Skip to main content

With thousands of marketing automation features and software options, it’s no wonder some companies experience “analysis paralysis” and decide to stick with what they know best. 

However, considering that marketing automation is such a vast topic—from email to landing pages to lead scoring—it’s understandable how easy it is for marketers to get overwhelmed when thinking of the must-have features when looking to invest in marketing software.

In this article, I’ll cover the 18 marketing automation features to evaluate as you build and expand your martech stack. We also include some of the top tools for each feature and their marketing software pricing

18 Must-have Marketing Automation Features

When you’re choosing marketing automation software, it helps to know what features you need. Here’s a list of 18 key features to keep in mind as you put together your marketing automation RFP.

1. Marketing Campaign Management

It’s easy for marketing campaigns to get siloed because martech stacks are so big no one person has all the facts. A comprehensive campaign management platform can fix this, allowing you to manage multiple campaigns from the same interface, see high-level performance details, and align marketing and sales teams with the same information.

Marketing campaign management tools help you plan, execute, and monitor omnichannel marketing campaigns. 

For example, HubSpot’s Campaign tool allows you to create tasks, manage multiple campaigns in one place, see your team’s workload from a 30,000-foot view, and leave comments to collaborate with colleagues.

Features include:

  • A/B testing
  • Planning and scheduling
  • Audience segmentation
  • Omnichannel capabilities
  • Campaign performance tracking
  • Resource allocation and budgeting
  • Collaboration tools for team members

Some of the top marketing campaign management tools include:

ToolPricingBest For
HubSpot Marketing HubStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Small to large businesses looking for comprehensive solutions
MarketoStarts at $895/monthMid-size to enterprise-level companies with complex needs
Salesforce Marketing CloudCustom pricing; starts around $1,250/monthLarge enterprises with diverse marketing requirements

2. Email Campaign Management

Email campaign management was one of the first applications of marketing automation, and it’s still the most used. It remains one of the most effective marketing channels around and is critical for businesses of all sizes.

With email automation tools, you can create, schedule, send, and analyze email campaigns and design automated workflows. The more sophisticated platforms in this category offer AI features and dynamic workflow builders. 

For example, Mailchimp’s customer journey builder lets you nudge users along a customer journey based on their behavior, with each action triggering automation.

Features include:

  • Email design and customization
  • List management and segmentation
  • Automated email sequences and drip campaigns
  • Personalization and dynamic content
  • Email scheduling and timing optimization
  • Deliverability monitoring and optimization
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Spam testing and compliance checks

Some of the top email campaign management tools include:

ToolPricingBest For
MailchimpStarts at $13/monthSmall businesses and startups
Constant ContactStarts at $12/monthSmall to medium-sized businesses
BrevoStarts at $9/monthGrowing businesses with diverse needs

3. Lead Generation and Nurturing

No business can survive without leads. But there’s a big difference between yesteryear's chaotic cold-calling campaigns and today's buyer-led sales conversations. The best lead generation strategies put prospects in the driver’s seat, allowing them to become sales-ready at their own pace as they progress through the nurturing workflows you’ve designed.

Modern lead generation platforms focus on lead nurture processes that scale, allowing much of the “warm-up” phase of customer interactions to be automated. 

For example, with ActiveCampaign, you can create complex workflows that send leads to your sales team for follow-up depending on their level of engagement.

Features include:

  • Lead capture forms and pop-ups
  • Landing page creation and optimization
  • Lead scoring and qualification
  • Automated lead nurturing workflows
  • Personalized messaging recommendations
  • Lead activity tracking and engagement monitoring
  • Integration with CRM systems
  • Multi-channel lead nurturing (email, social, retargeting)

Some of the top lead generation and nurturing tools include:

ToolPricingBest For
Salesforce PardotStarts at $1,250/monthB2B companies using Salesforce CRM
ActiveCampaignStarts at $29/monthSmall to medium-sized businesses focused on customer experience
DripStarts at $39/monthEcommerce businesses

4. Social Media Campaign Management

A strong social media presence is an unavoidable fact of modern-day business. But there’s a right way—and a wrong way—to do it. The most effective social media marketing strategies put audience engagement at the forefront, allowing businesses to build meaningful customer relationships while moving toward their marketing goals.

Social media automation platforms focus on streamlining processes that scale, enabling much of the content creation, scheduling, and analysis to be centralized and automated. 

For example, tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social allow you to design comprehensive campaigns across multiple platforms, schedule social media posts for optimal times, and track performance metrics from a single dashboard.

