Home > Articles > Marketing Automation What is Marketing Automation? Marketing Automation Helps You: Automate your marketing process Test email campaigns Generate significant ROI Improve lead nurturing Increase customer retention Automate your marketing process What is marketing automation? Marketing automation is almost exactly what it sounds like: automating the marketing process via emails, alerts and targeted messaging campaigns. Typically, marketing automation can be envisioned as a series of workflow actions that guide leads towards conversion — all without any intervention on the marketers part. For example, here’s a simple funnel. Let’s say a user hits your landing page and downloads an e-book. You then fire off a thank you page that then thanks your user for downloading. By using their information, this triggers your marketing automation software to send out a targeted email to that lead about a webinar you’re hosting (again, the keyword is targeted email). The lead signs up and watches the webinar and proceeds to put your product in their cart. Now you have a consistent contact for your CRM. But trouble strikes! Your lead abandons their shopping cart items. So what do you do? Your system automatically fires off a $5 off coupon in order to get them to convert. They make the sale, and your numbers go up. Test email campaigns Email is the bread and butter of a marketing automation funnel. But no two customers are exactly alike, and your email shouldn’t be either. Though it’s nigh impossible to send custom emails to everyone, most MA software allows for A/B testing to help you better segment and target the right lead. A/B testing (sometimes called split testing or bucket testing) is where you compare two or more things against one another to determine which one performs better. So, with A/B testing, users will often take small segments of their customer pool and fire off two different emails in order to gauge interest. Usually, this means checking open rates and link clicks. Testing the impact of your automated emails means a higher ROI since you already know whether or not they’re going to be valuable to the customer and return profits to your pocket. Generate significant ROI Automated marketing software is touted for its effectiveness and significant return on investment. And while it won’t work for everyone (because your business has unique needs), MA software can be adapted to meet most customers’ needs. How does it generate significant ROI though? Well, when you have a list of loyal subscribers, MA software does all the work of marketing for you — a kind of “set it and forget it” approach to your marketing process. It can turn an inactive list of subscribers into an active, converting and diligent list, freeing your team up to work on additional projects. Improve lead nurturing Lead nurturing is an essential part of the buyer’s journey. When you nurture a lead, you drip effective, useful and personalized content out in a way that encourages leads to stay engaged up until the point of conversion. You can probably see how automation software can play a role in this, right? When you’ve got a curated list of customers, you can send out scheduled content and hit your leads at the right time in their buyer’s journey. Lead nurturing can take an ordinary lead and turn them into highly qualified leads through a few methods: Articles Whitepapers Webinars E-learning content All sent automatically and without user intervention. Increase customer retention Customers don’t like being forgotten. One primary use of marketing automation is building and maintaining contact with user lists, ensuring past customers become repeat customers. Users of MA software can schedule weekly or monthly offers to their user lists, enticing them to convert again. After all, the best customers are your existing customers. FAQs Is My Business Ready for MA Software? MA software is a game-changer for a lot of businesses. The power of constant and consistent contact has been shown time and time again to be successful, but not all companies are at a stage where they’re ready for MA software. If your business has Large, inactive emailing lists An overworked marketing department Room in the budget Little to no repeat customers then your business might be ready for marketing automation. When Should I Invest in Marketing Automation? If you’ve got a steady stream of content coming down the pipe that you want to communicate to users, then you might want to start thinking about a new software purchase. There are a few additional factors to think about: Are you tracking your leads? Do you have a steady stream of content? Are your leads highly qualified? Is your content plan mapped out to the buyer’s journey? Can Marketing Automation Lose Customers? YES. Marketing automation can be good, or it can be bad, and I think we all know what bad marketing automation looks like: it’s constant, spammy emails that damage your brand’s reputation. It’s bombarding your site visitors with CTAs and signup windows. It’s not taking into account the direct needs of your clients and customers, and blasting out generic emails. Good automation takes into account the needs and wants of your customers from a number of different sources, and provides consistent value to them. The most effective marketing automation doesn’t just rely on email either. It takes advantage of a number of different communication channels to reach leads. How Do I Select a Marketing Automation Software? When you’re picking a marketing automation platform, there’s plenty of things to consider. First and foremost: your organization’s needs. No company has the same exact needs as the other, so there is no easy solution. Luckily, we’ve created a tool that can help you shortlist your requirements, and you might do well to consult our marketing automation requirements article to get a general idea of your needs and wants. Once you’ve got your requirements down, you’ll have to start an RFP — and that’s a process in of itself. Luckily we’ve also got a guide for putting together a marketing automation RFP. Read More Resources for Software Selection Product Directory Requirements Template In-Depth Comparison Report Pricing Guide CRM Salesforce Automation Most Popular Articles MA Popular Articles Pardot vs Marketo: Which Marketing Automation Software is the Winner? Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement vs. HubSpot: Which Tool Is the Winner Marketing Automation Features and Requirements Checklist The Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms Of 2024 The Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide Recent Articles Recent MA Articles9 Must-Have Restaurant Marketing Tools In 2024HubSpot vs Marketo: Which is the Winner for Your Business?Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: Which Software is the Winner?Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between ThemThe Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide See More Confidence Comes from Data Marketing automation software selection is complex and beset with problems for both IT buyers and solution providers. We do three things to make it fast and simple: FREE Software Selection Platform Our platform provides best-practices, including requirements templates & vendor comparisons, to help you make the right decisions for your unique needs, in a fraction of the time. Try it FREE. Start Selecting Software Aggregated Reviews We have collected every software review available online, crunched every last word using our proprietary Sentiment Analysis algorithms, all so we can tell you how a software product is viewed in its marketplace, retrospectively. Get Marketing Automation Software Reviews Professional Analysis We relentlessly collect and analyze data about software, then compile and share it so every company in has the same access to the information. The information we gain is then used in our Software Selection platform to help you find the right software. See Analyst’s Top Marketing Automation Picks Your Guides Our industry journalists proudly distill the helpful information you read on SelectHub, always on the mission to share what matters to you can make your best decisions independently. Marketing automation articles are written and edited by: Zachary Totah Content Manager As SelectHub’s Content Manager, Zachary Totah leads a team of more than 35 writers and editors in their quest to provide content that helps software buyers find the right system for their company. Show More Hunter Lowe Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst Hunter Lowe is a Content Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. He writes content for Construction, Inventory, Warehouse, and Supply Chain Management. Show More Camille Graham Technical Content Writer and Research Analyst A technical content writer and research analyst, Camille joined the SelectHub team in the summer of 2021. Show More Divya Dugar Market Analyst Divya Dugar is a Market Analyst at SelectHub. She writes content for ERP, Medical and Construction. Show More Hayleigh Breeze Technical Writer As one of SelectHub’s Technical Writers, Hayleigh researches and writes informational marketing and insurance content. Show More Thought Leaders SelectHub has sought out and invited thought leaders to contribute to our marketing automation industry articles and resources. These thought leaders ensure we deliver quality content with the most accurate information, focusing on what matters most. No thought leader is compensated for their contributions, but shares our belief that information should be democratized so everyone can make the best decision. Ardath Albee B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO Ardath Albee is a B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO of her firm, Marketing Interactions, Inc., who helps companies with complex sales Show More × Ardath Albee B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO Ardath Albee is a B2B Marketing Strategist and CEO of her firm, Marketing Interactions, Inc., who helps companies with complex sales turn prospects into buyers and convince customers to stay with persona-driven content marketing strategies. Ardath is the author of Digital Relevance: Developing Marketing Content and Strategies that Drive Results and eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale. She is a frequent industry speaker and workshop leader, and you’ll often find her on the lists of the top B2B content marketing experts to follow. You’ll find her on Twitter @ardath421. Doug Kessler Co-Founder and Creative Director, Velocity Partners Doug Kessler is co-founder and creative director of Velocity Partners, the London- and New York-based B2B content marketing agency (a Content Marketing Institute Agency of the Year). Show More × Doug Kessler Co-Founder and Creative Director, Velocity Partners Doug Kessler is co-founder and creative director of Velocity Partners, the London- and New York-based B2B content marketing agency (a Content Marketing Institute Agency of the Year). Doug has written a lot about content marketing including the B2B Content Strategy Checklist; Insane Honesty in Content Marketing; Crap: The Content Marketing Deluge; and A Stakeholder Through the Heart. Andy Crestodina Co-Founder and CMO, Orbit Media Andy Crestodina is a co-founder and CMO of Orbit Media, an award-winning 38-person digital agency in Chicago. Show More × Andy Crestodina Co-Founder and CMO, Orbit Media Andy Crestodina is a Co-Founder and CMO of Orbit Media, an award-winning 38-person digital agency in Chicago. Over the past 18 years, Andy’s provided guidance to 1000+ businesses. He speaks at national marketing conferences, writes for big marketing blogs and hosts a little podcast. Andy has written hundreds of articles on content strategy, SEO, influencer marketing, conversion and Analytics. Top 10 Online Marketing Experts, Forbes Top 50 Marketing Influencer, Entrepreneur Magazine Top 25 Content Marketers, Express Writers/Buzzsumo Top 10 Social Media Influencers, Social Media Explorer He is also the author of Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing. Bryan Eisenberg Co-Founder, BuyerLegends Bryan Eisenberg the co-founder of BuyerLegends and is the co-author of the Wall Street Journal & New York Times bestselling books “Call to Action”, “Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?”, “Always Be Testing” and “Buyer Legends: Show More × Bryan Eisenberg Co-Founder, BuyerLegends Companies routinely have Revenue Blind Spots that cost them 10-30% of their revenue. Optimization expert, Bryan Eisenberg and his brother Jeffrey have helped companies increase sales by over a billion dollars using their Persuasive Momentum framework. They coach and train hundreds of companies like Google, NBC Universal and Health Insurance Innovations. They help sell products as diverse as SaaS software, eyeglass frames, and pig sperm. They help you to anticipate what customers need and how to innovate, staying ahead of them. Bryan Eisenberg the co-founder of BuyerLegends and is the co-author of the Wall Street Journal & New York Times bestselling books “Call to Action”, “Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?”, “Always Be Testing” and "Buyer Legends: The Executive Storytellers Guide". Bryan has been the keynote speaker for Shop.org, Direct Marketing Association, E-consultancy, Microsoft, the Canadian Marketing Association and hundreds of other events across the globe. He is also the co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Web Analytics Association. Bryan serves as an advisory board member of several venture capital backed startup companies (ie. Bazaarvoice, Monetate, UserTesting.com, BoostMedia, Sightly, Runa etc.). Bryan, an award winning blogger and author, was recognized by eConsultancy members as one of the top 10 User Experience Gurus, a winner of the Marketing Edge's Rising Stars Awards and a member of the inaugural iMedia Top 25 Marketers. Bryan has been featured expert by The Wall Street Journal and the The New York Times and been quoted in Advertising Age, CNN, Forrester Research, Jupiter Research, Miami Herald, Publish, Internet Advertising Report (IAR), Chicago Business Tribune, Inc Magazine, Entrepreneur, Target Marketing, DM News, Microsoft’s bCentral, Smart Money & Internet Retailer for his thought leadership in the critical area of internet marketing and landing page optimization & online conversion rates. Kristin Connell B2B Marketing Strategist and Director of