Marketing Automation: Meaning, Examples, & Automation Tools

As any marketer can attest, marketing campaigns have undergone a complete transformation since the widespread adoption of the Internet in the 1990s. Unlike many traditional marketing processes, such as billboards or print ads, digital marketing allows advertisers to engage their target audience through personalized experiences.

When executed correctly, online marketing can help brands achieve a higher return on investment (ROI), increase conversion rates, and enhance customer loyalty. But despite the perks that digital marketing offers, it also has its challenges.

Marketing teams are now expected to engage customers through a comprehensive omnichannel experience that includes everything from email and search engines results to multiple social media platforms. That’s where the magic of marketing automation comes in. Throughout this article, we’ll fill you in on how marketing automation tools can streamline your marketing efforts and create a great customer experience.

What is marketing automation?

Developing a marketing automation strategy involves using technology to achieve marketing goals that would otherwise require hours of tedious, repetitive tasks. Marketers today understand that effective lead generation involves a lot more than asking a customer to buy a product and hoping for the best.

Many sales teams today rely on inbound marketing, which involves attracting and engaging potential customers as they progress through the customer journey. In order to successfully nurture leads, marketers rely on a carefully crafted sales funnel that covers everything from brand awareness to customer loyalty.

Marketing automation software helps sales teams keep track of qualified leads and pinpoint each customer’s progress through the customer journey. This allows sales teams to offer enhanced, holistic customer experiences at each stage of the sales funnel.

The benefits of marketing automation also include streamlined solutions for tracking metrics and customer data that offer valuable insights. Marketing automation can help streamline large workflows and also go a long way toward increasing a brand’s bottom line.

Marketing automation examples‍

Now that we’ve discussed what marketing automation is and how it might benefit your team, let’s take a closer look at how it can streamline various marketing tasks. Here are some of the many ways that anyone from small business owners to entire sales teams can use marketing automation to engage customers.

Personalized email campaigns

Email marketing continues to offer one of the highest ROIs of any marketing channel, generating over $10 billion in 2023 alone. But as anyone with a spam filter can attest, without the right content, most emails are likely to remain unopened.

That’s why many sales teams rely on email marketing automation tools with segmentation features. Segmentation involves dividing subscribers into smaller subgroups based on factors like their interests, demographics, or their current stage of the customer journey.

This allows marketers to develop several email marketing campaigns, each containing relevant content for a different audience. Imagine, for example, that a pet food brand wanted to announce a sale on dog food.

Rather than sending out an announcement to their entire subscriber list, they’d likely use segmentation to send the email campaign specifically to dog owners. They might tailor later campaigns to other groups such as owners of cats, fish, birds, and so on.

Social media scheduling and analysis

According to the latest statistics, there are now 4.59 billion social media users around the world. These numbers haven’t gone unnoticed by marketers, and neither has the fact that many people now use an average of six to seven different social media platforms each month.

To make matters even more complex, certain marketing tools and tactics tend to work better on certain platforms. For instance, a marketer might want to target younger audiences on Instagram and TikTok and use LinkedIn for B2B marketing campaigns.

As you can imagine, regularly posting on multiple channels every day would be a challenge, not to mention tracking the results. Fortunately, there are now platforms with automation features that allow sales teams to schedule posts on multiple platforms weeks in advance. This is a huge time saver and allows marketers to adjust content decisions based on relevant performance insights.

Lead scoring for better conversion

Many modern customer relationship management (CRM) platforms now offer automated lead management tools such as lead scoring. Back in the old days, sales teams often had to call a full list of phone numbers to find a single qualified lead.

Lead scoring, however, helps boost conversion rates by automatically identifying the most promising leads on any sales list. A lead scoring tool generally works by assigning each lead a number of points when they take various actions, such as opening an email, visiting a landing page, or engaging with a brand on social media.

By tracking each lead’s online behavior, sales teams can identify which customers are (and aren’t) ready to make a purchase. This can both help increase a brand’s marketing ROI and also assist with retention rates by ensuring a prospect isn’t contacted until they’re ready.

Retargeting for enhanced ad campaigns

That you often see social media or search page ads for brands you’ve recently interacted with online is no accident. This is an example of retargeting, which involves sending ads to customers who have recently visited an app or website.

Retargeting can be done across multiple marketing channels such as social media, paid search PPC (pay-per-click), and search engine advertisements. Because keeping track of each individual site user by hand would be impossible, marketers rely on automation workflows programmed to automatically re-engage with potential customers.

Retargeting offers a handy way to present ads to customers who may be interested, even if they’re not quite ready to buy yet.

Data and analytics for data-driven decision-making

One of the reasons marketing processes have evolved so drastically in recent decades is that marketers now have access to far more data than ever before. Modern marketing automation software makes it possible to automatically track metrics across various platforms in remarkable detail.

