Fortunately – and unfortunately – new tools are always springing up in the digital marketing landscape. And having a great tool rather than a meh-it-gets-the-job-done tool can make your work life easier. But given all your day-to-day responsibilities, it’s tough to keep up.
Let me help introduce you to relatively new players worth your time. I love the intuitive nature of Slack and the jack-of-all-trades nature of G Suite, but this article is to introduce you to lesser-known apps and tools. If being ahead of the curve is your thing, then read on.
1. Zoho Cliq
Communication relies less on words and more on the way that we use them (or don’t use them) – our tone, body language, and other nonverbal cues. Given that text-only communication solutions won’t cut it, that’s why we love Zoho’s Cliq.
.@ZohoCliq project mgt tool works well because text-only communication doesn’t cut it, says @benaston. Click To Tweet
Unless you have a killer software budget, you’re probably looking to get the highest functionality from your apps for the lowest price. Why is this product particularly great for marketers? It offers audio and video conferencing; private, group, and board messages; basic calendar functions; screen sharing; unlimited storage, integration of many mainstream apps; and the ability to grant permissions to external users.
At $3 per user per month, Cliq is one of the most affordable options on the market. Even its free version has a lot of perks (like unlimited storage). Cliq also doesn’t sacrifice the quality or quantity of the functions. It also features marketing-focused services — everything from market analysis and strategizing, to outreach.
2. Samepage
Much like Cliq, Samepage has a dedicated pitch for marketers looking to invest in its service: With Samepage, you can manage campaigns and/or product launches, collaborate on creatives with your team, share reports with clients, and even stream social media updates. Tag and sort tasks by date, priority level, or campaign name. Create and share presentations. Integrate with over 1,000 apps. Use video or text messaging to keep up to date with your team in just a few clicks.
Samepage’s collaboration-first approach to project management is perfect for savvy marketing teams that know that the best ideas don’t develop in a vacuum. Its simple communication philosophy and structure works by dividing people (and their associated work) into teams and sub-teams for an optimal communication structure.
.@Samepageio collaboration-first approach to project mgt is perfect for savvy #marketing teams, says @benaston. Click To Tweet
This hyper-focused attention to collaboration means that Samepage could be what you need if your team needs to re-energize and reconnect over a coming deadline or new project. By collaborating on co-authored content in real time, team members can save time and spark inspiration with a quick, easy flow of communication.
At $7 per user per month, Samepage is cheaper than many alternatives and doesn’t short any features. Even the freemium version has a lot to offer, which is great to try before you buy.
3. Teamwork
This app’s name gets its point across. Teamwork has 22,000 customers in 183 countries, as reported by the Irish Examiner. Impressively, clients include Disney, Spotify, Forbes, and PayPal. If you’re an “if it works for them, it works for me” type of content marketer, then Teamwork will catch your eye on this alone.
In development for 20-plus years, Teamwork offers options for mid- to large-scale businesses. It can work well for large, diverse, and robust marketing teams. Broader teams will find support in Teamwork’s sophisticated set of collaboration tools, including all areas of project management, such as time tracking, milestone tracking, group chat options, and even a client portal. It can take administrative duties off a busy content marketer’s plate by creating high-level reports, Gantt charts, and other analytics.
Teamwork’s project management tool works well for large, diverse #marketing teams, says @benaston. #tools Click To Tweet
With a freemium version for up to five users, even small-scale companies can take advantage of what Teamwork has to offer. Otherwise, Teamwork starts at $9 per user per month and offers enterprise-level cost structures. That means it’s not only feature rich but easily scalable.
4. Fleep
Fleep has positioned itself in a way particularly valuable to marketing experts and content curators. Unlike most communication-oriented tools, Fleep offers native task management features to keep you focused on what you need to do as much as what you need to say. For the most part, Fleep cuts out the fluff and focuses on what matters to a busy digital marketing team: conversation.
.@Fleepio’s native task mgt features keep focused on what you need to do AND what you need to say. @benaston #tools Click To Tweet
You’ll find a range of information-sharing tools, like discussion boards, document management, file sharing methods, and so on. Organize ideas on the app’s pinboard before converting them into a task list ready for action. Fleep integrates with software like JIRA, Confluence, Trello, Slack, GitLab, and Github. Because Fleep is open platform, you can communicate with anybody who uses it regardless of whether they are part of your organization.
Fleep charges $6 per user per month.
5. Backlog
Collaboration tools have a host of benefits, from a clearer exchange of information to helpful storage and search capabilities, efficiently navigating team feedback and bringing greater levels of accountability. But what about a tool that goes above and beyond by offering bug tracking, version control, task management, and even a section for wikis. That’s what Backlog does, and it does it well.
With a coding-focused take on task navigation aligned in an intuitive and easy-to-read UX, Backlog does something that cannot be taken for granted: It builds a platform where content marketers and developers can connect. Given that marketing almost always has a digital component (i.e., a need for coding), Backlog is a smart choice for managing website design, app development, desktop scrolling ads, campaign-focused landing pages, etc. Backlog is a place where content marketing ideas meet practical execution, streamlining the process to highlight bugs and reduce errors.
.@backlogtool is a smart project platform for content marketers and developers to connect, says @benaston. Click To Tweet
Tools like Backlog are essential for making sure disparate but interconnected teams can visualize project terms and statuses in a meaningful way for both parties. Backlog is $20 per month.
What’s next
Pick one of these marketing-minded tools to increase connectivity and organization and decrease stress in your workplace. See which one fits best with your marketing team’s goals and work. And after you’ve used it awhile, evaluate how it has helped your processes and output efficiency.
Finally, if you already use one of these tools – or after you try them – share a few words in the comments. Since we can’t see your nonverbal cues, feel free to add an emoji or two.
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Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute