The Best Marketing Automation Tools of 2019: What You Should Be Using It is the summer of 2019, and if you are still juggling spreadsheets, email lists, manual lead nurturing, and campaign reports, then you are likely falling behind. Marketing automation has rapidly shifted from being a luxury tool to a critical part of modern digital strategy. It is no longer only about saving time, it is now about scaling efforts, improving customer experiences, and gaining a competitive edge. Marketers today are expected to do more with less, and that is where automation comes into play. The ability to schedule a few social media posts or set up a drip email sequence was impressive a few years ago. But in 2019, automation tools have evolved into full-scale marketing ecosystems. They support dynamic user journeys, personalize messaging in real time, integrate with sales tools, and offer analytics dashboards that deliver deep performance insights. Successful marketing now requires quick responsiveness, multi-channel engagement, and data-informed decisions. Automation tools have become smarter, faster, and more integrated with the platforms businesses already use. From content distribution and lead scoring to customer retention and re-engagement, automation helps marketers manage it all efficiently. Below is a closer look at some of the most powerful and widely used marketing automation tools of 2019. These platforms each offer unique features and cater to various business needs, whether you are running a startup or managing an enterprise-level team. HubSpot HubSpot continues to dominate the market for growing companies and medium-sized teams. Known for its intuitive user experience and scalable features, HubSpot offers an all-in-one platform that includes email marketing, contact management, lead scoring, blog hosting, form builders, live chat, social media scheduling, and custom workflows. Its dashboard provides an overview of the entire marketing funnel, allowing teams to quickly measure performance and adjust strategies. One of HubSpot’s biggest advantages is its seamless integration with CRM tools and other apps such as Salesforce, Slack, and Shopify. Marketers can nurture leads through every stage of the funnel without needing separate tools for each task. HubSpot is ideal for teams that value ease of use, strong support, and the ability to scale their efforts as the business grows. ActiveCampaign If your marketing goals revolve around behavioral targeting, advanced segmentation, and personalized email sequences, ActiveCampaign is a go-to choice. Its automation engine is one of the most powerful in the industry. Users can trigger automated workflows based on how customers interact with emails, websites, or even third-party tools. The visual automation builder makes it easy to map the entire customer journey, from first click to final conversion. ActiveCampaign also offers built-in CRM functionality, which helps marketing and sales teams work more closely together. With its focus on targeted messaging, this tool is especially effective for businesses looking to increase engagement, automate follow-ups, and improve lead quality through personalization. Marketo (by Adobe) Marketo, now part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, is a high-end marketing automation platform designed for enterprise-level companies. It offers tools for email marketing, lead management, mobile engagement, customer journey orchestration, and revenue attribution. What makes Marketo stand out is its ability to handle highly complex campaigns with ease. Marketo is particularly strong in account-based marketing and advanced analytics. Its deep data capabilities allow marketers to track user behavior in detail and fine-tune strategies based on real-time performance. Integration with Adobe Analytics and other enterprise tools creates a unified environment for data-driven marketing. While it requires a steeper learning curve, Marketo is the preferred choice for teams that manage large volumes of leads and operate across multiple regions or verticals. Mailchimp Mailchimp started as a simple email newsletter tool but has grown into a surprisingly capable marketing platform. As of 2019, it offers a variety of features such as landing pages, digital ad campaign management, basic automation, simple customer journey mapping, and light CRM functions. Mailchimp’s appeal lies in its user-friendly design and affordability. It is perfect for startups and small businesses that need a practical solution for their marketing needs without a heavy investment. The platform also includes pre-designed templates, list segmentation, A/B testing tools, and integration with e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce and Shopify. While it may not be as robust as others on this list, it is more than sufficient for businesses just getting started with automation. Why Marketing Automation Matters Automation is not just about efficiency, it is about strategy. When used effectively, marketing automation empowers businesses to do more than they ever could manually. It ensures that the right message reaches the right audience at the right time. It allows you to focus on content quality, storytelling, and user experience, while the system handles repetitive or rule-based tasks behind the scenes. By leveraging automation, businesses can scale their communication, deliver personalized experiences, and track performance across every stage of the funnel. This helps improve customer satisfaction, increase retention, and drive revenue growth. Moreover, automation enables better decision-making. With access to real-time performance data and predictive analytics, marketers can understand what is working, what is not, and where opportunities lie. Final Thoughts Whether you are a solopreneur building your first email list, a fast-growing startup trying to keep up with leads, or an enterprise managing complex user journeys, marketing automation offers solutions to match your needs. The tools mentioned above each bring something unique to the table. Choosing the right one depends on your goals, team size, budget, and level of technical expertise. Take time to evaluate your current marketing workflows, identify where automation can bring the most value, and test platforms before making a long-term commitment. In 2019, marketing automation is not just a trend, it is the standard. Businesses that embrace it will find themselves better positioned to compete, grow, and build meaningful relationships with their audiences.