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33+ best marketing agency tools you need to grow in 2024

Here's a list of some of the best marketing agency tools that I, and many others use, to start, run, and grow our marketing agencies.

Omid G

Feb 22, 2024 • 17 min read

When I first started my marketing agency, I didn’t realize how much work it was going to be.

I felt lost in a jungle of marketing tasks. Not only tasks I had to do to get my agency noticed and off the ground, but also tasks I had to complete for my clients. It felt like running two companies at the same time.

If you feel overwhelmed when running your agency, just know that I feel you. Deadlines closing in, clients breathing down your neck — it can seem like there's no way out.

But here's a secret: great tools are your machete for this wild jungle. Yes! The right set of agency tools can slice through those pesky problems and pave a clear path toward success.

In this post, we'll explore how the right set of agency tools can help to overcome challenges and lead to success — everything from tools to help you start your agency, all the way to tools that help you grow your agency.

I split up these tools, many of which I personally use, into different categories. From project management platforms that streamline operations, social media wizards that boost online engagement, SEO tools to help you rank higher, and so much more.

Alright, let’s get into it.

Making your marketing agency stand out

Running a marketing agency? You're not alone. With the correct approach and resources, you can stand out from your competitors.

The trick is to focus on what sets your brand apart and how you deliver value to your clients.

Your unique selling proposition (USP)

First off, nail down your USP. This is what makes you different from all other agencies out there.

Your USP might be that you specialize in serving a specific industry or demographic group, or perhaps it's your creative approach or proprietary technology like Copilot.

Promote client successes

Showcasing client successes helps build trust and credibility for your agency.

Create case studies that highlight the results of successful campaigns, especially those where innovative tactics were used or significant obstacles were overcome. Clients love stories, so use them.

Demonstrate expertise through content marketing

You need more than just good work samples — prospective clients want evidence of thought leadership too.

Blogs, webinars, white papers – these are all platforms where you can share insights into current trends and challenges in marketing along with actionable advice based on firsthand experience using tools such as Asana, ClickUp, Buffer, etc.

These types of content demonstrate expertise while also providing valuable resources for potential customers.

33+ best marketing agency tools to try in 2024

Here are my top picks for the best marketing agency tools to try:

Asana (for project management)
ClickUp (for project management)
Copilot (for client management)
Monday.com (for project management)
Buffer (for social media management)
Sprout Social (for social media management)
Hootsuite (for social media management)
Ahrefs (for SEO research)
Semrush (for SEO research)
Nighwatch (for SEO tracking)
Clearscope (for SEO optimizations)
Google Search Console (for SEO analytics)
Looker Studio (for reporting dashboards)
Mixpanel (for product analytics)
Plausible (GA4 alternative)
beehiiv (for newsletters)
Customer.io (for email sequences)
Clay (for outbound outreach)
Jasper (for content creation)
Lexica Art (for image generation)
Surfer SEO (for content optimization)
Zapier (for automations)
Make (for automations)
Originality AI (for checking AI content)
Copilot Automations (for client portal automations)
Webflow (for building no-code websites)
Carrd (for one-page landing pages)
Framer (for simple websites)
Copilot client portal (for client portals & communication)
Slack (for internal communication)
Miro (for team brainstorming)
Pitch (for creating presentations)
Scenery (for team video editing)

Okay, let’s get into each one.

Project management software and tools

To make your marketing agency truly excel, you must have the right tools in place. And project management tools are just the ticket for streamlining operations and boosting productivity.

1. Asana

Best for: Simple project management

If you're on a quest to get things done efficiently, Asana could be your holy grail. Known for being great with project management for teams of all sizes, Asana is the tool I first started using when I started my marketing agency.

It’s great because as you scale, team members can join forces to achieve a shared objective with Asana, not just for tracking tasks.

2. ClickUp

Best for: Cross-team collaboration

Ever feel like juggling tasks is turning into an extreme sport? ClickUp’s task management solutions can help ease that tension, especially for larger teams that need to keep each other in the loop. For example, if you have a team of designers and copywriters, ClickUp can be a great tool to bring collaboration into one place — less chaos, more clarity.

3. Copilot

Best for: Customizable client portals

Copilot is the main control center for my agency. It isn't just another tool. Think of it as a trusted client portal that helps me navigate through client management, reporting, messaging, billing, and much more. With streamlined messaging, payment handling, file-sharing, and more under its wing, Copilot makes sure your agency is running as efficiently as possible.

What makes Copilot great for agencies is that you can also use it to productize your services. By leveraging Copilot’s subscription feature, you can enable clients to purchase services straight from your website. You can set these subscriptions to recurring on any timeline, making it so that you don’t have to constantly worry about invoicing clients and making sure you’re getting paid.

