Operations
12 mins to read

The 10 Best AI Tools for Agencies & Small Businesses

Branko Gapo
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As technology continues to advance, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a game-changer for agencies and small businesses. AI tools offer automation, data analysis, and improved customer experiences, leveling the playing field and empowering these enterprises to thrive in today's competitive market.

In this review-style article, we present the ten best AI tools that are tailored to meet the unique needs of agencies and small businesses.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is a powerful AI language model based on GPT-3.5 architecture. This tool harnesses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to process and generate human-like text, making it perfect for various applications, such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and content creation.

By integrating ChatGPT into their platforms, businesses can engage with customers in real-time, provide personalized support, and even automate content generation for blogs, social media, and marketing materials.

What sets ChatGPT apart is its ability to understand context and produce contextually relevant responses. Unlike traditional chatbots with predefined answers, ChatGPT can comprehend complex queries and provide nuanced answers, making interactions with users more natural and engaging. Its continuous learning capability ensures that the model adapts to new trends and information, delivering accurate and up-to-date responses.

Moreover, ChatGPT supports multiple languages, catering to businesses with a global customer base and enabling seamless communication across linguistic barriers. Whether it's addressing customer inquiries, assisting with product recommendations, or creating compelling content, ChatGPT empowers startups and small businesses to provide exceptional customer experiences and foster meaningful interactions with their audience.

Pros:
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP) capabilities for chatbots, customer support, and content generation.
  • Easy integration via API or custom-built interfaces.
  • Continuous learning and adaptation to user inputs.
  • Multilingual support for global outreach.
Cons:
  • Limited access to training data may result in occasional errors.
  • Complex queries might yield less accurate responses.
Pricing:

ChatGPT offers a free subscription with usage limitations. Paid plans start at $20 per month.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a leading AI-driven email marketing platform that empowers businesses to run targeted email campaigns with ease. Using AI algorithms, Mailchimp helps businesses segment their audience based on customer behavior and preferences, ensuring that each email reaches the right recipients.

The platform offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, enabling users to design visually appealing emails and newsletters without any coding knowledge. With real-time analytics and A/B testing, businesses can track campaign performance, optimize content, and boost conversion rates.

One of Mailchimp's standout features is its AI-driven content recommendation engine. Leveraging customer data and browsing behavior, Mailchimp suggests personalized content to include in email campaigns, increasing engagement and click-through rates.

The platform also goes beyond email marketing by offering landing pages and customer journey mapping, allowing businesses to create cohesive and data-driven marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Mailchimp's user-friendly interface and extensive integration capabilities make it accessible to businesses of all sizes, from startups with limited marketing resources to small businesses looking to scale their marketing efforts. With AI-driven insights and automation at their disposal, businesses can drive targeted and efficient email campaigns, fostering brand loyalty and boosting their bottom line.

Pros:
  • AI-driven email marketing campaigns for personalized and targeted content.
  • Automated email sequences based on customer behavior.
  • User-friendly interface with customizable templates.
  • In-depth analytics for tracking campaign performance.
Cons:
  • Some advanced features are only available in higher-priced plans.
  • Deliverability issues might occur with certain email providers.
Pricing:

Mailchimp offers a free plan for up to 500 subscribers. Paid plans start at $13 per month, but it’s $6.50 if you subscribe for a full year.

Salesforce Einstein

Salesforce Einstein is an AI-powered CRM platform that brings the power of artificial intelligence to customer relationship management. This tool leverages machine learning algorithms to analyze customer data, predict behavior, and offer insights that guide sales and marketing strategies.

With automated lead scoring and prioritization, sales teams can focus their efforts on the most promising prospects. Einstein's AI capabilities also extend to customer service, providing chatbots and virtual assistants that offer personalized support and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Salesforce Einstein's AI capabilities are integrated into various aspects of the CRM, empowering businesses to make data-driven decisions and enhance their sales and marketing strategies.

