If you’ve ever searched “best AI tools for marketers,” you’ve probably ended up in a rabbit hole of generic lists, sponsored content, or recommendations that seem like they were written by someone who hasn’t actually used any of them.
I’ve been there.
And honestly? It’s not helpful.
Because here’s the truth no one tells you:
There’s no best AI tool.
There’s just the right tool for the task in front of you.
Marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all—and neither is AI. The tool I use to write SEO content isn’t the one I’d use to analyze customer data. The tool that helps me draft a slide deck isn’t the one that helps me listen to what people are saying on Twitter. And that’s okay.
The people getting the most out of AI right now aren’t tool obsessives. They’re tool agnostics.
They don’t care which tool has the best press—they care which one helps them move faster, work smarter, or make better decisions.
In this post, I’ll show you what that mindset looks like in practice. I’ll break down the tools I actually use (and what I use them for), how I think about building an AI stack that works with me—not against me—and why being flexible is one of the most underrated skills in this AI-powered era.
Let’s get into it.
📚 Table of Contents
-
🧠 The Tool-Agnostic Mindset
How being flexible (not fanatical) with your tools gives you the edge. -
🧰 My AI Stack (and What I Actually Use Each Tool For)
A breakdown of the exact tools I use—and what each one is best at. -
🧭 How to Build Your Own AI Stack (Without Getting Overwhelmed)
A step-by-step guide to building your own efficient, flexible setup. -
🚩 What Marketers Get Wrong About AI Tools
The common traps marketers fall into—and how to avoid them. -
🎯 Be Strategic, Not Sentimental
The mindset that will keep you effective (no matter what tools come and go).
The AI Tool-Agnostic Mindset
Let’s get something straight:
Being tool-agnostic doesn’t mean being scattered.
It means being strategic.
A lot of marketers feel overwhelmed by the pace of AI because they think they need to master every new tool that drops. (Spoiler: you don’t.)
Others get stuck in “tool monogamy”—they find one platform that works okay, and never try anything else, even when it’s clearly not built for the job they’re trying to do.
Both approaches miss the point.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
You don’t need to be an AI expert.
You just need to know enough about each tool to make smart decisions.
Being tool-agnostic is about staying outcome-focused:
-
What’s the task?
-
What context do I need?
-
Which tool gets me there fastest with the least friction?
It’s a mindset shift from “how do I use this tool?” to
👉 “Which tool fits this job best?”
Especially now that AI is being embedded everywhere—in CRMs, productivity suites, browsers, and more—the real skill isn’t learning how to use every tool.
It’s knowing how to choose the right one for right now.
You become the strategist.
The tools become your assistants.
Not the other way around.
My AI Stack (and What I Actually Use Each Tool For)
I use a mix of tools depending on what I’m trying to get done.
Not because I want to “try everything.”
Because each one has a specific edge—and I’d rather pick the best-fit tool than fight with one that’s not built for the task.
Here’s how I break it down:
💬 Chat-Based AI (LLMs)
These are my go-to tools for ideation, drafting, editing, and general problem-solving:
-
ChatGPT (OpenAI):
My default workspace. I’ve built out folders, saved threads, and refined workflows here. It’s fast, flexible, and knows my voice. Great for content creation, process building, and research. -
Gemini (Google):
My pick when I want SEO-smart structure or content that leans toward what Google likes. It tends to format things more like top-ranking pages—helpful when I’m writing for search. -
Microsoft Copilot (Bing + Office):
Great for pulling in company knowledge. I use it when I’m drafting internal docs, prepping a strategy deck, or need to quickly summarize stuff that lives in Teams, Word, or PowerPoint. -
Grok (xAI):
When I want real-time pulse checks—especially on Twitter/X. It’s trained on that firehose, so it gives faster, more native-feeling insights for social listening.
🧩 AI Built into the Tools I Already Use
These aren’t standalone tools—they’re AI inside the platforms I’m already in daily. That makes them fast, contextual, and friction-free.
-
HubSpot’s AI Copilot:
Helps me surface insights directly from my CRM and marketing data. I’ll use it to brainstorm content based on pipeline gaps, understand campaign performance, or tailor messaging by lifecycle stage. -
Microsoft Copilot in Word & PowerPoint:
Drafts emails, decks, and docs by pulling in our internal knowledge. I especially love it for presentation planning—it makes rough slides fast so I can spend more time on clarity and story.
