're meant to show up consistently online too. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude can be a powerful helping hand when it comes to content creation - if you know how to use them properly.
I chat to and work with small businesses who are already dabbling in AI but need a little guidance on how to get the best results. So, in this blog, I’ll break it down simply, explain what AI content creation actually means, share the tools I rate, and give you tips to make your content better without losing your personal touch.
What do we mean by "Content"?
Content is anything you create and share with your audience online. That includes:
Social media posts
Blog articles
Website copy
Email newsletters
Video scripts
Product or service descriptions.
Great content helps build trust, show your personality, and encourage people to buy, donate, or get involved. But creating it regularly takes time and energy which is where AI comes in.
What is AI and how does it help with content?
AI (Artificial Intelligence) in this context refers to computer tools that can understand language and generate content based on your instructions. These tools use something called LLMs (Large Language Models) to predict and generate human-like text.
The most popular AI writing tools right now include:
ChatGPT (by OpenAI) — very flexible and easy to use.
Claude (by Anthropic) — great for longer documents and thoughtful replies.
Google Gemini — good for research and fast brainstorming.
All of these can help you:
Generate content ideas
Write first drafts of posts or blogs
Polish grammar and tone
Save time when you're stuck for words.
Examples of how small businesses can use AI for content
Here are some simple ways you might already be using (or could start using) AI tools:
Write friendly and on-brand Instagram captions.
Plan blog topics based on your services or customer questions.
Rewrite old content into something fresh.
Proofread emails before sending them out to clients.
Summarise long articles or reports into short posts.
These tools can speed things up massively, but still need the human touch.
Treat AI like a new colleague in your team (who knows nothing yet)
Here’s the golden rule: AI works best when you tell it exactly what you want.
The more specific you are, the better the results. Think of it like briefing a brand-new team member. You need to give it:
A role – are they an SEO expert, a social media marketer, or a passionate founder?
Background - what is your business about, what tone do you use, and who are you speaking to?
Clear instructions – keep it simple and explain exactly what you’re looking for. Even better, start with a rough draft or bullet points so it can build from your ideas.
For example, instead of asking:
"Write me a post about my product."
Try:
"Act as a friendly small business owner who sells handmade skincare. Write an Instagram caption introducing a new lip balm using simple, engaging language. Audience is eco-conscious women aged 25–45. Keep it upbeat and under 100 words."
See the difference?
You still need to be involved
AI tools are helpful, but they’re not perfect. They can:
Get facts wrong.
Sound too generic.
Miss the emotional nuance that makes your content truly connect.
That’s why it’s so important to edit and fact-check everything before posting. You know your audience best, and your content should sound like you, not a robot.
How I use AI as a one-person marketing team
To give you a real example: I used AI to help compile this very blog. I researched the topic, outlined the points I wanted to make, added key phrases I knew mattered (like small business marketing and using AI), and then used ChatGPT to help me shape the structure and check the grammar. I still reworked the final version to match my tone and experience.
In other words, AI is a great assistant, but you are still the boss.
Ready to give it a go?
If you’re experimenting with AI and want your content to feel more "you," try some of the tips above and see what happens. Let me know how you get on!
