Martech is the inevitable result of the marriage between innovative software solutions and digital marketing. Data-driven, analytical, customizable, and scalable, martech has something to offer most B2B and B2C businesses.
But, how can you put this innovative technology to work for your small business, specifically? This article will examine different types of martech, their use-cases, and applications so that you can become a more-informed business owner.
Before we dig into that, let’s get a clearer definition of what martech is (and isn’t).
Martech vs. Adtech: a Subtle Difference?
Uninformed business owners might mistake marketing technology for advertising technology. On the surface, they both seem to work in the same way. However, the difference between martech and adtech can be summed up by the main difference between marketing and advertising.
A Brief Definition of Marketing
Marketing is the practice of identifying a customer’s needs and crafting content that can meet those needs. As a result, marketing is analytical, psychological, predictive, and creative.
A Brief Definition of Advertising
Advertising is the practice of crafting communications that directly promote a company, product, or service and attempt to influence the recipient of those communications. Advertising is one channel within marketing.
To sum: all Adtech is Martech but not all Martech is Adtech.
The Power of Martech to Help Your Small Business
There are three main ways you can put martech to work for your business. The following martech solutions help business owners tackle three major hurdles: outreach, analytics, and operations management. Many of the solutions listed below offer features that tackle some or all of these major hurdles.
Outreach
Outreach marketing is a marketing channel that focuses on pitching content that promotes a product, good, or service to influential figures that directly sway your target audience. Outreach-oriented martech helps to automate finding, curating, and maintaining these critical relationships.
Email Marketing Software
Email marketing is perhaps the most ubiquitous kind of outreach marketing. Many email marketing software platforms help businesses find, grow, and develop valuable relationships.
Common Email Marketing Software Platforms
- Sendinblue
- EmailOctopus
- EngageBay
- Convertkit
- GetResponse
- Omnisend
- AWeber
Social Media Marketing Software
This type of martech allows businesses to manage their content, advertising, and messaging across multiple social media platforms. Social media marketing software helps businesses manage their social media presence and grow and develop it.
Common Social Media Marketing Software Platforms
- Salesforce Marketing Cloud
- Hubspot Marketing Hub
- Constant Contact
- #paid
- Falcon.io
- Sked Social
- Sprinklr
Influencer Marketing Software
This martech is designed to help businesses create, execute, and manage influencer marketing campaigns. It helps brands establish connections with social media influencers whose followers align with that brand’s target audience.
Common Influencer Marketing Software Platforms
- Grin
- CreatorIQ
- #paid
- Klear
- Upfluence
- Refersion
- Aspire
Marketing Analytics
One of the most valuable applications of all modern software platforms is the ability to generate, interpret, and predict data sets. As a field of study, analytics has revolutionized nearly every industry it has touched.
With marketing analytics, marketing departments can develop more effective campaigns, track which variables are productive or not productive, and analyze spending to craft targeted marketing budgets.
Analytics allows for data-driven decision-making, which boosts the effectiveness and profitability of marketing campaigns.
Marketing Attribution Software
Marketing attribution is the study of the efficacy and profitability of a business’s various marketing channels. This software helps companies streamline their marketing teams by finding holes in their marketing channels using data and analytics.
Common Marketing Attribution Software Platforms:
- Kochava
- Google Attribution 360
- Appsflyer
- Neustar
- Statcounter
- Invoca
- Ruler Analytics
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free web service that helps businesses track how their website is performing and gather essential data on the who, what, when, and how users visit their website. As a free tool, it provides invaluable insights that business owners can use to perform SEO for their business and develop digital marketing strategies.
Operations Management Software
These types of martech help businesses organize and manage essential operations for effective marketing. This software can help businesses manage customer relations, plan important content, scratch-build a website, or outsource essential marketing services, like hiring a fractional CMO.
Content Management Systems Software
CMS refers to software that helps businesses build and manage websites—this includes all of the critical processes of running a website like blog curation or setting up electronic payments, for example. Getting this right is essential—you don’t want your business to be flagged for violating PCI compliance laws.
Essentially, CMS offers a roadmap for people who do not know how to code digital content.
Common CMS Software:
- WordPress
- HubSpot CMS Hub
- Joomla
- WooCommerce
- Drupal
- Wix
- BigCommerce
CRM Software
Customer relationship management software helps business owners provide their customers a unique, high-quality experience when engaging with them across web, mobile, and other digital media. CRM software also helps businesses improve their customer experience by providing detailed, data-driven insights into the UX or user experience.
Common CRM Software:
- Zoho CRM
- HubSpot CRM Hub
- Freshsales CRM
- Zendesk Sell
- Salesforce CRM
- Less Annoying CRM
- Apptivo CRM
What Martech is Best For My Small Business?
To determine the best martech for your business, you first need to determine what your business lacks. Truthfully, most businesses that operate digitally can benefit from some type of martech.
Are you having trouble finding and maintaining influencer relationships? Could your outreach strategy use an overhaul? Perhaps your UX needs improvement. Find out what aspects of digital marketing your business is underperforming in.
