Have you heard of inbound marketing? By now you surely must have, and you probably have an idea of how it works. Maybe you’ve even decided to start implementing inbound marketing for your business. Even with an understanding of what inbound marketing is and how it works, it can be overwhelming to create and execute an inbound marketing strategy. This is where inbound marketing software comes in, providing a platform, system, and analytics to simplify the processes involved in an inbound marketing plan.
There are a wealth of inbound marketing and marketing automation softwares available, and it can be a challenge to determine which is the best for you. While many softwares have a number of similar features, they each usually have a few differences in functionality. It is important to determine your business goals, and use them to guide your decision.
Here is a comparison of 5 of the leading inbound marketing softwares for your consideration:
Marketo
Marketo is a good marketing solution for B2B companies, especially technology companies. It can support client user bases from 3 to over 1,000 with a price ideal for mid to enterprise level organizations.
Marketo’s Main Features Include:
- Lead generation, nurturing, and management
- Email marketing
- Landing page creation and optimization
- Revenue cycle modeling
- Sales identification and prioritization
- Social marketing
- Resource management
- Analytics
Pardot
Pardot is a Salesforce company that integrates with Salesforce, Microsoft CRM, SugarCRM, and Netsuite. This inbound marketing software is a good fit for mid-sized companies focused on B2B in particular, and does not require contractual terms.
Pardot’s Main Features Include:
- Lead management
- Batch email marketing
- Automated drip marketing
- Real-time sales alerts
- Lead scoring abilities
Enterprise Edition Features Include:
- Advanced capabilities
- Custom security controls
- Increased storage space
- Dedicated IP address
One of the main features of Pardot’s Enterprise Edition is an iPhone app that enables the marketing team to connect with prospects and view their information anywhere at anytime.
Infusionsoft
Infusionsoft is an online sales and marketing solution built specifically for small businesses, and it provides personalized one-on-one customer service and coaching services to help get users up and running. This software focuses on aiding users in attracting leads, streamlining sales, and closing deals.
Infusionsoft Features Include:
- Lead generation tools
- Marketing and sales automation
- Email and social media tools
- CRM functionality
- E-commerce tools
- Reporting and analytics
Oracle Marketing Cloud
Designed to meet the needs of both B2B and B2C marketers, Oracle Marketing Cloud is considered a pioneer in marketing automation software. They are also a market leader in CRM space. The Oracle Marketing Cloud is best fit for mid-sized to large organizations, and integrates with Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. It also offers Twitter and Facebook integration for added insights into success of social media campaigns.
Oracle Marketing Cloud Features Include:
- Customizable target segmentation
- Unique email campaign execution
- Lead scoring
- Advanced reporting and analytics
- ROI tracking and tools for ROI improvement
Hubspot
Hubspot’s inbound marketing software is flexible enough to handle any B2B or B2C business across a variety of segments. It is a web-based, all-in-one marketing software platform, great for companies of all sizes. Hubspot offers a comprehensive system focused on helping businesses get found online. It also provides tools and tips for converting online visitors into leads, and then provides analytics to make smart marketing investments.
Hubspot’s Software Features:
- Blogging and social media
- SEO
- CMS
- Lead management
- Landing pages and calls-to-action
- Marketing automation
- Analytics
- CRM sync