One key feature is Einstein Lead Scoring, which automatically evaluates and ranks leads based on their likelihood to convert, enabling sales teams to prioritize high-value prospects and improve conversion rates.

Additionally, Einstein Next Best Action provides real-time guidance to sales representatives, suggesting the best actions to take in each customer interaction to maximize engagement and revenue. By automating routine tasks and offering actionable insights, Einstein allows businesses to focus on building meaningful relationships with their customers, increasing customer satisfaction, and driving long-term success.

With Salesforce Einstein's AI capabilities at their disposal, startups and small businesses can efficiently manage customer interactions, foster loyalty, and boost sales performance in a highly competitive market.

Pros:
  • AI-powered CRM for data-driven sales and marketing decisions.
  • Automated lead scoring and prioritization.
  • Natural Language Processing for interaction and data analysis.
  • Integration with various third-party apps and services.
Cons:
  • Higher-tier plans can be expensive for small businesses.
  • More complicated/difficult for users unfamiliar with Salesforce.
Pricing:

Salesforce Einstein pricing starts at $50 per user per month for the standard plan.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a popular AI-driven social media management platform that enables businesses to streamline their social media marketing efforts. With Hootsuite, businesses can schedule and publish posts across multiple social media platforms from a single dashboard.

The tool also offers AI-powered content curation, suggesting relevant and trending content to share with the audience. Real-time analytics provide valuable insights into social media performance, helping businesses measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

Hootsuite's advanced scheduling features allow businesses to plan and automate their social media content, ensuring consistent and timely posting across various channels. By efficiently managing multiple social media accounts in one place, startups and small businesses can save time and resources, while also maintaining a strong online presence.

The platform's AI content curation feature analyzes trending topics and user engagement to recommend content that aligns with the business's niche and target audience, helping businesses stay relevant and engaging in the fast-paced social media landscape.

With comprehensive analytics, businesses can track key performance indicators, identify successful strategies, and optimize their social media marketing efforts for maximum impact and reach.

Pros:
  • AI-driven social media scheduling and content curation.
  • Unified dashboard for managing multiple social media accounts.
  • Real-time analytics and performance tracking.
  • Collaboration features for team management.
Cons:
  • Some advanced features are only available in enterprise plans.
  • Limited keyword tracking in basic plans.
Pricing:

Hootsuite's pricing starts at $99 per month for the professional plan.

IBM Watson

IBM Watson is an AI platform that provides a wide range of AI-powered services and tools for businesses. From natural language processing to image recognition and predictive analytics, Watson offers a comprehensive suite of AI capabilities.

Businesses can use Watson to build and deploy custom AI models for specific use cases, such as sentiment analysis, fraud detection, and virtual assistants. The platform's robust security and scalability make it suitable for businesses of all sizes, while its vast array of APIs and SDKs allow seamless integration into existing workflows.

IBM Watson's versatility and extensive capabilities make it an invaluable asset for startups and small businesses looking to leverage AI in various domains. The platform's AI services, such as Language Translator, Text to Speech, and Speech to Text, enable businesses to provide multilingual support and enhance communication with customers from different regions.

Watson's AI-driven image and video analysis tools enable businesses to extract insights from visual data, empowering them to make informed decisions based on image content and user behavior. Furthermore, Watson's machine learning services allow businesses to build custom AI models tailored to their unique needs, revolutionizing processes and driving innovation across industries.

With IBM Watson's scalable and secure infrastructure, businesses can confidently integrate AI technologies into their operations, unleashing the full potential of AI-driven solutions.

Pros:
  • AI-powered solutions for data analysis, language processing, and machine learning.
  • Customizable AI models tailored to specific business needs.
  • Robust security and compliance measures.
  • Scalable for businesses of all sizes.
Cons:
  • May require technical expertise to implement complex AI models.
  • Higher-tier plans can be costly for small startups.
Pricing:

IBM Watson's pricing varies depending on the services and usage. Some services offer a free tier, while others have pay-as-you-go pricing.

