By Year's End, 4 In 5 Small Businesses Will Use AI Marketing Tools

"By the end of 2026, more than 80% of small businesses will be using artificial intelligence for marketing. That's the picture emerging from Constant Contact's Q1 2026 Small Business Now report, which surveyed over 1,500 SMB owners across five countries. The numbers tell the story: 54% of small businesses already use AI marketing tools, and another 27% plan to start this year. In a single calendar year, AI will go from a slight majority to near-universal adoption among small businesses."

"AI represents perhaps the most significant leveling technology small businesses have ever had access to. Tools that analyze customer trends, generate professional content, and optimize campaigns were once available only to companies with dedicated marketing departments and big software budgets. Now a solopreneur can access similar capabilities for a tiny fraction of the cost of enterprise software."

"McKinsey's 2025 State of AI survey found that while large organizations have broadly deployed AI, only about 6% are seeing significant bottom-line impact. Enterprises have the resources but struggle with implementation complexity. SMBs have the agility but some may lack awareness of AI's full potential. The report reveals that customer engagement is the top anticipated marketing barrier for 2026, cited by 44% of SMB owners."

More than half of small businesses already use AI marketing tools, with 54% currently using them and an additional 27% planning to adopt this year, projecting over 80% adoption by the end of 2026. Small businesses apply AI to analyze trend data (45%), compose content (44%), and create visual content (40%), integrating AI into core marketing functions. AI lowers cost barriers by enabling solopreneurs to access analytics, content generation, and campaign optimization previously limited to enterprise budgets. Large organizations face implementation complexity and limited bottom-line impact, while customer engagement and social media (68%) and email (41%) remain primary marketing drivers.

Read at Forbes