Features include:

  • Content creation and scheduling
  • Social media listening and monitoring
  • Engagement tracking and response management
  • Influencer identification and management
  • Social media advertising integration
  • Performance analytics and reporting
  • Cross-platform content optimization

Some of the top social media campaign management tools include:

ToolPricingBest For
HootsuiteStarts at $99/monthBusinesses of all sizes managing multiple social accounts
Sprout SocialStarts at $249/monthMid-size to large businesses needing advanced analytics
BufferStarts at $12/monthSmall businesses and individuals managing social presence
Stay Up-to-date On All Things Marketing & Leadership.

Stay Up-to-date On All Things Marketing & Leadership.

  • By submitting this form, you agree to receive our newsletter, and occasional emails related to The CMO. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more details, please review our Privacy Policy. We're protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

5. Lead Management and Scoring

Every sales team has its own slightly distinct way of prioritizing leads. Years ago, it was based on sales reps'” gut feelings; today, lead scoring is much more data-based. AI and machine learning technology make assessing lead quality easier than ever and guide your sales team’s focus.

With lead management and scoring features, you can create dynamic, adaptive systems that evolve with your business. 

For example, with Salesforce's Einstein tool, you can implement sophisticated scoring algorithms that consider many factors—from demographic data to engagement history—to predict which leads are most likely to convert accurately. This allows sales teams to focus their efforts where they're most likely to yield results, significantly improving efficiency and conversion rates.

Features include:

  • Lead capture and organization
  • Automated lead scoring based on demographics and behavior
  • Lead assignment and routing
  • Lead activity tracking
  • Customizable scoring models
  • Integration with CRM and sales tools
  • Lead nurturing workflow automation

Some of the top lead management and scoring tools include:

ToolPricingBest For
MarketoStarts at $895/monthMid-size to enterprise-level companies
HubSpotStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Small to large businesses
Salesforce PardotStarts at $1,250/monthB2B companies integrated with Salesforce CRM

6. Tool Integration Capabilities

With martech stacks expanding fast, it’s often a struggle for marketers to sync data between platforms. That makes it hard to take advantage of the full potential of your marketing technology.

Fortunately, these days, it’s simple to connect your platforms and apps to create a seamless flow of data—from email to CRM systems to analytics tools—and use the combined insights to drive better decision-making.

Tools like Zapier allow you to connect a range of apps and automate data flow between them. This saves time, boosts productivity, and provides a holistic view of marketing efforts and customer interactions.

Features include:

  • Pre-built integrations with popular tools (CRM, analytics, e-commerce platforms)
  • API access for custom integrations
  • Data synchronization across platforms
  • Workflow automation across tools
  • Single sign-on capabilities
  • Data mapping and field customization

Some of the top integration-focused marketing automation platforms include:

Tool PricingBest For
ZapierFree plan available, starts at $29.99/monthBusinesses needing to connect various apps and automate workflows
HubSpotStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Companies looking for an all-in-one marketing solution with integrations
SalesforceCustom pricing; starts around $1,250/monthEnterprises requiring robust integration with a wide range of tools

7. Dashboard, Analytics, and Reporting

A critical piece of any marketing automation strategy is adaptability. It’s important to double down on what’s working—and cut what’s not. To do that, you need trustworthy, actionable analytics, ideally with an advanced dashboard and automated insights into campaign performance and ROI.

With analytics tools like DashThis, you can create customized dashboards that aggregate data from multiple sources, giving you a full view of your marketing efforts. Once you’ve got an easy way to review performance, data-driven decision-making becomes easier.

Features include:

  • Customizable dashboards
  • Real-time performance metrics
  • Multi-channel attribution modeling
  • Automated report generation
  • Data visualization tools
  • Predictive analytics
  • Goal tracking and KPI monitoring

Some of the top dashboard, analytics, and reporting platforms include:

ToolPricingBest For
Google AnalyticsFree for the standard version, Google Analytics 360 starts at $150,000/yearBusinesses needing comprehensive web analytics
DashThisStarts at $49/monthSmall and medium-sized businesses needing automated reporting
MarketoFrom $895/monthEnterprises needing real-time business intelligence

8. AI-Enabled Capabilities

It’s impossible to escape the impact artificial intelligence is having on the marketing landscape. 

Many martech tools have already added AI features to their products; while some features are gimmicky, many can impact personalization, productivity, data insights, and creativity.

One example is Adobe's set of AI features (collectively dubbed “Adobe Sensei”), which can analyze vast amounts of data to predict customer behavior, optimize content delivery, and automate complex marketing activities. Businesses can use AI to scale their campaigns without significant investment while boosting the effectiveness of their personalization and optimization efforts.