Growth Strategy, Sojourn Solutions Kristin Connell is the Director of Growth Strategy at Sojourn Solutions, a leading marketing operations consultancy recognized on Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Company in America in 2019. Show More × Kristin Connell B2B Marketing Strategist and Director of Growth Strategy at Sojourn Solutions Kristin Connell is the Director of Growth Strategy at Sojourn Solutions, a leading marketing operations consultancy recognized on Inc. 5000's list of Fastest-Growing Company in America in 2019. Over the past 15 years, Kristin's provided both strategic and hands-on help to hundreds of businesses like Nasdaq, PBS Kids, Quest Diagnostics, Siemens, Fifth Third Bank, and ADP. Kristin has been recognized by the industry and her peers as a Top Influencer in Marketing Automation, B2B Marketing Technology, and Sales Lead Management. Kristin is the founder of BC20 - an organization dedicated to advocating for youth heart health - and is a board member at Johnson County HeartSafe Foundation. Michael Leander Chief Executive Officer at Markedu Michael Leander is the founder of Markedu and an award winning speaker and trainer. Considered a pioneer and innovator in CRM Show More × Michael Leander Chief Executive Officer at Markedu Michael Leander is the founder of Markedu and an award winning speaker and trainer. Considered a pioneer and innovator in CRM, email marketing and marketing automation (martech), Michael Leander has helped 100’s of brands achieve outstanding ROI through data-driven marketing programs. His work has been referenced in over 500 academic papers and countless publications around the world. Hailing from one of the happiest nations in the world, Michael Leander is passionate about consulting, teaching and helping businesses in developing countries. Widely implemented marketing planning methodologies such as ABOA and AIDEA were developed by Mr. Leander. Most Recent Articles 9 Must-Have Restaurant Marketing Tools In 2024 Being a restaurateur means handling more roles than directors of Marvel films. Sometimes the end product opens to great reviews, and sometimes the response is less than ideal (looking at you “The Eternals”). Regardless of the initial reception, making your restaurant stand out from the crowd is a never-ending battle. Luckily, in the dot.com age, marketing automation tools make all that responsibility juggling a bit easier. Here are our picks for the best marketing tools you can utilize to boost visibility and bookings. Read More HubSpot vs Marketo: Which is the Winner for Your Business? There is perhaps no greater matchup in the world of marketing automation software than HubSpot vs Marketo. Any reasonable person might look at this question — comparing two of the most well-known marketing automation platforms — and shrink away. Because how could you compare the inbound marketing titan that is HubSpot to Adobe’s darling Marketo? Well, not only do we have an intuitive comparison report (found at the button below), but we’re also arming you with this guide, written from the heart, with love. Read More Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: Which Software is the Winner? Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: no matter the outcome, the consumer (you) is the one who wins. Marketing automation software, as you might know, is industry-shattering tools that assist marketers in their day-to-day tasks. In fact, we might call them a marketer’s best friend. Naturally, you’d like to get right to choosing one, but your business has unique needs that need to be addressed first. That’s why we’re going to go step-by-step in assessing three industry-leading tools so that you can decide for yourself. Read More Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them Almost every business uses email marketing to build and maintain relationships with prospects and customers. If you’re already using email marketing to reach out to a targeted audience and sustain a connection with the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, it may be time to take it to the next level. Marketing automation software tracks visitor activity throughout your domain so that you can encourage prospects to continue down your sales funnel. Read More The Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide Marketing automation platforms fuel the business marketing engine and propel it to success. They automate and track marketing workflows across multiple channels, working tirelessly to generate, nurture and convert leads into customers. However, finding the right solution is complicated and confusing, with many vendors claiming perfection. Our marketing automation platform comparison guide cuts through the noise and introduces you to the top five industry leaders’ features, benefits and limitations. Read More 24 Digital Marketing KPIs And Metrics: A Comprehensive Guide Ever feel like you’re clutching at proverbial data straws to justify marketing spends? Welcome to the wonderful world of digital marketing. Juggling data on conversions versus clicks versus impressions from marketing automation software can feel like you’re doing everything and nothing all at once. But fear not, intrepid marketer! Understanding digital marketing KPIs is your life raft in this data deluge. We’ll give you the rundown on which KPIs matter most, offer best practice insights, and help you navigate the software tools you need to conquer the market. So, grab your metaphorical floaties, and let’s dive in! Read More Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo Competitors: Analysis of Top Alternatives Businesses are evolving and so are their needs. With changing times, your business needs to adapt to various advancements — one of them being automation. Marketing automation software is a necessity for businesses to eliminate mundane tasks, increase productivity and achieve better ROI. Popular solutions like Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo may be top-of-the-line programs, but there are several strong competitors you should consider. Looking at alternatives helps understand a range of similar products and their features against your marketing requirements. We put together a list Eloqua, Pardot, and Marketo competitors to help you do just that. Read More Understanding the Marketing Automation Landscape From chatbots to big data, the marketing automation landscape looks more diverse and crowded every year. That’s why having a marketing automation strategy is less of a perk and now more of a requirement when it comes to owning a business. Customers come to your business through a multitude of channels. Tracking individual behaviors and engagement on each of these channels poses an enormous challenge, which is why the majority of companies are turning to marketing automation software to collect, interpret and respond to consumer data in a way that encourages consistent movement through the sales funnel. Read More AWeber vs Mailchimp: Which Software is the Right One for You? Marketing is a tricky business. Among the many moving parts is email marketing, a central part of marketing automation software and a key pillar in your strategy. Once you’re sure that your business needs an email marketing solution, it’s