Marketing is one of the most exciting, fast-paced careers out there. You start as an eager intern, eager to absorb everything. Then, agency life whips you into shape—not just as a marketer but as a person. Before you know it, you’ve evolved into this powerhouse storyteller who lives and breathes the infamous tagline: connecting brands with people. 

There’s one realisation that hits every marketer at some point: technology isn’t just helpful—it’s a non-negotiable. Either you use tech to get ahead and optimize your workflow, or you get left behind. And since we’re all about staying ahead, here are five essential tools that every tech-savvy marketer should be using.

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1. Google Trends & Alerts

One of my favourite tools is Google Alerts, which I love for only one reason: CURATION! Set up alerts for topics you care about—industry trends, competitors, breaking news—and get curated updates without drowning in the information overload on social media. Once a week I have a selection of articles, news and content that I would like to learn about via email. In this noisy world that is not so factual I think it’s important as a marketer to keep ahead and know what is happening in your niche.

And then there's Google Trends, Want to know if people are more obsessed with Instagram or Facebook this month? Google Trends lays it out in easy-to-digest charts. This tool is a must for trendspotting, keyword research, and ensuring your marketing strategy is always relevant.

2. Answer The Public

What is your audience asking? Answer The Public is like peeking into people’s phones. This keyword research tool pulls real-time search queries from Google and organizes them into questions, comparisons, and related searches.

How It Works:

• Type in a broad topic related to your industry.
• Get a beautiful visual map (or list) of actual search queries.
• Use these insights to craft blog posts, FAQs, social media content, or entire marketing campaigns.

3. Canva 

Canva is a free graphic design platform that provides tools for creating social media graphics, presentations, postcards, promotional merchandise and websites. The service offers design tools for individuals and companies. What I love about it is its ease of use, even if you’re not a graphic designer.

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Some newer features that I love

• Magic Write – AI-generated text for captions, blog ideas, and email content.
• Background Remover (Canva Pro feature) – One-click background erasing for polished visuals.
• Text-to-Image AI – Type a description, and Canva generates unique images.
• AI-powered video tools – Auto voiceovers for videos without needing a mic.

If you’re not already using Canva, you’re making life harder than it needs to be.

4. Grammarly

At my first “big girl” job, the agency had two non-negotiable rules:

1. Always acknowledge emails, even if it’s just a quick “Got it!”
2. Install Grammarly immediately.

I didn’t get it at first, but looking back, I’m beyond grateful. Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that catches grammar mistakes, improves clarity, and even adjusts tone to match your brand’s voice.

Best features:

• Tone adjustments –  My favourite feature is using tone adjustments to match a brand’s personality or way of speaking (e.g., fun for Instagram, professional for LinkedIn)
• Better word choices – No more using “excited” 12 times in one email.
• AI-generated text suggestions – Great for crafting that perfect social post when writer’s block hits.

If your emails, captions, or reports have ever made you cringe in hindsight, Grammarly is your new best friend.

5. Spotify Podcasts

We can’t miss this one. As a marketing techie, podcasts have been my best learning tool. I love learning key lessons from Founders, CMOs, and brand builders.

Here are my top podcast picks:

• Marketing Vanguard – Insider stories from top CMOs on how they’re shaping the industry.
• Acquired – Deep dives into the most significant tech IPOs and acquisitions (the Starbucks episode is my best recommendation to date!).
• Foundr – Interviews with hard-to-reach founders, mainly in the tech space.

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The right tools don’t just make you a better marketer; they make your job easier.  Whether you’re tracking trends, researching audience questions, designing killer content, or leveling up your writing, these five tools will help you stay ahead of the game.

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