Best Marketing Operations Software Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best marketing operations software:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Keeping your team organized and efficient in the fast-paced marketing world can feel like an uphill battle. You’re juggling multiple campaigns, managing budgets, and trying to get the most out of your data. That’s where marketing operations software comes in. It’s designed to help you and your team easily manage these challenges.
I’ve spent years testing and reviewing marketing software to find the best solutions out there. My goal is to offer you an unbiased look at the top tools that can truly make a difference. In this article, I’ll walk you through my top picks, focusing on how they can address your specific needs and pain points. Let’s get started on finding the right fit for your team.
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Best Marketing Operations Software Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top marketing operations software to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Best for AI-driven automation | 14-day free trial | From $25/user/month | Website | |
2 | Best for data unification | 14-day free trial | From $25/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
3 | Best for sales engagement | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
4 | Best for social media collaboration | Free plan available | From $11/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
5 | Best for content calendar planning | Free plan available | From $19/user/month | Website | |
6 | Best for landing page creation | 14-day free trial | From $90/month (billed annually) | Website | |
7 | Best for internal communications | Free trial available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
8 | Best for search engine ads | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
9 | Best for email marketing | 30-day free trial + free plan available | From $13/month | Website | |
10 | Best for lead management | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website |
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Eloqua
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.3 -
Optimizely
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.2 -
Uberflip
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.3
Best Marketing Operations Software Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best marketing operations software that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Creatio is an AI-native marketing automation platform designed to enhance your marketing operations. It offers tools to manage customer data, execute multichannel campaigns, and analyze performance, all within a single interface.
Why I picked CRM Creatio: I like Creatio for its AI-driven support for the entire marketing lifecycle. From audience segmentation and campaign design to content generation and lead scoring, Creatio uses AI to enhance efficiency and enable data-driven strategies. This means your team can design, execute, and optimize marketing processes with greater precision. It also consolidates contact and account data with 360-degree customer views, providing a complete omnichannel engagement history across the customer journey.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include lead scoring, funnel management, real-time analytics, customizable dashboards, event management, trigger-based campaigns, dynamic content personalization, A/B testing, landing page builder, web tracking, SMS marketing, and campaign performance tracking.
Integrations include Accelo, Act!, ActiveCampaign, Acumatica, Adobe Analytics, Asana, Microsoft Exchange, Excel, Mailchimp, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Google Calendar, and Tableau.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No-code platform for non-technical users
- Extensive customization options
- A scalable solution for various business processes
Cons:
- Learning curve for new users
- Configuring the platform can be time-consuming
Salesforce CRM is a comprehensive platform designed to help businesses manage customer relationships by uniting sales, service, marketing, commerce, and IT on one integrated system.
Why I picked Salesforce CRM: Salesforce CRM's Marketing Cloud offers tools that allow your team to engage customers across various channels, including email, mobile, ads, and web. This ensures your marketing efforts reach customers where they are most active, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. Additionally, the platform's data unification feature enables you to create a single customer profile by consolidating data from multiple sources. This unified view allows for more personalized and effective marketing strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include audience segmentation, campaign management, lead scoring, email marketing, mobile messaging, social media integration, advertising management, A/B testing, content management, customer lifecycle mapping, predictive analytics, and marketing automation.
Integrations include Google Workspace, Slack, QuickBooks, MailChimp, LinkedIn, DocuSign, JIRA, HelloSign, Google BigQuery, Power BI, Marketo, and Pardot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Provides robust reporting and analytics tools
- Offers a range of customization options
- Designed for scalability
Cons:
- Complex setup and configuration
- Can be overwhelming for new users
Salesloft is a sales engagement platform aimed at sales teams looking to improve their outreach and communication strategies. It helps your team automate tasks, track interactions, and analyze sales performance to drive better results.
Why I picked Salesloft: Salesloft is focused on enhancing sales engagement with features like automated cadences and call logging. These tools help your team maintain consistent communication with prospects and clients. Additionally, its real-time analytics provide insights into engagement effectiveness, allowing you to adjust strategies as needed. Overall, this makes Salesloft ideal for teams aiming to boost their engagement metrics.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include call recording to improve coaching, email tracking to monitor engagement, and a sales dialer for efficient calling.
