With AI marketing software rapidly changing the way companies do business today, many companies now rely on AI marketing software and automation tools to improve marketing efficiency. No matter if you’re operating a small start-up, an e-commerce store, or a brick-and-mortar service company, using the right AI marketing automation tool(s) can help you perform better in your marketing efforts while freeing up time from doing the same repetitive things over and over again.
Think about having a list of 20 things that need to be completed every day, such as posting on all of your social media accounts, creating a newsletter, reviewing your website traffic for the past month, developing blog post ideas, and completing all of those things before you take your morning cup of coffee. That is the real potential of AI marketing automation; it’s not meant to replace your creative thinking and imagination. Rather, it is designed to remove the redundant tasks that would allow you to focus on creating a strategy, connecting with your customers, and growing your business.
If you are a small business owner, a solopreneur, or completely new to the world of marketing and advertising, finding and selecting the right AI marketing platform can seem like a daunting task. There are literally hundreds of different marketing automation platforms out there, each claiming they will revolutionize your business instantly. The goal of this article is to cut through the hype and explain in detail what AI marketing automation really is, how to use it step-by-step, and how to make sure that your content is authentic and still works effectively.
Quick Summary
| What You’ll Learn | Key Takeaways |
| What is AI marketing software? | Automates marketing tasks like content creation, email campaigns, and data analysis |
| Best for beginners | Start with HubSpot, Mailchimp, Jasper AI, or Copy.ai |
| Getting started approach | Pick one tool that solves your biggest problem, master it, then expand |
| Common mistakes to avoid | Publishing AI content without editing and human input |
| Time savings potential | Small businesses save 10+ hours per week on marketing tasks |
| ROI potential | Businesses using AI automation see 20% higher engagement rates on average |
What Is AI Marketing Software? (And Why It Matters for Beginners)
As of today, AI-based marketing software utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) specifically through Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing to perform both automated and analyzed marketing operations to improve performance. Simply put, AI-based marketing software will assist with performing your job faster and better by utilizing learning from data and patterns.
For a new marketer, this means that you no longer have to rely upon having a large staff or budget to produce quality marketing. As a result, you can utilize AI-based marketing tools to assist with:
- Brainstorming ideas for social media captions and blog entries
- Creating email newsletters in just a few minutes
- Analyzing customer data to determine which customers are purchasing from you
- Personalizing website content based on individual visitors
- Automatically posting and scheduling across all of your various social networks
What is important to remember about AI is that it is simply an assistant to help make the process easier; your voice, story, and expertise are what will ultimately convert readers into customers.
According to HubSpot’s Research on Marketing Automation, businesses that use marketing automation are significantly increasing their levels of productivity and customer interaction. As a result, every year, more small businesses are beginning to incorporate AI-based marketing tools into their marketing strategies.
Getting Started: What You Need Before Using AI Tools
Take a few minutes to get ready before signing up for any software. The time you invest now can prevent frustration down the line.
Determine Your Objective
What is the single item you want AI to assist you with today? Some common objectives for new users include:
- Simplifying time spent creating social media posts.
- Improving email subject lines.
- Identifying reasons why website visitors are leaving without making a purchase.
- Consistently publishing blog content.
Select a Single Objective. When you select a single objective, selecting the proper software to support your objective and measuring performance becomes much easier.
Collect Your Brand Voice Notes
- AI tools require direction to produce output that sounds like you. Write several sentences that describe your brand:
- Do you present yourself as professional/formal or friendly/casual?
- What words do you frequently use? (Example: “handcrafted,” “affordable,” “eco-friendly”)
- Which words do you never use? (Example: slang, jargon, overly technical terminology)
- Save this document to reference as you enter many AI tools to create an initial input prompt.
Establish a Reasonable Budget
Numerous excellent AI marketing platforms are offering either a free plan or a free trial. Begin with those options. As a beginner, you don’t need to invest in the highest-priced enterprise package. Search for tools with “starter” or “beginner” plans costing between $10-$30/month. Upgrade once you have exhausted all the features available in your existing plan.
