Marketing is the lifeblood of keeping any business going, and marketing technology — also known as martech — can help you in this journey.
What's martech good for, exactly?
Loads of things. Personally, I don't believe that any online business can be run without some solid tech these days, but the key is finding the right tools to help you with your marketing challenges.
Think about the different things you can use to find out what your demographic is and target it, make your business more efficient than ever, and maximize your ROI. All of those things fall under the martech umbrella, and they're all important.
Below, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about martech, from all the different types of tools to how you can make the most of them.
What is martech, and what is it good for?
Martech, which is short for marketing technology, refers to various tools and technologies that marketers use to carry out marketing campaigns from start to finish.
The term "martech" covers software and platforms that were made to help you improve your marketing efforts.
Some of the best things about martech are as follows:
- It's automated! Cutting back on manual work helps you focus on other things.
- Data, data, data. Martech helps you collect, analyze, and segment data to support fact-driven decision-making.
- Martech is crazy helpful when you want to run a targeted, highly personalized campaign—which is the best type of campaign to run in the first place.
- That automation I just mentioned above? It's one of the keys to scalability, which is what martech helps with, too.
Some of the most well-known examples of martech include Whop (which comes with its very own suite of useful marketing tools, and it's free to use), HubSpot, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Marketo Engage, and Google Analytics.
What is a martech stack?
As you dive more into the trenches of martech, you’re going to hear the phrase "martech stack" tossed around a lot. A stack is, simply put, the collection of martech tools that you put together to optimize your marketing strategies.
The different components that make up your stack fall into various categories (and I'll walk you through all of those momentarily). Within each category, you’ll have dozens, if not hundreds, of different types of software to choose from.
Building the perfect stack for you depends on your business goals, the size of your business, the industry you’re in, and your budget. You also want to take into account how you plan on scaling your business.
If you are still having trouble, let’s invent a fictional business together.
Let's assume you're a creator who sells digital products, such as courses. You might end up choosing Whop for your sales and analytics, Mailmodo for email campaigns, an AI chatbot to handle basic questions from your customers, and SEMrush to check your SEO analytics.
Voila, there’s your martech stack!
6 types of martech tools to include in your kit

Pictured above is a 2024 MarTech Salary & Career Survey undertaken by MarTech.org and Chiefmartec. It gives us a good idea of what type of technology marketing departments are using these days.
Organizational tools like spreadsheet and project management programs top the list, but are far from the only ones represented.
That's the right way to go about it—you don't want to limit yourself to just one sort of tool. You'll start out small and expand as your business grows.
Choosing the right software for your small business is a trial-and-error kind of process, though, so you may go through several before you find the stack you truly love.
Your stack should be diverse and contain a lot of different types of tools that all work together to fulfill your specific needs. You can integrate anywhere from five to dozens of tools, depending on the size of your business and what kind of marketing your customers respond to.
Let me introduce you to some of the most popular types of martech tools.
1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms

CRM platforms act as a hub to help you manage the way you interact with customers.
Think of a CRM as a tech-savvy version of a filing cabinet. They hold information like contact details, purchase history, and communication records.
3Your best option for a solid CRM is Whop. With Whop, you get it all in one platform: a place to sell your digital products and services, and a built-in, completely free set of CRM tools.
With Whop, you can track your communicate with your customers in all sorts of different ways, check their subscription history, and categorize them to capitalize on that unique personal touch.
Whether you use Whop, or a strictly CRM platform such as Hubspot or Pipedrive, you get to tap into purchasing trends and also personalize your interactions.
You can automate follow-up messages to leads when customers express interest, track the sales pipeline, and segment customers for personalized marketing.
You can also use alerts to lower your churn. If a customer’s subscription to your service is about to expire, you can arrange for them to automatically be contacted about renewing.
Similarly, if you sell consumables, you can set up a campaign to email your customers when it's time to re-buy whatever it is that you're selling. (This applies more to physical than digital products).
Customers respond well to feeling like a company knows them, so being able to throw that personal touch into the way you speak to them improves brand loyalty and customer retention.
Some of the most popular CRM platforms to add to your martech stack include:
- Whop
- Salesforce
- HubSpot CRM
- Zoho CRM
- Pipedrive
2. Email marketing automation tools