Integrations include Salesforce, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Slack, Microsoft Dynamics, Gmail, Outlook, Zoom, Marketo, HubSpot, and Clari.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Real-time performance analytics
- Automated sales cadences
- Detailed engagement tracking
Cons:
- Regular updates needed
- Learning curve for new users
Planable is a social media collaboration platform designed for teams looking to streamline their content planning and publishing processes. It enables your team to create, review, and schedule social media posts across various platforms efficiently.
Why I picked Planable: Planable is tailored for social media collaboration, offering a visual interface to plan and preview posts. You can invite team members and clients to provide feedback directly on posts, enhancing communication. With its scheduling capabilities, you can also ensure your content is published at optimal times. This makes it ideal for teams focused on improving their social media workflow.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a visual content calendar for easy planning, real-time collaboration tools for team input, and automated scheduling to ensure timely posts.
Integrations include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Google Drive, Dropbox, Canva, Hootsuite, and Buffer.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Simple post scheduling process
- Supports multiple social platforms
- Real-time collaboration features
Cons:
- Requires initial setup time
- Limited advanced analytics
CoSchedule is a marketing management platform designed for marketing teams and content creators looking to organize and schedule their content. It helps you streamline your marketing activities and schedule posts across multiple channels.
Why I picked CoSchedule: CoSchedule excels in content calendar planning with its intuitive drag-and-drop scheduling feature. You can easily organize your content creation pipeline and visualize your marketing strategy. The platform’s task management capabilities also allow you to assign tasks and track progress within your team.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a marketing calendar for visual planning, task management tools for team coordination, and social media scheduling to automate posts.
Integrations include WordPress, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Google Drive, Evernote, Bitly, Buffer, Google Analytics, Facebook, and Twitter.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrated task management
- Visual marketing calendar
- Flexible content management
Cons:
- Requires setup time
- Limited advanced features
Unbounce is a landing page builder designed for marketers and businesses looking to optimize their conversion rates. It supports teams in creating and testing landing pages, pop-ups, and sticky bars to enhance marketing campaigns.
Why I picked Unbounce: Unbounce excels in landing page creation with its drag-and-drop builder and customizable templates. These features let you design pages without coding, which saves time and resources. Additionally, the software’s A/B testing capabilities allow you to experiment with different designs to find what resonates best with your audience. Overall, this makes Unbounce an excellent choice for teams focused on converting visitors into leads.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include dynamic text replacement to match ad copy, pop-ups and sticky bars for additional conversion opportunities, and AMP landing pages for faster mobile load times.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, Mailchimp, WordPress, Zapier, Google Analytics, Slack, Shopify, and Campaign Monitor.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Dynamic text replacement feature
- Supports AMP pages
- Effective A/B testing tools
Cons:
- Learning curve for optimization
- Limited to landing pages
Happeo is a digital workplace platform designed to enhance internal communications and collaboration within organizations. It serves teams looking to improve engagement and streamline information sharing across departments.
Why I picked Happeo: Happeo is tailored for internal communications, providing a centralized hub for company news, updates, and resources. Its channel-based structure allows your team to create dedicated spaces for different topics, enhancing focus and accessibility. The tool also offers customizable pages and analytics to track engagement, making it effective for keeping everyone informed.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include customizable intranet pages for team content, social feeds for interactive communication, and analytics to measure employee engagement.
Integrations include Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Trello, Asana, Dropbox, Okta, and Zoom.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Strong analytics features
- Interactive social feeds
- Customizable communication channels
Cons:
- Some features may overlap with existing tools
- Requires integration configuration
Microsoft Advertising is a digital advertising platform primarily used by businesses looking to enhance their search engine marketing efforts. It helps your team create targeted ad campaigns on Bing and partner sites to reach a broader audience.
Why I picked Microsoft Advertising: Microsoft Advertising offers targeted search engine ads, allowing you to reach audiences on Bing and Yahoo. Its audience targeting features enable you to refine who sees your ads based on demographics and interests. The platform's budget control options also help you manage ad spending effectively. These capabilities make it a strong choice for businesses aiming to optimize their search engine presence.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced targeting options to reach specific audiences, budget control tools to manage ad spend, and detailed performance reporting to track campaign success.
