You’ve launched a new SEO content campaign to drive traffic to your site. Your team has conceived a plan, researched the relevant articles, and worked together to bring the campaign to life. Likewise, you’ve posted about it on social media. But how do you know if all the time, effort, and expense paid off? Is the SEO working? That’s where reporting tech tools come in.
Being able to gauge analytics related to marketing campaigns, keep track of your overall growth, and generally keep a finger on the pulse of your company’s achievements is vital in today’s business world. This is true whether you’ve just started a new company or project. Likewise, it’s true if you are working to scale your operations or want to give yourself a makeover.
So, how do you keep an eye on that data and ensure you’re getting the information relevant to your needs? For example, you can go the traditional route and hire a marketing agency. On the other hand, you can hire an in-house team to track and report on results. And you can invest exclusively in reporting tech software tools.
Whether you have a combined team and software or want to be digitally empowered to handle the research for your company, there are a plethora of options out there when it comes to analytics tools and reporting tech. We take a look at a few companies that are ahead of the pack.
Performance Management on the Cloud: Planful
Marketing isn’t the only aspect of your business that requires smart analysis and planning. The budget and accounting needs of any business are steep – and non-negotiable. Planful can help you streamline many of your financial planning and accounting reporting processes, easing the burden on your accounting team.
Its features include integrations with software you already use for payroll, keeping the books, and more. It can help you manage everything from developing your annual operating plan and budget to forecasting cash flow and generating vital financial reports.
For Visualizing and Sharing Data: Tableau
Analytics platforms for marketing are a dime a dozen, and some are more user-friendly than others. Tableau sets itself apart by honing in on what marketing teams need to do with their data once it has been collected: turn it into coherent, actionable information that executives and other team members, who don’t routinely work with analytics, can quickly digest.
It allows for integrations with platforms from Slack to Salesforce. Tableau also offers a range of data visualization options for reporting and communicating vital information. Key team members can absorb it at a glance. It offers plans via monthly subscription, with add-ons for additional team members as needed.
Innovative AI for a Spectrum of Marketing Needs: Hawke AI
Hawke Media, a digital marketing business that boasts the capability of replacing your chief marketing officer — its tagline is “Your Outsourced CMO” — is an agency that has shifted marketing paradigms. It allows businesses to take advantage of a la carte services. Or they can sign up for a month or two, rather than committing to a long-term contract.
But their most impressive innovation is the Hawke AI tool, available by subscription. Businesses from marketing agencies to startups can use it to monitor key metrics.
Its features include integrations with social media accounts and Google Analytics. Everything can be combined into one interface; easily-generated shareable reports and ongoing monitoring for SEO keywords and social ad spending to make sure your marketing doesn’t go over budget. The tool alerts you when you’ve gone past your allotted spend.
Third-Party Integrations and Robust Information: Zoho Analytics
India-based Zoho has been a company to watch over the past few years, offering business solutions that range from invoicing to email and alternatives for word processing and spreadsheets. Among its wide selection of tools is its analytics and business intelligence platform.
This platform is notable for its ability to integrate with over 500 third-party tools. It integrates with cloud-based data solutions you may already use and your own files. It also offers applications for iOS and Android.
The robust nature of this platform means you can have almost any aspect of business reporting or analysis available in one place, so you can quickly get insights and draw comparisons.
Automation and Streamlining: Domo
While including vital analysis and reporting features, Domo’s business cloud also offers companies the ability to create automations for some repetitive and time-consuming tasks. You don’t have to be an IT expert to get started, either. This cloud-based solution makes it easy for you to jump in and get started.
Domo also makes it easy for your team to communicate. It does this by offering a range of solutions that include apps, universal access, and embedded and self-serve analytics. The ability to share access with team members via apps eases the burden of reporting. This combined with its automation features means precious time savings; it might be a great solution if you’re operating with a lean team.
The best option for your business will depend on your size and needs. You’ll want to consider whether your priority is to keep track of how marketing campaigns drive traffic to your business, or if you’d rather find a tool that helps you boost your team’s efficiency, or if you want to find something that combines a number of functions to improve efficiency overall.
Whatever your choice, it’s smart to look for reporting tech products that provide relevant data. Find something that makes it as easy as possible to read and understand what the information says about your business needs and success.
