Best Marketing Tools for Small Businesses

Key Selection Criteria for Marketing Tools

If you search online for marketing software for small businesses, you’ll find thousands of options, each with different features and uses. With such a huge selection, choosing the right tools can feel impossible, especially if you’re not a tech wizard. Here are a few key criteria to help you narrow down your choices. 

Cost is the No. 1 concern for many small-business owners. Look for platforms with affordable pricing tiers so you can find one that fits your budget. Plus, some vendors offer free trials to help kick-start your marketing efforts. 

You should also look for user-friendly tools that come with plenty of resources and tutorials. That way, you won’t waste hours troubleshooting or trying to figure out how the software works. 

Be sure to read plenty of customer reviews, too. These testimonials can help you assess each tool’s performance and see how other businesses are using it.

Email Marketing Automation Tools

Email is one of the most versatile and budget-friendly ways to reach your audience. However, creating and sending appealing messages can be time-consuming, especially if you don’t have a graphic designer on hand. That’s where email marketing platforms come in. Here are two of the best email marketing tools for small businesses to help you automate these processes.



Mailchimp: User-Friendly Email Campaigns

Mailchimp is one of the best free email marketing tools for small businesses. It lets you gather customer data, segment your mailing list, and create personalized emails. For example, you can automatically send discount codes and product recommendations based on customers’ past purchases. 

The platform also has powerful data analytics tools. These features can help you track your ROI, your open rates, and other key metrics. Based on these insights, you can fine-tune your campaigns to improve their performance. 

Constant Contact: Great for Beginners

With its accessible pricing and innovative features, Constant Contact is perfect for small businesses. Its customizable templates and drag-and-drop features make it easy to create stylish emails. You can also use the platform’s artificial intelligence (AI) tools to come up with new content ideas or even design entire email campaigns in just minutes. 

Plus, you can save time with prebuilt automation templates. Constant Contact will automatically send your messages on your schedule, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting to send welcome emails or abandoned-cart reminders.

Social Media Management Software

Like email, social media lets you connect with customers on their terms. You can create how-to videos, spotlight your products, or even film your team doing a viral dance — the possibilities are endless. 

Many small businesses invest in social media packages from experienced agencies. For example, Optimize Digital Marketing manages content calendars and develops highly engaging campaign ideas for small businesses. But if you’d prefer to handle everything yourself, these tools can help take your social media marketing efforts to the next level. 



Hootsuite: Streamlining Your Social Media Presence

Let’s be honest: There’s nothing more tedious than logging into multiple social media accounts to share the same content again and again. With Hootsuite, you can create and schedule posts all from one centralized dashboard. 

This platform has several unique features that make it particularly useful for busy business owners. It integrates with Canva, making it easy to design attention-grabbing social media posts. Plus, the OwlyWriter AI can help you write captions and generate fresh content ideas. It can even automatically repurpose content, so you can turn a TikTok video into an Instagram Reel with just a click.

Buffer: Simple Scheduling and Analytics

Like Hootsuite, Buffer lets you plan and share social media content from a single dashboard. You can also establish a preset publishing schedule for every account, based on when your customers are most likely to be online. For instance, you might schedule TikTok videos for the evening to reach Gen Z customers while timing LinkedIn posts for weekday mornings to connect with young professionals. 

Buffer also comes with sophisticated social media analytics tools. Use them to track audience demographics and engagement levels across different channels. These tools help you identify the best posting times and make sure you’re reaching your target audience.

Sprout Social: In-Depth Engagement Insights

Sprout Social is an excellent choice if you want to build a social media marketing strategy that’s backed by data. Its user-friendly analytics let you track everything from audience growth to impressions and video views. You can even monitor your competitors and follow trending hashtags to uncover new ways to market your brand. 

Content Marketing Platforms

If your digital marketing strategy includes content creation, you know how tricky it can be to juggle everything. From brainstorming new ideas to editing videos, it may feel like you have an endless to-do list. With the right marketing tools, you can simplify these processes and create more valuable content.



HubSpot: All-in-One Marketing Hub

HubSpot is one of the best online marketing tools for small-business owners. The Content Hub makes it easy to create a wide range of content, including:

• Blog posts 
• Case studies 
• Podcasts 
• Videos 
• Webpages

The platform features a host of AI-powered tools to speed up the content creation process. For instance, the AI Blog Writer can learn your brand voice and draft new posts in seconds. Similarly, the Case Study Generator can turn your notes or transcripts into compelling narratives. 

Of course, HubSpot isn’t just about content creation. It also improves collaboration across your customer service, sales, and marketing teams. With everyone on the same page, you can provide a more consistent experience for both current and potential customers.