Free Trials: Many of the tools referenced throughout this guide offer free trials. Test HubSpot’s free CRM or try Jasper AI for free to determine which platform best supports your workflow.
For more guidance, check out our comprehensive guide to AI tools for small businesses that breaks down pricing and features in detail. You might also find our comparison of AI writing tools helpful for content creation, or our marketing automation guide for beginners.
Step-by-Step Tutorial: Using AI Marketing Software for Common Marketing Tasks
Practical Applications of AI Today
We will discuss four key areas where new users experience the most dramatic improvements when using AI.
1 Content Creation and Idea Generation
Marketing is all about creating a message for the world. One of the hardest things to accomplish as a marketer is staring down a blank page and trying to create something from scratch.
Brainstorming Step 1: Get Some Ideas
Start with an empty screen and open an AI writing tool (often referred to as an AI assistant or copilot) and type in a prompt such as:
“Provide me with ten blog post ideas for a small bakery that specializes in gluten-free dessert products. Targeted toward busy parents who are looking for healthy treat options for their children.”
You will receive a list of ideas back from the AI. Some ideas may have potential, while others will be “okay”. Pick the ideas that get you excited.
Brainstorming Step 2: Build an Outline
Choose an idea you liked and ask the AI to provide a more in-depth explanation of that idea. For example:
“Build a full outline for a blog post titled “Five Gluten-Free Birthday Cake Options Your Kids Will Enjoy.” Include an introduction, tips for working with gluten-free flours when baking, and a conclusion.”
Brainstorming Step 3: Write a First Draft
Ask the AI to generate a first draft of the blog post using the outline you provided earlier. You can request the AI to complete a section at a time, then review it and read it aloud. Does it sound like YOU? Make edits to change it to your voice, include your own experiences, and verify its accuracy.
Tip: Never publish AI-created content without making adjustments to it first. While AI does well at generating content quickly and accurately, it can also make errors or appear generic. Your unique perspective is what adds value to the content. Find more information about using AI tools for content marketing to learn advanced techniques and refer to our article on content marketing strategies for more planning resources.
2. Social Media Management
Consistently posting to social media can build credibility and loyalty, and AI marketing software makes this process much easier; however, creating that consistency requires a significant amount of time. Using AI-based marketing automation tools allows you to write, plan, and publish all of your posts in advance.
Step 1: Create All Your Captions at One Time
Instead of writing one caption per day, use an AI generator to write your captions for the week ahead of time. Provide Context:
Example: “Create five Instagram captions for my handmade jewelry store. Each of these captions needs to be short and friendly. Each of themneedsd to have a link back to my website. This week, I will be featuring my Rose Gold Earrings.”
Step 2: Turn One Blog Post into Multiple Social Posts
Ask the AI to turn one blog post into three different social media posts (Twitter), two different social media posts (LinkedIn), and five different social media stories (Instagram).
Example: “Take this blog post ‘Spring Cleaning Tips’ and create three different Twitter posts, two different LinkedIn posts, and five different Instagram story ideas from it.”
Step 3: Schedule All of Your Posts
Once you have created your content using the steps above, use a social media management tool that uses AI to help you determine the best times to post as well as schedule all of your posts. Many social media management tools offer scheduling capabilities and even offer suggestions based on the times your audience is most active.
Upload your captions and images, review your calendar, and then let the tool do the rest.
.3. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most powerful strategies, and AI marketing software helps businesses write better emails and automate campaigns. By using artificial intelligence (AI) to write your emails, you increase the chances of people opening and reading your emails.
Step 1: Develop Captivating Subject Lines
Subject lines determine whether someone will open your email or delete it. Paste your email draft into an AI application and type:
“Develop 10 subject lines for this email regarding our new winter collection. Each should be less than 50 characters long and develop a sense of curiosity.”
Step 2: Create a Customized Experience
Many email marketing platforms have incorporated AI to personalize the experience for each of their subscribers based on a variety of criteria. For example:
- You can use these rules to direct subscribers who live in colder climates to view the winter clothing ads before others.
