Marketing and technology have become inextricably linked a fair while ago. Some still resist the more AI-driven solutions, but most marketers rely heavily on MarTech to help them acquire customers and ensure they are able to deliver stellar results.
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A MarTech stack thus becomes an inevitable part of most marketers’ lives. The only problem that naturally arises is how to build one and which tools you need to include in yours.
Let’s uncover the basics of marketing tech stack assembly and how it can benefit your business.
Why Have a Marketing Tech Stack?
Marketing is increasingly becoming a data-driven industry. When you notice you’re having trouble keeping up with your campaigns and clients, the time has come to build a data stack.
Application of stacks includes computer programming, web development, and data management. Most programming languages have a built-in stack data type that can be used to process program instructions, while web developers use stacks to manage the HTTP request/response cycle.
It will help you optimize your marketing efforts by giving you a clear overview of your campaigns and tactics. Additionally, it will automate many processes to save you time and money.
A data stack will enable you to gauge the status of different tactics at a glance. Naturally, this will cut down the time you otherwise spend making decisions.
It will help you grow faster, as you’ll be able to utilize different automations to save additional time and effort. You can then invest that time and effort into acquiring new clients.
It can help you cut down the costs of running your business as well. You’ll be able to employ fewer people and take on more work that will compensate for the cost of your stack.
How to Start Building Your Stack
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If you are ready to automate, you may be wondering what your first step should be. After all, there are so many tools and apps out there; it can be difficult to know where to start.
You first need to identify your main pain points. What is it you are struggling with the most? What takes up the most time, or what do you require an automated process for?
You then need to know what your secondary requirements are. Are you looking to improve customer experience, find more relevant leads, boost your conversions, or save time on mundane tasks?
You are also advised to talk to friends in the industry who may have already built their stacks. Ask about the solutions they’ve used. You may discover a new tool that would ideally fit into the slot you are trying to fill.
Browsing online is also a good option, but take reviews with a grain of salt. Try to imagine how the solutions advised would work in your company.
Finally, stand firm on what you don’t need. There are so many tools that do amazing things, but that may not be serving a purpose for your brand or that may be superfluous at the moment. For example, data visualization and gamification are both incredible fields to get into. But if you are still struggling to automate your emails, better leave them for later.
Ultimately, you’re looking to blend ease of use with delivery. So, if you’re unsure about using a MarTech solution even after a free demo, perhaps you should shop for other options.
Essential Components of a Well-Rounded Marketing Tech Stack
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There are several tools each good tech stack should have. However, you may have niched down and only handle email marketing, for example, in which case you obviously won’t need to consider social media-oriented solutions.
Here is a general overview of the basic elements of a functional stack:
Website Analytics
Analytics is the building block of marketing, so start there. For starters, you can just stick to Google Analytics and call it a day. But if you want to expand, there are other tools available.
Content Management Systems
A good CMS can help you save a lot of time, while a poor one can quickly turn into a nightmare, especially if it’s slow and keeps crashing. WordPress is the obvious choice, but you can go for another option.
If you specialize in ecommerce, you can consider Shopify as a platform. Or, you can stick to WP and get to know Woocommerce and its set of plugins very well.
Customer Relationship Management Systems
Some marketing agencies choose to forgo a CRM altogether, preferring to use a tool for reporting. DashThis or Klipfolio can work well, but you can also go for Ahrefs or SEMRush, depending on the needs of your clients.
As for a more comprehensive CRM system, there’s Hubspot and Pipedrive, to name the biggest players in the game. However, there are dozens of smaller tools on the market that do the same thing, often at a competitive price.
Automation Solutions
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Automation is often the reason why most companies choose to start building a stack in the first place. They can help you:
- improve marketing personalization
- gather customer data
- delegate some of the more boring tasks marketing requires to a machine
Email automation is a good place to start, with a tool like Mailchimp or any of its competitors. You can then also automate some of your social media posts with Hootsuite or a similar solution.
Don’t forget that in order for automation to work well, you need to base it on relevant data and keep overseeing the process.
Final Thoughts
With a bit of research and caution, you can build a marketing tech stack that works well for your needs. Always go by what you actually require rather than by what the internet tells you. After all, we have no clue what your business is all about.