Observed Signal · May 14, 2026 · Market Research · Source: https://martechseries.com/feed/ · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
HoneyBook: Small Businesses Using AI Earn $500K Median
HoneyBook published a study, conducted with The Harris Poll, finding that small businesses that use AI report a median annual revenue of $500,000 versus $90,000 for non‑adopters. The survey included 503 service-based small business owners and 1,002 customers. HoneyBook highlights that high-performing operators (“Leaders”) overwhelmingly use AI and automation (97% vs. 88% of other owners). Customers cited operational issues—not AI—as primary reasons for leaving (e.g., hard to reach, lack of professionalism, inconsistent quality). The study also found rising customer expectations for AI: 49% expect AI tools to improve quality and 46% expect faster turnaround times, suggesting AI adoption influences service consistency and responsiveness.
Study links AI adoption to materially higher median revenues for SMBs and provides survey-backed customer expectations; relevant to MarTech vendors, CRM providers and SMBs considering AI investment.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- HoneyBook reports AI-using small businesses have a median annual revenue of $500,000.
- Non-adopting small businesses have a median annual revenue of $90,000, per the same study.
- The study surveyed 503 service-based small business owners and 1,002 of their customers; it was conducted in collaboration with The Harris Poll.
- Among top-earning 'Leaders', 97% use AI tools and automation, versus 88% of other owners.
- Customers' top reasons for not returning were: 36% businesses hard to reach, 32% lack of professionalism, 30% inconsistent quality; 49% expect AI to improve quality and 46% expect AI to speed turnaround times.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Clutch: SMBs Move Beyond AI Experimentation
Clutch research of 600 U.S. small businesses finds that 59% of AI-using small businesses qualify as AI adoption Leaders per Clutch’s AI Maturity Index. The survey reports that 83% of respondents see positive outcomes from AI and 81% say AI contributed to revenue growth. Many small businesses are investing in AI — 53% have a dedicated AI budget and half spend $50–$500/month on AI tools — and larger small businesses (101–200 employees) show higher maturity. Gaps remain: only 54% have a formal AI strategy or clean organized data and 38% lack formal AI-use guidelines. Future plans include adoption of AI agents (62%), integrations with business software (46%), and more use for data analysis (42%).
SMBs Increase AI Adoption; 70% Report Training Gaps
A July 10, 2026 press release summarizes the 2026 AI and Small Business Adoption Survey conducted by Thryv. The survey of 561 U.S. small and mid-sized business owners found AI adoption rose to 66% (from 55% a year earlier), while 70% of owners say they need more training to use AI effectively. Respondents reported measurable business benefits—70% said AI increased revenue and 55% said it reduced costs—while many are still relying on piecemeal training sources (ChatGPT, YouTube/social media, webinars). One-third of SMBs are spending more on AI than 12 months prior and 53% spend at least $100/month on AI tools. The release highlights a skills gap that vendors, training providers, and local marketing platforms will need to address as SMBs scale AI usage.
Adobe Study: Small Businesses Use AI for Social Media
A new study from Adobe’s Firefly team surveying over 400 small-business owners finds widespread adoption of AI-powered content tools for social media. The research reports 38% of respondents use AI for social media content creation (saving an estimated 175 hours and £4,500 annually) and 28% use AI for social advertising (saving about 67 hours yearly). Fifty-two percent said AI-generated imagery positively impacted social engagement, with the largest reported gains being likes/reactions (23%), profile visits (20%) and reach/impressions (15%). Platforms with the strongest reported impact were Facebook (51%), Instagram (30%) and business websites/blogs (24%). The study also finds 40% use AI to improve visual quality and nearly one in five use it for brand identity and ideation, suggesting AI is lowering barriers to content scale and reshaping creator/brand collaboration.
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