time to start searching – and that’s where things can get complicated. With plenty of choices and the unique features of each product, it’s difficult to zero in on one. To make the process easier, we’ve put together a detailed study of two of the best-known email marketing platforms, AWeber vs Mailchimp. Read More Marketing Automation Features and Requirements Checklist Do you find it challenging to manage your multiple marketing campaigns simultaneously and get consistent leads and conversions? Marketing automation software can change that. An internal survey by Salesforce revealed that using marketing automation increased lead volume by 27%, lead conversion by 30% and marketing return on investment (ROI) by more than 25%. However, you must understand the key marketing automation features you require to select the right solution. The checklist below covers the top requirements to get you started! Read More Marketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner? As many vendor experts would point out, marketing automation is more than just “guided email”. It’s a complex, supportive system of lifecycle marketing assistance. Marketing automation brings together things like keyword handling, lead generation and email marketing customization with other components that help shepherd customers toward conversion, and bring more power to internal sales and management teams. Read More HubSpot vs Infusionsoft: Which Product is the Winner? If you’re trying to compare HubSpot vs Infusionsoft by Keap — two heavyweights in the realm of marketing automation software — then you certainly don’t want to go it alone. Powerful marketing automation tools like these two pretty pieces of software, naturally, do a lot of things in one package. So we’ve crunched the numbers, ran the tests, and pitted these two apps against one another so you can make the best, independent decision for your business. And if you need a bit of help? We’ve also got you covered with the link down below. Read More How To Create a Marketing Automation RFP The year was 1991. Marching through a busy office full of cubicles and pagers would never entail overhearing the words “marketing automation RFP.” Because, of course, there was no marketing automation software to speak of. It was all done by hand. Then 1992 came along, and Unica — the world’s first marketing automation software — was released. An entire industry seemingly changed overnight. Read More Enterprise Marketing Automation vs Marketing Automation for Small Businesses Marketing is the lifeblood of any business, and tons of resources are dedicated to carrying out this function. Many of the tasks in marketing are repetitive and predictable regardless of the size of the business operations. These tasks may include basic functions such as scheduling email messages and social media posts, organizing the contacts directory and managing content. A feedback system and the ability to track customers’ activities as they move through the marketing funnel are some of the functions that have been automated to generate data that can be analyzed to measure the impact of marketing strategies. Read More Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement vs. HubSpot: Which Tool Is the Winner Picking between marketing automation tools can feel like picking your favorite Avenger. Each has unique strengths and weaknesses; personal preference and outlying factors can tip the scales heavily in favor of one character (Iron Man). Do you wish you could crunch the numbers and see a leaderboard ranking? Look no further for an objective, quantitative assessment of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) vs. HubSpot. Our analysts determined that HubSpot takes the top spot in this match-up! Read on for a detailed analysis of each product’s features and capabilities. Read More 16 Vital Workflows to Upgrade Your Marketing Automation Processes Unfortunately (or fortunately), the majority of marketing isn’t what you see on “Mad Men.” Today, marketers focus on a 5×3 inch smartphone to generate leads, re-engage past clients and boost visibility. But manually sending emails, running campaigns, segmenting leads and typing in customer names is the modern-day equivalent of a Sisyphean task. Let your marketing automation software do the work for you. Here are 16 essential marketing automation workflows to optimize your digital marketing efforts. Read More What is a Customer Data Platform? Ultimate Guide Customer data platforms, or CDPs, are words you might have heard thrown around in marketing automation discussions. And we know that marketing (especially on the automated front) is flush with data already. Yet, so much of that data remains worlds apart and disconnected from other strategic points of information. That’s where CDPs step in. We’ll take a dive into emerging technology and examine how these new data platforms assist marketers and marketing automation as a whole. We’ll also share a list of our top CDP products to kickstart your software evaluation. Read More The Best Marketing Automation For Small Business In 2024 Running marketing campaigns for a business is definitely not easy — it calls for doing multiple tasks simultaneously and requires you to do certain tasks that accelerate your business on a daily basis. This is even more challenging for small businesses that run on tight budgets. The good news is, even small businesses can utilize marketing automation software and perform efficiently without worrying about their budgets. Read on for more information about marketing automation for small businesses. Read More The Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms Of 2024 Email marketing is the best tool in marketing automation software’s belt. Creating fun, informative and engaging email campaigns is one of an inbound marketer’s most effective methods for gathering leads and retaining customers. As such, a dynamic email service provider is key to the success of your email marketing. But which is the best enterprise email marketing software? Let’s take a look! Read More Demand Generation vs Lead Generation: Comparison of the Difference Between Them Demand generation vs lead generation — they’re not as opposed as the “vs” might have you think. Demand generation and lead generation are like peanut butter and jelly in the marketing and marketing automation world. They’re different (and tasty), but work well in tandem with one another, just like their legume and grape-based counterparts. And in the ever-changing industry of digital marketing and marketing automation software, these two concepts represent pillars of stability. Read More1 2 Next →
9 Must-Have Restaurant Marketing Tools In 2024 Being a restaurateur means handling more roles than directors of Marvel films. Sometimes the end product opens to great reviews, and sometimes the response is less than ideal (looking at you “The Eternals”). Regardless of the initial reception, making your restaurant stand out from the crowd is a never-ending battle. Luckily, in the dot.com age, marketing automation tools make all that responsibility juggling a bit easier. Here are our picks for the best marketing tools you can utilize to boost visibility and bookings. Read More
