As the digital marketing industry continues to grow, many managers and agencies find themselves bending under the pressure. There are trends to stay on top of, numbers to track, and clients to satisfy. Did we mention that this applies to each client’s industry, style and brand?
We get it – It’s a LOT to handle!
That’s why we’ve also seen a rise in the use of AI content automation software in marketing strategies. Marketers aren’t blind to the potential that this technology has for streamlining their processes and making their jobs so much easier.
If you’re interested in finding out which workflow tool is going to help you take your agency to the next level, then this blog post is for you! We’re going to evaluate 8 of the best applications on the market, along with how to choose the right tool for your agency.
Let’s get started!
Introducing workflow automation software
These workflows are a fairly new development in the world of AI content automation.
Woaw, slow your roll!
What is AI content automation?
Alright, we’ll tell you.
Content automation is when AI software is used to automate the process of creating, editing, publishing, scheduling, and distributing content. Marketers often use this technology to free up valuable time and resources in order to focus more intently on strategic and long-term growth.
The idea behind artificial intelligence, or AI, is that it is supposed to perform tasks that would typically have to be carried out by a human. In doing this, it saves time, energy and resources for those who’ve decided to incorporate it into their day-to-day operations. The content produced is often of high quality and can even rank on search engines like Google and Bing.
So, how do automated workflows work?
It’s pretty simple. The AI is programmed to follow input prompts to perform a task. Let’s use an example: You need to create a daily, weekly, or monthly WordPress blog post that is automatically checked for plagiarism. You then want the content to go through a readability check and automatically published to your blog. This entire process can be automated with the help of workflow software!
The benefits of custom workflows for marketing agencies
- Streamlines marketing processes to save time and money.
- Reduces manual workloads and the risk of human error.
- Transparency and accountability improves.
- It allows for better collaboration and effective communication.
- Consistency and accuracy as automation ensures tasks are performed consistently and accurately every time.
- Enhanced reporting with the help of tracking and analytics features. Agencies can easily measure and track performance to make data-driven decisions.
- As your agency takes on more clients and projects, your workflow tool’s scalability can easily handle the growth.
8 of the best workflow automation tools for marketing agencies
1. ContentBot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This workflow builder is the easiest to use. The drag and drop functionality allows you to build Flows and make edits with the click of a button. ContentBot offers a number of triggers, actions, and filters, allowing agencies to customize their workflows to suit their unique needs. There are also a number of existing templates to choose from to speed up the process.
Whether you want to generate content that is automatically checked for plagiarism, readability, sent to your inbox for approval, or even automatically published to your website, ContentBot does it all! The impressive AI content automation capabilities, along with a number of third party integrations, make this tool a must-have for marketing agencies. With a full list of prompts and round the clock customer support, the content creation process is a breeze.
Agencies are able to automate the entire process, from idea generation, to editing and publishing. That’s why it belongs at the number one spot on our list!
Key features:
- Access to a wide variety of content automation tools in addition to the Flows feature.
- Built-in SEO reports.
- Built-in plagiarism checker and paraphraser.
- Easy and simple to use with drag and drop functionality.
- Able to link triggers to filters and actions.
- Access to existing templates to get you started.
- Create workflows for emails, blog posts, social media and more.
- Automatically generate content on a regular basis, be it daily, weekly or monthly.
- Third party integrations, including Semrush, Zapier and WordPress.
- Access to the bulk Imports feature for uploading CSV files in order to generate content.
Pricing:
A demo account is available if you’d like to test out their features before committing to paid plans. For access to AI workflows, plans start at $59 per month.
2. ClickUp ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ClickUp claims to be an app that allows you to handle all of your work in one place. Well, here’s what we have to say about that.
They have tools to help you navigate each stage of your workflow, from brainstorming and planning to execution and monitoring. ClickUp focuses mainly on creating a cohesive workspace, where each team member is on the same page and working efficiently through collaboration. You have access to highly personalized and detailed dashboards, with benchmarks and goals outlined for easy monitoring.
If you ask us, this workflow automation and project management tool is definitely worth considering for bigger marketing agencies.
Key features:
- Option for real-time data tracking and alerts.
- Highly customizable dashboards and campaigns for multiple clients.
