This blog will…
- Help you get to grips with what a martech stack is.
- Advise you on important things to consider before you decide on your tech stack.
- Offer recommendations for project management and communication platforms, marketing asset creation tech, spelling and grammar tools and content management and blogging platforms.
Busy marketers across the globe are waiting patiently for one marketing tool to rule them all. One platform that takes care of all your content creation and publishing needs, all your CRM data and every marketing channel you use to communicate with your audience. While we continue to bide our time for the ultimate tool to arrive we can do our best to equip our brand and our people with the best tech stack to help grow the businesses.
We’ve split this blog into two parts as there was so much to cover and we didn’t want to scrimp on detail. This article, the ultimate tech stack for content marketers #1 will cover martech that can help with project management and communication, marketing asset creation, spelling and grammar and content management and blogging. The second instalment will look at the best tools and platforms for social media marketing, SEO, email marketing and research and analytics.
From important things to consider to building that ideal martech solution, read on to discover how to create the ultimate tech stack for content marketers.
What is a martech stack?
A martech (marketing technology) stack refers to the combination of tools, platforms and gadgets that marketers use to fulfil their business goals and objectives. This could be any activity relating to marketing and sales including customer data management, content creation and publishing, and analytics packages. It could also involve tools to help improve SEO and keyword targeting, monitor social media engagement, or manage programmatic advertising.
Your content marketing stack could be a considerable investment for your business. Therefore, it’s important to do your research and make the right choices for your team and your business, both now and in the long-term.
Building the ultimate tech stack for marketers
Here are some ideas and recommendations for the kinds of tools and platforms you could consider for your ideal content marketing tech stack. These are based on common marketing challenges and objectives. If you are looking for something else, let us know, we love our martech and we might just have some top recommendations for you.
Project management and communication tools
The best project management and communication tools take the weight off busy content marketers, reducing admin, clarifying workflows and enhancing collaboration. Knowing who is doing what, where, when and why is vital to your content marketing success.
Make sure you choose a tool that enables real-time communication, both internally and externally, where you can share project updates and send even large files securely.
We like: Trello is a good project management and communication tool that simplifies task management and streamlines workflows. It’s super-easy to use and highly customizable. Trello also integrates with a variety of platforms such as Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, SurveyMonkey and Zendesk. There’s even a freemium version for small teams.
Marketing asset creation
Thankfully, you don’t need to rely on your busy design team to create high-quality marketing assets these days. There are a whole host of asset creation platforms out there that help you create professional web pages, videos, animations, infographics, interactive documents and any number of engaging content formats in no time at all.
We like: Foleon is a great choice for marketers who want to create high-quality, media-rich content but don’t have the design capabilities to hand. Foleon also acts as a centralized, secure hub for your templates and designs helping to improve collaboration and ensure brand consistency.
Spelling and grammar tools
The smallest spelling or grammar error can really detract from your message and the overall user experience. Using a language app on top of your usual spell check can mean the difference between delivering great content that delights your audience and copy that makes your reader doubt your expertise. It also gives you that welcome peace of mind when you press ‘send’.
We like: In our humble opinion there is no better grammar and spelling tool than Grammarly. Alongside correcting your spelling and punctuation mistakes, Grammarly also highlights sentences where the writer could be more concise and offers general feedback on content flow, clarity and style.
On top of all these great features, the Grammarly app works across all the main social media platforms, email marketing platforms, Google Docs and many others.
Want to make sure your content stands out from the rest and that it gets in front of the right people? Check out our tips for content creation excellence.
Content management and blogging
Finding the best content management and blogging tool is a high priority when building your tech stack. It’s also one of the more complex decisions you’re likely to make. Costs vary considerably as do the available features and requirements for technical skills.
When you are doing your research have a good think about who will be using the CMS over time. If your users are from a non-technical background it makes sense to invest in one of the simpler CMS. But if you’d benefit from more control over your website’s design and functionalities and have the in-house skills it might be best to choose an open-source CMS like WordPress.
We like: If you’re on a tight budget and your needs are straightforward, a drag-and-drop builder like Wix or Squarespace could be a good fit. If you would benefit from a broader range of marketing tools such as lead management and a fully-integrated CRM, HubSpot is a good one to consider.
This is definitely a decision to mull over properly. Don’t be afraid to contact the provider’s sales team to talk through your options and make sure it will integrate well and that updates aren’t going to be too much of a challenge.
Recap
We hope this guide to the ultimate tech stack for content marketers has helped you develop your wishlist for the tools and tech you need to grow your business. If you want to find out more about the trends in content marketing right now, take a look at our State of Content Creation 2022 report today.
Don’t forget to check out the ultimate tech stack for content marketers #2 to discover the platforms and tools to complete your marketing arsenal.