HubSpot vs Marketo: Which is the Winner for Your Business? There is perhaps no greater matchup in the world of marketing automation software than HubSpot vs Marketo. Any reasonable person might look at this question — comparing two of the most well-known marketing automation platforms — and shrink away. Because how could you compare the inbound marketing titan that is HubSpot to Adobe’s darling Marketo? Well, not only do we have an intuitive comparison report (found at the button below), but we’re also arming you with this guide, written from the heart, with love. Read More
Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: Which Software is the Winner? Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: no matter the outcome, the consumer (you) is the one who wins. Marketing automation software, as you might know, is industry-shattering tools that assist marketers in their day-to-day tasks. In fact, we might call them a marketer’s best friend. Naturally, you’d like to get right to choosing one, but your business has unique needs that need to be addressed first. That’s why we’re going to go step-by-step in assessing three industry-leading tools so that you can decide for yourself. Read More
Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them Almost every business uses email marketing to build and maintain relationships with prospects and customers. If you’re already using email marketing to reach out to a targeted audience and sustain a connection with the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, it may be time to take it to the next level. Marketing automation software tracks visitor activity throughout your domain so that you can encourage prospects to continue down your sales funnel. Read More
The Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide Marketing automation platforms fuel the business marketing engine and propel it to success. They automate and track marketing workflows across multiple channels, working tirelessly to generate, nurture and convert leads into customers. However, finding the right solution is complicated and confusing, with many vendors claiming perfection. Our marketing automation platform comparison guide cuts through the noise and introduces you to the top five industry leaders’ features, benefits and limitations. Read More
24 Digital Marketing KPIs And Metrics: A Comprehensive Guide Ever feel like you’re clutching at proverbial data straws to justify marketing spends? Welcome to the wonderful world of digital marketing. Juggling data on conversions versus clicks versus impressions from marketing automation software can feel like you’re doing everything and nothing all at once. But fear not, intrepid marketer! Understanding digital marketing KPIs is your life raft in this data deluge. We’ll give you the rundown on which KPIs matter most, offer best practice insights, and help you navigate the software tools you need to conquer the market. So, grab your metaphorical floaties, and let’s dive in! Read More
Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo Competitors: Analysis of Top Alternatives Businesses are evolving and so are their needs. With changing times, your business needs to adapt to various advancements — one of them being automation. Marketing automation software is a necessity for businesses to eliminate mundane tasks, increase productivity and achieve better ROI. Popular solutions like Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo may be top-of-the-line programs, but there are several strong competitors you should consider. Looking at alternatives helps understand a range of similar products and their features against your marketing requirements. We put together a list Eloqua, Pardot, and Marketo competitors to help you do just that. Read More
Understanding the Marketing Automation Landscape From chatbots to big data, the marketing automation landscape looks more diverse and crowded every year. That’s why having a marketing automation strategy is less of a perk and now more of a requirement when it comes to owning a business. Customers come to your business through a multitude of channels. Tracking individual behaviors and engagement on each of these channels poses an enormous challenge, which is why the majority of companies are turning to marketing automation software to collect, interpret and respond to consumer data in a way that encourages consistent movement through the sales funnel. Read More
AWeber vs Mailchimp: Which Software is the Right One for You? Marketing is a tricky business. Among the many moving parts is email marketing, a central part of marketing automation software and a key pillar in your strategy. Once you’re sure that your business needs an email marketing solution, it’s time to start searching – and that’s where things can get complicated. With plenty of choices and the unique features of each product, it’s difficult to zero in on one. To make the process easier, we’ve put together a detailed study of two of the best-known email marketing platforms, AWeber vs Mailchimp. Read More
Marketing Automation Features and Requirements Checklist Do you find it challenging to manage your multiple marketing campaigns simultaneously and get consistent leads and conversions? Marketing automation software can change that. An internal survey by Salesforce revealed that using marketing automation increased lead volume by 27%, lead conversion by 30% and marketing return on investment (ROI) by more than 25%. However, you must understand the key marketing automation features you require to select the right solution. The checklist below covers the top requirements to get you started! Read More
Marketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner? As many vendor experts would point out, marketing automation is more than just “guided email”. It’s a complex, supportive system of lifecycle marketing assistance. Marketing automation brings together things like keyword handling, lead generation and email marketing customization with other components that help shepherd customers toward conversion, and bring more power to internal sales and management teams. Read More
HubSpot vs Infusionsoft: Which Product is the Winner? If you’re trying to compare HubSpot vs Infusionsoft by Keap — two heavyweights in the realm of marketing automation software — then you certainly don’t want to go it alone. Powerful marketing automation tools like these two pretty pieces of software, naturally, do a lot of things in one package. So we’ve crunched the numbers, ran the tests, and pitted these two apps against one another so you can make the best, independent decision for your business. And if you need a bit of help? We’ve also got you covered with the link down below. Read More
How To Create a Marketing Automation RFP The year was 1991. Marching through a busy office full of cubicles and pagers would never entail overhearing the words “marketing automation RFP.” Because, of course, there was no marketing automation software to speak of. It was all done by hand. Then 1992 came along, and Unica — the world’s first marketing automation software — was released. An entire industry seemingly changed overnight. Read More