- Ability to create various types of workflows, including SEO, content marketing, social media and emails.
- Detailed reports into overall performance.
- Allows for collaboration between clients and the team.
- Scheduling and tracking features.
- Existing templates to help get you started.
- Built-in proofreader.
Pricing:
There is a free option for those looking for basic automations. Paid plans start at $7 per month (per user) for access to the more advanced features.
3. HubSpot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While HubSpot is more popularly known for its impressive CRM systems, this platform belongs in our list of workflow software for marketers. They offer a user-friendly interface for all your marketing tools and data tracking needs.
One of the perks of using HubSpot for your workflows is that you can easily integrate it with their Salesforce feature. This will guarantee cohesion between your marketing and sales departments, and give marketers a clear idea on the effect their efforts have on the bottom line.
Key features:
- Access to HubSpot Analytics for performance monitoring, with detailed dashboards.
- Social media, blog, and website integrations available.
- A mobile app for convenience.
- The email marketing tool has built-in reporting (open rate, unsubscribes, CTR).
- Templates available for email campaigns and landing pages.
- Customer data management and CRM system.
- The CRM system has a task management system to help organize marketing tasks, contacts, and data.
- Automatic tracking of social media engagement, including followers.
- Third party integrations – Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo.
Pricing:
The free plan gives you access to more basic marketing and sales tools, as well as a CMS system. Paid options start at $30 per month, with professional plans available for $890 per month.
4. Teamwork ⭐⭐⭐
Teamwork is another platform that is often recognized for its project management capabilities. However, their marketing software shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, they’ve developed tools specifically for marketing agencies!
For starters, this app has a super easy to use interface thanks to its UI design. Teamwork is one of the best management tools for large teams as you can log and track your hours directly on the app. This way, clients also have a clear idea of the work spent on their projects.
In order to help agencies create custom workflows, they offer an Integromat integration. Their management suite helps complete projects while maintaining communication channels. There’s a wide variety of triggers, searches and actions to choose from to create your ideal workflow. You can even take it a step further by automating your customer support process and using contact tracking.
Key features:
- Time tracking and invoicing capabilities.
- Third party integrations such as Quickbooks and Harvest.
- Preset project templates and advanced management tools.
- Options to choose between detailed dashboards and reports or more condensed versions for quick glances.
- Customer support automations and contact tracking.
- Collaboration between teams and clients, with shareable dashboards.
- Mobile app available for users.
Pricing:
Options start at the “free forever” plan, with paid options starting at $5.99 per month for a minimum of three users.
5. Asana ⭐⭐⭐
According to Asana, they’re the “best platform for cross-functional work”. We were impressed by the fact that they offer personal support to help you migrate your existing data to Asana to make the process easier and simpler. They offer a number of detailed timelines, dashboards, and even viewing options to make sure team members are on the same page. Their customizable workflows allow you to automate assignments, due dates, and more.
Key features:
- Access to reports consisting of real-time insights.
- Goal setting and monitoring tools for measuring performance.
- Third party integrations, including Zoom, Google Sheets and Harvest.
- Project and product management tools.
- Comprehensive data tracking capabilities across projects.
- Existing templates to choose from to speed up processes.
- Receive live status updates and portfolio progress.
- Task management tools to track team progress.
Pricing:
The basic plan is free to use. However, to access the workflow builder, you’ll need to pay $13.49 per month for the premium package.
6. Monday.com ⭐⭐
Here’s a platform that aims to help teams manage their work as a whole. Their goals are collaboration, and helping users make more data-driven decisions.
With Monday.com, you can handle everything from software development to sales and CRM, but for the purpose of this blog post, we’re going to focus on their workflow building capabilities.
Their workflow builder allows you to clearly define the project goals and select appropriate actions to help you achieve them. Personalized dashboards are used across marketing teams, receiving regular updates on statuses and progress. You can even select how these dashboards are viewed, and the workflows require no coding.
Overall, this platform helps agencies monitor and allocate resources, assign work, and track progress all from a central point. However, we did find the platform harder to navigate with a steeper learning curve.
Key features: (according to the Pro plan)
- Time and progress tracking tools.
- Create an unlimited number of documents and boards.
- Over 200 preset templates to choose from.
- Mobile apps available.
