Do you spend a lot of time chasing growth opportunities instead of attracting them? Imagine if your customers came to you rather than you chasing them. If this feels like an ideal scenario, you need to start looking at inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing works like a powerful magnet that attracts prospects to your business. Whether a small business owner or a solo entrepreneur, you must have top inbound marketing software in your toolkit to grow. But with so many tools, how do you pick the winners?
In this article, we’re diving deep into the world of inbound marketing tools and sharing the best free and paid options. So, let’s begin.
Why is Inbound Marketing Important?
Inbound marketing works organically and helps your audience find you – whether through a catchy Instagram post or a top-ranked Google article. It isn’t just about grabbing eyeballs; it’s about drawing in genuinely interested folks for free.
Here are some outstanding benefits of optimizing your online marketing campaigns for inbound channels:
- Cost-effect mechanism to spread brand and product awareness;
- Attract the right audience by sharing content that resonates with their interests and needs;
- Builds trust and credibility by providing valuable content;
- Higher engagement rates & better probability of conversion;
- A long-term approach to building authority and thought leadership in your niche;
- Measurable results for tracking efforts and fine-tuning your marketing process & strategies;
- Enables lasting relationships that, in turn, lead to improved LTV (lifetime value) through increased loyalty and repeat business.
Whether you are executing product marketing for SaaS startups on LinkedIn or relying on Instagram to promote your B2C consumer product organically, an inbound marketing strategy in place can help you achieve the desired goals.
And using the right inbound marketing tool is crucial for ensuring you can do this faster and better.
Types of Inbound Marketing Platforms
Inbound marketing platforms are like jigsaw puzzle pieces – they fit together to create a beautiful picture. When different types of tools work together, they make it easier to reach out to customers and keep them coming back for more. Let’s break down the different types:
- Marketing automation platforms. They help you automate recurring tasks to ensure the right message reaches the audience at the right time;
- Search engine optimization tools. They make discovery easier by bringing your website in front of prospects when they search online;
- Social media management tools. They help you manage all your social media handles from a single screen – you can post, track, and monitor different platforms easily;
- CRM platforms. They help you keep track of your customers’ details and chats, all in one place, helping you improve customer relationships by personalizing conversations based on past interactions;
- Landing page builders. Helps you create web pages that make visitors want to stick around or share their details with you;
- Content marketing tools. They help you create valuable articles, videos, and posts that your audience is looking for and appreciates;
- Website analysis solutions. Tells you who’s visiting your website and what they’re doing there.
10 Best Inbound Marketing Tools You Must Check Out
In 2024, hundreds of inbound marketing tools promise the moon. But which ones are truly essential for your marketing toolkit? We’ve done some market research and found top marketing software tools to power your inbound marketing efforts:
1. Sender — Inbound Marketing Software for Ecommerce and B2B
Sender is an omnichannel marketing automation platform for ecommerce businesses and startups looking to manage their inbound marketing campaigns from a single dashboard.
- Pre-built popups and forms;
- Rich library of email templates;
- Easy-to-use automation builder for email & SMS sequences.
Set up high-converting sign-up forms and popups to capture leads from your website. Then, use its segmentation capabilities to categorize inbound leads into behavioral segments for targeted and personalized communication. Use its visual automation builder to set up automated lead nurturing, follow-up campaigns, welcome series emails, and SMS campaigns.
You can easily design responsive email campaigns with its drag-and-drop builder and a library of readymade email templates. Use its reporting and analytics dashboard to get a bird’s eye view of all key metrics and campaign KPIs and optimize all your campaigns for the best results.
Sender’s Key Features
- No-code, drag-and-drop email editor with template library;
- Behavioral segmentation for personalizing your campaigns;
- High-converting signup form and popup builder;
- Automation builder for email marketing and SMS automation;
- Exceptional deliverability.