Enterprise Marketing Automation vs Marketing Automation for Small Businesses Marketing is the lifeblood of any business, and tons of resources are dedicated to carrying out this function. Many of the tasks in marketing are repetitive and predictable regardless of the size of the business operations. These tasks may include basic functions such as scheduling email messages and social media posts, organizing the contacts directory and managing content. A feedback system and the ability to track customers’ activities as they move through the marketing funnel are some of the functions that have been automated to generate data that can be analyzed to measure the impact of marketing strategies. Read More
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement vs. HubSpot: Which Tool Is the Winner Picking between marketing automation tools can feel like picking your favorite Avenger. Each has unique strengths and weaknesses; personal preference and outlying factors can tip the scales heavily in favor of one character (Iron Man). Do you wish you could crunch the numbers and see a leaderboard ranking? Look no further for an objective, quantitative assessment of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) vs. HubSpot. Our analysts determined that HubSpot takes the top spot in this match-up! Read on for a detailed analysis of each product’s features and capabilities. Read More
16 Vital Workflows to Upgrade Your Marketing Automation Processes Unfortunately (or fortunately), the majority of marketing isn’t what you see on “Mad Men.” Today, marketers focus on a 5×3 inch smartphone to generate leads, re-engage past clients and boost visibility. But manually sending emails, running campaigns, segmenting leads and typing in customer names is the modern-day equivalent of a Sisyphean task. Let your marketing automation software do the work for you. Here are 16 essential marketing automation workflows to optimize your digital marketing efforts. Read More
What is a Customer Data Platform? Ultimate Guide Customer data platforms, or CDPs, are words you might have heard thrown around in marketing automation discussions. And we know that marketing (especially on the automated front) is flush with data already. Yet, so much of that data remains worlds apart and disconnected from other strategic points of information. That’s where CDPs step in. We’ll take a dive into emerging technology and examine how these new data platforms assist marketers and marketing automation as a whole. We’ll also share a list of our top CDP products to kickstart your software evaluation. Read More
The Best Marketing Automation For Small Business In 2024 Running marketing campaigns for a business is definitely not easy — it calls for doing multiple tasks simultaneously and requires you to do certain tasks that accelerate your business on a daily basis. This is even more challenging for small businesses that run on tight budgets. The good news is, even small businesses can utilize marketing automation software and perform efficiently without worrying about their budgets. Read on for more information about marketing automation for small businesses. Read More
The Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms Of 2024 Email marketing is the best tool in marketing automation software’s belt. Creating fun, informative and engaging email campaigns is one of an inbound marketer’s most effective methods for gathering leads and retaining customers. As such, a dynamic email service provider is key to the success of your email marketing. But which is the best enterprise email marketing software? Let’s take a look! Read More
Demand Generation vs Lead Generation: Comparison of the Difference Between Them Demand generation vs lead generation — they’re not as opposed as the “vs” might have you think. Demand generation and lead generation are like peanut butter and jelly in the marketing and marketing automation world. They’re different (and tasty), but work well in tandem with one another, just like their legume and grape-based counterparts. And in the ever-changing industry of digital marketing and marketing automation software, these two concepts represent pillars of stability. Read More
Marketing Automation 9 Must-Have Restaurant Marketing Tools In 2024 By Christina George Marketing Automation No comments August 28, 2024 Being a restaurateur means handling more roles than directors of Marvel films. Sometimes the end product opens to great reviews, and sometimes the response is less than ideal (looking at you “The Eternals”). Regardless of the initial reception, making your restaurant stand out from the crowd is a never-ending battle. Luckily, in the dot.com age, marketing automation tools make all that responsibility juggling a bit easier. Here are our picks for the best marketing tools you can utilize to boost visibility and bookings. Christina George9 Must-Have Restaurant Marketing Tools In 202408.28.2024read more
Marketing Automation HubSpot vs Marketo: Which is the Winner for Your Business? By Jason Keller Marketing Automation 2 comments August 26, 2024 There is perhaps no greater matchup in the world of marketing automation software than HubSpot vs Marketo. Any reasonable person might look at this question — comparing two of the most well-known marketing automation platforms — and shrink away. Because how could you compare the inbound marketing titan that is HubSpot to Adobe’s darling Marketo? Well, not only do we have an intuitive comparison report (found at the button below), but we’re also arming you with this guide, written from the heart, with love. Jason KellerHubSpot vs Marketo: Which is the Winner for Your Business?08.26.2024read more
Marketing Automation Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: Which Software is the Winner? By Jason Keller Marketing Automation No comments August 21, 2024 Act-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: no matter the outcome, the consumer (you) is the one who wins. Marketing automation software, as you might know, is industry-shattering tools that assist marketers in their day-to-day tasks. In fact, we might call them a marketer’s best friend. Naturally, you’d like to get right to choosing one, but your business has unique needs that need to be addressed first. That’s why we’re going to go step-by-step in assessing three industry-leading tools so that you can decide for yourself. Jason KellerAct-On vs HubSpot vs Pardot: Which Software is the Winner?08.21.2024read more
Marketing Automation Email Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them By SelectHub Marketing Automation 1 comment August 21, 2024 Almost every business uses email marketing to build and maintain relationships with prospects and customers. If you’re already using email marketing to reach out to a targeted audience and sustain a connection with the people who are most likely to buy your products or services, it may be time to take it to the next level. Marketing automation software tracks visitor activity throughout your domain so that you can encourage prospects to continue down your sales funnel. SelectHubEmail Marketing vs Marketing Automation: A Comparison of the Differences Between Them08.21.2024read more
