Marketing has never been more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses. AI tools are widely available, social media requires no gatekeepers, and design software has become drag-and-drop. Yet despite all this accessibility, recent research by Creative Clique with local SMEs revealed something important – many business owners still feel unsure, overwhelmed or put off by the very industry designed to support them. Jo Alexander, CEO of Creative Clique, explains.
Creative Clique surveyed SME owners and decision-makers to understand how they’re navigating marketing in 2025. What we uncovered was a picture that feels familiar far beyond our city.
SMEs are confused by marketing language and it’s holding them back
One of the clearest findings was the sheer level of confusion around everyday marketing terminology. Even widely used words like “branding”, “lead generation” or “content marketing” weren’t universally understood. More strikingly, 93% of SMEs said they were unsure about the difference between a “studio” and an “agency”.
This isn’t a failure of businesses, it’s a failure of our industry. Marketing has become cluttered with jargon and overlapping labels, and the people we’re meant to serve are left to decode it.
When SMEs feel unsure about what they’re being offered, they hesitate. Some told us they’d avoided approaching agencies altogether because they weren’t sure if they’d be sold something they didn’t need. Others defaulted to doing everything themselves, not out of confidence, but out of uncertainty.
AI is helping SMEs but only up to a point
In the absence of clarity, many SMEs turn to AI. Our research showed that 76% are already using AI tools in their marketing, but mostly for quick or creative tasks such as writing social posts, generating ideas, or creating simple graphics.
Very few are using AI to automate processes or make strategic decisions.
This tells us something important – SMEs don’t expect AI to replace human expertise. They simply want something that feels safe, low-risk and straightforward, especially when they don’t fully understand the alternatives.
AI is becoming the “easy option”, not because SMEs prefer it, but because it feels less intimidating than navigating a world of ambiguous terminology and unclear services.
Human expertise remains essential for strategy and growth
Despite growing AI adoption, 44% of SMEs told us they trust human agencies and studios most when it comes to marketing support. They value collaboration, personalisation, and the ability to have a real conversation about what they’re trying to achieve.
In fact, when we asked what humans offer that AI can’t, respondents mentioned things like empathy, strategic thinking, creative nuance and understanding the heart of a business. These are all areas where marketing truly earns its value and where human insight still outperforms any tool.
Marketing needs to become more human-friendly again
For me, the takeaway is simple – SMEs aren’t rejecting agencies, they’re rejecting confusion.
The solution isn’t more complexity, it’s clearer communication, simpler explanations and more transparent service descriptions.
At Creative Clique, this research prompted us to look again at how we describe what we do. As an SME ourselves, we know what it feels like to face an overwhelming landscape. That’s why we built the Clique Club – a monthly membership that gives SMEs consistent support, jargon-free explanations and a team who knows their business personally. The findings of this study reaffirm what we’ve always believed: clarity, consistency and human support are what small businesses want most.
Five takeaways for SME marketing agencies in 2025
Based on what we learned, here are five practical ways other agencies can better support SMEs in the current landscape:
1. Stop assuming clients understand your terminology: If a business owner has to decode language before they can ask for help, you’ve already lost them. Translate services into outcomes, not jargon.
2. Position AI as a tool, not a threat: Many SMEs are already using AI but cautiously. Agencies should show how AI can support their work, not replace it. People still value collaboration and human thinking.
3. Make it easy to understand what you offer: Confusing service packages are a barrier to collaboration Simplify and explain in plain language:
- What it is
- Who it’s for
- Why it matters
4. Emphasise consistency and relationship, not just deliverables: Our respondents talked about the value of:
- A sounding board
- >Creative input
- >Strategic support
Your deliverable is not just content, it’s your ability to build meaningful connections
5. Be transparent about pricing and process: Uncertainty fuels hesitation and pushes people towards DIY marketing. Clarity builds trust.
AI isn’t going away, and SMEs are learning how to use it. But the narrative that AI will make agencies obsolete doesn’t reflect the reality we saw.
If the marketing industry wants to serve small businesses better, we need to make ourselves more understandable, more accessible and more human again.