10 Unpopular and Underrated Digital Marketing Tools
In digital marketing, some of the not-so-popular tools can offer unexpected advantages. We’ve gathered insights from ten Digital Marketing Managers, Founders, and other experts, highlighting 10 unpopular and underrated digital marketing tools.
Explore WooRank for SEO Insights
In my experience as a digital marketer, one of the underrated digital marketing tools is WooRank. This tool is utilized for website analysis and SEO audits that will help to provide intriguing insights for improving a website. Through tracking and monitoring, WooRank will assist you in gathering website analytics and notify you when something goes wrong or has room for improvement.
The tool also assists with showing appropriate search results and driving websites that will attract an audience to your online portal. Further, it also has an additional feature called the Digital Marketing Checklist that improves both on-page and off-page SEO. As an expert, I highly suggest businesses give WooRank a shot to boost their website ranking!
Nitesh Savaniya, Digital Marketing Manager, BrainerHub Solutions
Leverage Live Streaming for Engagement
One underrated digital marketing tool that has caught my attention and proven beneficial is streaming video content on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In my role at MBC Group, especially with the transition to AI-driven Marketing Solutions, I’ve observed the dramatic impact of live video integration into our marketing strategy.
For instance, we’ve started using live streaming to launch new products and engage in real-time with our audience. This has not only increased our reach but has also significantly boosted user engagement and interaction. Our metrics showed a substantial increase in viewer retention rates compared to static posts. Live video has the unique advantage of creating a more humanized and trustworthy brand image, encouraging more direct and immediate connections with viewers.
Additionally, incorporating Q&A sessions within these live streams has allowed us to address customer queries instantly, which greatly enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. The immediacy and transparency of live video foster credibility and allow real-time feedback that can be strategic in modifying or improving offerings promptly. From a business perspective, it’s an efficient way to enhance brand visibility and interaction at a relatively low cost, leveraging the built-in audiences of these powerful social platforms.
Matthew Montez, Founder, The MBC Group
Utilize Web Push-Notification Platforms
I firmly believe that web push-notification platforms are significantly underrated in the digital marketing world. These platforms, including OneSignal, or even PushEngage, are exceptional tools that provide a direct and non-disruptive channel to connect with website visitors.
A key feature of these platforms is their ability to deliver custom notifications curated based on user behaviors, preferences, and demographics. This results in highly targeted and relevant messaging, which serves not only to re-engage dormant users but also to enhance relationships with regular users. What follows naturally is increased website traffic, coupled with a surge in conversion rates and bolstered user engagement.
Moreover, these web push-notification platforms fit ideally within a holistic digital marketing approach. They can augment other marketing efforts such as email campaigns, SEO strategies, and content marketing, by delivering a personalized user experience that subtly drives customer actions, from securing a sale to signing up for a newsletter or even returning to peruse freshly uploaded content.
Despite the efficacy of such platforms, many businesses are yet to tap into their full potential, often prioritizing more well-known tools in digital marketing. Therefore, if you’re looking for an underutilized tool to amplify your digital marketing efforts, web push-notification platforms could prove to be a game-changer.
Casey Meraz, Owner and Digital Marketing Expert, Casey Meraz
Discover Audience Insights on Quora
Quora. It’s a gold mine for understanding your audience. You can learn what questions they’re asking, what problems they face, and what content resonates with them.
Plus, by answering relevant questions, you can establish your brand as a thought leader and drive targeted traffic back to your site. Many businesses overlook Quora, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool for market research and connecting with potential customers.
Casey Jones, Founder and Head of Marketing, CJ&CO
Cultivate a Loyal Newsletter Audience
Newsletters are an underrated digital marketing tool that more businesses should consider. Initially, you need to invest time in cultivating a dedicated subscriber base. However, if you consistently deliver content that is genuinely useful and engaging, you can develop a loyal and interactive audience. This approach not only enhances customer loyalty but also drives repeat business and referrals.
Andy Hathaway, Google Ads Specialist, Clarity PPC
Harness Google Ads’ Targeting Superpowers
Google Ads definitely doesn’t get enough credit. It might be because it seems a bit complex, or there’s this idea floating around that you need to throw a ton of money at it to see any results. But Google Ads can seriously change the game for businesses.
It could be that I’m biased because we’re Google Ads specialists, but I’ve seen so many of our clients transform their business with the power of this platform! When Google Ads is used the right way, it changes everything. We’re talking about going from ‘Who are they?’ to ‘Oh, I’ve heard of them!’ in a really short amount of time.