Features include:

  • Predictive lead scoring
  • Automated content recommendations
  • Chatbots for customer engagement
  • Personalization at scale
  • Automated A/B testing and optimization
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Predictive analytics for campaign performance

Some of the top marketing automation platforms with AI capabilities include:

ToolPricingBest For
Salesforce EinsteinIncluded in some Salesforce plans, additional features may have extra costsSalesforce users looking for AI-powered insights
Adobe SenseiIncluded in various Adobe Experience Cloud productsCompanies using Adobe products for marketing and analytics
HubSpotStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Businesses incorporating generative AI tools

9. Content Management Capabilities

In the early years of the Internet, businesses simply published new content when they had something to publish. 

But those ad-hoc content efforts ebbed and flowed based on the marketing team's bandwidth. Enterprise organizations started to adopt marketing automation tools to help them streamline their ABM content creation, organization, and distribution across multiple channels.

While content management tools are now available at more accessible price tiers, the most capable are still enterprise-focused. 

For example, Sitecore offers features like personalized websites, multi-channel journeys, automatic updates, content workflows, and digital asset management.

Features include:

  • Content creation and editing tools
  • Digital asset management
  • Content calendar and scheduling
  • Version control and collaboration features
  • Content personalization
  • Multi-channel content distribution
  • Content performance analytics

Some of the top marketing automation platforms with a content management focus include:

ToolPricingBest For
HubSpotStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Businesses needing a flexible way to personalize content
ContentstackStarts at $995/monthEcommerce and large consumer brands
SitecoreCustom pricing, typically for enterprise-level implementationsLarge enterprises needing advanced content management

10. Mobile Capabilities

Until around a decade ago, the term “mobile capabilities” tended to mean “create a mobile-optimized website.” Today, it’s a more complex topic defined by seamlessly integrating SMS and in-app interactions into the marketing process—a recognition that for many consumers, mobile devices are their primary interaction with brands.

Automation tools like Klaviyo offer advanced features for creating and optimizing mobile-friendly email campaigns, push notifications, and SMS marketing. For example, you could send an in-app push notification to customers who have recently viewed a certain page and offer them a discount on the item they viewed.

Features include:

  • Mobile-responsive email and landing page design
  • SMS marketing tools
  • Mobile app integration
  • Location-based marketing features
  • Mobile analytics and reporting
  • Push notification capabilities
  • QR code generation and tracking

Some of the top marketing automation platforms with an omnichannel focus include:

ToolPricingBest For
OmnisendStarts at $16/monthEcommerce businesses looking for omnichannel marketing automation
KlaviyoStarts at $45/monthEcommerce businesses looking for automations that coordinate email, SMS, and push notifications
MailchimpStarts at $13/monthSmall and medium-sized businesses needing a versatile email marketing solution

11. Website Visitor Tracking Capabilities

Websites used to have two stages: “launch” and “maintenance.” Today, the highest-performing businesses take an approach defined by continuous improvement. Visitor tracking software is a vital piece of that effort.

User analytics tools like Hotjar allow businesses to create heatmaps, record user sessions, analyze click patterns, and track detailed information about website visits. User behavior data helps you understand your target audience better and gives you everything you need to make data-backed changes to your website and improve your conversion and sales funnels.

Features include:

  • Real-time visitor tracking
  • User journey mapping
  • Heat maps and click tracking
  • Form analytics
  • Session recording
  • Custom event tracking
  • Integration with CRM for lead tracking

Some of the top user analytics platforms include:

ToolPricingBest For
HotjarStarts at $39/monthSmall to medium-sized businesses needing heatmaps and behavior analysis
Crazy EggStarts at $249/monthBusinesses focused on website optimization and A/B testing
LeadfeederStarts at $99/monthB2B companies wanting to identify and track website visitors

12. Automated Lead Assignment Capabilities

For your sales team to operate at peak efficiency, you need to remove as many bottlenecks as you can from your processes. For many businesses, manual lead assignment is one of those bottlenecks. Automated lead assignment tools can match leads with the best-fit sales rep—without relying on a manager to manually review the process.

Tray, an integration platform, allows you to create workflows that automatically assign leads based on criteria like geography, industry, or lead score. Faster lead assignment means your sales team can follow up with leads more promptly, boosting the chances of converting more prospects into customers.

Features include:

  • Rule-based lead routing
  • Round-robin assignment
  • Territory-based assignment
  • Skill-based routing
  • Load balancing
  • Manual override options
  • Assignment reporting and analytics

Some of the top marketing automation platforms with automated lead assignments include:

ToolPricingBest For
Microsoft Dynamics 365Starts at $65/user/month for Sales ProfessionalSales teams operating in the Microsoft ecosystem
SalesforceStarts at $1,250/monthEnterprises requiring robust CRM with advanced lead assignment
TrayCustom pricingBusinesses that want to use integrations to add an automated lead assignment to their existing martech stack

13. Form and Landing Page Builder

There’s a big difference between a standard web page and a conversion-optimized landing page. The first exists to convey information, while the second exists to drive sales. 