Integrations include Google Ads, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, Shopify, HubSpot, Adobe Analytics, Salesforce, and Marketo.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Detailed performance reports
- Effective budget control
- Extensive audience targeting
Cons:
- Requires setup time
- Limited to Bing and partners
Mailchimp is an all-in-one marketing platform primarily used by small to medium-sized businesses for email marketing. It helps your team create, send, and analyze email campaigns to engage with your audience effectively.
Why I picked Mailchimp: Mailchimp excels in email marketing with its user-friendly design tools and automation features. You can personalize emails with custom tags and segment your audience based on behavior. Its analytics also provide insights into campaign performance, helping you refine your strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop email builder for easy design, automation tools for personalized messaging, and detailed campaign analytics for performance tracking.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, Salesforce, WordPress, Eventbrite, Facebook, Instagram, Google Analytics, and Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Easy to scale with business growth
- Supports audience segmentation
- Detailed campaign analytics
Cons:
- Limited reporting features
- Occasional email delivery delays
Marketo Engage is a marketing automation platform designed for businesses looking to enhance their lead management processes. It helps your team automate and optimize lead generation, scoring, and nurturing campaigns.
Why I picked Marketo Engage: Marketo Engage offers powerful lead management capabilities through its advanced automation features. It allows you to score leads efficiently and personalize marketing efforts based on user behavior. The platform's analytics also provide insights into lead engagement, helping you refine strategies.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include advanced lead scoring to prioritize prospects, personalized marketing campaigns for targeted outreach, and in-depth analytics for tracking lead engagement.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Adobe Experience Cloud, Google Ads, LinkedIn, Zoom, Slack, and Eventbrite.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Detailed engagement analytics
- Personalized marketing options
- Advanced lead scoring capabilities
Cons:
- Complex setup process
- Steep learning curve
Other Marketing Operations Software
Here are some additional marketing operations software options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- Uptempo
For enterprise-level planning
- Workamajig
For creative agencies
- ClickUp
For all-in-one project management
- Zoho Marketing Automation
For small business automation
- Planful
For budget tracking
- Guru
For team knowledge sharing
- HubSpot Marketing Hub
For inbound marketing
- 6sense Revenue AI for Marketing
For predictive insights
Marketing Operations Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best marketing operations software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like integration capabilities and scalability. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Campaign management
- Budget tracking
- Analytics and reporting
- Lead management
- Project collaboration
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- Customizable dashboards
- AI-driven insights
- Multi-channel automation
- Advanced segmentation
- Real-time data integration
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Intuitive interface
- Easy navigation
- Minimal learning curve
- Responsive design
- Customizable user settings
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of training videos
- Interactive product tours
- Access to templates
- Live webinars
- Supportive chatbots
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 availability
- Knowledgeable support staff
- Multiple contact channels
- Comprehensive help documentation
- Quick response times
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Competitive pricing
- Transparent costs
- Flexible payment plans
- Feature-to-price ratio
- Discounts for long-term commitments
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Overall satisfaction rating
- Commonly reported issues
- Praise for specific features
- Feedback on customer service
- User-reported ROI
How to Choose Marketing Operations Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
Factor | What to Consider |
Scalability | Ensure the software can grow with your business. Consider if it can handle increased data and users as your team expands. |
Integrations | Check if the software integrates with your existing tools like CRM systems or analytics platforms to avoid data silos and improve workflow efficiency. |
Customizability | Look for options to tailor the software to fit your team’s processes. This can include custom dashboards or personalized reports. |
Ease of Use | Evaluate the user interface and training requirements. A user-friendly system minimizes the learning curve and boosts adoption among your team. |
Budget | Compare pricing plans to find what fits your financial constraints. Consider hidden costs like additional users or premium features that may affect pricing. |
Security Safeguards | Prioritize software that offers strong security features to protect your data. Look for compliance with relevant regulations like GDPR. |
Support | Assess the availability and quality of customer support. Reliable support can be imperative for resolving issues quickly and ensuring smooth operations. |
Analytics | Consider the analytics capabilities to ensure you can track and measure performance effectively. Look for customizable reports and data visualization tools. |
Trends In Marketing Operations Software
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different marketing operations software vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on:
- AI-Driven Analytics: Companies are using AI to analyze data more efficiently. This trend helps users get actionable insights quickly, enhancing decision-making processes.
- Personalization at Scale: Software now allows for more personalized interactions with customers. This trend is about delivering tailored content to large audiences, improving engagement rates.