CoSchedule: Content Calendar Simplified

Even the most organized people can struggle to manage content across different platforms. With CoSchedule, you can build a single marketing calendar to plan all of your campaigns and projects. Use color labels, custom fields, and other visual tools to distinguish between different types of content and stay on top of your deadlines.



BuzzSumo: Content Insights and Analytics

BuzzSumo gives you a sneak peek into content trends in your industry. It’s a great way to keep an eye on your competitors and research popular content. And with the Content Ideas Generator, you’ll never have to worry about writer’s block again. 

SEO Tools

As more customers rely on Google to find information, search engine optimization (SEO) has become vital for marketing success. It covers everything from optimizing your website for mobile users to using the right keywords in your content. While many small businesses hire a marketing agency to handle their SEO, you can tackle it on your own with these handy tools.



Semrush: Comprehensive SEO Features

Semrush is one of the most popular SEO platforms, and for good reason. Its keyword research tools will help you identify the most competitive and relevant keywords to drive more organic traffic to your website. You can also use it to analyze your competitors’ keyword strategies and uncover opportunities to outrank them. 

Additionally, Semrush can audit your website and provide personalized recommendations to boost your on-page SEO. It even integrates with Google Analytics, giving you deeper insights into your site’s performance.

Ahrefs: Powerful Backlink Analysis

Earning backlinks from reputable websites can significantly boost your search engine rankings. With the Ahrefs Backlink Checker, you can easily track referring domains and discover new link-building opportunities. This platform also offers keyword research and site audit tools.

Moz: User-Friendly SEO Solutions

Moz is one of the top tools for local SEO, offering targeted keyword suggestions to help you attract nearby customers. Additionally, it provides practical recommendations for optimizing your website, so you can climb the search engine rankings.



CRM Software

Customer relationship management (CRM) software helps you nurture leads and strengthen client relationships. These tools are often used by marketing and sales teams to track customer interactions and personalize promotions.



Salesforce: Robust Feature Set With Scalability

The Salesforce Starter Suite is designed for small businesses that want to centralize their marketing and sales efforts. It includes dozens of useful features, like email templates, segmentation, and data analytics. And as your business grows, you can easily scale your campaigns and upgrade to more advanced tools. 



Zoho CRM: Budget-Friendly Options

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get quality CRM tools. Zoho is a cost-effective solution with several pricing tiers, including a free version with no credit card required. 

It’s one of the best marketing automation tools for small businesses. With just a few clicks, you can automatically share personalized content across multiple channels. Zoho also lets you segment customers based on demographics, behavior, and other criteria. By tailoring your marketing for each segment, you can create more compelling content.

HubSpot CRM: Free and Easy to Use

Along with its fabulous marketing tools, HubSpot offers free CRM software. Its drag-and-drop editors allow users to quickly design bulk emails, landing pages, and other content. Plus, the platform comes with a free chatbot builder, which you can use to qualify leads.



Comparison of Top Marketing Tools

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing digital marketing tools. Software that works for one small-business owner might not be the right fit for another, even within the same industry. For instance, you might love Mailchimp, while a competitor swears by Constant Contact. 

Requesting free demos is the most effective way to compare software. These trials let you test out the tools and see how well they work for your business. 

Of course, you probably don’t have endless hours to spend testing every product on the market. Consider reaching out to a trustworthy marketing agency like Optimize for guidance. We can assess your marketing needs and help you find the best software. We can also recommend the most effective marketing strategies for your business, saving you time and money.



Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most successful marketing tool for small businesses?

The most successful marketing platform depends on your goals. If you’re aiming to improve your online visibility, Semrush is widely considered one of the best SEO tools. If growing your email list is a top priority, Mailchimp is a reputable option.



What type of marketing is best for a small business?

Social media marketing is a highly effective way to promote a small business. It can help you build engagement and raise awareness of your brand. According to a Statista survey, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube deliver the highest ROI for marketers.



What is the most popular marketing tool?

Mailchimp is one of the most popular marketing platforms, serving more than 11 million businesses worldwide. It’s not hard to see the appeal: It’s affordable, it's incredibly user-friendly, and it generates an average of $1,700 per campaign.

What is the most effective promotional tool?

Generative AI has quickly become one of the most effective promotional tools. Many marketing platforms already use generative AI, including Hootsuite and HubSpot. 



Tailoring Your Tools to Your Business's Needs

When it comes to marketing your small business, there are plenty of great tools at your disposal. With a little research, you can find the perfect software to help promote your brand. 

The best options typically combine multiple solutions. For example, Optimize HQ is a social CRM tool that centralizes social media campaigns and reputation management. This versatile platform can help boost your engagement and improve your customer loyalty. 

Interested in learning more about how Optimize can help you market your small business? Schedule your free consultation today!