Small and medium enterprises now have access to a wide range of online tools that make managing a business easier and help you focus on what truly matters, without breaking the bank.
From automation to content creation, technology is no longer a “big business” advantage. It’s available, affordable, and built to support everyday business owner needs.
AI Tools: Beyond ChatGPT
AI is no longer just about ChatGPT or Claude AI. Today, AI is embedded in tools SMEs already use, helping businesses simplify daily operations such as accounting, customer service, inventory management, content creation, and even administrative tasks like proposals and sales documents.
AI tools help business owners:
● Save time on repetitive tasks
● Make faster, better decisions
● Operate more efficiently with small teams
How can business owners take advantage?
Examples:
● Accounting: Tools like Zoho Books and QuickBooks use AI to track expenses, automate invoices, generate reports, and flag unusual transactions.
Customer Service
AI-powered tools help businesses respond faster, stay available, and convert leads to customers even when you’re offline .
Examples:
● WhatsApp Business (with automation tools) for auto-replies and FAQs
● Freshdesk for managing customer messages across channels
● Instagram Business with automation
Inventory Management: Inventory tools help businesses stay organised and avoid losses.
Examples:
● Zoho Inventory for stock tracking and order management
● Odoo Inventory for real-time inventory updates
Content Creation
Content tools help SMEs create marketing materials with ease and without needing a large team
Examples of content tools:
● Canva for simple designs and marketing materials
● Jasper.ai, writesonic, Rytr. etc writing tools for captions, blogs, and emails
● Scheduling tools to plan and post content consistently
Business Writing & Research
AI tools simplify proposals, documentation, and research.
Examples:
● Claude AI and ChatGPT for proposals, emails, and sales documents
● Perplexity for fast, accurate research and idea validation
Video Marketing: Where Attention Lives
Video content is now one of the most effective ways to engage customers. Viewers want interactive, relatable, and visual content, especially with shorter attention spans.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts continue to show high engagement and conversion rates for short-form videos.
How can small businesses take advantage?
● Make the first 3 seconds count; this is where attention is won or lost
● Use bright, well-lit backgrounds, text overlays, and clear visuals
● Keep videos between 30–90 seconds
● For longer content, break it into short, easy-to-watch parts
Video content creates a personal connection with potential customers, builds trust, and helps your audience understand your product or service faster.
We’ve created a 30-second video you can watch on online trends for business owners. You can find it on Instagram
Watch out for the Part 2 of our trends series for SMEs.