As a business owner, you probably already know why email marketing is important. Mailing lists are a way to reach out to your customers, drive conversions, build relationships, and generate leads.
These types of tools are useful to your stack because they let you create, schedule, and deliver targeted email messaging to specific parts of your audience. Imagine you run a subscription service and you want to reach out to someone whose free trial has ended. Email marketing lets you automate that process of reaching out to entice them to return.
You can use automated email marketing to offer a small discount to people who have left an item in their cart.
You can also create a series of welcome emails introducing new sign-ups to your business model and what you offer, or you can use the tool to re-engage with users who haven’t interacted with your content or products in a while.
A good email marketing automation tool will also give you so much insight into your audience. You should be able to learn metrics like the email open rate, the click-through rate, and the conversion rate.
This is the stuff that allows you to keep refining and perfecting your email marketing strategy.
A good way to set yourself up for success is to try out Whop's Mailmodo integration. You'll get access to up to 75,000 monthly emails, full integration with platforms like Zapier and Facebook, and comprehensive analytics so that you know what works and what needs some tweaks.
Here are some of the top email marketing automation tools:
- Mailmodo
- Mailchimp
- Constant Contact
- ActiveCampaign
- Klaviyo
This is also a perfect example of how your stack works together. CRM tools help you learn more about your audience, and email marketing tools help you put it to work (while still learning more in the process).
3. Social media scheduling and analytics tools

Social media can feel like everyone screaming at a town hall trying to be heard over each other … but social media tools in your martech stack help you create the megaphone you need to cut above all that noise.
You can use tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to schedule posts ahead of time and make sure you hit peak active hours for your target demographic. (See how it all ties together? CRM tools help you figure out that demographic).
More eyes on your posts result in more clicks and more conversions.
If your business has an international scope, scheduling can do the same thing, but across every time zone. These are features that would be difficult and time-consuming for a single person or even a team to accomplish.
Whether you have a dedicated employee handling your social media or it’s encompassed in your overall marketing plan, you should be using scheduling and analytics tools. The name of the game with martech is streamlining, and these types of tools are vital to that process.
Social media scheduling tools can help you create a posting schedule, allow different groups of people or teams to collaborate on content, optimize campaigns, and help your brand stay cohesive.
The analytics offered by these tools create data-driven insights so you have the clearest and most direct path to your audience. For example, if you see that Instagram Reels are doing better for you than Facebook Stories, you know where to focus your time.
Here are some of the most popular social media management tools:
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- Sprout Social
- Later
4. Personalization software

It may feel like there's some overlap between different tools in your martech stack, and that's true. Everything I talked about gives you some degree of personalization. That's fantastic.
Personalization is one of the foundational blocks of successful marketing. Using tools that are solely focused on helping you deliver a personal, tailored experience is a smart strategy.
These tools collect data, use AI and machine learning to analyze user behavior and segment audiences, and measure the effectiveness of your strategies. They track engagement, including click-through rates, time on site, and conversions.
Still not sold? Here are some specific examples of use cases to mull over!
- Use A/B testing where you have two versions of a product launch page or newsletter and see which one performs better
- Highlight specific bundles based on previous purchase history
- Offer personalized discounts on items viewed multiple times but not purchased
- Customize a landing page to show customers items that metrics have determined they’d be most likely to purchase
Nothing will help your conversion rates more than customers who feel engaged with your business. And what keeps customers engaged? Personalization! Here are some tools to check out:
- Dynamic Yield
- Optimizely
- Salesforce Interaction Studio
- Adobe Target
- Klaviyo
5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools

SEO is key to making sure that your website, landing page, storefront, or any other type of content shows up near the top of search results—which is right where it belongs!
With SEO, you identify what the high-value keywords are based on competitor analysis. This lets you optimize your content. (Remember, though, that SEO needs to be natural, so overdoing keyword usage tends to backfire.)
You should always have one or two SEO tools in your stack. Look for an SEO tool that has features like backlink analysis, keyword tracking, site audits, and content management.
You also need to make sure that you’re using an SEO tool that will highlight and fix issues for you. Tools like Screaming Frog will tell you which product pages load too slowly, which may have a negative impact on search engine crawlers. Fixing that can improve your rank, but is an issue you’re unlikely to stumble over on your own.
If you want to explore more SEO options for your stack, check out:
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs
- ScreamingFrog
- Google Search Console
- BuzzSumo
- Moz Pro
6. AI-powered martech tools

AI is the ultimate buzzword these days, but it's also helpful if you're running a business—as long as you try the right tools. Machine learning can automate complex processes and give you lots of valuable insight.
Some of the top AI tools out there will help you with data analysis, personalization, content creation, predictive analytics, and automation.
You can automate repetitive tasks instead of wasting time doing them yourself, such as lead nurturing or email campaigns. You can also save money on customer support by first trying out a chatbot.
You can even use AI to write some of your content using one of the many AI writing tools on the market today.
Relying on AI to complete those types of tasks frees you up and lets you focus on the big picture instead of being boggled down by day-to-day management.
Here are some of the top AI tools that you can consider for your martech stack:
- Persado
- Jasper
- Drift (AI chatbots)
- Pathmatics
- Albert.ai
- MarketMuse
- ClaudeAI
- Adzooma
What's the best martech tool for selling digital products?

Running a business that's 100% online comes with its own set of challenges.
Figuring out the best products to sell, reaching your audience, and freeing up time for scaling your side hustle gets tricky. That's why it's best to work with a platform that knows what you're about and is able to help you every step of the way.
If you're selling digital products, make sure to add Whop to your martech stack. In fact, it can replace a lot of the programs I talked about above, and it won't cost you a penny upfront.
Whop is an all-in-one platform designed for creators who sell digital products and services. With Whop, you can sell all sorts of products from ebooks to one-on-one consulting calls to courses.
Setting up a whop only takes a few minutes, and Whop doesn't cost any money to use; instead, Whop takes a small cut (as low as 3%) out of each sale.
Whop lets you list your products, set up one-time payments or subscriptions, talk to your customers, and add pre-made apps such as Chat or Courses. You can also lean into one of Whop's many integrations, such as with Discord.
Whop automates fulfilment and payments quickly and securely. It also comes with a robust range of CRM and analytics tools that can fully replace a lot of paid alternatives.
If you're selling digital products, give Whop a try and see how it makes your life easier.
Common issues with martech and how to avoid them
Don't get me wrong—martech is super helpful, but there are ways things can go wrong. Some of these tools let you hit the ground running in minutes, such as Whop, but others require some thought and setup.
Here are some of the most common pitfalls you'll run into when setting up your martech stack, and the ways to avoid them.
1. Adding too many tools
Too much of a good thing? Whether we're talking about chocolate cake or marketing tools, it can most certainly happen.
An overcrowded stack can start to defeat its original purpose, especially considering that every tool requires some maintenance.
To avoid falling into this trap, make a list of the tools you’re using (or the ones you plan to use) and figure out whether you need all of them.
Identify where things are too redundant to serve a purpose, and eliminate the tools that aren’t providing you with genuine value.
Analytic tools are a prime example of this. You can have dozens of different tools that help you analyze every aspect of your business, and that's great—but it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the (sometimes conflicting) data coming your way.
Sometimes it's better to cut back and stick to one platform, such as Whop.
2. Not doing enough testing and integration
Integration may be the single most important aspect of keeping your stack functional. You have to make sure that new tools you add are compatible with the ones you’re already using.
Failing to test the tools before you add them to your stack can cause performance issues, and have a domino effect in making other tools less effective. Test each tool by itself in a controlled environment before you fully roll it out.
To do this, create an integration checklist. On this checklist, include things like data compatibility, API availability, and user experience.
Have a team of people test run it and report back to you on any issues they come across. No worries if you're just running a side hustle all by yourself—put your friends and family to work or do some thorough testing yourself on different devices.
3. Following trends instead of function
Trends are trends for a reason, and that reason is because a lot of people are finding them helpful. It may be tempting to jump on board with every new piece of shiny technology you see, but martech tools aren’t one size fits all, and not every trend is going to be useful to you.
Tools like Jasper.ai and Writesonic use AI to create marketing copy and write blog posts. This can be a great time saver for a business that wants to scale content creation but does not rely on it heavily.
But if you have a business that relies on creative brand messaging or has a very unique voice in your content, having AI-generated content can backfire and lose you customers. And trust me, it's crazy how easy it is to tell when a blog post was written by AI instead of an actual human being.
Need another example? Let’s look at blockchain-based marketing tools.
There are platforms (like Lucidity) that use blockchain tech as an innovative way to provide data security. This is great if you are a business that deals with privacy compliance or has consumers with a high level of concern for ad fraud.
But, if you’re a small business that doesn’t operate in a heavily regulated sector, you’d be spending money on technology that you probably don’t need.
Before you commit to that SaaS subscription, look at your marketing campaign and figure out if the tool actually solves an existing need.
4. Underestimating the cost

There are a number of costs associated with martech tools, and not all of them may be obvious. On top of an outright cost for the tool itself, you may need to consider the price tag that goes with onboarding, training, and ongoing subscriptions.
To help make sure you’re being realistic about the cost of a tool, calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO) for each tool before you commit to it. This includes licensing, implementation, training, and any support costs you think there might be.
Prioritize tools with flexible pricing schemes that will stand the test of time with you over ones that don’t offer much scalability.
5. Not measuring the ROI
Measuring the ROI of a tool is how you determine if it’s actually benefiting your business or not. If you don’t know how much of a return on your investment you’re getting, you run the risk of sinking money into something that’s hardly worth your time.
Figure out what your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are for each tool, and use that to track performance. Set up a dashboard that will monitor metrics like lead conversions, customer engagement, and operational efficiency.
Check whether those things improve by a certain percentage or number by a set date. If not, then perhaps the tool isn't for you.
Remember: Martech is a lot of things, but it's definitely not a set-it-and-forget-it type of solution. You'll be monitoring these tools daily.
6. Relying solely on martech
Do you know what's one trend that annoys me lately?
The fact that even if you call customer support, many companies will just have you talk to an AI assistant with no way to speak to a human. This is an example of a company that relies on tech a little too much.
The human element is still an important part of business, and customers often don’t appreciate it when automation replaces certain aspects of their interactions.
For example, a chatbot is great if you just want to automate responses to basic questions. A chatbot can tell someone what your hours are or what kind of services you offer. They can also be great if you have a message you need widely spread throughout your entire customer base.
But if a person needs help or has an issue, they usually want to talk to a real person. A personal touch can ensure that you keep customer satisfaction and retention high.
The key to this is just making sure you balance automation with human oversight. Don't let martech replace too many things at once.
Level up your marketing game with Whop

I mentioned above that Whop is the best platform for selling digital products (and a bunch of other things, such as CRM tools or email campaigns).
But it's also great if you just want to learn more about marketing technology or marketing in general.
This is because Whop is home to some of the world's most successful online entrepreneurs who have mastered the marketing game. With their help, you can stay up to date on the latest trends and figure out which tools will work best for your martech stack.
You can take your pick between courses, ebooks, and expert-led communities where you can get real-time help from other business owners like yours. There's no better way to scale your business than doing so with the help of people who have walked that road before.
Check out Whop and learn more about marketing today!