Copilot essentially helps you turn your service business into a software business.

4. Monday.com

Best for: Large-scale team collaboration

A case of Monday blues? Not with Monday.com. This platform transforms Monday’s (and every other day) into productive powerhouses where tasks flow smoothly from start to finish. Much like ClickUp, this tool is great for larger teams.

Note: Each tool has unique strengths designed to meet different needs — whether that’s collaboration or time-tracking efficiency.

All these platforms share one goal: To make managing projects easier for agencies like yours. But remember, choosing the best fit depends largely on what exactly you want to achieve with them.

Take the opportunity to give each one a go, look into their functions, and determine which is most suitable for your crew. After all, the efficacy of a tool is only as great as its utilization.

Keeping your agency's online presence vibrant and engaging is no small task. Whether you’re leveraging social media marketing for your own agency, or for your clients, these digital marketing tools are tried and tested.

5. Buffer

Best for: Scheduling social media posts for startups

With Buffer, managing multiple social accounts becomes less of a chore. It lets you schedule posts across various social media platforms so you're always ahead of the game.

This tool also gives useful insights into how well your content performs, making it easier to adjust your marketing strategy on the fly for better results.

Best for: Manage social media accounts of larger businesses

Sprout Social takes things up a notch by offering an all-in-one solution for social listening, publishing, analytics, and more.

You'll have access to deep-dive data that helps uncover patterns in audience behavior — crucial information if you want to tailor content that resonates deeply with your followers.

7. Hootsuite

Best for: Scheduling posts for small businesses

Hootsuite brings everything under one roof: from scheduling posts to monitoring conversations around specific topics or hashtags. Plus, its intuitive interface makes navigation simple even for beginners in the team.

If tracking ROI matters (and let's face it, when doesn't it?), Hootsuite’s comprehensive reports won’t disappoint either.

SEO Tools

The right SEO tools can make your marketing agency shine like a diamond in the rough. Let's explore some of my top choices.

8. Ahrefs

Best for: Analytizing competitor websites

Ahrefs is not just an SEO tool, it's a full-fledged site explorer and backlink checker. Think of it as your very own online detective that helps you figure out what keywords your competitors are ranking for. This gives you everything you need to manage the SEO side of your agency’s website (or for your client’s website).

I personally use Ahrefs for both my own websites and for my clients — it’s my all-time favorite SEO tool.

9. Semrush

Best for: Managing SEO analytics for large companies

Semrush is another gem worth having in your arsenal. It gives you keyword ideas, tracks the keyword strategy used by your competition, runs an SEO audit of your blog, looks for backlinking opportunities, and more. If Ahrefs was our detective, then Semrush would be its trusty sidekick.

10. Nightwatch

Best for: Monitoring keyword rankings

Nightwatch comes to the rescue when you need to track rankings on multiple search engines besides Google such as Bing or Yahoo. Its visualizations make data easy to understand so even if numbers aren't really 'your thing', Nightwatch has got you covered.

11. Clearscope

Best for: Creating SEO-optimized content

And last but definitely not least, Clearscope. If writing optimized content seems like rocket science to you then Clearscope could be exactly what we need here. It simplifies content optimization by giving suggestions based on real-time keyword research data which makes sure all those hours spent typing away at the keyboard pay off.

Remember: These are just tools — they don’t do all the work themselves. You still need to understand SEO and use these tools effectively. But, armed with these tools, you can certainly become an SEO master.

Analytics and reporting tools

The pulse of your marketing agency lies in the data it generates. This is where Google Analytics shines. It's like a doctor for your digital presence, diagnosing problem areas so you can fix them. However, this tool is a given so I’m not including it in our 33 tool list. Check out some other great tools you should be using in tandem with Google Analytics.

12. Google Search Console

Best for: The source of truth for SEO data

A sidekick to Google Analytics, Google Search Console, helps make sure search engines understand your content while revealing how users find you. Think of it as having backstage access to the biggest show online, Google.

13. Looker Studio

Best for: Building analytics dashboards

If visualizing complex data sets sounds appealing, then meet Looker Studio (formerly known as Data Studio). With Looker, numbers transform into insights that drive decisions — it’s like going from reading sheet music to hearing an orchestra perform live.

One way I personally like using Looker Studio is to create SEO reporting dashboards that track essential metrics for my clients. It’s an easy way to pull in both GA4 and Search Console data and add filters to make it easy for clients to digest.

14. Mixpanel

Best for: Analyzing deeper product analytics

You want deep insights about user behavior? Say hello to Mixpanel. It tells who did what on your site or app — kind of like being able to ask each visitor: "What brought you here today?"

It’s a bit more on the advanced side compared to Google Analytics. Setup might not be that easy. I personally had to get the help of a developer friend to help set this up on my marketing agency website. But, once set up, it can give you insights GA4 may not be able to.