Canva

Canva is an AI-driven graphic design tool that simplifies the process of creating professional visuals for businesses. With an extensive library of templates, images, and fonts, Canva allows even non-designers to produce stunning graphics for social media posts, marketing materials, presentations, and more.

Canva's AI algorithms offer design suggestions and automatically adjust layouts to optimize visual appeal. The platform also facilitates collaboration among team members, making it an ideal choice for startups and small businesses with limited design resources.

Canva's AI-powered design suggestions make it effortless for businesses to create eye-catching visuals without the need for design expertise. Users can simply input their content, and Canva's algorithms will generate design recommendations, ensuring that graphics are visually appealing and on-brand.

Additionally, Canva's Magic Resize feature automatically adapts designs to fit various platforms, saving time and effort in creating multiple versions of the same graphic. The platform's collaborative features allow team members to work together on design projects, streamlining the design process and fostering creativity.

With Canva, startups, and small businesses can create professional-quality graphics that resonate with their audience, elevate their brand identity, and communicate their message effectively across different platforms and marketing channels.

Pros:
  • AI-driven graphic design tool for creating professional visuals.
  • User-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
  • Access to a vast library of templates, images, and fonts.
  • Collaboration features for teams.
Cons:
  • Some premium elements come at an additional cost.
  • Advanced design features may be limited compared to dedicated design software.
Pricing:

Canva offers a free plan with limited features. The Pro Plan is $119 per year for one person only.

Xero

Xero is an AI-powered accounting software that streamlines financial management for startups and small businesses. With automated invoicing, bill payment reminders, and bank reconciliation, Xero reduces the manual workload and minimizes the chances of errors. Its real-time tracking of cash flow and expenses provides a clear financial picture, helping businesses make informed decisions.

Xero's cloud-based platform enables secure and accessible financial management from any device, making it a valuable tool for business owners on the go.

Xero's AI-driven features revolutionize traditional accounting processes, making it easier for startups and small businesses to manage their finances efficiently. Automated invoicing and bill payment reminders ensure that businesses get paid on time, while automated bank reconciliation saves countless hours of manual data entry and ensures accurate financial records.

The real-time tracking of cash flow and expenses empowers businesses with a deeper understanding of their financial health, enabling better cash flow management and strategic decision-making. With Xero's cloud-based platform, business owners can access their financial data from anywhere, collaborate with team members, and grant secure access to accountants or advisors for seamless financial management.

By automating routine tasks and offering real-time financial insights, Xero empowers startups and small businesses to stay on top of their financial game and focus on business growth.

Pros:
  • AI-powered accounting software for streamlined financial management.
  • Automated invoicing and bill payment reminders.
  • Real-time tracking of cash flow and expenses.
  • Integration with banks and other financial apps.
Cons:
  • Some advanced features require higher-priced plans.
  • Limited payroll functionality in some regions.
Pricing:

Xero's pricing starts at $6.5 per month for the first three months then it goes back up to $13.

TensorFlow

TensorFlow, an open-source AI library developed by Google, is a powerful tool for startups and small businesses looking to implement machine learning projects. With TensorFlow, businesses can create and train custom AI models for a wide range of applications, such as image recognition, natural language processing, and predictive analytics.

Its scalability and flexibility make it suitable for projects of any size, from simple prototypes to complex AI applications. TensorFlow also boasts extensive documentation and a supportive community, providing ample resources for businesses venturing into the world of AI.

TensorFlow's open-source nature makes it an attractive choice for startups and small businesses seeking to harness the power of AI without significant upfront costs.

Its versatility enables businesses to build and train AI models tailored to their specific needs, empowering them to develop cutting-edge solutions for various use cases. TensorFlow's extensive documentation and community support make it accessible to developers of all levels, enabling even those with limited AI expertise to explore and implement machine learning projects.