- Guests can access without having to pay the monthly subscription.
- Ability to combine dashboards for comprehensive overviews.
Pricing:
A free plan is available, however, the features are limited. If you want access to the workflow builder, pricing starts at a monthly fee of $16 per seat.
7. Optimizely ⭐⭐
Optimizely’s tools are next on our list of top 8 workflow automation tools. This site helps agencies plan, create, and publish content, while equipping them with all the tools necessary to monitor the content’s lifecycle.
While this platform offers options to help users experiment and monetize, we’re going to hone in on the Orchestrate tools. It’s a two-in-one content marketing platform and management system, making it an obvious choice for many agencies. They also offer content recommendations thanks to their informative data insights.
Marketers can create custom workflows with the help of AI content generation. The unique added features such as comments, SEO suggestions, and AI-generated images make this platform a force to be reckoned with.
Key features:
- Content recommendations based on AI insights.
- AI-generated images.
- Live web-proofing options.
- Multichannel publishing.
- Analytics for content performance and ROI.
- Third party integrations.
Pricing:
To create workflows, users can use the free plan. However, to get the most out of this platform, we recommend signing up for the full Orchestrate package. Pricing for this plan is unclear.
8. ActiveCampaign ⭐⭐
This platform sums up the purpose of content automation in their heading: “Automation handles what no one else has time for”.
With ActiveCampaign, you can do more than simply automating emails and tracking their performance. It helps improve your segmentation tactics, while setting automatic reminders to make sure you never miss a beat. They’re also host to a unique attribution feature that displays each customer’s unique journey or “lifecycle” as an automations map.
They have marketing automation tools to help guide your customers through their journey with your brand, starting with helping you reach them, all the way to those successful conversions.
Key features:
- Website tracking and triggers.
- Data tracking and insights.
- A personalized dashboard for real-time reports.
- Data can be exported to CSV files for editing and sharing.
- Suitable for multiple users. Teams have clear roles and access. Dashboards can be shared.
- Goal tracking capabilities to help monitor benchmarks.
- Customized access and control of user data and security.
- Third party integrations available, including Zapier and Shopify.
Pricing:
For one user, their plans start at $29 per month. For a more comprehensive package available to three users, you’ll pay a monthly fee of $49.
So, which one do I choose?
When looking for a suitable workflow tool to advance your marketing strategy, there are a few things you should look for:
- User-Friendly Interface: The software should be easy to navigate and understand. Employees should be able to easily access and use all of its features without much training or technical knowledge.
- Customization: The ability to customize workflows to suit the specific needs of your marketing agency is very important. This includes customizable task management, reports, alerts, and more.
- Collaboration Features: Good workflow software should promote real-time collaboration between team members. This includes features like team chats, shared calendars, task assignments, and file-sharing.
- Integration: The software should be able to integrate with other tools that the agency is already using. This could include email, CRM, social media platforms, and other project management or productivity tools.
- Automation: Look for software that can automate repetitive tasks. This saves time and reduces errors. Features can include automatic notifications, scheduling tools, and automated progress updates.
- Scalability: The software should be able to grow with your agency. As you take on more clients and projects, you should be able to easily add more users and create more complex workflows.
- Reporting and Analytics: The ability to track and analyze data is crucial for any marketing agency. The software should be able to generate detailed reports on project progress, productivity, and other key metrics such as SEO and AI analytics.
- Reliability and Support: Make sure the software is reliable and has good customer support in case you encounter any issues or need help understanding certain features. For marketing agencies, time is money.
- Security: Lastly, data security is very important. Choose workflow software that offers strong security measures to protect your agency’s data and your clients’ information.
Key takeaway…
Marketing agencies face unique challenges on a daily basis. Whether it’s managing multiple clients’ content needs simultaneously and effectively, or keeping up with ever-changing industry trends, it’s no easy task.
Workflows offer customizable and adaptable solutions for each client, and help improve the agency’s efficiency as a whole. They’ll help keep track of performance, while allowing for content creation at scale.
From content creation to execution, workflow automation software belongs in every marketing agency’s wheelhouse. And now that we’ve given you the tools you need to help your agency overcome obstacles, you should take a look at How to Transform Your Agency’s Workflow with AI Content Automation.
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