Establishing your pallet business on social media is part of marketing 101. At least having a basic Facebook page makes you more visible, allowing you to get your name out there amongst the competition. With the introduction of AI tools over the past few years, small businesses are increasingly finding more and more benefits.
There is an understandable level of hesitancy when it comes to using AI. The idea of robots controlling the social media space is something we could probably use a little less of. AI can remove creativity from posts and blog articles, making the words less personalized.
Laying reservations aside, large corporations have been actively using AI for some time, but now with more available tools, there are benefits to incorporating AI into your social media marketing. In 2023, according to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council Small Business AI Survey, only 28% of small businesses use AI in social media management and 32% in email marketing automation tools.
In a Forbes online article from 2023, SBEC CEO Karen Kerrigan reports that AI “tools and applications are helping to boost profitability, productivity, and competitiveness” while offering “cost-effective solutions that drive savings and profitability.” Using AI can assist in writing emails faster with greater grammatical accuracy and add more creativity to social media posts. An AI-driven site can also help with scheduling of posts days, weeks, and months ahead.
When considering using AI for social media, first determine areas you could use a little help. Is posting regularly and consistently a challenge? What about creating content for social media posts? Could you use some assistance with longer forms of writing such as blog posts, emails, and grammar checks? Check out some AI tools available for social media in small businesses.
1. Writing social media posts: ChatGPT and ChatGPT Plus
Depending on your needs, from basic to increased creativity, ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) offers a way to create social media posts quickly. Depending on the subject matter, tell ChatGPT what you want the program to write, and it will deliver. For example, after typing “write a social media post about the wooden pallet industry and its increased need for transparency,” ChatGPT produces a 100+ word response within seconds, complete with bullet points and hashtags for searchability. For more advanced features such as faster response times and access to more improvements, you can subscribe to ChatGPT Plus for $20/month.
2. Graphics creation for social media posts: Canva Magic Write
Canva.com offers a large library of graphics and photos for your social media posts. Now, Canva has an AI tool called Magic Write. By typing in a topic to generate content for, such as “Pallet Design,” Canva will produce content within seconds so you can easily attach an eye-catching graphic or stock photo. Simply download your creation and upload it to your business’s Facebook or LinkedIn page.
3. Writing and grammar assistance: Grammarly and QuillBot
Maybe writing content is not a challenge, but finding the time to spell/grammar check is. No one wants to post content with errors. Sites like Grammarly.com and Quillbot.com allow you to copy and paste your writing into their AI checker. The program will point out possible spelling and grammar errors. For an upgrade, both platforms offer more advanced editing features. While most of the corrections are accurate, it is important to read through the suggestions, as the program doesn’t always have an understanding of certain industry terms or writing styles.
4. Social media scheduling – Metricool and Publer
If you need help with posting consistently on your social media platforms, try an AI scheduling tool. Metricool.com has a free plan that allows you to schedule up to 50 pieces of content per month for all social media accounts except LinkedIn and X. Inexpensive upgrades are available to include more features, including other social media platforms. Publer.com also has a free plan for the basics and inexpensive monthly rates for upgrades. Taking the time to plan out your social media posts, and schedule them to post in advance allows AI to work for you while you are busy running your business.
Always remember, AI is not perfect. When using it for content creation, review the information to ensure accuracy. Also, check for style. Sometimes, you may need to add or change phrasing to make the content fit your audience. If polished content isn’t typically your style, consider adjusting some of the vocabulary to better align with your approach.
Using AI for social media is the direction our world is heading. With proper guidelines and tools, there can be many benefits to help your business efficiently grow and expand to a wider audience.