Its compatibility with multiple platforms and languages allows businesses to deploy AI models across a wide range of devices and environments. Whether it's predicting customer behavior, analyzing data patterns, or automating tasks, TensorFlow equips startups and small businesses with the tools they need to stay ahead in an AI-driven world.

Pros:
  • Open-source AI library for machine learning projects.
  • Extensive documentation and community support.
  • Scalable and suitable for complex AI applications.
  • Supports deployment on various platforms.
Cons:
  • Requires coding knowledge and technical expertise.
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners.
Pricing:

TensorFlow is an open-source framework and is free to use.

Zapier

Zapier is an AI-powered automation tool that allows businesses to connect various web apps and automate repetitive tasks. With Zapier, users can create "Zaps," which are automated workflows that trigger actions based on specific events.

For example, businesses can automatically add new leads from a form to their CRM or save email attachments to a cloud storage service. Zapier's user-friendly interface and integration with a vast array of apps make it easy for startups and small businesses to streamline their workflows and boost productivity.

Zapier's intuitive interface empowers startups and small businesses to automate their workflows and eliminate manual tasks, freeing up time and resources for more strategic initiatives. By creating Zaps, businesses can link different web apps together, enabling seamless data transfer and synchronization between platforms.

This level of automation ensures that data remains consistent across all apps, reducing the risk of errors and enhancing overall efficiency. Zapier's extensive app integrations cover a wide range of business processes, from lead generation and customer support to marketing and project management.

With Zapier, startups, and small businesses can enhance their productivity, reduce human error, and focus on core business activities, ultimately leading to greater growth and success. Its automation capabilities make it a valuable asset for businesses seeking to optimize their operations and maximize their productivity with minimal effort.

Pros:
  • AI-powered automation tool for connecting various web apps.
  • Easy-to-use interface for creating workflows (Zaps).
  • Saves time and streamlines repetitive tasks.
  • Integrates with a wide range of popular apps.
Cons:
  • Some complex integrations may require technical assistance.
  • Limitations on task frequency in lower-tier plans.
Pricing:

Zapier offers a free plan with limited tasks. Paid plans start at $19.99 per month.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a widely-used AI-powered web analytics tool that provides businesses with valuable insights into their website's performance and user behavior.

By tracking website traffic, audience demographics, and user engagement, businesses can make data-driven decisions to optimize their online presence. Google Analytics offers customizable dashboards and data visualization, making it easy for startups and small businesses to monitor key metrics and identify areas for improvement.

With integration into other Google services, such as Google Ads, businesses can measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and allocate resources more efficiently.

Google Analytics is a powerful tool that enables startups and small businesses to understand their website's performance comprehensively. By analyzing website traffic, businesses gain insights into audience behavior, popular pages, and traffic sources, helping them identify their most valuable traffic channels and target audience segments.

The platform's real-time data tracking allows businesses to respond promptly to emerging trends or issues, ensuring a seamless user experience and maximum website performance. With Google Analytics' customizable dashboards and data visualization, businesses can easily access and interpret essential metrics, making data-driven decisions accessible to even non-technical users.

Furthermore, the integration with Google Ads provides valuable information on the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, enabling businesses to optimize their marketing strategies and allocate budgets to maximize ROI. With Google Analytics, startups, and small businesses can measure, analyze, and refine their online presence, ultimately driving growth and success in the digital landscape.

Pros:
  • AI-powered web analytics tool for data-driven insights.
  • Detailed reports on website traffic and user behavior.
  • Customizable dashboards and data visualization.
  • Integration with other Google services.
Cons:
  • Overwhelming for beginners due to the extensive features.
  • Data privacy concerns for some users.
Pricing:

Google Analytics is free to use, with premium plans available for enterprise-level businesses.

Conclusion

AI tools have proven to be invaluable assets for startups and small businesses, enabling them to operate more efficiently, make data-driven decisions, and enhance customer experiences.

Each tool on this list offers unique advantages, catering to different business needs and budgets. By harnessing the power of AI, startups and small businesses can level up.