As a marketer, you are always looking out for tools to help you succeed. Personally, I find it difficult to keep track of all the new marketing trends and what sets each one apart. I often wish I had a better understanding of the tools and what they are capable of so that I could make more informed decisions on how to create and organize content.
The list of tools recommended below is broken into different sections so that you can have a better sense of what tools are available depending on what part of the job you’re at.
Types of Marketing Tools
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
You and your team want to sell your product or service — not spend your valuable time on unnecessary tools that slow you down. That’s why it’s essential to use a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) in order to simplify the process of selling.
We all know that CRMs are so important to any business, but many people can’t afford the monthly dues. We think everyone should have a CRM because they are so integral to marketing and sales, but it’s unfair to charge someone for a service they can’t afford.
1. HubSpot CRM
2. Zoho CRM
3. Zendesk
4. Pipedrive
5. Engagebay
Online Advertising
Businesses should be prepared for their PPC campaigns. It can be a bit of a hassle to manage all the different ad campaigns one is running across each platform. Beyond managing them, there’s reporting to do on the results of each. Luckily, there are tools for that.
6. AdStage
Reporting on your PPC campaigns can be a headache. If you’re an expert, you know the best way to do it. If you’re not, the process can be confusing. Luckily, there’s AdStage. It simplifies the reporting process by combining all your campaigns into one and providing you with helpful visuals and automation tools. This platform is for both experts and beginners, as it is incredibly useful no matter what your level of experience is.
7. HubSpot Ads Tracking Software
10. AdRoll
11. WordStream
Social Media
Social media managers have a tough time. They spend hours crafting the perfect post and then someone catches a typo a minute later. For marketers, it’s a must to use social media tools to schedule posts. But they also need to get the right analytics from the posts. Analytics are important on social channels where they might be difficult to find.
12. Iconosquare
Iconosquare is an essential tool for marketers. It consolidates all of the relevant data related to social media marketing on Instagram and provides very easy-to-use analytics. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what works and what doesn’t on Instagram, but it’s an essential channel that brands can’t afford to miss out on.
13. Buffer
14. Hootsuite
15. BuzzSumo
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Marketers need a go-to tool for planning what content to create and how to optimize it for SEO. The best tool for this is keyword research. It can uncover what people are searching for in your industry, what kind of content is ranking high, and the types of keywords that you should be optimizing for.
17. Ryte
Marketers need the right tools to plan keywords and make sure their content matches their goals. Ryte is a useful tool that marketers can use to make sure they’re successfully meeting their SEO goals and creating content that matches their marketing strategy.
18. Ahrefs
19. SEMrush
20. Moz
21. Keywords Everywhere Chrome Extension
22. HubSpot Content Strategy Tool
Content Creation and Design
There are tons of different tools you can use to create content. What type of content do you need? In this digital world, there are tons of different tools available to help brands create content. Here are just a few! Ebooks, logos, blog posts, and social images are all being created using various tools.
This is the new era of marketing. Gone are the days of just designing a website or handing out flyers. Nowadays, marketers must be proficient in many skills, including design. Which is why Adobe has come up with a free program that makes it easy to create stunning webpages, awesome videos, and eye-catching graphics. It’s a must-have for any marketer looking to do something remarkable.
23. Adobe Spark
With the introduction of Adobe Spark, marketers can now easily create graphics, webpages, and videos in a variety of themes in minutes. There is now no need for page layout, video editing knowledge, or a CMS. This suite of three web or mobile apps will allow marketers to create remarkable content immediately.
24. Venngage
25. Piktochart
26. Canva
27. Recordit
28. Kap
29. Adobe Color CC
Video Marketing
You’re wondering how to use video in marketing. Well, it’s no secret that everyone is raving about its power. Video can reach people on a personal level and engage them in the conversation. But implementing video successfully can be tricky. For example, when you just embed YouTube video on one of your blog posts or landing pages, someone’s ad might play before your video begins, which is frustrating for your users and bad for your conversion rate. Fortunately, there’s a solution.
30. Wistia
With Wistia, you can quickly and easily upload your videos with a responsive player that guarantees smooth playback. That’s not all – Wistia helps you understand the ROI of your videos by giving you key metrics and analytics to fine-tune your marketing over time.
31. Vidyard
32. Vimeo
33. Loom
Event Marketing
You’re going to have a customer or prospect event at some point. Don’t forget to plan for it! A great way to promote your event is to start early, using an event marketing tool. You could also have occasional community outreach parties or events.
