How did you choose your marketing platform? For many tickers, the answer lies somewhere between “This is the one we always use” and “I heard about this somewhere.”
It's hard to pin down these reasons as there are some crazy tools out there:
Crazy image past MarketingLand
But the options are overwhelming for a reason. Each marketing technology platform — or martech, because why not — has a different strength for a different type of business. And the benefit of every marker is knowing how to use…well, maybe not all of them, but at least the ones in their vertical.
Here are some of the best martech platforms available in major categories, broken down for SMEs, and enterprises.
Content Management System (CMS)
Yes, that's what your niece uses for her blog. But WordPress is more than just blogging. With a range of options from hosted to self-hosted to tons of unique plugins, you can tailor WordPress to your needs — including your budget — with ease.
And when we say “easily,” we mean without the help of anyone with a Ph. in HTML. And if you get stuck, you can always call your niece.
Analytics
Google dominates the world for a reason. It knows everything that happens on the Internet. (Or close to it, anyway.) That's why Google Analytics is such a powerful analytics tool, even though you don't have to pay for it.
While other paid options offer more in-depth profiles, Google's analytics product is so powerful for small businesses that it inspires citations. like this from Christopher Penn of email marketing firm Blue Sky Factory: “If someone tells you that Google Analytics isn't enough for a small business, they honestly don't know how to use it properly.”
Email Service Provider (ESP)
In one side-by-side comparison ESP features, the biggest advantage of MailChimp goes beyond the page: $0. For small businesses with less than 2,000 subscribers, it's hard to beat.
However, if your company needs to send more than 12,000 emails per month, increase subscribers, or add more features like advanced merge cases and segmentation, the price goes up a bit.
Right up on MailChimp in terms of usability, Constant Contact may not be free, but it does have affordable plans based on low subscriber counts. Plus, all plans include an unlimited number of emails.
However PC Magazine experienced some hiccups in product testing, small businesses can get a lot of great features on a budget from Constant Contact.
CMS
According to CMS Critic Sitefinity is the “first and only CMS” that offers three mobile development strategies namely responsive web design, mobile website and mobile app.
It's also less technical than other CMS platforms aimed at larger companies, so you don't need to be a developer or have an expert on hand to use it. CMS Critic also provides the technology props for its capabilities in e-commerce, multi-site management, and content personalization.
If your cybersecurity concerns outweigh your need for simplicity (and honestly, ) then they might these days) Drupal offers a lot of flexibility and gives you more peace of mind.
The platform has flexible plug-in and hosting options, and while it requires more savvy developers to use, “Drupal leads the way when it comes to CMS security,” according to the report. Entrepreneur's Life .
ESP
For more robust ESP needs than the low-cost options, Campaignner offers some more advanced features like multiple user capabilities and automated segmentation that give you flair. It also offers the unique benefit of 24/7 supported and named phones PC Magazine Editor's Choice for advanced email marketing tools (though it's worth noting that J2 Global, which owns Campaignner, also owns PC Magazine .)
Marketing automation
For mid-sized businesses with a need for martech beyond traditional ESP, a marketing automation platform can provide an all-in-one solution. For example, Marketo offers ESP, social campaign products, analytics, native CRM integration, and business intelligence capabilities.
It is one of the most comprehensive platforms of its kind, including every feature mid-market businesses will need.
In side-by-side comparison , HubSpot and Marketo have a lot in common. The slight difference is that HubSpot has more affordable entry packages, while Marketo ranks slightly higher on some quality criteria like campaign design and editing.
Marketo may have a few more bells and whistles and be a more robust platform, but HubSpot is still well-received. Overall, it can be a more user-friendly option for budget-conscious, growing midsize businesses.
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Both HubSpot and Marketo integrate with Salesforce for customer relationship management. Widely recognized as the largest and most popular CRM software, Salesforce offers ease of use, flexibility in the form of a widely customizable dashboard, and a wealth of functionality, like generation tracking. Lead and forecast sales, track and analyze customer interactions. It is also well known for keeping all customer data safe from security breaches.
CMS
Adobe AEM (aka Adobe CQ)
There's no denying that Adobe's CMS option is expensive — nearly every reviewer mentions the price, often in the millions. But for businesses with big pockets, this functionality can make Adobe CQ an essential tool for marketers.
In Forrester analysis , Adobe's software is highly regarded for cloud deployment, native mobile app support, portfolio integration with marketing and commerce, testing, runtime architecture, and system support Ecological. As the report states: “Adobe has built the best portfolio for companies with the greatest marketing needs.”
Analytics
Standard Google Analytics may suffice for small and medium-sized businesses, but enterprise-level organizations have completely different analytics needs.
Google Analytics Premium provides more detailed data on customer segmentation and shopping behavior; it is also integrated with both Google products and data from non-Google sources. Additionally, it promises hands-on support in the form of a dedicated account manager and ongoing training.
Not all web analytics have to come from Google. IBM Digital Analytics (formerly IBM Coremetrics) provides insights and comparative benchmarks against industry leaders as well as customizable dashboards and actionable data.
Optional add-on IBM Digital Analytics Multisite suitable for IBM Enterprise Marketing Management software.
Oracle offers a wide range of analytics features, including ad-hoc analytics, automated scheduled reports, profitability analysis, and predictive analytics. Software analysis company ITQlick Call it “BI and analytics to beat.”
Predictive analytics
Predictive analytics takes data one step further — and into the future. Lattice Engines uses algorithms to recommend enterprise companies feature selection, data normalization, and predictive models. These powerful tools allow marketers to predict how consumers will behave, including what they are likely to buy and when.
Marketing automation
One of the leading marketing automation platforms for enterprise businesses, Oracle offers granular lead management capabilities, including a two-way lead scoring model and a curve learning is relatively easy compared to platforms of the same kind.
Although the learning curve of the Adobe Campaign does not have a high rate like Eloqua's, it comes with a a wide range of features includes integration with most major CRM platforms. It also has the advantages of integrating with many of Adobe's other marketing solutions for businesses that already leverage the Adobe Marketing Cloud.
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