The short answer
The free AI tools for marketing that cover most small business needs are the free tiers of ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini for writing and research, Canva's AI features for graphics, and CapCut for short video edits. Free tiers limit how much you can use them each day, and some use your inputs for training unless you turn that off.
Daily message caps, lower-quality models at busy times, and fewer privacy controls. When you use a tool every day for work, the paid tier is usually worth it for the limits alone.
Check the tool's data settings. Leave out customer names, phone numbers and anything you wouldn't put on a postcard.
The chat assistants cover the most ground. Try two and keep the one whose writing you edit least.
It can draft. You still need to add the specifics only you know.
Google judges usefulness, not the tool. Thin copied content does badly either way.
The AI tools for small business worth trying first are the ones that take a task you already do every week: drafting emails and posts, taking meeting or call notes, categorizing expenses, scheduling, replying to reviews, and answering common customer questions.
2 min readThe AI tools for content creation that help most shorten the dull steps: a first draft of a post or email, captions and trims for a phone video, a resized graphic, a transcript of a voice note.
2 min readChatGPT can be safe for business use if you choose the right plan and settings.
2 min readBook a time with Lehvel and we’ll go through what your business actually needs.