Forged in the age of the digital experience and the product evolution of customer relationship management (CRM) and other business-focused technology solutions, marketing automation offerings have quickly become an essential part of the enterprise software stack and are enabling companies and brands to deliver and drive positive results more efficiently and effectively than ever before.
Marketing automation products essentially refer to software platforms that automate tasks associated with the customer journey - the path from initial awareness to the conversions that result over time.
The benefit of their use is that they enable today's enterprises to specify certain criteria and outcomes for consumer tasks and processes (e.g. what happens after downloading a sales brochure, sharing an update on social media platforms or purchasing a product), which are then interpreted, stored and executed by the software. This ultimately increases efficiency and reduces human error, improving the relationship between consumer and brand and accelerates the success (and happiness) of both.
The goals of using marketing automation for enterprises are often to increase and improve lead generation efforts through lead nurturing, campaign targeting, performance measurability, customer engagement and general productivity. Success with marketing automation is not without its challenges, of course. Despite the obvious value they provide, most brands suffer from lack of an effective strategy and struggle with the often complex nature of these systems. They also lack relevant content and have insufficient data as well as budget constraints. These are a few of the reasons adoption has yet to reach critical mass.
For example, marketing automation (including CRM and sales automation) is used by 42 percent of companies, while email marketing technology is used by 82 percent according to an Aug. 2015 study from Ascend2. For those enterprises looking to optimize the customer journey and maximize their investment in marketing (digital specifically), however, marketing automation arguably provides the best opportunity to do so today.
Explore 50 of the most powerful and popular offerings in this month's Top 50 list and then download Website Magazine's Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide at wsm.co/buyautomate to discover which of the many solutions is best suited to your enterprise.
Inside Top 50: Tech's Big Role
Acquisition and retention is increasingly driven by technology. Find out how at wsm.co/future411.
1. Salesforce.com
2. Adobe.com
3. Oracle.com
4. IBM.com
5. HubSpot.com
6. Infusionsoft.com
7. Marketo.com
8. Teradata.com
9. Icontact.com
10. Wishpond.com
11. Act-On.com
12. Percolate.com
13. Signpost.com
14. Azalead.com
15. Bronto.com
16. ActiveCampaign.com
17. Ontraport.com
18. GetSpokal.com
19. AutopilotHQ.com
20. Aptean.com
21. Aurea.com
22. SimplyCast.com
23. ThriveHive.com
24. CallidusCloud.com
25. SnapRetail.com
26. Salesfusion.com
27. GreenRope.com
28. ConvergeHub.com
29. NowBlitz.com
30. Net-Results.com
31. Iterable.com
32. LeadSquared.com
33. ClickDimensions.com
34. Etrigue.com
35. Marketing360.com
36. V12GroupInc.com
37. Hatchbuck.com
38. Attentive.ly
39. SignalEngage.com
40. RightOnInteractive.com
41. SharpSpring.com
42. Agillic.com
43. CommuniGator.co.uk
44. Genoo.com
45. Distribion.com
46. ConnectAndSell.com
47. Leadliaison.com
48. Inbox25.com
49. ActiveDemand.com
50. SalesPanda.com