- You can send a “Thank You” message to repeat customers as well as provide them with a loyalty discount.
- You can send a welcome series to new subscribers that introduces your brand’s story.
Step 3: Determine the Optimal Sending Time
Using email platforms that have AI capabilities, they analyze when each subscriber typically views their emails and automatically deliver your email at the individual’s optimal time. This increases the rate at which people view your emails, while eliminating the need for you to guess the sending time.
4. Basic Data Analysis
START_TEXT Understand your customer without being a data scientist. Artificial intelligence (AI) translates your complex data into plain language.
Step 1: Connect to Your Data Sources
Many AI analytics platforms enable users to link their websites, social media sites, and email systems, which creates an overall image of your marketing for the AI to analyze.
Step 2: Ask Questions Using Plain Language
You don’t have to look at a spreadsheet; instead, ask simple questions like:
- “How many visits did I get from each social media site during the last month?”
- “What are the products that customers view but do not buy?”
- “What’s the average age of the people who subscribe to my email list?”
Step 3: Take Action Based On The Answers
The AI provides answers, as well as suggests possible courses of action. For example, it may find that most visitors to your site come via mobile device and that the checkout process takes too long to load on phones. You now know exactly where to make improvements.
Best AI Marketing Software for Beginners
Choosing the right tools is essential for success. Here are four popular AI marketing platforms that work well for beginners:
HubSpot
| Pros | Cons |
| All-in-one platform with free CRM | Advanced features require paid plans |
| Easy to use for beginners | Can be overwhelming with too many features |
| Excellent free plan | Email marketing limits on the free version |
| AI content assistant included |
Jasper AI
| Pros | Cons |
| Best for long-form content | More expensive than some alternatives |
| 50+ templates for different content types | No free plan (only 7-day trial) |
| SEO integration with SurferSEO | Learning curve for advanced features |
| Plagiarism checker included |
Mailchimp
| Pros | Cons |
| Industry leader in email marketing | AI features are limited to higher tiers |
| Generous free plan (2,000 contacts) | Can get expensive as the list grows |
| AI-powered send time optimization | Templates can feel restrictive |
| Excellent analytics dashboard |
Copy.ai
| Pros | Cons |
| Fast short-form content generation | Not ideal for long-form content |
| Free plan available | Can sound repetitive if not edited |
| 90+ languages supported | No built-in SEO features |
| Chrome extension for easy access |
| Tool | Best For | Key Features | Starting Price | Free Trial |
| HubSpot | All-in-one marketing automation | CRM, email marketing, social scheduling, analytics, and AI content assistant | Free plan available; paid plans from $18/month | Free CRM |
| Jasper AI | Long-form content creation | Blog posts, website copy, marketing emails, SEO optimization | $39/month for unlimited words | 7-day free trial |
| Mailchimp | Email marketing automation | Newsletters, customer journeys, audience segmentation, and AI-powered send times | Free plan available; paid plans from $13/month | Free plan |
| Copy.ai | Short-form marketing copy | Social media captions, product descriptions, ad copy, blog ideas | Free plan available; paid plans from $36/month | Free plan
|
Depending on what you want to achieve in terms of marketing, how much money you have to spend on software, and the specific way that you do marketing, there are many different options available when it comes to the best AI marketing software.
If you are just starting as a marketer, a good option for a “do-it-all” type of AI marketing software would be something like HubSpot, which is popular among beginners because of its all-encompassing nature. However, if you are a content creator looking to produce content quickly, one of the better options may be Jasper AI or Copy.ai.
Businesses that focus primarily on email-based marketing usually opt for the use of Mailchimp due to its unique automated email capabilities.
According to the customer data from Mailchimp, customers who use AI email software tend to see open rates on their emails that are 20% higher than they were before using the AI email software. In addition, according to Jasper AI’s case studies, content teams that utilize AI-based content generation tools will generally create three times the amount of content they were creating before implementing the AI tool.