To create a lasting impression and have a stronger connection with your customers, you should hold in-person events. These events attract potential customers, give them an idea of who you are as a company and build loyalty.
34. Eventbrite
Eventbrite is a great tool for marketers who want to manage event logistics and promote their events efficiently. Eventbrite helps you create event landing pages with ticketing and payment all in one place. And the best part? It’s always free if your event is free!
35. Facebook Events
36. AddEvent
Lead Capture and Conversion
Bottom-line goals are often connected to both attracting prospects and converting them into leads and customers. You may have multiple tools in place to do this, but when you have a strategy in place that can do both, it’s best to make it happen.
37. Typeform
38. OptinMonster
39. Sumo
40. Convertflow
Lead Generation
Imagine a world where you have anonymous visitors on your website. How do you convert them into contacts? You need landing pages! Landing pages can be used to capture lead information on important offers and opt-ins, transforming these visitors into contacts.
41. Unbounce
Don’t have a developer for your website? Unbounce is a simple yet effective tool for quickly building landing pages that are responsive and mobile-friendly. This tool also integrates with a number of different content management systems, so you can produce the perfect website for your company.
42. Leadpages
43. Instapage
Website Optimization and CRO
Marketers always have to guess what a customer’s next activity will be. For example, marketers can’t tell where their customer’s focus is on the page. With heat mapping software, you can pinpoint exactly where your customers are looking so you can optimize the experience.
44. Hotjar
There are many ways to understand what people are looking at on your e-commerce site. One way is Hotjar. It has visual heatmaps that can show you where your site visitors click and care about. With this knowledge, you can understand what they want and need from you.
45. Optimizely
46. Lucky Orange
47. Google Optimize
48. Clicky
Lead Nurturing and Email Marketing
Web traffic has become too easy to acquire, and it’s no longer enough to merely drive visitors to your website. Many are not ready to buy, and lead nurturing is the answer. Email marketing is an excellent way to nurture contacts towards a purchasing decision.
49. Engagebay
50. Constant Contact
51. Campaign Monitor
52. MailChimp
53. AWeber
54. ActiveCampaign
Marketing Automation
Keeping up with marketing tasks can be a full-time job. That’s why marketers need tools that save time and help them do their daily tasks while they’re at it. Automation is nothing new to marketers, and it’s just as useful today as it’s always been. Whether you want to save time or cut down on wasted time, automation is the way to go.
55. Drip
56. Marketo
57. Omnisend
Data Reporting and Analytics
There are many marketing tools that automate some of the process and provide reports on their performance. But what if you want to analyze the health of your marketing in a more holistic way?
58. Google Analytics
60. Databox
61. RavenTools
Digital Asset Management
Not every team member is organized to the same degree, sometimes even on the same team. That’s OK. Marketing teams are a unique breed and it’s hard to beat the feeling of finally finding that perfect organization tool. All of those shared folders felt like a headache before you found it. There’s room for everyone on your team.
62. Dropbox
The cloud-based software Dropbox is the perfect tool to keep your team organized and your files under control. With Dropbox, your team has access to all files from any location or device. Dropbox also makes it easy for your team to collaborate, because all files are stored in a central location. In addition, Dropbox helps you keep tabs on all changes and updates happening with your files.
63. Google Drive
64. Box
65. Shift
66. Brandfolder
Team Communication and Collaboration
What would your day be without the ability to communicate with your colleagues? You might be sorely frustrated. Marketers can’t avoid communication when it comes to a healthy work-life balance, which is why team and company communication tools are so necessary every day.
67. Slack
Slack is an excellent app for messaging coworkers and other professionals with ease. Unlike email, it’s quick, efficient, and a lot of fun. But it’s not just AOL instant messenger. Slack can integrate with other tools you use on a daily basis and make your day-to-day a lot easier.
68. Join.Me
69. Zoom
70. Skype
Project Management
Marketing campaigns and projects — there’s a lot to keep track of, from file management to deadlines, feedback, and more. There are many different tools for project management, but the best one that stands out is free! It has a ton of integrations and features that come at an unbeatable price.
71. Trello
Trello is a simple to use, project management tool perfect for small teams and individuals. With Trello, you can make to-do lists, and tag your cards. You can add attachments such as files and links to your cards, too, and keep track of any project you’re working on.
72. TrueNorth
73. Asana
74. Airtable
75. Wrike