That means buyer psychology and conversion best practices heavily influence landing page design. (A similar logic drives conversion-focused form design.) 

For example, if you’ve ever noticed an ABM landing page without navigation links in the header, that’s on purpose—they’ve been removed, so you aren’t tempted to click on them.

Landing page and form builder software make it easy to create conversion-focused designs and optimize them. Industry-standard tools like Unbounce let you A/B test different versions of your landing page and create dynamically personalized versions based on your visitors’ characteristics (like their location).

Features include:

  • Drag-and-drop page builders
  • Customizable templates
  • A/B testing capabilities
  • Mobile responsiveness
  • Dynamic personalization
  • Form logic and conditional fields
  • Integration with CRM and email tools
  • Performance analytics

Some of the top landing page platforms include:

ToolPricingBest For
UnbounceStarts at $99/monthMarketers needing advanced landing page creation
InstapageStarts at $99/monthBusinesses focusing on post-click optimization
LeadpagesStarts at $49/monthSmall businesses and entrepreneurs needing easy-to-use tools

14. Organic and Paid Traffic Breakdown and Insights

While every business wants to rank prominently in Google, search engines aren’t exactly forthcoming about what it takes to make it to the number one spot (They also frequently change their algorithms). 

Organic and paid traffic analysis tools help you understand which strategies are working and where your visitors and revenue are coming from.

For example, Semrush offers detailed breakdowns of organic search traffic, paid search campaigns, social media referrals, and more. With these insights in hand, you can allocate your budget more effectively because you know what’s actually driving results.

Features include:

  • Traffic source segmentation
  • Conversion tracking by source
  • ROI calculation for paid campaigns
  • Keyword performance analysis
  • Multi-channel attribution modeling
  • Competitive benchmarking
  • Custom reporting and dashboards

Some of the top organic search analysis platforms include:

ToolPricingBest For
SEMrushStarts at $129.95/monthBusinesses needing comprehensive SEO and PPC analysis
AhrefsStarts at $129/monthSEO professionals and agencies requiring backlink analysis
Google AnalyticsFree for the standard version, Google Analytics 360 starts at $150,000/yearDetailed website traffic analysis for businesses

15. Seamless CRM Integration and Reporting

Without sending as much relevant data to your CRM as possible, it’s difficult to maximize the potential of your martech stack. That’s why taking marketing integrations seriously is a prerequisite of modern marketing campaigns. 

Integration services like Zapier can connect all your tools with one another, but if you’re shopping for a CRM, you’ll make life easier by picking one that integrates natively with as many of the applications you use as possible.

For instance, HubSpot’s Marketing CRM integrates seamlessly with the rest of its product suite and with 1,500+ other platforms. By syncing your platforms with your CRM, you’ll benefit from customer data insights and cross-platform workflows that would have been impossible otherwise.

hubspot marketing crm
Hubspot

Features include:

  • Bi-directional data synchronization
  • Lead and contact data mapping
  • Unified customer profiles
  • Automated lead handoff to sales
  • Cross-platform reporting and analytics
  • Custom field mapping
  • Activity logging and tracking

These CRMs have seamless connections to a wide range of apps:

ToolPricingBest For
SalesforceStarts at $1,250/monthEnterprises requiring a robust CRM with extensive integration capabilities
HubSpotStarts at $800/month (Marketing Hub Professional)Businesses looking for an all-in-one marketing and CRM solution
PipedriveStarts at $14/user/monthSmall to medium-sized businesses needing user-friendly CRM with good integrations

16. A/B Testing Capabilities

While other tools on this list offer A/B testing in certain contexts—like email or landing pages—it’s also worth exploring whether a dedicated optimization platform makes sense for you. 

For example, Optimizely lets businesses run sophisticated split tests on everything from new features to personalized content.

Features include:

  • Split testing for emails, landing pages, and ads
  • Multivariate testing
  • Statistical significance calculation
  • Automated winner selection
  • Test scheduling and duration control
  • Segment-specific testing
  • Results analysis and reporting

Some of the top tools with A/B testing capabilities include:

ToolPricingBest For
OptimizelyCustom pricing; starts around $3,000/monthLarge businesses requiring advanced experimentation
VWO (Visual Website Optimizer)Starts at $176/monthBusinesses focusing on conversion rate optimization
Google OptimizeFree version available, custom pricing for Optimize 360Businesses looking for free or enterprise-level A/B testing

17. Contact Management Capabilities

Sophisticated contact management capabilities go beyond basic list storage. 