For further research, please visit our full-length review of HubSpot, as well as our guide to the best AI automation tools for small businesses. If you are particularly interested in content creation, we also created a side-by-side comparison of Jasper AI and Copy.ai. Additionally, our email marketing automation guide can help you plan campaigns for both email marketing and other types of marketing campaigns.
How to Choose the Right Tool for Your Business
- If you’d like all your tools to be in one spot, choose HubSpot.HubSpot includes all aspects of your customer relationship management (CRM), email, social media, and artificial intelligence writing tools within the same tool. This option is best if you’re now utilizing many separate tools that don’t communicate with each other.
- If you’re primarily looking for blog content, Jasper AI specializes in creating the type of long-form writing that will be suitable as blog content, e-books, and web page copy. Additionally, it connects with SEO tools to assist your blog post in ranking.
- If you’re primarily relying on email marketing, Mailchimp has been a leading player in the world of email marketing for a number of years. The AI capabilities of Mailchimp enable you to deliver the correct message to the correct person at the correct time through email.
- If you’re seeking rapid generation of social media posts and ads, AI is well-suited for generating quick social media copy and Facebook ad variations.
Ready to give them a try? Click the “free trial” buttons found in the table above to test each of these options without risking any money.
Case Study: How a Small Bakery Saved 10 Hours Per Week Using AI Marketing Software
To see how AI marketing software works in real businesses, let’s review a practical case study. Sweet Rise Bakery is a small gluten-free bakery located in Austin, Texas. The owner, Maria, spent 15 hours per week on marketing. Maria wrote social media posts, created email newsletters, and responded to customer messages.
Challenge
Time constraints (15 hours per week) limited the amount of time Maria had to create
products
- Concerns about brand voice: Maria believed that she would lose the “human touch” from her writing if she used AI to write.
- Inconsistent posting: Due to being busy with orders, there were several times during the week when Maria could not get on social media as scheduled.
Solution
Maria began with two tools:
- A free CRM (customer relationship management) from HubSpot to manage customer email addresses and track who viewed her newsletters.
- AI to generate ideas for social media captions and email subject lines.
Process
Each Monday morning, Maria will spend 30 minutes on her marketing plan:
- Maria will ask Copy.ai to provide 10 social media post ideas for the week of the featured pastry.
- Maria will select the top 5 social media post ideas generated by Copy.ai and rewrite those in her own voice by adding personal elements such as stories about her daughter helping in the kitchen.
- Maria will then schedule the selected social media posts in the social calendar provided through HubSpot.
- Maria will write one email newsletter using the AI email assistant provided through HubSpot’s tool to assist in creating email subject lines and determining the optimal time to send the email.
The Results After 3 Months
| Metric | Before AI | After AI | Improvement |
| Time spent on marketing | 15 hours/week | 5 hours/week | 67% less time |
| Email open rates | 18% average | 22% average | 22% higher |
| Weekly production capacity | 40 items | 52 items | 30% increase |
| Social media consistency | 3-4 posts/week | Daily posts | 100% more consistent |
Maria says, “I was worried AI would make my marketing feel fake. Instead, it handles the boring parts, and I get to focus on the fun parts, baking and talking to customers.”
Common Beginner Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Learning any new skill will involve trial and error. Knowing about the most common pitfalls will also help you avoid wasted time and frustration.
Publishing AI Content Before Reviewing it for Accuracy
Mistake: Simply copying and pasting the AI-generated output directly onto your blog or social media.
Solution: After using AI as a tool for generating content, always review the output for accuracy and to ensure that it has been properly fact-checked before publishing it. Also, ensure that there are elements of your own unique voice and perspective in the content.
Using AI For Every Piece of Content
Mistake: Allowing AI to generate every single piece of content for your business.
Solution: Allow AI to be used to create drafts and outlines for content, then allow yourself to take the content and put your final touch on it. The personal stories are those that only you can tell.
Failing to Consider Data Privacy
- Mistake: Entering your customers’ information intoAI-basedd tools without reviewing the company’s privacy policy.
