AI in marketing: what really works for SMEs

Summary: AI in marketing for SMEs

AI in marketing means using artificial intelligence to make copy, images, ads and analysis faster and better. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), marketing is the main purpose for which Dutch companies use AI: 35% of companies with AI use it for that. Yet only 14% of companies with 2 to 10 employees use AI, against 66% of large companies. It works best when you start small, let a human check the output and have your tracking in order. At Game-changers AI content creation starts from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.

• Works: First drafts of copy, ad variants, summaries and analysis.
• Does not work: Letting AI publish without checks. That brings errors and copy that sounds like everyone else.
• Biggest barrier: Lack of experience, according to 73% of companies that considered AI but do not use it.
• Our advice: Start with one task that takes a lot of time, measure the result and then expand.

What is AI marketing?

AI marketing is marketing in which software with artificial intelligence helps you think or do the work. According to Ahrefs, Dutch people search 800 times a month for “ai marketing”, 450 times for “ai in marketing” and 400 times for “ai voor mkb” (AI for SMEs). You come across AI in marketing in three forms:

• Generative AI: tools that create text, images or video, such as a first version of a blog, ad or product description.
• AI in ad platforms: Google and Meta use AI to bid, find audiences and assemble ads, for example with Smart Bidding.
• AI for analysis: software that finds patterns in your data, analyses text or summarises reports.

How many SMEs use AI?

More and more, but SMEs are lagging behind. In December 2025 CBS reported that 17% of all companies with 2 or more employees use AI, twice as many as in 2023. Among companies with 2 to 10 employees it is 14%, with 10 to 50 employees 27% and with 50 to 250 employees 45%. In a European context the Netherlands does well: according to Eurostat, 33% of Dutch companies with 10 or more employees used AI in 2025, against an EU average of 20%.

What do companies use AI for?

Marketing and sales come first. Of the Dutch companies that use AI, 35% use it for marketing or sales, 32% for administration or management and 25% for research and innovation. The picture is the same for the very smallest companies: according to a CBS report on micro companies from March 2026, 32.7% of micro companies with AI use it for marketing and sales.

What really works, and what does not

About AI copy and Google: according to Google Search Central, Google rewards good content, however it is made. But content made mainly to manipulate rankings counts as spam. If you also want to be found in AI answers, read about SEO and AEO (also called AI SEO) and what SEO costs.

Why SMEs still hesitate

Three quarters of companies do not use AI and have not considered it, according to CBS. Companies that considered it but do not use it mainly cite lack of experience (73%), privacy (49%) and uncertainty about legal consequences (42%). Only 15% find AI not useful. So the main problem is: where do you start?

Our research: what Google shows for “ai in marketing”

On 9 November 2026 we looked at the Dutch search results for “ai in marketing” with DataForSEO. At the top there is an English AI answer from Google, then 8 regular results. What stands out:

• 7 out of 8: are in English, even though the searcher is in the Netherlands.
• 2 out of 8: were published in 2026. Two date from 2022, before the big breakthrough of generative AI.
• 0 out of 8: are specifically about SMEs or show what AI delivers for a small business.

How to start with AI in your marketing in 4 steps

1. Start with one task

Pick work that takes a lot of time and recurs often, such as product descriptions, ad variants or a monthly report. Test that for a few weeks first.

2. Let a human check

AI writes the first draft, a specialist checks facts, tone and brand. Never put customer data or confidential information into a public AI tool; that breaches the GDPR.

3. Make sure tracking is right

AI in Google Ads and Meta steers on what you measure. If you do not measure real leads or sales, the AI optimises for the wrong thing. We set this up with data and tracking; our tracking and GA4 checklist shows what it takes.

4. Measure the result

Compare time, cost and revenue before and after. Expand what works. Stop what does not.

What it delivers

Three examples from our own work, in which AI plays a regular part. Rug expertise centrum gained 40% more organic traffic with SEO and is mentioned 3.8 times more often in AI answers. Deurklinkshop gets the same order value with 4 times less ad spend through Google advertising, and 131% more profit. Rug Expertise Shop went from under 2% to up to 8% conversion after a redesign, with 76% more profit.