For instance, Zoho Marketing CRM provides advanced data cleansing, segmentation, and enrichment features. You’ll get useful sales insights, like when each contact is likely to be available to chat; you’ll also be able to see the complete history of your interaction with each customer—from email to social media—in a single view.

Features include:

  • Contact import and export tools
  • Data deduplication and cleansing
  • Custom field creation
  • Contact segmentation and tagging
  • Cross-platform overview of all customer conversations
  • Activity and interaction tracking
  • List management and suppression
  • GDPR and privacy compliance tools

CRMs with contact management features include:

ToolPricingBest For
HubSpot CRMFree basic CRM, advanced features in paid plansBusinesses of all sizes needing comprehensive contact management
SalesforceStarts at $1,250/monthLarge enterprises requiring advanced contact management and automation
Zoho CRMFree plan available, paid plans start at $20/user/monthSmall to medium-sized businesses needing affordable yet powerful CRM

18. Smart Target Accounts List Segmentation Capabilities

If you’re running an account-based marketing (ABM) campaign, focusing your time and energy on the most promising, high-value accounts is crucial. One way to do that is with technology. 

Platforms like 6sense use AI and predictive analytics to identify and prioritize target accounts based on user signals and behaviors. By focusing on the accounts that matter most, your team can have an outsized impact—even with limited resources.

Features include:

  • AI-powered account identification
  • Firmographic and technographic segmentation
  • Behavioral segmentation based on engagement
  • Intent data integration
  • Dynamic list updates
  • Cross-channel targeting capabilities
  • Performance tracking by account segment

Some of the best marketing automation platforms with advanced target account segmentation include:

ToolPricingBest For
DemandbaseCustom pricing based on needsB2B companies focusing on account-based marketing (ABM)
6senseCustom pricing based on needsEnterprises requiring advanced AI-powered account targeting
SalesforceStarts at $1,250/monthB2B companies looking for a comprehensive sales platform

3 Questions to Answer When Choosing Marketing Automation Software

Choosing the right automation software can supercharge your marketing efforts. Here are three questions to weigh as you decide which tools to go with.

1. What’s Your Current Marketing Workflow?

First, take a look at your existing marketing process. Note where there are pain points, bottlenecks, and other inefficiencies—and pay special attention to any areas that can benefit from automated workflows. 

Armed with this list, you can choose marketing software that solves the specific issues you’re facing.

2. What Features Do You Need to Improve Your Marketing Workflow?

Once you’ve compiled a “short list” of products that might work for you, you can start exploring each product's features. Just because two martech products call themselves CRMs doesn’t necessarily mean they’re equivalent. 

Look closely at the features provided and note whether the products you’re evaluating take advantage of new technologies like AI and machine learning. Consider other factors like ease of use, scalability, and integration into your existing tech stack.

3. How Technically Proficient is Your Marketing Team?

In the world of digital marketing automation, Mailchimp is incredibly popular with small and mid-sized businesses, while tools like Marketo and Salesforce are more commonly used by enterprise-level businesses. 

Price is one reason for that, but there’s another: complexity.

To become proficient in some platforms, your team will need to attend training sessions (and engage in some learning by trial and error, too). 

Meanwhile, platforms aimed at beginner and intermediate users tend to be less powerful but also more intuitive. Keep this dynamic in mind as you select software. And whatever platforms you use, ensure they have comprehensive training options, like walkthroughs, videos, and knowledge bases.

For more tips, check out our comprehensive guide on choosing marketing automation software.

Join For More Marketing Automation Insights

At first glance, choosing software doesn’t seem like a high-drama ordeal. However, choosing a marketing automation platform is different: automation weaves its way into every step of the marketing process and has the potential to save serious time while boosting productivity. That means it’s worth approaching the software selection process carefully and strategically.

Start by reviewing your existing marketing workflows, and then—perhaps aided by the automation features in this article—make a list of all the areas where you might be able to smooth out inefficiencies. Then, evaluate software that fits your criteria. Paying close attention to marketing automation features takes an up-front investment of time—but the rewards for faster business growth are immense.

Looking for more resources to help you pick marketing automation tools? Then subscribe to The CMO newsletter for regular tips and insights on how to choose the best marketing automation software.

Ryan Kane

Ryan Kane has been researching, writing about and improving customer experiences for much of his career and in a wide variety of B2B and B2C contexts, from tech startups and agencies to a manufacturer for Fortune 500 clients.