Sender Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Omnichannel approach to lead nurturing | No landing page builder |
| Responsive and quick support team | Sender branding in free plan |
| Visual automation builder for email & SMS campaigns |
Sender Plans & Pricing
- Forever free plan for up to 2,500 subscribers and 15,000 emails per month;
- Paid plans start from $15 per month for up to 2,500 subscribers and 30,000 monthly emails.
2. ClickUp — Inbound Content Marketing Management Program
ClickUp is a project management and productivity tool to plan, organize, and collaborate on projects more efficiently and effectively. It offers several useful features like goals tracking, performance reporting, and documentation management to help you manage and run your inbound marketing campaigns.
- Goals tracking;
- Documentation management;
- Customizable templates for performance tracking & reporting.
View your daily tasks and Google Calendar events in one place. Set up reminders, track goals, and use time-tracking capabilities to add time-bound tasks for team members.
ClickUp also offers customizable templates for managing your inbound marketing campaigns, including content calendars, A/B testing, campaign tracking, graphic design, promotional calendars, and SEO management.
ClickUp’s Key Features
- Drag-and-drop form builder;
- 50+ customizable dashboard widgets;
- In-built CRM features such as sales pipeline & account management;
- High-level view custom dashboards for monitoring & reporting;
- Pre-built and customizable task automations.
ClickUp Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Endless customization possibilities | Can be a little overwhelming for beginners |
| Rich library of premade templates | Limited mobile app functionality |
| Transparency and collaboration features for large teams | Occasional bugs & glitches |
ClickUp Plans & Pricing
- Forever free plan with unlimited tasks and 100 MB storage;
- Paid plans start at $7 per month for unlimited tasks and storage.
3. Talkroute — Virtual Phone System for Businesses
Talkroute emerges as a quintessential virtual phone system, engineered to redefine the way businesses communicate in the digital age. Tailored for both startups and established enterprises, Talkroute’s suite of advanced communication tools facilitates seamless interaction with customers, ensuring no call or message goes unnoticed.
- Enterprise-level communication solutions;
- Call management and automation;
- Comprehensive platform integrating voice, text, and customizable features.
Its arsenal of features, including Virtual Phone Numbers, Voicemail to Email, Text Messaging (SMS & MMS), and Call Routing & Forwarding, empowers businesses to create a robust, customer-centric communication framework.
A cornerstone of Talkroute’s offering is its ability to provide businesses with an array of phone numbers (local, toll-free, and vanity), thereby establishing a nationwide presence or reinforcing a local identity. This versatility is complemented by sophisticated call routing and forwarding mechanisms that ensure every call reaches its intended recipient, thereby enhancing the efficacy of customer engagement strategies.
With Talkroute, businesses are equipped with a powerful tool that streamlines communication processes, enhances customer engagement, and ultimately drives business growth in a competitive digital landscape.
Talkroute’s Key Features
- Virtual phone numbers;
- Call routing & forwarding;
- Voicemail to email;
- Text messaging (SMS & MMS);
- Call stacking & transfer.
Talkroute Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Quick and straightforward setup | More extensive CRM integration desired by some businesses |
| Wide range of local, toll-free, and vanity numbers | Rates and coverage of international calls may vary |
| Easily scales with your business |
Talkroute Plans & Pricing
- 7-days free trial is available;
- Paid plans start at $19/month, for 1 number, unlimited texts, 500 minutes, email support and standard features.
4. Hubspot — CRM Lead Management System & Marketing Automation
HubSpot is a feature-rich inbound marketing automation software that helps businesses connect and manage their leads and customers better with its CRM, forms, marketing automation, dashboard & reporting capabilities.
- Enterprise solution for B2B inbound leads management;
- Powerful marketing automation;
- All-in-one platform including emails, SMS, SEO, socials, and more.
One of HubSpot’s key features is its built-in CRM which enables you to manage all customer & business data from one place. Streamline sales process and stay organized by adding company and contact records with a single click, logging sales activities automatically, and easily keeping records up to date. HubSpot also offers a range of marketing automation features to help businesses nurture and score leads, personalize email communication at scale, and more.