Imagine, for instance, you’re a freelance marketer hired to help generate more business for an e-commerce website. In order to get an idea of the site’s current strengths and weaknesses, you might turn to a tool like Google Analytics.

Once connected to a website or app, Google Analytics can track over 200 different metrics in real-time, such as:

• Site visitors. How many unique visitors came to the site over a customizable period of time?
• Engagement time. What is the average amount of time users spend on the site?
• Conversion. Which pages produced the highest bounce and conversion rates?
• Discovery. How did visitors arrive on your site (via an ad, social media link, backlink, SMS campaign, etc.)?
• Return rates. What percent of users return to your site?.
• Audience segmentation. What attributes (demographics, user behavior, means of acquisition, etc.) can help you better distinguish your target audience?
• A/B analytics. How do the results of your A/B testing compare with your expectations and needs?

Google Analytics can also automatically use this raw data to generate reports that can be used for informed decision-making. For instance, you might discover that marketing campaigns on certain social media platforms tend to generate the best results.

Or you might see that the site experiences high-traffic time blocks during certain windows such as the holidays or back-to-school season. Insights like these can prove invaluable tools for the optimization of any digital marketing campaign.

Popular marketing automation tools

Now let’s explore several key tools that can make marketing automation work for you or your company. While there are now plenty of great marketing automation platforms to choose from, we’ll cover the most popular platforms and how they work.

Email marketing platforms

As mentioned, a well-executed email marketing campaign can be a great way to generate new customers or follow up with existing ones. While you should do your own research to find the right platform for your needs, here are a few top choices to get you started.

Mailchimp is a leading email marketing platform that blends beginner-friendly features like templates and a drag-and-drop editor with advanced marketing analysis tools. Various subscription options are available, each with an increasingly large set of tools and available contacts.

Higher-tier subscriptions come with tools like advanced segmentation, automated customer journeys, multivariate testing, and more. You can also use the platform’s email marketing automation tools to trigger automatic emails when a customer takes a certain action.

‍Constant Contact is a great choice for small business owners or anyone looking for an easy-to-use approach to great email marketing automation. With hundreds of templates, segmentation capabilities and automated campaign paths, it offers many key features for email marketing, without being overwhelming.

Hubspot is a solid pick if you’re looking for an all-in-one CRM platform that features email marketing alongside a range of other capabilities. While various plans are available, even HubSpot’s free email marketing accounts offer an impressive range of tools, such as personalization, A/B testing, and AI content generation that can streamline your workflow.

While there are now plenty of choices on the market, finding the right email automation tool for your needs can be a great way to boost conversion rates. Many tools also include templates for newsletters, which can be an excellent way to keep your customers engaged.

Social media management software

Social media marketing has become a whole advertising genre of its own. That’s why there are now plenty of platforms that assist brands with managing their presence across multiple platforms.

Choosing the right platform for your marketing automation strategy will largely come down to how many accounts you’d like to manage at once and how many tools you want to use to do it. Here’s a look at some of the top social media automation platforms for different types of users.

Buffer is by far the most affordable of the platforms we’ll be exploring, which makes it a great choice for individuals or small businesses. Even its higher-tier subscription plans are reasonably priced and come with features like post-scheduling, audience reporting, analytics, and plenty of integrations.

Hootsuite is designed more for experienced professionals and larger teams, with plans starting at $99 per month for 10 accounts. It comes with more advanced analytics and content curation abilities and offers everything larger teams need to stay on track.

Last but not least, there’s Sprout Social, which offers plans starting at $249 per month. Sprout Social was built with professional social media managers in mind and includes functionalities like an integrated CRM, premium analytics, and social listening tools.

CRMs

Given the vast amount of data businesses have to keep up with on a daily basis, a solid customer relationship management (CRM) platform is often essential. Let’s take a look at several top CRMs and how they can help streamline the sales process.

Salesforce is cloud-based CRM software with a full suite of tools designed to unite all of a company’s departments, from sales and marketing to service and IT. It helps to keep everyone on the same page, and is also equipped with AI integration designed to automate repetitive tasks, assess qualified leads, and offer other useful customer insights.

Zoho CRM is another popular platform designed to connect sales, marketing, and customer service teams. With automated workflows, customer journeys, and powerful analytics tools, Zoho can streamline workflows so that teams can focus on customer interactions.

Adobe also has a great platform called Marketo Engage, which is perhaps better described as a marketing automation solution platform than a classic CRM. Marketo offers a little bit of everything, from lead management and email marketing to cross-channel analytics.

Best practices for smooth automation

From social media to ad campaigns, automation can make the average digital marketing campaign a whole lot smoother. Here are several key points to keep in mind when integrating automation into your current workflow.