- Solution: Before entering any customer information into an AI-based tool, always read the company’s privacy policy and look for such things as data encryption and whether the company is compliant with GDPR.
Expecting Instant Results From Using AI-Based Tools
Mistake: Becoming frustrated when your sales do not instantly increase by a large margin after one week of using AI-based tools.
Solution: Understand that although AI-based tools can assist in generating content quickly, marketing is still a slow process, and consistent effort over many months will yield better results than simply expecting instant results from using AI.
Failing to Integrate Your AI-Based Tools
Mistake: Using separate AI-based tools that cannot communicate with each other and therefore require manual entry of data.
Solution: When selecting AI-based tools for use in your business, select tools that communicate well with each other. A good example of a tool that allows for integration is HubSpot (see our HubSpot review).
Keeping Your Content Human and Authentic
“Your audience stays with you, they value your knowledge, they value your experiences, and they are interested in your personality. AI can enhance your strengths and support your values by adding your voice to the conversation.
Here’s how to keep that authentic voice alive:
- You can include your personal story after an AI creates the first draft. It could be a true story of how you have worked with customers, a lesson you learned while growing your business,s or something else that helps people relate to you.
- You can use your own photographs, whether it is pictures of your staff, your work environment,nt or your products. Photographs will create a more honest image and show that there is a “person” behind the brand.
- When someone leaves a comment on your blog, social media page, etc., respond to them as you. An AI may assist you in writing your response, but it is still up to you to read the response, make it your own, and click send.
- You can share your opinions on topics that concern your business. As an individual,l you have your own vie,ws and the ability to express them can set you apart from others.”
The Future of AI Marketing (And Your Place in It)
AI is developing fast, and a great deal of the core principles of effective marketing are still valid today. Consumers make purchases from companies they have knowledge of, have an affinity for, and believe in. AI provides additional ways to communicate with consumers and enhance their experience; however,r AI does not replace building consumer relationships.
Some emerging marketing trends include AI-driven
- en chatbots that provide round-the-clock customer service support
- Predictive analytical capabilities that identify potential sales trends before they occur
- Hyper-personalized messaging to each unique customer based upon their individual preferences
- Voice search optimized through natural language processing
Once you feel more at ease using these tools, you will likely spend more time on strategic planning and creative development and less time performing repetitive tasks.
You will not be required to utilize every tool possible. Your goal should be to utilize the most effective tools to enable you to focus on your areas of greatest strength and ability: operating your business and providing exceptional customer service.
Expert Tip: Start With One AI Tool
Many beginners try to use multiple AI marketing tools at the same time. This can become confusing and difficult to manage. A better approach is to start with one tool that solves your biggest marketing problem. Once you become comfortable with that platform, you can gradually add more tools to your workflow.
Recommended starting points by primary need:
| Your Biggest Challenge | Start With This Tool | Why |
| Creating blog content | Jasper AI | Specializes in long-form writing with SEO features |
| Managing customer relationships | HubSpot | All-in-one CRM with marketing automation |
| Email marketing | Mailchimp | Industry leader with AI-powered send times |
| Social media content | Copy.ai | Fast short-form copy generation |
| Everything at once | HubSpot | Most comprehensive free plan for beginners |
Mastering one tool builds confidence and creates momentum. After a few weeks, you will understand the basics of AI marketing automation and can expand to other platforms that address additional needs. This gradual approach prevents overwhelm and sets you up for long-term success.
Check out our guide on AI tools for small businesses to see which platform aligns with your specific goals. You might also find our marketing automation roadmap helpful for planning your AI journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Technical Skills to Use AI Marketing Software?
You don’t need any special tech skills to use most AI marketing software. They were created for non-techies using simple drag-and-drop interfaces and easy-to-understand language. As long as you can type a sentence and click a button, you will be able to use them.
Is AI-generated content bad for SEO?
If you edit your AI-generated content, it won’t be. Search engines value high-quality, original content. While search engines will penalize AI-generated content that hasn’t been edited and has little quality, if you create AI content as a starting point for your own content and edit it into something of higher quality and then post it online, it could potentially be high ranking.
