The marketing automation software industry is constantly changing and growing. There are many new platforms coming out to compete with the more traditional ones, but how do you know which platform is right for you? This marketing automation platform comparison article breaks down the features of each platform and compares them to help answer that question.
In this marketing automation platform comparison we’ll see which automation software is the best for you.
In our fast-paced, always-connected world, it can sometimes be difficult to remember what is happening and why. Marketing automation software helps you get a grip on your marketing communications.
They allow you to map out your entire marketing strategy using automated sales activities. This marketing automation platform comparison will help you decide which platform is right for your company by analyzing the differences between the most popular marketing automation platforms available today.
Before we look at marketing automation platform comparison let’s take an overview. There are a variety of types of marketing automation software which vary in their functionality.
There are different types which include the following: software that automates email campaigns, social media management, webinars, and content creation.
There are also tools for managing your website through tracking and analytics. Some of the more popular marketing automation software include: Marketo, Hubspot, SAP, Constant Contact and Salesforce.
Marketing automation is a fundamental component of any successful marketing campaign. It's one of the most important tools in a marketer's toolbox; without it, their efforts would be doomed to fail.
Choosing the right software may not seem like much—who doesn't want the best? But there are so many choices, and getting it right can make or break your marketing campaigns.
To help you narrow down your decision, we've created a list of some of the best marketing automation platforms on the market today and will use that to give you an overview of each one. In addition, we'll also give you a few tips on what to consider before making your purchase.
1. Hubspot: Hubspot is definitely easy to use, with a lot of functionality, as well as customization.
While it’s not the cheapest platform for your needs (it doesn't cost too much more than other gold platforms), many people like the fact that there are so many options and integrations for businesses to go through before deciding what works best in their organization.
It has 14 different modules available that includes content marketing , lead management, email marketing and much more.
The primary benefit of Hubspot is that they provide in-house customer support as well as 24/7 access to a very knowledgeable developer if you are having issues or concerns about something not working correctly within the software.
You can also build your own custom tools, which allows you to send automated emails through templates.
2. Sawmill: The Sawmill platform has a lot of cool features and integrations.
One thing I really like about it is the multiple in-built templates that help you create emails out of iframes for your social media posts or even making banners to display on your website Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more with things called 'Ghostery'.
3. Constant Contact: With Constant Contact there are some different tabs during sign up which include the ability to either do it manually or automated which includes email marketing, social media and lead nurturing.
You can also choose how your company wants the data transferred (from their CRM) and enter information on who needs access as well for a responsible disclosure
First, you need to decide the type. Next, it’s important to consider what features are needed and how many users will be commuting between your marketing departments.
Choosing a platform is usually adding all those features together; an example of this might include needing primarily email scheduling but also wanting in-app support or reporting available on mobile devices so customers can take incoming emails with them wherever they go online.
Let’s break down each feature level by the platforms that cater to these varying needs:
a. Email Send Scheduling – This software will allow you to create an email campaign, send it using your equipment such as a softphone or just clicking through with your desktop. You can also schedule future campaigns and have them sent at specific times.
b. Social Network (Facebook & Twitter) Management – Social network tools in marketing automation tech include scheduling posts, posting links & pages directly from the program, drag-and-drop social posts and photo selection.
Advanced analytics are available with these services to see how successful your content is on those platforms.
c. Website Management – There are tools that allow you to manage comments, contact information on web pages (if using WordPress), scheduling synching of blogs or website updates through RSS, advanced message tracking for inbound customer inquiry emails as well as integrations into other programs such as CRM software.
d. In-App Support – APIs are easy to find when you look at marketing automation platforms. Other options include reports, email filtering and speed dial programs that work within these automatic solutions.
a. App Management – This platform lets app owners manage download statistics, notifications on installs or purchases as well as works with the preferred calendar system of your users.
Agile Software Development is also available in many mobile systems today which will help ensure there is a continuous flow between your mobile apps and the rest of your marketing pipeline.
b. Automatic App Submission – The software will be able to post apps directly from the various app stores that are used by users on their smartphones or tablets.
It is also possible for you to make automatic submissions if desired as well with this service in place which could increase visibility of downloads, boost app ranking and help ensure number one placement within certain categories based on automated data reporting from world -renowned ranking services that adjust rankings continually.
c. Click-to-Call Dialing – This service will allow you to automatically dial users who have installed your mobile apps and then start a phone call with them, while they are still on their smartphone or tablet's home screen.
With iPhone applications, it is possible for the system to keep recording calls so there is no need for storage limitations with this capability as well iOS devices can leave voicemails if they are not sure they will return to the call within a short period of time as well.
d. Callback Integration – You can send actions based on instructions from users who install apps into your system, such as setting up an appointment date and booking flights from inside the system when someone requests them for example.
Integrations with Facebook, GooglePlus or other social networking systems also make it possible for users to directly leave comments about their experience when you happen across things such as a review or comment on content they were directed to while they are engaged in the process of installing your mobile app.
In this marketing automation platform comparison we’ll take a look at two of the best marketing automation platforms; hubspot and mailchimp.
HubSpotIn short: It supplies all the tools you'll need to build your business and is a great place to start building your email marketing strategy.
HubSpot is a well-liked HubSpot that has been around for nearly 15 years and boasts an incredibly strong name in the marketing world, which is why its HubSpot has been around for nearly 15 years and boasts an incredibly strong name in the marketing world.
The platform puts together a few different tools that work together to help you build your business and send more messages in a shorter period of time.
Because the software is so focused on email marketing, HubSpot has a number of built-in tools that make it simple to see how your email marketing is working and what you can improve on .
Why use MailChimp? The biggest reason to use MailChimp is that it gives business owners access to a variety of marketing tools . It allows you to send email campaigns, track and analyze your customer engagement, and more.
You can also use the software to manage a list of contacts that you send email to regularly, which can help you build your list of customers and someone who can continue to refer new clients to you.
Mail Chimp also has a number of pre-built templates that you can use to send your email campaigns. You can use these templates to get started quickly , and you can also edit them to customize your emails.
You can also use Mail Chimp to create newsletters, which are sent out to specific groups of your customers or clients. The newsletter can be sent out daily, weekly or monthly depending on how often you send it out.
Each newsletter includes an option to have a link in your email that you can use to share the latest blog post or news about your business. Mail Chimp has many more features that you can configure, including the ability to track which emails are opened and clicked on.
