What advantages do subscriptions have over free tools?
As an agency we not only stay on top of industry trends, but also what tools are able to produce results efficiently and effectively. Of the paid tools we use, here is a list of our favorites.
1.Semrush
What it is: “Semrush is an online visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform.” In other words, it allows us to see not only information about our clients, but also their competitors. We perform keyword research, pull organic insights, and see social media performance. We are also able to create projects for each one of our clients to keep track of individual ongoing SEO efforts through position tracking, link building, and a daily site audit. We identify trends that occur within any industry. We then combine that with our own organic research and experience to create advertising that converts and develop an seo strategy that puts our clients at the top of their industry.
What it costs: When you sign up for Semrush, you start off with a 14-day free trial and then move on to a paid membership. Monthly memberships start from $99.95, while annual memberships start from $999.40.
2. Planable.io
What it is: “Planable is an end-to-end workflow tool that makes content collaboration fast and painless.” This is a social media development and distribution platform that allows us to load all content, for Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, and Google My Business, into a project for any client. We are able to tag and communicate with that client when content is ready for review. Once we have approval from the client, we are then able to schedule and publish the content directly to the client’s preferred social media channels through Planable.
Why we pay for it: We are an agency with dozens of clients. We need a space to be able to keep our clients’ social media channels organized and on schedule.
What it costs: Planable is based on the number of workspaces and the number of users that you want to have access. It starts off for free and goes up to custom pricing for large agencies. For more information on pricing, visit them at https://planable.io/pricing/.
3.Teamwork
What it is: Teamwork is an “easy-to-use project management software” that is powerful, simple, and large enough to handle complex projects. As an agency, we rely on Teamwork to help us manage every client’s project. Teamwork helps us to break down every task, track the progress, and always be on time. Teamwork not only allows for interoffice communication on each task and project, but allows for communication with every client. We are able to set due dates, recurring tasks, time tracking for better time management, and even reporting.
What it costs: If you are a small business, there is a free option. For every other business size, it starts at just $10 per month and goes up to $20 per month. For more information regarding their pricing, visit them at https://www.teamwork.com/pricing/.
4. Adobe Suite
What it is: “Adobe Creative Cloud is a set of applications and services from Adobe Inc. that gives subscribers access to a collection of software used for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, along with a set of mobile applications and also some optional cloud services.” Adobe’s entire suite is used by our content developers to create and edit graphics and videos. It’s our bread and butter when it comes to content creation. We use PhotoShop, Lightroom and Premiere Pro, and After Effects the most out of all of the platforms.
Why we pay for it: Being a marketing agency means we need to be able to deliver the best to our clients. We consider Adobe to be the best, especially for the price point. We’re able to create the most visually stunning infographics, social media content, videos, and more.
What it costs: The costs for the entire Adobe Creative Cloud can be found HERE. The pricing ranges from $19 to $80 per month depending on what type of organization you are.
5. Zoho CRM
What it is: Zoho CRM is a “unique and powerful suite of software to run your entire business…” Zoho has a lot of applications within its software. However, our agency mainly uses the software for the CRM. We are able to input and track every PNC (potential new client), and view the status of emails sent (i.e., opened, delivered, bounced). Zoho CRM also allows us to reach out to inbound leads via email and phone to those who fill out a contact form on our website or give us a call.
Why we pay for it: Having a CRM is invaluable to any company. We choose to pay for Zoho because of the size of our company and the number of applications we need to integrate with our website and marketing efforts.
What it costs: Zoho CRM offers four options suitable for all different businesses. Ranging from $18 to $55 dollars, there is a price point for every size business. More information on Zoho CRM’s pricing can be found HERE.
About the Author: April Campos, Operations Manager at Emerald Digital. April started out specializing in copywriting, utilizing her creative abilities to create superior content for clients that drives the needle forward. After entering the social media landscape shortly after, April is now proficient in storytelling across all platforms for various businesses. April started working on digital projects and later transitioned to a copywriter and social media manager for Emerald Digital after its launch in 2018, and is now the Operations Manager.