- Data Privacy Compliance: As regulations evolve, software is adapting to ensure compliance. This trend is important for maintaining customer trust and avoiding legal issues.
- Cross-Platform Integration: There's a growing need for software to connect across various platforms. This trend aims to unify data and processes, providing a holistic view of marketing efforts.
- Visual Collaboration Tools: More software includes tools for visual collaboration to aid remote teams. This trend supports creative processes and project management by allowing teams to work together asynchronously.
What Is Marketing Operations Software?
Marketing operations software is designed to help businesses manage and optimize their marketing processes and campaigns. These tools are generally used by marketing managers, coordinators, and analysts to improve efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
Key features like campaign management, analytics, and budget tracking support teams in organizing efforts and measuring success. Overall, these tools provide valuable insights and automation capabilities that enhance marketing effectiveness and ROI.
Features of Marketing Operations Software
When selecting marketing operations software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Campaign Management: Helps plan, execute, and monitor marketing campaigns effectively to achieve targeted goals.
- Analytics and Reporting: Provides insights into performance metrics, enabling data-driven decisions and strategy adjustments.
- Budget Tracking: Monitors spending to ensure resources are allocated efficiently and stay within budget constraints.
- Lead Management: Manages and nurtures leads through the sales funnel to improve conversion rates.
- Task Management: Organizes tasks and deadlines to enhance team productivity and collaboration.
- Audience Segmentation: Allows targeting of specific customer groups for more personalized marketing efforts.
- A/B Testing: Tests different variations of content to determine the most effective approach for audience engagement.
- Visual Collaboration Tools: Supports creative processes by enabling teams to work together on marketing materials.
- Data Privacy Compliance: Ensures adherence to regulations and protects customer data integrity.
- Cross-Platform Integration: Connects with other platforms to unify data and streamline processes across channels.
Benefits of Marketing Operations Software
Implementing marketing operations software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Improved Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks, freeing up time for your team to focus on strategic activities.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Provides real-time data and insights, helping you make informed choices.
- Better Budget Management: Tracks spending and ensures resources are used wisely to avoid overspending.
- Increased Collaboration: Facilitates teamwork by organizing tasks and enabling visual communication tools.
- Targeted Marketing Efforts: Uses audience segmentation and personalization features to reach the right audience.
- Compliance Support: Ensures your marketing practices align with data privacy regulations, protecting your business.
- Optimized Campaign Performance: Utilizes analytics and A/B testing to refine strategies and improve results.
Costs and Pricing of Marketing Operations Software
Selecting marketing operations software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in marketing operations software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for Marketing Operations Software
Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
Free Plan | $0 | Basic analytics, limited integrations, and essential support. |
Personal Plan | $5-$25/user/month | Email marketing, basic automation, and task management. |
Business Plan | $30-$75/user/month | Advanced reporting, team collaboration tools, and enhanced customer support. |
Enterprise Plan | $100-$300/user/month | Custom integrations, comprehensive analytics, and dedicated account management. |
Marketing Operations Software FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about marketing operations software:
How do you manage marketing operations?
You manage marketing operations by creating a strategy that aligns with your team’s goals. It starts with identifying key stakeholders and defining clear objectives. Implement the strategy by selecting the right tools and processes to support your operations. Regularly measure and report on performance metrics to ensure continuous improvement.
What falls under marketing operations?
Marketing operations encompass a range of responsibilities, including managing the marketing tech stack. This includes overseeing CRMs, marketing automation platforms, marketing resource management software, and analytics tools. It involves ensuring these systems work together to support your marketing strategies effectively.
How do marketing and operations work together?
Marketing and operations collaborate to optimize processes and improve efficiency. Marketing provides insights based on customer data, while operations ensure products meet quality and production standards. Together, they create strategies that align with business goals and customer needs.
How do marketing operations support strategy?
Marketing operations support strategy by providing the infrastructure and tools needed for execution. It ensures that campaigns are delivered on time and on budget, using data to guide decisions. By aligning operations with strategy, you enhance the effectiveness of marketing initiatives.
What are the challenges in marketing operations?
Challenges in marketing operations include managing complex tech stacks and data integration. Ensuring compliance with data regulations and maintaining alignment across teams can also be difficult. Overcoming these challenges requires a clear strategy and the right tools to support operations.
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