15. Plausible Analytics

Best for: An alternative to Google Analytics

If privacy matters (and it should), consider using Plausible Analytics. It offers detailed reports without invading visitors' privacy — a bit like asking someone their age but not their birth date.

And if you’re not too fond of GA4, compared to the old Google Analytics, this can be a viable alternative for tracking your website analytics.

Email marketing and CRM tools

For any marketing agency, it's essential to keep communication lines open with your audience. That's where email marketing and CRM tools come in handy.

16. beehiiv

Best for: Launching newsletters

If you're looking for a tool that helps you launch a newsletter for your own agency (or for your clients), while also providing robust email marketing capabilities, look no further than beehiiv.

It allows you to design beautiful emails without needing to code HTML emails. Plus, its comprehensive analytics lets you measure the success of each marketing campaign so that future ones can be even more effective.

17. Customer.io

Best for: Creating email sequences

When it comes to personalizing email campaigns, Customer.io has got your back. This tool is all about understanding what makes your customers tick — their behavior on your site informs the messages they receive from you.

So instead of blasting everyone with the same old sales pitch, use Customer.io to make sure every message hits home. Outside of just marketing agencies, many startups use this tool to set up email sequences, like when a user onboards to their website.

18. Clay

Best for: Outreach efforts to acquire clients

A newer, but fast-growing, player on the block is Clay — an AI-powered CRM designed for simplicity and efficiency. From contact management through deal tracking right down to forecasting sales performance — this marketing agency software covers all bases without overwhelming users with needless complexity.

Remember: Each of these tools offers something unique for different needs or workflows within a marketing agency.

No single tool will suit every business out there perfectly. Finding one that matches closely enough might require some trial-and-error along with regular feedback sessions among team members who'll be using said application daily basis until everybody gets comfortable enough to start seeing real benefits usage over time.

Content creation tools

Generating interesting material can be a tough challenge, yet having the correct instruments accessible makes it easier.

19. Jasper

Best for: AI-generated content

If you need help crafting compelling copy that speaks to your audience's needs and wants, look no further than Jasper. This AI-powered writing assistant can take care of everything from blog posts to social media updates. It's like having an experienced copywriter on call 24/7.

20. Lexica Art

Best for: AI image generation

Sometimes words aren't enough, visuals are needed to bring your story alive. That’s where Lexica Art comes in handy. It lets you create stunning graphics without any design experience necessary. So if Canva or Photoshop feels daunting, or hiring a designer isn’t in the budget just yet, give this tool a whirl.

It’s great for generating high-quality blog thumbnail images and any graphic to support your content creation and marketing efforts.

21. Surfer SEO

Best for: SEO optimizations

We all know SEO is crucial for digital marketing success but it can be quite tricky figuring out how exactly to optimize our content. Thankfully, Surfer SEO makes this task simpler by providing data-driven insights for keyword usage and structure improvements — making sure your content gets found by those who matter most: potential customers.

Note: No single tool can cater to every need, so always consider what works best for the specific demands of each project when choosing which one(s) to use.

Also, remember not only to pick tools based on their functionality alone — customer support availability and overall user experience should also factor into the decision-making process because these aspects will directly impact productivity levels down the line.

Workflow automation and AI tools

Marketing automation and AI have rapidly changed the way marketing agencies operate. Some critics say AI is going to hurt marketing and the internet. But, I beg to differ. AI and automation tools will help you run your marketing agency more effectively. It will reduce human error, help lower overhead costs, and give your existing employees superpowers.

22. Zapier

Best for: Creating complex automations

Let's talk about Zapier. Zapier lets you connect different web apps and automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration. So, if you're drowning in a sea of mundane tasks, it might be your lifeboat.

Zapier has an arsenal of tools that let marketing agencies get more done in less time. Its magic lies in "Zaps," automated workflows connecting two or more apps to perform certain tasks when triggered by specific events.

No need for manual data entry anymore. Just imagine the amount of free time this could create for your team.

It’s no wonder why Zapier makes you happier.

23. Make

Best for: Simple automations

Moving onto another game-changer: Make. Make (formerly known as Integromat) gives agencies a user-friendly marketing platform to automate complex processes with ease. It streamlines daily operations and helps increase productivity levels dramatically.

You'll wonder how you ever managed without Make once you've seen its automation powers at work.

24. Originality AI

Best for: Detecting AI-generated content

If creativity is king then Originality AI wears the crown. This tool helps detect AI content and plagiarism so your content can perform well in search results. If you’re using an AI content writer, it’s best to run your content through this tool.

It’s also a good practice to run your own human-written content just to double-check check nothing is plagiarized.