Marketing Automation The Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide By Shweta Joshi Marketing Automation 16 comments Last Reviewed: September 22, 2024 Marketing automation platforms fuel the business marketing engine and propel it to success. They automate and track marketing workflows across multiple channels, working tirelessly to generate, nurture and convert leads into customers. However, finding the right solution is complicated and confusing, with many vendors claiming perfection. Our marketing automation platform comparison guide cuts through the noise and introduces you to the top five industry leaders’ features, benefits and limitations. Shweta JoshiThe Best Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison Guide08.20.2024read more
Marketing Automation 24 Digital Marketing KPIs And Metrics: A Comprehensive Guide By Christina George Marketing Automation No comments Last Reviewed: September 19, 2024 Ever feel like you’re clutching at proverbial data straws to justify marketing spends? Welcome to the wonderful world of digital marketing. Juggling data on conversions versus clicks versus impressions from marketing automation software can feel like you’re doing everything and nothing all at once. But fear not, intrepid marketer! Understanding digital marketing KPIs is your life raft in this data deluge. We’ll give you the rundown on which KPIs matter most, offer best practice insights, and help you navigate the software tools you need to conquer the market. So, grab your metaphorical floaties, and let’s dive in! Christina George24 Digital Marketing KPIs And Metrics: A Comprehensive Guide08.06.2024read more
Marketing Automation Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo Competitors: Analysis of Top Alternatives By Pragya Haryani Marketing Automation No comments August 6, 2024 Businesses are evolving and so are their needs. With changing times, your business needs to adapt to various advancements — one of them being automation. Marketing automation software is a necessity for businesses to eliminate mundane tasks, increase productivity and achieve better ROI. Popular solutions like Eloqua, Pardot and Marketo may be top-of-the-line programs, but there are several strong competitors you should consider. Looking at alternatives helps understand a range of similar products and their features against your marketing requirements. We put together a list Eloqua, Pardot, and Marketo competitors to help you do just that. Pragya HaryaniEloqua, Pardot and Marketo Competitors: Analysis of Top Alternatives08.06.2024read more
Marketing Automation Understanding the Marketing Automation Landscape By Jason Keller Marketing Automation 2 comments August 2, 2024 From chatbots to big data, the marketing automation landscape looks more diverse and crowded every year. That’s why having a marketing automation strategy is less of a perk and now more of a requirement when it comes to owning a business. Customers come to your business through a multitude of channels. Tracking individual behaviors and engagement on each of these channels poses an enormous challenge, which is why the majority of companies are turning to marketing automation software to collect, interpret and respond to consumer data in a way that encourages consistent movement through the sales funnel. Jason KellerUnderstanding the Marketing Automation Landscape08.02.2024read more
Marketing Automation AWeber vs Mailchimp: Which Software is the Right One for You? By Pritha Basu Marketing Automation No comments July 31, 2024 Marketing is a tricky business. Among the many moving parts is email marketing, a central part of marketing automation software and a key pillar in your strategy. Once you’re sure that your business needs an email marketing solution, it’s time to start searching – and that’s where things can get complicated. With plenty of choices and the unique features of each product, it’s difficult to zero in on one. To make the process easier, we’ve put together a detailed study of two of the best-known email marketing platforms, AWeber vs Mailchimp. Pritha BasuAWeber vs Mailchimp: Which Software is the Right One for You?07.31.2024read more
Marketing Automation Marketing Automation Features and Requirements Checklist By Shweta Joshi Marketing Automation 2 comments Last Reviewed: September 19, 2024 Do you find it challenging to manage your multiple marketing campaigns simultaneously and get consistent leads and conversions? Marketing automation software can change that. An internal survey by Salesforce revealed that using marketing automation increased lead volume by 27%, lead conversion by 30% and marketing return on investment (ROI) by more than 25%. However, you must understand the key marketing automation features you require to select the right solution. The checklist below covers the top requirements to get you started! Shweta JoshiMarketing Automation Features and Requirements Checklist07.30.2024read more
Marketing Automation Marketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner? By Jason Keller Marketing Automation No comments July 30, 2024 As many vendor experts would point out, marketing automation is more than just “guided email”. It’s a complex, supportive system of lifecycle marketing assistance. Marketing automation brings together things like keyword handling, lead generation and email marketing customization with other components that help shepherd customers toward conversion, and bring more power to internal sales and management teams. Jason KellerMarketo vs Eloqua vs Hubspot: Who is the Winner?07.30.2024read more
Marketing Automation HubSpot vs Infusionsoft: Which Product is the Winner? By Jason Keller Marketing Automation No comments Last Reviewed: November 18, 2024 If you’re trying to compare HubSpot vs Infusionsoft by Keap — two heavyweights in the realm of marketing automation software — then you certainly don’t want to go it alone. Powerful marketing automation tools like these two pretty pieces of software, naturally, do a lot of things in one package. So we’ve crunched the numbers, ran the tests, and pitted these two apps against one another so you can make the best, independent decision for your business. And if you need a bit of help? We’ve also got you covered with the link down below. Jason KellerHubSpot vs Infusionsoft: Which Product is the Winner?07.29.2024read more
Marketing Automation How To Create a Marketing Automation RFP By Christina George Marketing Automation No comments July 25, 2024 The year was 1991. Marching through a busy office full of cubicles and pagers would never entail overhearing the words “marketing automation RFP.” Because, of course, there was no marketing automation software to speak of. It was all done by hand. Then 1992 came along, and Unica — the world’s first marketing automation software — was released. An entire industry seemingly changed overnight. Christina GeorgeHow To Create a Marketing Automation RFP07.25.2024read more
Marketing Automation Enterprise Marketing Automation vs Marketing Automation for Small Businesses By SelectHub Marketing Automation No comments Last Reviewed: November 18, 2024 Marketing is the lifeblood of any business, and tons of resources are dedicated to carrying out this function. Many of the tasks in marketing are repetitive and predictable regardless of the size of the business operations. These tasks may include basic functions such as scheduling email messages and social media posts, organizing the contacts directory and managing content. A feedback system and the ability to track customers’ activities as they move through the marketing funnel are some of the functions that have been automated to generate data that can be analyzed to measure the impact of marketing strategies. SelectHubEnterprise Marketing Automation vs Marketing Automation for Small Businesses07.24.2024read more
