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Why SMBs Are Spending More (& You Should Too)

3 untapped growth plays inspired by 2025 data, aside from ads and generic content.

Author

Omar Abed
July 31, 2025

In partnership with

☕️ Espresso Shot

Morning Gap‑Hunters, SMBs aren’t just spending this summer…they’re investing resolutely in ads, search, and smart tech.

But blind spending rarely pays off. Here are three smarter moves big brands ignore…

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Gap of the Week: “AI‑Driven Postcard Retargeting”

Just kidding

The hole: Email fatigue burns open rates, and SMS costs are climbing. Need a backup format.


The wedge: Pair cart abandon flows with AI‑triggered postcards sent via Postalytics-style workflows. Visual, timely haul reminders in the mailbox for ~$1.15 each, often lifting revivals by 15–20 %.

Why now:

  • USPS launching programmatic mail pilot in fall

  • SMBs increased promo budgets in 2025; many cite mid‑funnel ads as least effective


    Exit vision: License a branded postcard LR automation yourself; or white‑label Postalytics workflows into any cart.

⚡ TWO‑MINUTE GAPS

Spark

Why It Prints

Early Signal

Nano‑Creator Content Swaps

Partner with local micro-creators to swap UGC video content monthly, minimal cost (viewer interest > ads).

Beauty brands report micro/nano creator campaigns outperform legacy VIP creators

Event-Driven Email Automation

Trigger emails tied to customer lifecycle and calendar events (e.g. birthdays, welcome series + offer). Average lifecycle ROI: 36:1.

Litmus email survey shows lifecycle automations dominate results 

Local SEO Trust Platform

Build hyperlocal directories with verified reviews + perks; monetize via featured slots, upmarket referrals.

Local directories still beat social for discovery among 1/3 of users

DAY IN 3 TWEETS

  1. @verizonbiz: “38 % of SMBs now use AI for marketing, recruiting & service. Social fuels performance, but ½ struggle to keep content fresh.” → Bots build ideas; humans build trust. 

  2. @hootsuite_research: “Social listening is now a top‑2 priority, powering trend jacks and audience targeting of today.” → Algorithms can’t compete with real signals. 

  3. @IABmedia: “86 % of advertisers already using GenAI for video ads; SMBs leading the charge.” → Even small brands can scale video like Nike. 

🤯 STAT OF THE DAY

49 % of small businesses plan to increase their marketing budgets in 2025, most of it going toward social ads, SEO, and video, not outdated channels.

⏭ CLOSING LOOP

Publishing Mon–Fri. Tomorrow, we’ll meet again. Forward this if you hate wasted budget.