25. Copilot Automations

Best for: Automating client onboarding

Lastly, we have Copilot Automations. It's a game-changer for service businesses that need to automate their client communication and operations. The best part? You can do all this within your Copilot client portal.

This tool helps you automate client onboarding and provide exceptional customer service while freeing up valuable time for other tasks. Truly, automation at its finest.

Website and landing page builders

Whether you need a website for your own marketing agency, or you’re building one for your clients, finding the right tools is key.

With the no-code space evolving quickly, and new landing page builders constantly coming on the market, it’s important to know which tools are the best for you and your clients. Here are a few of my favorite website builders and design tools that I see many modern marketing agencies using.

26. Webflow

Best for: Building powerful websites

If you're on a quest to craft captivating websites or landing pages, Webflow is your secret weapon. It’s the best website builder on the market in my opinion (sorry WordPress users). I use it for my own website and for all websites I create. It’s a comprehensive web design and visual development platform that makes creating websites and landing pages from scratch simple.

You can think of Webflow as your personal digital sculptor, molding raw ideas into functional web artistry. But don't just take my word for it, give it a try yourself. Pair Webflow up with Figma, and you’ve got yourself a comprehensive suite of graphic design and web development tools.

27. Carrd

Best for: One-page landing pages

Moving on from masterpieces, let's talk minimalism with Carrd — a simpler approach when simplicity is key. With this nifty little helper, building one-page sites becomes as easy as pie (and who doesn't love pie?).

Carrd gives us something incredibly valuable — time back in our day by taking away unnecessary complexities while ensuring we still get fantastic results every single time. The cherry on top? Carrd offers affordability along with its simplicity — an unbeatable combo indeed.

28. Framer

Best for: Building simple websites

Last up, we've got Framer. This tool is like the Swiss Army knife of web design: it's versatile and packed with features that help you create drag-and-drop web designs.

Whether you're a beginner dipping your toes in or an expert looking for more power, Framer has something to offer. It lets us weave together code components and powerful animations into an intuitive layout; basically turning all our digital dreams into reality.

At the end of the day, they're all excellent choices. Each tool has its own set of strengths that make it stand out from the crowd. But ultimately, your decision will depend on what you need for your project.

Collaboration tools

When it comes to marketing, teamwork makes the dream work. But without the right tools, collaboration can turn into chaos. Check out these game-changing resources.

29. Copilot client portal

Best for: White-label client portals

If you're looking for a one-stop-shop tool that streamlines messaging, payments, file-sharing, and more – meet Copilot. This modern client portal is trusted by thousands of service businesses globally. It gives your clients an efficient experience while letting your team collaborate effectively on tasks.

30. Slack

Best for: Internal team communications

You've probably heard about Slack. But have you truly tapped into its potential? Slack allows real-time communication with teammates in different channels according to projects or departments. It's like having multiple meeting rooms in one digital space.

31. Miro

Best for: Team and client collaboration

Miro is a visual collaboration platform where marketing teams get things done together. From brainstorming sessions and strategy planning meetings to building user story maps or mood boards; if it involves ideas coming together visually, Miro has got your back.

32. Pitch

Best for: Creating presentations

Pitch is a cutting-edge presentation tool tailored for fast-moving teams, such as digital marketing agencies. It enhances presentation-making by leveraging AI to kickstart the process, offering over 100 expertly crafted templates, and providing options for brand-specific customization with colors and fonts.

Pitch also supports efficient editing with smart features for adding text, images, and videos, building animations, and facilitating real-time collaboration. These features make it a great tool for marketing agencies focused on creating impactful, data-driven presentations.

33. Scenery video editor

Best for: Collaborative video editing

Last but not least is Scenery video editor — because videos are no longer just an option in today’s marketing world; they’re a necessity. With Scenery, editing becomes as easy as pie even when collaborating with remote team members who don’t necessarily have extensive video editing skills.

All these tools help make sure everyone stays on the same page (literally), leading towards smoother project management and successful campaign execution within deadlines.

Don't be scared to test out distinct choices until you discover something that suits your team's special requirements and processes. Don't hesitate to experiment with various solutions until you discover the one that's most suitable for your team.

Conclusion

What a journey we've taken, right? You now know the marketing agency tools that can make your work easier. Project management platforms like Asana and ClickUp can help you keep things organized.

Social media wizards such as Buffer and Hootsuite boost online engagement. SEO (search engine optimization) masters Ahrefs and Semrush let you rank higher on search engines. Analytics tools, email marketing, content creation, and automation — they're all there in your toolkit now!

Remember this: these are more than just tools; they're game-changers that will set your agency apart from the rest. And if you’re ready to streamline all of your agency's operations, while bringing many of the tools on this list into one central place, be sure to check out Copilot and start your free 14-day trial.