🛠️ Purpose-Built AI Tools (Niche, but Powerful)
These tools are designed around AI from the ground up—and they shine in specific use cases:
-
Jasper:
Strong for short-form copy (ads, emails, LinkedIn posts) where tone and speed matter. Also useful for brand voice consistency across channels. -
Surfer SEO:
I plug in content I’ve written and it shows exactly how to improve it for SEO—keywords, structure, links. Like having a mini on-demand content strategist for search.
I don’t use all of these every day.
But I use most of them weekly.
And more importantly, I’m not emotionally attached to any of them.
I’m attached to what they help me get done.
How to Build Your Own AI Stack (Without Getting Overwhelmed)
If your head’s spinning from all the AI options out there, you’re not alone.
New tools launch every week. Every platform is adding “Copilot” to its name.
And everyone’s yelling about which one you “have” to use.
Here’s the good news:
You don’t need 20 tools.
You just need a smart stack that fits how you work.
Here’s how to build one:
1️⃣ Start with your jobs, not the tools
Ask yourself:
-
What are the 3–5 things I do on repeat in my week?
-
Where do I lose time or hit friction?
-
What would I love to automate or speed up?
Once you know the jobs, it’s easier to find tools that support them.
2️⃣ Choose 1–2 tools per category
To keep it simple, think in 3 buckets:
-
Chat-based tools (LLMs): for writing, brainstorming, iterating
-
AI inside your work tools: for context-aware help in CRM, docs, slides, etc.
-
Purpose-built AI apps: for content, SEO, analytics, or other niche tasks
You don’t need the “best” in each category. You just need the one you’ll actually use.
3️⃣ Learn just enough to be dangerous
You don’t have to read the whitepapers.
You just need to know:
-
What it’s good at
-
Where it falls short
-
When to reach for it (and when not to)
Your goal is to get 80% of the value with 20% of the effort.
4️⃣ Be ready to swap tools over time
Your needs will evolve.
So will the tools.
What works today might not be the best option in 6 months—and that’s okay.
Being tool-agnostic gives you the freedom to adapt without starting from scratch.
If you treat your AI stack like a flexible toolkit—not a fixed identity—you’ll be way ahead of the curve (and way less stressed).
What Marketers Get Wrong About AI Tools
Let’s call it out:
A lot of marketers are using AI... wrong.
Not because they’re lazy.
Not because they’re anti-tech.
But because they’re stuck in unhelpful habits that keep them from unlocking the real value.
Here are the biggest ones I see:
❌ Mistake #1: Sticking to one tool for everything
ChatGPT is amazing—but it’s not built for every task.
Same with Gemini, Jasper, Surfer, or whatever new app popped up on Product Hunt today.
Relying on one tool for every use case is like trying to run your entire marketing strategy out of a Google Doc. Technically possible? Sure. Smart? Not really.
❌ Mistake #2: Chasing shiny new tools without a clear use case
There’s always going to be a new “game-changing” AI tool.
But unless it solves a problem you actually have, it’s just noise.
Tool tourism feels productive.
But real efficiency comes from depth, not novelty.
❌ Mistake #3: Letting the tool dictate the workflow
I see this a lot:
People adjusting their entire process to fit what a tool can do—instead of asking,
👉 “What’s the outcome I want?”
👉 “Which tool helps me get there fastest?”
The tool should serve your goals. Not the other way around.
❌ Mistake #4: Confusing feature count with actual impact
Just because a tool has 37 features doesn’t mean it will make your job easier.
I’d take a dead-simple AI that nails one thing over a bloated platform that tries to do it all—and does none of it well.
The takeaway?
It’s not about using more AI.
It’s about using it more intelligently.
Pick your stack based on what you need, not what’s trending.
Get clear on your workflows.
And stay focused on outcomes over hype.
Be Strategic, Not Sentimental
If there’s one mindset shift I hope sticks with you, it’s this:
Don’t be loyal to tools. Be loyal to outcomes.
The AI space is moving fast.
New tools will launch. Old ones will pivot. Features will change. Pricing will shift.
But your job as a marketer stays the same:
📈 Drive results.
🧠 Make smarter decisions.
⚡ Move faster without burning out.
That’s why being tool-agnostic isn’t just a productivity hack—it’s a leadership skill.
The marketers who are thriving right now?
They’re not obsessed with any one platform.
They’re obsessed with clarity—on what needs to get done, and what tools will help them do it best.
You don’t need to know everything about AI.
You just need to know how to choose, how to adapt, and how to move.
Because in this new era of marketing, it’s not about who has the flashiest tech.
It’s about who knows how to use it with purpose.
Comments