Marketing spans many different channels and requires a varied skillset. If you don’t have the capacity for a large team to take care of all your promotional activities, it can become overwhelming. Even the most versatile marketeer can’t do it all on their own.
So, what can you do about this? Fortunately, there are so many options out there – from outsourcing work to specialist agencies (like RED!) to utilising the many digital marketing tools on offer for free online. Here are a few of our favourite tools in digital marketing…
1. Social media scheduling tools (Hootesuite, Buffer, Later)
Managing multiple social media accounts can be time-consuming. Social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite let you plan, create, and schedule posts across different platforms in one place.
These types of platforms are great if you’re snowed under. For example, you could set aside an hour or two every week to write up and gather media for your next set of posts, then schedule them all at once so you can spend the rest of the week concentrating on other priorities.
Platforms like Hootesuite also allow you to monitor all of your social media channels in one place. You can take a look at all of your company’s mentions, comments and replies on one dashboard without having to log in and out of four or five different accounts.
Why use them?
- Schedule posts for the entire week or month in advance.
- Monitor comments, mentions, and messages from a single dashboard.
- Access analytics to measure performance and engagement.
Alternatives to Hootsuite:
- Buffer – user-friendly and ideal for small businesses.
- Later – perfect for Instagram-first strategies.
2. Free graphic design templates (Canva, Adobe Express, Crello)
For most marketing materials, we would recommend outsourcing to a professional designer or agency, but for daily social media posts and blog headers, it can be an (almost) fool-proof way to create eye-catching graphics by using the free templates provided.
If you don’t have an in-house graphic designer, Canva is a handy way to create social media and other graphics quickly and easily.
There is an abundance of free templates for all kinds of activities, and if you have the budget to upgrade to a pro account, there’s even more. They offer occasional free trials too.
Why use them?
- Design social media posts, blog graphics, and presentations easily.
- Free templates for quick, branded visuals.
- Upgrade options for brand kits and premium elements.
Alternatives to Canva?
- Adobe Express – quick design tool with high-quality templates and brand kit options.
- Crello (VistaCreate) – similar to Canva, with animations and social templates.
3. Infographic design tools (Easel.ly, Venngage, Piktochart)
Infographics are great for making complex information easy to understand.
While we would recommend using an experienced designer (or agency) for business marketing, Easel.ly has pre-set infographic templates. These are also relatively simple to use.
Even if you decide on using a designer to help create a more polished graphic, it can provide a great source of inspiration and help with planning.
Why use them?
- Communicate data in an engaging format.
- Access pre-set templates to speed up design.
- Spark ideas even if you outsource final designs.
Alternatives to Easel.ly
- Venngage – professional-looking infographic templates.
- Piktochart – excellent for data-heavy visuals and reports.
4. Content planning and idea generation (Answer the Public, Moz, Ubersuggest, SEMrush)
So much time goes into idea generation and planning content topics.
Free-to-use websites, such as Answer the Public, can help provide some insight into the questions your customers are asking.
SEO tools such as Moz can also help with content ideas based on search volume and competitive research. Use their free keyword explorer to find keywords relevant to your industry.
Why use them?
- Generate blog and social media content ideas.
- Build an SEO-driven content calendar.
- Discover high-volume, low-competition keywords.
Alternatives to Answer the Public and Moz
- Ubersuggest – keyword research with SEO metrics and content ideas.
- SEMrush – advanced tool for SEO insights and competitor analysis (paid).
5. Email marketing software (Campaign Monitor)
Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to engage audiences. It’s important that you brand them consistently, that they stand out among the sea of spam emails being received and that they build a journey for the customer or client. We use campaign monitor for our clients, however there are a range of free email marketing tools that allow you to customise, track and automate email campaigns.
Why use them?
- Build and send professional email campaigns.
- Automate sequences like welcome emails and newsletters.
- Track engagement with performance reports.
Alternatives to campaign monitor:
- Mailchimp – easy to use with automation and reporting.
- MailerLite – affordable, beginner-friendly platform.
Do you need help?
Free and affordable marketing tools can save time, improve efficiency, and boost your results. However, we’d always recommend engaging with professional services, particularly if you find managing your digital marketing overwhelming.
And that’s where RED comes in – we can help you with your marketing activities. Check out our digital services, or get in touch to find out more.