Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized plenty of industries—and advertising is no exception.
Large brands are increasingly using AI tools to automate tasks, personalize messages, and analyze massive data sets to create targeted campaigns.
For small businesses, though? Adopting AI in advertising may not be the perfect solution it’s often marketed as.
While AI offers impressive capabilities, it’s not always the best option for small businesses looking to grow their customer base. Here are a few reasons why.
The Human Connection
Small businesses thrive on personal relationships. Local companies rely on their abilities to connect with customers on a human level. People choose small businesses because of that personal touch: the friendly conversation with the owner, the sense of community, and the attentive service provided.
AI, however, is data-driven and often lacks the ability to forge these authentic, emotional connections. While AI tools can analyze customer behavior and predict trends, they can’t replicate the warmth or trust that comes from real human interactions.
For small businesses that rely on relationships to differentiate themselves from larger, faceless corporations, using AI to create advertising is more of a hindrance than a boon. The emotional appeal of human-centered marketing is crucial, and overreliance on AI advertising may dilute this unique advantage.
Emotional Nuance
A key aspect of successful advertising is understanding emotions and the subtleties of human behavior. People don’t make purchasing decisions based solely on logic: we are often driven by feelings like trust, loyalty, and excitement. While AI can analyze patterns, it’s not equipped to fully grasp the complexity of human emotions and relationships. (At least, not yet!)
For example, a small business may know its regular customers by name and understand their individual preferences—something AI may overlook in its quest to identify broad trends.
Emotional storytelling, local connections, and personal anecdotes resonate deeply with customers, and these are the kinds of nuanced messages that AI struggles to create. An AI-generated ad may have a polished appearance, but it often lacks the human touch that turns a potential customer into a loyal one.
A Lack of Data
AI systems thrive on data. They need large amounts of it to make informed decisions, optimize campaigns, and offer insights that drive performance. But most small businesses simply don’t have access to the vast amounts of data that big corporations collect every day.
While a tech giant like Amazon can analyze millions of transactions and customer interactions to tailor its marketing strategies, a small family-owned business may only have a few hundred interactions each month. This lack of data puts small businesses at a disadvantage when using AI, as the system may struggle to provide meaningful insights without a rich data set.
That’s why small businesses are often better served by using human intuition and local knowledge to craft their marketing strategies. A hands-on approach allows them to stay nimble and responsive to their community’s needs in ways that AI, relying purely on limited data, cannot.
Hire A Small Advertising Agency for Your Small Business
While AI has the potential to enhance advertising and streamline operations, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Small businesses thrive on human connections, emotional storytelling, and local knowledge—all areas where AI tends to fall short.
Additionally, without access to large amounts of data, small businesses may struggle to get the most out of AI tools, making it a less effective—and more costly—strategy. The smarter play for small businesses is to invest in an advertising agency that understands not only the ins and outs of local marketing, but the human connections that make it work.
That’s where Kirkpatrick Creative comes in: we’re a small advertising agency based in Little Rock, Arkansas with clients throughout the Southeast and Midwest. We understand what works for small businesses because we are one, and we’ve been helping other small companies advertise their services and grow their customer bases for decades.
Want to learn how we can help your small business? Contact us today and let’s talk!