Top AI Tools Marketers Actually Need in 2025 (And What to Avoid)

AI is everywhere. From video avatars to content generators to tools that talk back with sass, it's clear that artificial intelligence isn’t just a trend—it’s reshaping how marketers work. But with new platforms launching weekly and your LinkedIn feed filled with AI “hacks,” it’s easy to feel like you're either behind or drowning in tools you don’t actually need.

In this episode of Market Like It’s Hot, Yasmine and Izzy break it all down, no fluff, no hype, just the real-deal tools marketers actually benefit from in 2025 and the ones that just waste time (or worse, damage trust).

Types of AI (And Why Not All Are Built for Marketing)

Let’s start by understanding the landscape. AI tools fall into different categories, and not all are meant for marketers:

• Text-Based AI: ChatGPT, Claude, Jasper

• Best for writing, brainstorming, research support

• Visual AI: Midjourney, Canva Magic Studio

• Used for generating or tweaking images (but still hit or miss)

• Video AI: VO3, HeyGen, Wisecut

• Creating short clips, turning podcasts into reels, or generating weird dystopian animations

• Voice/Chatbots: Eleven Labs, Tidio

• Great for automated voiceovers or basic customer service

The trick is knowing what you need and whether AI is actually helping you engage better—or just making you look out of touch.

What Marketers Think AI Is Good For (But Often Isn’t)

AI can be powerful, but many marketers use it the wrong way:

• They ask ChatGPT to write an entire blog post in one prompt and then just hit publish

• Creating reels with stock avatars that feel robotic and generic

• Hiring a Gen Z intern and calling them your "AI expert"

• Thinking AI will replace strategy (Spoiler: It won’t. It just makes a bad strategy worse, faster.)

If your content has no soul, no perspective, and no personalization—AI isn’t helping. It’s hurting your brand.

What AI Is Actually Good For

AI can be game-changing when used to enhance (not replace) your work. Here are a few smart ways to use it:

1. Research & Brainstorming

Use ChatGPT or Claude to get topic ideas, create outlines, or summarize complex ideas—but then do your own research to verify facts.

2. B-Roll and Podcast Clips

Tools like Wisecut can identify heads moving in videos and spit out branded clips with subtitles in your brand colors. It saves time without sacrificing quality.

3. AI Workflows That Don’t Suck

Here’s Izzy’s quick-start AI process:

1. Cut that idea: Pick a topic from audience questions, trends, or research.

2. Build a skeleton: Add your hook, structure, and CTA.

3. Prompt AI with context: Give your tone, goal, audience, and examples.

4. Fact-check: Use Google Trends, Statista, or Pew Research to cross-verify.

5. Create: Use AI to write or generate visuals, but inject your personality.

6. Distribute: Use AI for clipping, repurposing, or auto-captioning content.

Absolutely! Here's the rewritten "Our Take on Tools" section in list format, keeping your tone fun, strategic, and to the point:

Our Take on AI Tools for Marketing

Here’s what we’ve actually used (or tested), and what we really think:

ChatGPT

Best for: Content outlines, drafting, idea generation

Our take: Still our go-to. Great when you feed it context and tone. Not magic—but super helpful with the right prompts.

Claude

Best for: Thoughtful responses, summarizing long docs

Our take: It’s the more cautious, polite cousin of ChatGPT. Sometimes too filtered for edgy brands, but solid for longform.

Jasper

Best for: Teams using CRMs or needing high-volume content

Our take: Powerful if you need scale, but less intuitive than ChatGPT unless you live in your CRM.

Canva Magic Studio

Best for: Quick visual tweaks, content ideas

Our take: Great for beginners, but hit-or-miss creatively. Don’t rely on it for polished visuals (yet).

VO3 (Google)

Best for: AI-generated videos with scary-good realism

Our take: Impressive but creepy. Cool for B-roll, not for brand storytelling or campaigns—unless you’re looking to go viral for the wrong reason.

Wisecut

Best for: Cutting podcast and webinar clips into reels

Our take: Love this one. Easy to brand and caption content fast. Saves us hours every week.

Surfer SEO

Best for: On-page SEO suggestions

Our take: Decent if you're learning SEO. But we prefer manual control for strategy-driven content.

Notion AI

Best for: Organizing content ideas

Our take: Needs some polish. Good for brainstorming, but still buggy with complex workflows.

11 Labs

Best for: Voice cloning and AI voiceovers

Our take: Amazing tech, but proceed with caution. Cool for B-roll or multilingual voiceovers—not brand leadership.

Why Your Strategy Still Matters More Than the Tools

You can’t use AI as a shortcut and expect great results. If your message isn’t clear, if your brand voice is inconsistent, or if your content has no direction—AI won’t fix it.

AI is a tool, not a strategy.

Like Izzy says:

"If your strategy sucks, AI will just help you suck faster."

Let that one marinate.

Final Thoughts

AI is here to stay. The brands who win won’t be the ones who use the most AI—they’ll be the ones who use it wisely, strategically, and authentically.

So before you sign up for that next “ultimate AI bundle,” ask yourself:

• What problem am I solving?

• Will this tool save me time without sacrificing quality?

• Am I still showing up with a human voice?

If the answer is yes—go for it. If not—ditch it.

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