AI has moved so quickly over the last couple of years that it almost feels like we all blinked and suddenly it is everywhere.
And now that as we near the end of 2025, even small businesses are starting to make real use of it. Local service businesses, online shops, freelancers, big brands… everyone is dipping their toes in.
The funny thing is, even though AI is “everywhere,” a lot of business owners still aren’t sure where to begin. And who can blame them?
New platforms launch every week, every tool claims to be the best thing ever, and half the advice online seems to contradict the other half.
At Design Box, we try to keep things a lot simpler.
We help businesses figure out what actually matters, what’s worth using, and what will genuinely help you grow.
No overcomplicated tech, no endless learning curve, just practical stuff that makes your life easier.
So, let’s run through some of the ways AI and automation can realistically help your business grow online this year.
How AI and Automation Are Changing Online Growth
AI is already influencing more things online than most people realise.
You’ve probably experienced it yourself without thinking about it: the personalised suggestions, the content that seems to “fit,” the way a website shows you exactly what you were looking for.
At a basic level, AI is great at two things:
- Predicting what people want
- Improving their experience based on that
It helps deliver better search results, more relevant content, and smarter ads. Nothing too fancy, just helpful improvements that make everything feel smoother.
But AI isn’t doing all of this on its own. Automation is its partner in crime.
AI figures things out, automation carries them out. One thinks, the other does.
Together, they save time, reduce repetitive work, and help your business run more efficiently behind the scenes.
What AI and Automation Can Actually Do for You
When used properly, they can help your business:
- Improve conversions with personalised content
- Make your customer experience feel more “guided” and easy
- Boost your marketing with automated emails and better targeting
- Improve your ad performance automatically
- Strengthen your SEO with smarter content
- Reduce admin inside your CRM and other systems
- Give you clearer data so you can make better decisions
- Free up your team from the boring stuff
Basically, more output with less effort.
Simple Ways Any Business Can Use AI Today
1. Automated Customer Support
People don’t love waiting for answers, and your team probably doesn’t love answering the same five questions every day either.
A chatbot can help with things like pricing, opening hours, booking info and other quick questions. It gives customers instant answers and stops your inbox from filling up unnecessarily.
2. Personalised Website Experiences
If someone keeps looking at one of your services, why not show them more helpful info about it?
AI can personalise your website based on the visitor. It might show different messages, highlight certain services or recommend useful content.
It makes your site feel more helpful and less like a “one size fits all” brochure.
3. Smarter Lead Follow Ups
Let’s be honest, manually keeping up with leads is time consuming. AI assisted email automation can take care of that.
If someone downloads a guide, fills out a form or revisits an important page, they can automatically get the right follow up message.
It keeps people engaged without you having to remember who needs what.
4. Easier Data Insights
AI is brilliant at taking complicated data and explaining it like a human.
Instead of digging through analytics reports, you get simple summaries telling you what’s working and what’s not.
It is basically like having a mini data analyst in the background.
5. Automation Behind the Scenes
When It Makes Sense to Work With a Digital Agency
AI tools are getting easier to use, but figuring out which ones are actually worth your time can still be overwhelming.
If you don’t have hours to experiment or you simply want someone to set everything up correctly from day one, a digital agency can help.
A good agency can:
- Recommend tools that make sense for your business
- Help you integrate AI without overcomplicating anything
- Build automations that improve your customer journey
- Reduce repetitive tasks
- Create an AI strategy that supports your real goals
Book a Call with Design Box
At Design Box, we help businesses understand where AI actually fits in their growth plans.
We focus on practical, useful solutions that make your day to day easier and your online growth stronger.
Whether you want to automate support, personalise your website or streamline your marketing, we can help you build something that genuinely works.
If you are ready to explore how AI and automation could support your business this year, we would love to chat.
Meet The Author
Kelsey Bridge
Digital Marketing Executive