The coolest thing about Google Ads is its targeting superpowers. You’re not just throwing your message into the void and hoping it sticks. You’re putting it right in front of the people who are most likely to be interested in what you’ve got, exactly when they’re looking for it. It’s like being able to show up at just the right moment, which is golden in marketing.
It’s not all about getting a quick hit of traffic, either. Google Ads has this amazing ability to grow with you. You can start small and dial up your spending as you start seeing some returns, making it a pretty awesome tool for businesses that want to scale without betting the farm right away.
And then there’s the fact that Google Ads keeps getting better. They’re always adding new features, like AI to help with bidding strategies or creating ads that adapt on their own to find what works best. It’s this kind of innovation that makes Google Ads not just a tool for today but one for the future too.
Esther Buttery, Director, CLIQ Marketing Content
Gain Insights with Hotjar Heatmaps
A digital marketing tool I think more businesses should use is Hotjar. It provides heatmaps and video recordings of how people interact with your website. This feature lets you see exactly where users click and where they don’t, helping you understand what works and what needs improvement.
By directly observing user behavior, businesses can make smarter changes to their sites, improving the user experience and potentially increasing conversions. Hotjar is a straightforward tool that offers valuable insights into how visitors engage with your content.
Marco Genaro Palma, Chief Marketing Officer, PRLab
Automate Retargeting with SharpSpring
One underrated digital marketing tool that I believe deserves more recognition, especially given my experience at Cleartail Marketing, is marketing automation platforms that include retargeting display advertising features. For instance, platforms like SharpSpring have been integral to our approach, helping drive customer re-engagement and conversion significantly.
In practice, we’ve utilized these tools to automatically trigger display ads based on user behavior, such as visiting a client’s product page without making a purchase. This method was particularly effective in a campaign where we managed to recapture and convert over 30% of the leads who initially left the website without buying. This form of retargeting ensures that our client’s brand stays top of mind, gently nudging potential customers back toward the purchase funnel through targeted ads that address their specific interests and previous interactions.
What sets this tool apart is its ability to create a seamless customer experience and improve conversion rates by presenting timely and relevant ads to potential customers who are already familiar with the brand but might have hesitated initially. Using a comprehensive marketing automation platform that includes this feature simplifies workflow and consolidates campaign management, making it a must-have for any digital marketer aiming to optimize ad spending and boost ROI effectively.
Magee Clegg, CEO, Cleartail Marketing
Boost Local SEO with Google Business Profile
One underrated digital marketing tool that I’ve found highly effective, yet surprisingly underused, is “Google Business Profile” (GBP). From my experiences, including past work at Harmonic Reach where we embraced digital transformation, I’ve seen how GBP can dramatically influence local SEO and customer engagement without incurring heavy costs.
At Harmonic Reach, we actively used GBP to post updates, respond to reviews, and interact directly with customers. This approach not only bolstered our visibility in local search results but also strengthened our engagement levels. For instance, by consistently updating our GBP profile with fresh content and timely responses to customer inquiries, we observed a noticeable improvement in customer trust and satisfaction scores.
Moreover, the analytics provided by GBP gave us detailed insights into customer interactions and helped us refine our local SEO strategies. By understanding what customers were searching for and how they interacted with our listings, we could optimize our online presence more effectively. This direct line to customer behavior and preference is gold for any business looking to enhance its digital footprint locally.
Haiko de Poel, Owner, Mass Impact
Activate Consumer Data with CDPs
One underrated digital marketing tool that I believe more businesses should leverage is the use of customer data platforms (CDPs). From my experience at Thinksia, where we focus on crafting personalized marketing strategies and utilizing real-time analytics, CDPs stand out as a crucial element in understanding and activating consumer data effectively.
A CDP essentially allows for the consolidation of customer data from multiple sources into a unified customer profile that can be accessed by other software systems. This capability has enabled us to provide highly personalized customer experiences at scale. For instance, by merging data from web interactions, transactions, and customer feedback, we were able to create tailored marketing campaigns that resonated deeply with different audience segments, leading to improved engagement rates and customer retention.
The value of CDPs lies in their ability to provide a holistic view of the customer, which supports more informed decision-making about marketing strategies and customer engagement practices. By investing in a robust CDP, businesses can capitalize on the depth and breadth of their data to drive meaningful interactions and nurture long-term customer relationships. This tool is particularly beneficial for companies looking to enhance customer personalization and operational efficiency in their marketing efforts.
Timothy J Williams, Principal Consultant, Thinksia
Conclusion
No matter which tool you choose, how they fit in your business marketing stack is what matters most. If the tool works for your business, then it’s the right marketing tool for you.