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3 Small Biz Plays You Missed in July 2025

Author

Omar Abed
July 30, 2025

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Espresso Shot

Good day, gap‑hunter, small businesses are sidestepping ad chaos by leaning into-led tech and community-first moves this summer.

Here are three tactical plays to own before your competitors do…

Gap of the Week: “AI-First Content Scheduler”

The hole: SMB owners hate carving out time for content. 54% struggle to keep posts fresh on Short form channels.


The wedge: Build a microsite that connects to TikTok, IG, YouTube Shorts and auto-schedules weekly templates; looped UGC reels, trend-based hooks, caption-first drops. Charge $99/mo or $149 for agency plan.

Why now:

  • Short‑form will still dominate in 2025.

  • Meta launched AI video tools for ads already in beta.

  • Hootsuite-style tools prove customers love time savings + automation.

    Exit vision: White-label the scheduler to ecom platforms and co-working spaces with branded storefronts.

⚡ Two‑Minute Gaps

Spark

Why It Prints Money

Early Signal

Community‑Powered SEO Boost

Build a platform where local customers write verified reviews (e.g. “simplyBostonJetski.com”) and ranked by neighborhood. Local biz pays to feature perks/ads.

76% of SMBs say social media still fuels discovery, but local search is making a comeback.

Email-to-AI Design Concierge

Customer sends offer text, tool auto-generates branded holiday postcard, email, and social image in one click.

SMBs use AI to save hours per week. 38% already deploying marketing AI.

Creator-to-ShopMy Affiliate Loop

Small brands partner with ShopMy creators to produce mini-shoppable circles, UGC-driven revenue and free influencer "ads."

ShopMy’s platform drives $80M/month via influencer commerce.

Week in 3 Tweets

  1. @GrowthTactics: “Newsletter‑ad CPMs surged 75% since May—standardize your sponsor slots or pay to play.” → Consistency compounds revenue. 

  2. @MetaAInews: “New AI reels & video tools in beta let advertisers build full video campaigns from image + budget.” → Video scale without video staff. 

  3. @SMBsurvey: “38% of SMBs now use AI for marketing; 76% confirm social media still drives discovery.” → Tech + social = the dual engine.

🤯 Stat of the Day

49% of small businesses are increasing their marketing budget in 2025, primarily toward social ads and content marketing, not traditional ad channels. LocaliQ

⏭ Closing Loop

Publishing Mon–Fri. Tomorrow, we meet again. Forward this to the biz owner stuck in the “post‑office draft” trap.