Start with a strategy

As you’ve likely noticed, there is now a huge range of different marketing automation tools for various needs. That’s why you’ll want to understand exactly what you’re looking for before heading out in search of the right product.

Clearly defining your goals and desired outcomes is the first step to mapping out a solid marketing automation strategy. After identifying business tasks that can be automated, you’ll be in a much better position to make strategic selections about which tools are right for you.

Budgeting and investment

Once you know what tasks you want to automate, it’s time to start researching which tools are capable of getting the job done. As you’ll quickly discover, automation tools are available at a wide range of price points, which is why you’ll want to research the many candidates.

Additionally, avoid the temptation to assume that the highest-priced solution is always the best. Many pricing models are developed for businesses of different sizes, so some higher-priced offerings will come with features that may or may not benefit your long-term goals.

Test and iterate

It’s no accident that many automation tools come with both free trials and a wide range of subscription offerings. Automation involves a bit of A/B testing style experimentation in order to find the right fit.

Don’t be alarmed if it takes a bit of fine-tuning to achieve the best possible outcome for you or your team. Additionally, keep in mind that technology is constantly evolving, so regular refinement is something to be expected.

Always prioritize the human touch

Among the most important things to keep in mind is that automation tools were developed to assist with online marketing, not replace the need for human interaction. While automating tedious tasks can free up a great deal of time, at the end of the day, people want to do business with people.

Avoid over-reliance on automation when it comes to things like AI-generated content, which often sounds like exactly what it is—messaging written by a machine. Use the extra time automation tools save you to provide each customer with a personalized experience.

Overcome common automation challenges

As you jump into the wonderful world of automation, you may encounter a few common challenges. Let’s examine a few and how to overcome them with the right tools and knowledge.

Addressing data privacy concerns

Let’s face it, these days online marketing analytics have gotten so advanced that at times they can feel like you have a stalker. Fortunately, consumer data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA have been introduced to ensure that automation tools can remain efficient without crossing any lines.

In fact, automation can actually simplify compliance with these regulations without sacrificing efficiency. Ensuring the tools you choose abide by industry privacy regulations can even help enhance customer trust.

Tackling technical hurdles

One common hurdle to adopting automation is the mistaken belief that it requires technical expertise. Rest assured that this is not always the case, and many marketing automation platforms are designed with usability in mind.

That said, be sure to take advantage of any free trials, platform support teams, or online resources that are offered. This can go a long way toward helping you get a feel for what a product will be like to use long term.

Ongoing training and updates

Much like other forms of technology, marketing automation tools are continually evolving. That’s why you should consider scheduling regular team training.

Automation is an incredibly dynamic field, and the more your team knows about how to use the latest innovations, the more value you’ll get out of every tool you invest in. An up-to-date team will also encounter far less frustration when it comes to using the latest software updates.

Need expert guidance?

The good news about facing the challenges of automation is that there’s plenty of help available. Whether you need help pinpointing the right tools or learning to optimize your current software, professional help comes with plenty of perks.

Advantages of hiring a marketing automation consultant

Hiring a marketing automation consultant can be a valuable investment, not to mention a huge time-saver. These skilled professionals provide a variety of services for every stage of automation integration, including:

• Identifying your needs. Consultants offer guidance in selecting the right tools and packaging for your needs.
• Tool integration. You can get assistance with omnichannel and CRM integration through team education and technical assistance.
• Strategy development. A marketing automation consultant can assist with customer experience, target audience, and lead generation strategies.
• Marketing analytics. You can get better marketing campaign feedback and improvement using highly targeted analytics.

A good consultant can save you hours’ or even weeks’ worth of research spent finding and implementing the right tools for your team. These are just a few of the many advantages of working with a knowledgeable partner who specializes in developing tailored automated solutions.

Finding the right fit

There are several key factors you should look for when hunting for the right marketing automation consultant. Make sure you look for qualities such as relevant experience, a solid track record, and great communication skills.

Your consultant should be someone who can break down technical concepts using real-world language that you and your team can understand. Additionally, beware of any consultant who lacks transparency or makes unrealistic promises.

A great automation consultant often proves to be a valued partner who you may call on an as-needed basis over time. So don’t be afraid to take the time to find one who aligns with your business values and objectives.

Maximize your marketing automation with Upwork

If you’re ready to use automation to streamline your marketing efforts, look no further than Upwork for invaluable connections to skilled marketing and automation specialists. We specialize in facilitating connections between clients and skilled professionals with the precise skills they require.

Whether you run a small business or a large corporation, Upwork is ready to match you with the right consultant for your needs. From automation consultants to independent marketing consultants, our professionals are ready to help you take the first step toward tailored automation solutions.

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.

Prices are current at the time of writing and may change over time based on each service’s offerings.