HubSpot Key Features
- Intuitive drag-and-drop builder for landing pages, forms, and emails;
- Email & text marketing automation;
- Lead tracking & lead nurturing;
- Comprehensive CRM management & reporting;
- Organic social media marketing and scheduling.
HubSpot Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Feature-rich all-in-one portal | Expensive |
| Rich library of training resources | Customization can be costly |
| Good customer support | Might be overwhelming for beginners |
HubSpot Plans & Pricing
- 14-day free trial is available;
- Paid plans start at $18 per month for up to 1000 marketing contacts.
Looking for a tool precisely for lead nurturing? Check out this list: 13 Best Lead Nurturing Software in 2024 (Free & Paid)
5. LeadFeeder — Lead Generation Software
LeadFeeder is an innovative B2B inbound marketing tool that analyzes user activity on your landing pages and website. It tracks how they got there and forecasts their purchase intent to help you make data-driven lead-nurturing decisions.
- Data enrichment;
- Access up to 30M European companies data;
- Automatic lead scoring.
LeadFeeder can track website visitors who may not have filled out a contact form or taken any other action on a website. It also updates your existing CRM data in real time by adding fresh inputs regarding engagement for your outreach teams.
LeadFeeder also integrates with your pre-existing marketing ecosystems, such as CRM systems and email marketing tools, automatically syncing data between them.
Leadfeeder Key Features
- Website visitor identification & data enrichment;
- AI-based targeting;
- Automated CRM lead syncing & lead scoring;
- Real-time lead generation;
- GDPR-compliant.
Leadfeeder Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to set up | May not work well for low-ticket offers |
| Get high-intent visitor data | Limited to tracking website visitors only |
| Rich integration capabilities | Expensive pricing + no free plan |
Leadfeeder Plans & Pricing
- Free plan that supports identification of 100 leads and data fetching for up to 7 days;
- Paid plans start at $139 per month for storing unlimited visitor data.
6. CloudTalk — Inbound Calls Solution
CloudTalk is a VoIP internet telephony software that helps businesses set up and manage inbound calling teams within an enterprise. The cloud-based solution is used by inbound marketers, sales teams, and customer support centers to streamline telecalling efforts.
- Call over 160+ countries;
- Cloud-based, virtual call center solution;
- Automatic call tracking & recording.
You can make and receive calls without a landline using CloudTalk as a business phone system. Design your multi-level interactive voice response (IVR) menu to guide callers through different options. The real-time customer card feature helps you instantly see the history of past interactions to help you personalize the calling experience and start with outbound marketing too.
Other notable features include real-time reporting and analytics, CRM integrations, and complete call center automation.
CloudTalk’s Key Features
- Drag-and-drop smart IVR and call flow designer;
- Automatic missed call callbacks;
- Customized call queuing;
- Blacklist blocked phone numbers;
- Native integrations with Pipedrive, Hubspot, Salesforce, Zendesk, and more.
CloudTalk Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| 70+ advances calling features | No free plan, only a 14-day trial |
| Easy integrations with other CRM and ecommerce systems | Complicated UI |
| Cost-effective plans and pricing | Mobile app could be more feature-rich |
CloudTalk Plans & Pricing
- 14-day free trial account available to test features;
- Paid plans start at $25/user monthly for unlimited inbound and intracompany calls.
7. Surfer — Best for Search Engine Optimization
Surfer is an SEO tool that helps you increase organic traffic and attract inbound leads to your website. This tool offers a content editor with a score meter to check your content drafts.
- Keyword recommendations;
- Content editor with AI features;
- SERP analyzer.
Surfer analyzes the content ranking currently on search engines and suggests optimizations for your existing and fresh content. It recommends keywords, search terms, and the ideal structure for writing engaging blog posts and refining your SEO strategy. By aligning your content with Surfer guidelines, you increase its chances of ranking higher in SERPs.