Marketing Automation Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement vs. HubSpot: Which Tool Is the Winner By Christina George Marketing Automation 2 comments July 23, 2024 Picking between marketing automation tools can feel like picking your favorite Avenger. Each has unique strengths and weaknesses; personal preference and outlying factors can tip the scales heavily in favor of one character (Iron Man). Do you wish you could crunch the numbers and see a leaderboard ranking? Look no further for an objective, quantitative assessment of Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (formerly Pardot) vs. HubSpot. Our analysts determined that HubSpot takes the top spot in this match-up! Read on for a detailed analysis of each product’s features and capabilities. Christina GeorgeSalesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement vs. HubSpot: Which Tool Is the Winner07.23.2024read more
Marketing Automation 16 Vital Workflows to Upgrade Your Marketing Automation Processes By Christina George Marketing Automation 1 comment July 5, 2024 Unfortunately (or fortunately), the majority of marketing isn’t what you see on “Mad Men.” Today, marketers focus on a 5×3 inch smartphone to generate leads, re-engage past clients and boost visibility. But manually sending emails, running campaigns, segmenting leads and typing in customer names is the modern-day equivalent of a Sisyphean task. Let your marketing automation software do the work for you. Here are 16 essential marketing automation workflows to optimize your digital marketing efforts. Christina George16 Vital Workflows to Upgrade Your Marketing Automation Processes07.05.2024read more
Marketing Automation What is a Customer Data Platform? Ultimate Guide By Pragya Haryani Marketing Automation No comments June 21, 2024 Customer data platforms, or CDPs, are words you might have heard thrown around in marketing automation discussions. And we know that marketing (especially on the automated front) is flush with data already. Yet, so much of that data remains worlds apart and disconnected from other strategic points of information. That’s where CDPs step in. We’ll take a dive into emerging technology and examine how these new data platforms assist marketers and marketing automation as a whole. We’ll also share a list of our top CDP products to kickstart your software evaluation. Pragya HaryaniWhat is a Customer Data Platform? Ultimate Guide06.21.2024read more
Marketing Automation The Best Marketing Automation For Small Business In 2024 By Divya Dugar Marketing Automation No comments Last Reviewed: October 10, 2024 Running marketing campaigns for a business is definitely not easy — it calls for doing multiple tasks simultaneously and requires you to do certain tasks that accelerate your business on a daily basis. This is even more challenging for small businesses that run on tight budgets. The good news is, even small businesses can utilize marketing automation software and perform efficiently without worrying about their budgets. Read on for more information about marketing automation for small businesses. Divya DugarThe Best Marketing Automation For Small Business In 202406.19.2024read more
Marketing Automation The Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms Of 2024 By Divya Dugar Marketing Automation 4 comments June 18, 2024 Email marketing is the best tool in marketing automation software’s belt. Creating fun, informative and engaging email campaigns is one of an inbound marketer’s most effective methods for gathering leads and retaining customers. As such, a dynamic email service provider is key to the success of your email marketing. But which is the best enterprise email marketing software? Let’s take a look! Divya DugarThe Best Enterprise Email Marketing Platforms Of 202406.18.2024read more
Marketing Automation Demand Generation vs Lead Generation: Comparison of the Difference Between Them By Jason Keller Marketing Automation 4 comments Last Reviewed: November 18, 2024 Demand generation vs lead generation — they’re not as opposed as the “vs” might have you think. Demand generation and lead generation are like peanut butter and jelly in the marketing and marketing automation world. They’re different (and tasty), but work well in tandem with one another, just like their legume and grape-based counterparts. And in the ever-changing industry of digital marketing and marketing automation software, these two concepts represent pillars of stability. Jason KellerDemand Generation vs Lead Generation: Comparison of the Difference Between Them06.13.2024read more
Marketing Automation Pardot vs Marketo: Which Marketing Automation Software is the Winner? By Pragya Haryani Marketing Automation 5 comments Last Reviewed: October 9, 2024 Every business can benefit from marketing automation software. The real challenge is determining what’s best for your business. A great place to start is with two leading names in the marketing automation industry: Marketo and Pardot. But when it comes to choosing one, how do you pick? We’ve put together a detailed Marketo vs Pardot comparison to help you out. Pragya HaryaniPardot vs Marketo: Which Marketing Automation Software is the Winner?06.06.2024read more
Marketing Automation Mailchimp vs Constant Contact: Which Tool is Best for You In 2024? By Christina George Marketing Automation No comments June 5, 2024 Choosing between two evenly matched marketing automation tools can feel as precarious as picking your fantasy football team’s captain. Each option is quality, but there are plenty of what-ifs and outlying factors that could impact their performance (or non-performance). Like sizing up quarterbacks on DraftKings, our analysts have done a data drive into Mailchimp vs. Constant Contact. We put these titans through an extensive head-to-head feature analysis, with Mailchimp narrowly claiming the grand prize! Buckle up as we dive into the details of how each tool performed. Christina GeorgeMailchimp vs Constant Contact: Which Tool is Best for You In 2024?06.05.2024read more
Marketing Automation How to Select the Best Marketing Automation Software for B2B Marketers By SelectHub Marketing Automation 1 comment Last Reviewed: May 17, 2024 While there’s a bit of overlap between what B2C marketers do and what B2B marketers do, there are a lot of activities which are done quite a bit differently. For instance, the buying cycle is generally much longer in B2B marketing. Customers typically have to jump through many more hoops to get approval to buy, and you can lose a customer for factors completely outside your control — such as when a new person takes over procurement and already has an established relationship with one of your competitors. SelectHubHow to Select the Best Marketing Automation Software for B2B Marketers09.30.2016read more