Software ≠ Marketing

I’ve recently been having a lot of conversations about marketing software. Most of us love the idea of software doing more of the heavy-marketing-lifting. From marketing automation triggers to call tracking and routing, there’s little doubt that the right software tools can make our marketing activities more efficient and effective. But it’s important to note that software can’t replace human marketing strategy and tactics. At least not yet.

Unless you have access to something like DeepMind, chances are that your software doesn’t understand how to communicate the value of your services to your potential clients.

Even the best paid search bid management software still struggles without some human insight and analysis.

Even the best “SEO software,” requires a skilled operator.

Of course, you’re likely to see read contrary claims from some marketing software providers.

Take WordPress, for example. WordPress is great. We love it.

WordPress will not do your marketing for you.

I’ve seen folks pedaling “custom WordPress implementations” as a solution to client development.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a custom WordPress implementation. I’m not sure it’s worth hundreds or thousands of dollars per month, but maybe it is to you.

But it won’t write for you. It won’t market your pages / posts for you. It won’t engage with your audience for you. It won’t build links for you. It won’t give you insights and analysis about the value of what you’re doing.

All that, at least for now, still requires Homo sapiens.

In competitive practice areas and cities, ROI and ROAS positive marketing takes time, money, and people.

Get results in terms of clients requires a regular stream of new ideas. It requires learning.

So, before you get sold on that shiny “marketing platform,” consider who will be coming up with the ideas and executing the strategies that actually generate business.