How Much Does AI Marketing Software Cost?
Most of the AI marketing tools available have a free version of the product that allows for limited use of the tool. The paid versions for small business owners typically run anywhere from $15 to $100 per month, depending on how many features you need and how many people will be using the tool. Try out the free trial for the tool you’re interested in to see if it will fit your workflow.
Will AI Replace My Job as a Marketer?
AI replaces some tasks, but it never replaces jobs. AI will handle repetitive work like scheduling and draft writing so that you have the opportunity to spend more time on strategic thinking, relationships, and other decisions that require more of a human touch. Since you are a person with a great deal of judgment and creativity, no one can replace you.
What’s the Best Way to Know if an AI Tool is Safe to Use with Customer Data?
Read through the AI tool’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Make sure the tool states how they protect your customers’ data by encrypting it, what they plan to do with your data once they’ve collected it (i.e., whether they’ll use your data to train their models), and whether they follow all of the applicable regulations (e.g., GDPR). If you still aren’t sure after reading through everything, reach out to the support team of the tool and ask them specifically about your concerns.
Which AI Marketing Software is Best for Beginners?
Several options are considered beginner-friendly when it comes to AI marketing software. Some of those options include HubSpot, Jasper AI, and Mailchimp. These three options provide automation, analytics, and content generation all in one place. HubSpot is probably the best option if you are looking for a single platform to meet all of your needs. Jasper AI is probably the best option if you are looking to generate content. And Mailchimp is probably the best option if you are primarily looking to send emails.
Can I Use More Than One AI Marketing Tool Together?
Yes, you can use more than one AI marketing tool together. In fact, many companies currently do. For instance, you could be using Hubspot for CRM and Email, Jasper AI for blog posts, and Copy.ai for creating Social Media Captions. Just make sure the different tools you choose to use are compatible and can either integrate or export data easily.
What is the Difference Between AI Marketing Software and Traditional Marketing Tools?
Traditional marketing tools force you to manually create content, manually schedule your posts, and manually collect the data. On the other hand, AI marketing software uses automation to accomplish many of the same tasks and learns from your previous performances to give you suggestions to improve your future results.
How Quickly Can I Expect to See Results From Using AI Marketing Tools?
You should notice a huge time-saving advantage almost immediately, likely within the first week. With most AI marketing tools, you’ll also see your ability to create new content increase 2-3 times faster immediately. However, it may take two to three months of continuous use of the AI marketing tools to start seeing improvements in your business due to the process of developing a consistent workflow and building momentum.
Are There Any Industries Where AI Marketing Software Doesn’t Work Well?
While AI marketing software can generally be used effectively across most industries, highly regulated industries such as Healthcare and Finance will need to exercise extreme caution. Always review any AI-generated content before posting for compliance with any relevant industry regulations.
Can AI Help Me Create Multilingual Content?
Yes. AI can help you create content for global audiences. For example, Copy.ai supports 90+ languages, allowing you to create content that resonates with audiences around the world. Please keep in mind that while AI can help with translation, it’s always a good idea to have a native speaker review the content to ensure the translation is accurate.
Conclusion: Start Small, Learn as You Go
AI marketing software can be a great resource for small business owners and beginners. It will take away the drudge of doing the repetitive marketing tasks and give you back the time to do what matters most, your customers and your passion.
Regardless of which AI marketing software you choose,e such as HubSpot, Jasper AI, Mailchimp, etc., the key is to pick one tool and one task to begin with.
Pick one task,sk, and maybe it’s creating better social media posts or getting a handle on your website analytics. Use one tool for a couple of weeks and see where you save some time. Afterward, continue to build in additional tasks, but at a slow and steady pace. This type of gradual approach builds confidence and reduces overwhelm.
AI marketing software has the potential to greatly improve the way small businesses manage marketing tasks. When you use the correct tools and strategies, you will have the ability to automate the repetitive work, produce higher-quality content, and grow your business much quicker. The best AI marketing tools are those that fit directly into your current workflow and allow you to do what you do best.