“For us AI is not a gimmick, it is part of almost everything we do: from ad copy to analysis. But the first draft is never the final product. A specialist checks the facts, the tone and whether it fits your customer. That way you get the speed of AI without your brand sounding like everyone else.”

Annefleur van Osta

Online marketing strategist at Game-changers

Do it yourself or have it done?

You can start with an AI tool today. The difference lies in the checks, the strategy and the link with your data. At Game-changers AI content creation starts from €500 per month excl. VAT, for which we work at least 4 hours a month for you. Data and tracking are included as standard. There is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis. Combine it with SEO and AEO or Google advertising and it becomes cheaper. Still unsure whether to do it yourself? Read more about outsourcing marketing.

Frequently asked questions about AI in marketing

What is AI marketing?

AI marketing is marketing in which artificial intelligence helps with copy, images, ads and analysis. Think of a first draft of a blog, smart bid strategies in Google Ads or a summary of your figures.

How does AI marketing work?

AI software learns from large amounts of data and uses that to make predictions or new content. In ad platforms AI predicts who will buy; in writing tools it predicts which text fits your brief.

How many companies use AI for marketing?

Of the Dutch companies that use AI, 35% use it for marketing or sales. That is the most common purpose, according to CBS in December 2025.

How many SMEs use AI?

In 2025, 14% of companies with 2 to 10 employees used AI, 27% of companies with 10 to 50 and 45% of companies with 50 to 250 employees. Among large companies it was 66%.

How can my business use AI in marketing?

Start with one task that takes a lot of time, such as product descriptions or ad variants. Let AI write the first draft, let a human check it and measure whether it saves time or brings revenue.

What is AI content?

AI content is text, images or video created fully or partly by artificial intelligence. On Facebook and Instagram you sometimes see a label showing that something was made or edited with AI.

Is AI content bad for SEO?

No, not if the content is good and useful. Google rewards quality however it is made, but content mainly intended to manipulate rankings counts as spam.

How can you recognise AI content?

There is no reliable test. Signs are generic sentences without examples, no sources for figures and the same structure everywhere. Detection tools often give a wrong result.

Which AI tools are best for marketing?

It depends on the task: there are tools for text, images, video and analysis. More important than the tool is knowing what you want to achieve, having someone check the output and not entering confidential data.

How do you use AI for email marketing?

AI can write subject lines and variants, shorten copy and split your list into groups. Really test the variants against each other and have someone check the tone before sending.

Does Google Ads use AI?

Yes. Smart bid strategies, Performance Max and automatically assembled ads all work with AI. They only work well if you measure real leads or sales.

Can I put customer data into an AI tool?

Not just like that. Never put personal data or confidential business information into a public AI tool; that breaches the GDPR. Use business versions with proper data agreements.

Does AI replace a marketer or marketing agency?

No. AI takes over execution, but strategy, checks and choices remain human work. A marketer with AI can do more in the same time, though.

How do you get mentioned in AI answers such as ChatGPT?

Through clear, current and reliable information on your own site and mentions on other sites. After our SEO work, Rug expertise centrum is mentioned 3.8 times more often in AI answers.

What does AI in marketing cost?

Many AI tools have a free or cheap version, but the real cost lies in the time for checks and strategy. If you have it done, Game-changers charges from €500 per month excl. VAT.

What does AI content creation cost at Game-changers?

From €500 per month excl. VAT, with at least 4 hours of work per month and data and tracking included as standard. There is no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.

Sources

CBS, Companies use AI most for marketing or sales (Dutch)

12 December 2025

CBS, Use of AI technology by Dutch micro companies (Dutch)

16 March 2026

Eurostat, Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises

2025, viewed 9 November 2026

Google Search Central, Google Search’s guidance about AI-generated content

February 2023, viewed 9 November 2026

DataForSEO SERP API, own measurement Google Netherlands

9 November 2026

Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Dutch search volume

9 November 2026