7 best marketing automation tools for busy marketing teams

Marketing is fast-paced - and often chaotic. From juggling campaign timelines to managing content approvals and publishing schedules, the day-to-day can feel like a constant race against the clock.

That's why more and more marketing teams are turning to workflow automation tools to streamline their processes and reclaim valuable time.

In fact, 43% of marketing professionals now automate repetitive tasks and processes using AI software, helping them stay on track, scale their efforts, and focus on more creative parts of the job.

In this article we'll share seven of the best marketing automation tools - covering everything from planning to publishing and everything in between.

Jump to:

• 1. Asana - for project and task automation
• 2. Zapier - for connecting tools and automating repetitive tasks
• 3. Transcribe - for automating transcription
• 4. HubSpot - for CRM, lead nurturing, and campaign automation
• 5. Mailchimp - for automated email marketing and audience segmentation
• 6. Buffer - for social media scheduling and publishing
• 7. Airtable - for building automated content calendars and asset libraries

1. Asana - for project and task automation

Asana is a go-to project management tool for marketing teams. It makes it easy to keep your team and projects organized and on track by automating everything from task assignments and reminders to progress updates and approvals. That's a whole load of manual effort eliminated!

Key features:

• Custom rules and automations - Automatically assign tasks, set due dates, and move work between stages.
• Reusable templates - Build repeatable workflows for campaigns, content calendars, and approvals.
• Built-in reminders and alerts - Get notified when tasks are due or updates are needed.
• App integrations - Link Asana with tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Gmail so updates, files, and messages are added to your workflow automatically.

2. Zapier - for connecting tools and automating repetitive tasks

Zapier helps marketing teams streamline their workflows by automating the way their tools work together. It connects thousands of apps so you can build simple or complex automations between them - saving you hours of manual work each week. The best bit? You don't need to write a single line of code!

Key features

• App-to-app connections - Link tools across your tech stack so information moves seamlessly between platforms.
• Custom triggers and actions - Choose what kicks off an automation (like a new form submission) and what happens next (like creating a task or sending an alert).
• Pre-built templates - Get started quickly with ready-made workflows for common marketing tasks.
• Multi-step Zaps - Build complex workflows that involve multiple tools and actions - no coding needed.

3. Transcribe - for automating transcription

From customer interviews and webinars to podcasts and social media videos, marketing teams handle a lot of audio and video content. Transcribe uses AI to automatically turn that content into clear, accurate transcripts. This makes it easier create subtitles and repurpose content - whether that's turning a webinar into a white paper, pulling quotes from an interview for social media, or writing a blog post from a podcast

Key features

• Automatic transcription - Convert audio and video files into accurate, timestamped text, without having to type it up yourself.
• AI-generated summaries - Instantly surface key takeaways to support faster content creation.
• Zapier integration - Automate your workflow by triggering transcription when new files are uploaded to Google Drive, Dropbox, or other connected tools - or automatically send completed transcripts to shared workspaces like Notion, Google Drive, or Slack.

Learn how to automate transcription and how to automate transcription distribution.

4. HubSpot - for CRM, lead nurturing, and campaign automation

HubSpot is an all-in-one CRM and marketing automation platform that helps teams deliver personalized campaigns, automate lead management, and keep customer journeys moving - with less manual effort. With HubSpot you can automate routine tasks throughout the entire customer journey, from first touch to closed deal.

Key features

• Email automation - Trigger emails based on user behavior, form submissions, or lifecycle stages.
• Predictive lead scoring - Use AI to automatically prioritize leads without manual data crunching.
• Marketing workflows - Build automated sequences for onboarding, nurturing, or re-engagement.
• Contact segmentation - Automatically organize contacts based on behavior or attributes.
• Cross-team automation - Sync marketing and sales actions across your CRM without duplicate data entry.

5. Mailchimp - for automated email marketing and audience segmentation

Mailchimp is an email marketing automation platform that helps you deliver the right message to the right people at the right time. With automation features for onboarding, re-engagement, and personalized campaigns, it's a great choice for teams looking to streamline their email workflows.

Key features

• Audience segmentation - Automatically group contacts based on demographics, engagement, or activity.
• Customer journeys - Set up automated sequences triggered by user behavior, sign-ups, or time delays.
• Pre-built templates - Launch common flows like welcome emails, abandoned cart reminders, or win-back campaigns in minutes.
• Dynamic content - Personalize messages within the same email based on customer segments or preferences.

6. Buffer - for social media scheduling and publishing

Buffer simplifies the way marketing teams plan, schedule, and publish social media content across multiple platforms. Instead of posting manually every day, you can automate your publishing calendar - keeping your social channels active and consistent without the need for daily attention.

Key features

• Post scheduling - Plan and automate posts across platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.
• Campaign planning tools - Map out and organize social campaigns in advance.
• Custom posting schedules - Set optimal posting times for each channel automatically.
• Team collaboration - Assign posts for review, add notes, and manage approvals in one place.
• Performance analytics - Higher-tier plans include automated reporting to help you track engagement and optimize your strategy.

7. Airtable - for building automated content calendars and asset libraries

Airtable is the ideal marketing automation tool for marketing teams managing high-volume content - like content calendars, campaign trackers, and asset libraries. Its built-in automation features trigger reminders, assign tasks, and update records automatically, keeping projects organized and moving forward without the need for constant check-ins.

Key features

• Customizable bases - Build content calendars, campaign trackers, and asset libraries tailored to your workflow.
• Automation rules - Trigger actions like sending reminders, updating statuses, or notifying teammates.
• Forms and intake workflows - Collect content requests or campaign briefs and auto-sort them into your system.
• App integrations - Connect Airtable with tools like Slack, Asana, or Gmail to streamline updates.

Ready to automate your marketing workflows?

With the right marketing automation tools, you can streamline your processes, save valuable time, and enjoy focusing on the more creative parts of the job.

Want to learn more about how to use software to your advantage? Check out our list of the best AI tools for marketing teams, or discover the best AI tools to boost productivity across the board.