Key Features
- AI-driven content suggestions;
- Real-time SEO analysis;
- Content draft optimization;
- Multi-language support.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| All on-page optimization tips on a single screen | Can be time-consuming |
| AI-assisted drafts for content generation | No free trial |
| In-built keyword research tool | Expensive |
Pricing
- No free plan available; 7-day money-back guarantee on all plans;
- Paid plans start at $89 per month for up to 30 articles.
8. Unbounce — Best for Landing Page Builder
Unbounce helps you build high-converting landing pages to support lead-capturing and inbound marketing efforts. At its core, Unbounce simplifies the creation of landing pages by providing a drag-and-drop builder.
- Popups and sticky bars;
- AI content creation & optimization;
- 100+ landing page templates.
Unbounce enables even those with minimal design experience to create professional, high-converting landing pages. Features like AI-assisted design and optimization help ensure your pages look great and are structured to drive conversions. This focus on user experience and conversion optimization makes Unbounce an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to capture leads through landing pages.
Key Features
- AI-assisted design-builder;
- Conversion optimization suggestions;
- User-friendly interface;
- A/B testing capabilities;
- Responsive design templates.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface | Limited content personalization features in lower-tier plan |
| Conversion optimization features | Can get expensive with scale |
| Robust A/B testing feature | Slow customer service |
Pricing
- Limited period free trial available with feature restrictions;
- Paid plans start at $99 per month for up to 20,000 visitors and 500 conversions.
9. Hootsuite — Great for Social Media Management
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that helps you consistently build & grow a social media following. You can manage multiple profiles on different social media platforms from a single dashboard.
- Social media analytics;
- AI content creation;
- Social listening features.
Whether scheduling posts, analyzing social media traffic, or engaging with your audience, Hootsuite provides the tools to manage these tasks efficiently. This helps you stay closer to your audience and track your social media strategy’s effectiveness.
Key Features
- Multi-platform scheduling;
- Social media analytics;
- Engagement tracking;
- Automated post creation;
- Integrated messaging inbox.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Post timing optimization | No free plan available |
| Unlimited post scheduling on all plans | Doesn’t integrate with Google My Business profile |
| Integrations with Canva and stock photos for post images | Slow customer support |
Pricing
- 30-day free trial available;
- Paid plans start at $99 per month for up to 10 accounts.
If Hootsuite doesn’t seem to be enough for your social media management needs, check out these 25 best social media marketing tools in 2023.
10. Google Analytics — Best for Website Analysis
Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that helps you monitor website metrics for your inbound strategy. But the platform isn’t just about tracking website traffic; it’s about understanding your audience’s behavior and preferences.
- Acquisition and engagement reports;
- Predictive capabilities;
- Traffic trends and insights
It provides in-depth insights into how users interact with your website. From real-time user data to behavior flow and conversion tracking, it offers everything you need to gauge your website’s performance. You can optimize your inbound marketing strategies by using insights from Google Analytics to refine your content, enhance user experience, and ultimately drive more conversions.
Key Features
- Real-time advanced analytics;
- Audience behavior tracking;
- Conversion insights;
- Custom reports;
- Traffic source analysis.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Universal Analytics is 100% free | Lack of customer support on free version |
| Simple set up | Lack of organic keyword data within analytics |
| Ready-to-use reports | Can be data-heavy, making it overwhelming for beginners |
Pricing
- Free plan that supports comprehensive analytics and multiple domains/properties;
- Paid plans available for enterprise users requiring attribution modeling; starts from $12,500 per month.
Key Takeaways
When building a toolkit for your inbound marketing efforts, you should add the right inbound marketing tools to help you achieve different goals. Test the top inbound marketing software mentioned above, and don’t forget to pick:
- An omnichannel marketing automation software to engage prospects;
- A search engine optimization platform for increasing organic discovery;
- An analytics and reporting tool to get information about your website visitors;
- A lead generation and nurturing solution for supporting your inbound leads pipeline.
If what you we’re looking for wasn’t on the list, consider checking out these topics:
