10 Digital Marketing Project Management Software Shortlist
With so many different marketing PM solutions available, figuring out which is right for you can be tricky. You know you want to streamline workflows, plan and execute campaigns effectively, manage content creation, and analyze campaign performance, all within a centralized digital environment but need to figure out which tool is best. I've got you! In this post I'll help make your choice easy, using my personal experiences overseeing dozens of different digital marketing projects to select my picks of the best digital marketing project management software.
What Is Digital Marketing Project Management Software?
Digital marketing project management software is a specialized tool that provides a digital workspace where marketers can plan and coordinate campaigns, manage content creation and distribution, track performance metrics, and collaborate with team members. This software typically includes features such as content creation and scheduling, social media management, file sharing, proofing, analytics tracking, and collaboration tools.
This software is essential for coordinating complex campaigns and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of marketing efforts – ensuring a smooth and organized execution of digital marketing initiatives.
Overview Of The 10 Best Digital Marketing Project Management Software
Here’s a brief description of each marketing project management tool to showcase my research, experience with the tool, and a screenshot of its user interface.
monday.com
Access a file repository for your project as a view within your board.
monday marketer is a product from monday.com specifically designed for marketing teams. If you are already familiar with monday.com, it will be easy to transition to this product. Among the noteworthy features are the colorful, customizable tables, the focused conversations on each task, and its proofing capabilities for uploaded files.
Get ready for some quick firing… Add ‘files gallery’ as a view to see a repository widget with all the uploaded files on a board. Click on an uploaded file to open the proofing feature where you can communicate via chat, access version control, and annotate specific sections of the design. Finally, access the workflow center to automate notifications and keep your content moving.
Note: For this last point, click on your profile and select ‘workflows’ from the menu.
monday.com integrates with Figma Designs, Ziflow, Google Sheets, and the entire Google Suite, Slack, and thousands of other apps. It even has an Adobe Creative Suite plugin for your team to work on monday.com without leaving their design software.
Monday Marketer has a free plan for up to 2 users. Paid plans start at $10/user/month and offer a 14-day free trial.
Wrike
Give the approver the option to comment or have the final say without leaving the proofing window.
Wrike is a project management software that has digital marketing applications thanks to its powerful functionality and focus on performance. The tool has approval workflow automations, proofing to promote collaboration amongst team members, and integrations with DAM tools so you can publish from within Wrike.
Wrike’s proofing is a little different than other project management tools on this list because it has an integrated approval module. Your team can collaborate on a digital asset and then have the approver click a button within the proofing window to approve.
However, the most interesting feature is their aggregator, which claims to gather information from up to 50 tools to deliver marketing-related insights. I don’t have enough tools to put it through a stress test, but definitely something you should ask about in their demo.
Wrike has an integration with Adobe Creative Cloud. This means your designers can collaborate on your Wrike project without ever leaving Photoshop. Other integrations include MediaValet, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Sharepoint for safeguarding your digital assets.
Wrike has a free plan for up to 5 users. Paid plans start at $9.80/user/month and come with a 14-day free trial.
Kantata
Best for streamlining digital projects while remaining budget-conscious
Kantata is a versatile tool that can assist in digital marketing project management by offering features such as task management, collaboration tools, and project tracking to help teams effectively manage their digital marketing campaigns. Kantata aims to improve project efficiency by providing a centralized platform for planning, executing, and monitoring marketing initiatives. It allows teams to assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget.
Kantata's centralized platform help teams stay aware of a project's budget, scope, and timeline. With such information readily available, teams can then create better forecasts for time and resource management. Additionally, Kantata offers in-the-moment financial insights that allow for more accurate, budget-conscious planning. Time, expense, and cost tracking also allows teams to manage resources in real time.
Kantata integrates with Slack, Sage, Quickbooks, Expensify, BambooHR, NetSuite, Jira, Salesforce, Xero, and Google Workspace.
Kantata offers pricing information and a free demo upon request.
Ravetree
Manage your projects, resources, clients, and finances in one place
Ravetree is a work management software that's well-suited to digital marketing in-house teams and agencies that combines project, resource, finance, and contact management in one platform. Teams can plan projects, assign tasks, and track their progress using a Kanban board, calendar, or spreadsheet view. The software also offers file management with versioning, approval workflows, and unlimited storage.
Budgets, time, and expenses can be tracked along project progress, and invoices and estimates can be generated through the system. Client portals can be created where communications and updates can be managed, and the built-in CRM can store customer data for easier client management. Request forms can also be created, helping collect essential information from new prospects or internal departments. All of these features make the tool particularly well-suited for digital marketing agencies and company teams alike.
In addition to client relations, the software supports internal resource management. Employees can track their time, submit time off requests, and managers can allocate work accordingly. Teams can give it a test drive with a 7-day free trial, and paid plans start from $29/user/month.
Smartsheet
Best for digital marketing teams at enterprise organizations
Smartsheet is an enterprise work management solution with project management, workflow automation, resource management, and other tools. Digital marketing teams at large-scale businesses will especially benefit from the system's built-in digital asset management (DAM) solution and team collaboration features. You can manage projects and project portfolios in the platform, and opt for a calendar, card, grid, or Gantt chart view of your team's upcoming work.
Because the software is designed for enterprise businesses, it offers a very high level of security. Your data and digital assets will be protected and well-governed with granular access controls. Meanwhile, customized request forms and approval flows keep processes clear and consistent.
The platform's integrations include Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Box, DocuSign, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Skype for Business, Gmail, Outlook, and many other apps. Some integrations require Business or Enterprise plans.
Paid plans start from $7 per user, per month with a 30-day free trial period. A free-forever version is also available for one user and up to 2 editors.
Hub Planner
Best project and resource management in one
Hub Planner software is a project and resource management software that's well-suited to the needs of digital marketing teams and agencies. It includes employee scheduling, time tracking, and project management features. By combining project and resource management into a single tool, it helps you ensure work is well-planned and effectively executed.
You can allocate team members to specific projects and tasks based on their skill sets and capacity, which is useful for effectively delegating work on multi-expertise teams. The platform's drag-and-drop interface makes scheduling easy and gives you a clear overview of who's working on what, when. Employees can track their time in the platform, too, which allows for capacity planning and resource forecasting.
Project financials can also be tracked and managed in the software. You can quickly see real-time project costs, helping you track expenses as they progress and avoid overspending. Resource utilization, individual projects, and budgets can also be monitored using the customizable reports.
You can integrate the platform with other tools either via the API or with a paid Zapier account.
Pricing starts at $7 per user per month when billed annually, and a 30-day free trial is available.
Trello
Receive automation suggestions based on usage patterns to optimize your workflow.
Trello is known for its kanban boards and how they help teams align around project management. Digital marketing teams can benefit from this platform and handle their editorial calendar, email workflows, and go-to-market campaigns.
Starting is easy. You can do it from scratch or select one of the multiple marketing templates available. Although not native to the platform, you can manage your attached files through a power-up. That will let you see a repository of all your assets in one place.
Something I like about Trello is its automations. The platform will analyze patterns of usage over time and give you suggestions on what you should automate to save time.
Trello integrates with more than 200+ apps and tools your team depends on, like Slack, Google Drive, Salesforce, Dropbox, and more, directly into your Trello boards. (Note: Some connections require an additional subscription fee.)
Trello has a free plan, and paid ones start at $5/user/month with a 14-day trial.
Asana
Automations, asset management, and content proofing in one good-looking product.
Asana is a work management platform that has the features available to help you with your marketing projects. After going through other tools on this list, it was clear to me that not all of them offer every feature on a digital marketing professional’s wishlist. However, there’s always an exception!
Let’s review our criteria. Automations (check), proofing (check), asset management (check). You can access the file manager from the ‘more’ menu option. Click on any file, and you can start proofing them. Finally, whenever you set rules for automations, Asana adds a lightning icon to let you know the sections of your project that have this feature active.
Asana integrates with Microsoft Teams, Adobe Creative Cloud, JIRA Cloud, Salesforce, Tableau, Slack, Clockwise, MS Office 365, Google Calendar, Gmail, GitLab, and a growing list of other apps. Plus, a plan with Zapier or Tray.io can let you access other apps to connect with Asana.
Asana is free for up to 15 users. Paid plans start at $10.99/user/month and offer a 30-day free trial.
ActiveCollab
Create invoices for your clients in minutes, thanks to its financial capabilities.
Starting as an open source project, ActiveCollab has been in the market for over a decade. It is a marketing project management software that features time, resource, and task management. Additionally, it allows you to invite unlimited external clients to collaborate with your team.
ActiveCollab lacks collaboration in the content creation process, like proofing and approval workflows. However, it has what you need to import files from Google Drive or other storage solutions. It can also grab information from timesheets and generate invoices for your clients in minutes. Consider this platform if you are not big on co-creating assets.
ActiveCollab integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Dropbox, and thousands of other apps through a Zapier connector.
ActiveCollab is free for personal use. Paid plans start at $7.50/user/month and offer a 14-day free trial.
Workamajig Platinum
Build guides and pre-made content from start to finish.
Workamajig is a project management software solution with a fully-integrated creative solution for all advertising and creative concerns. The software allows creative agencies to have guides and pre-made content from start to finish, helping in the easier and more efficient production of creative content.
It also allows in-house teams within a production agency to collaborate in real-time to save on time and costs. Built analytics provide users with additional supplemental quantitative information on the performance of the team and the agency in general.
Workamajig integrates with Google Calendar, Box, Exchange 365, Strata, Plaid, and more.
Workamajig costs between $37-$50 per user per month, depending on the size of your team. Workamajig does not offer a free trial, but a free demo is available.
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The Best Digital Marketing Project Management Software Comparison Chart
Here is a table you can use to compare the tools we just covered in the overviews.
Tool | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | monday.com Access a file repository for your project as a view within your board. | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) | Website |
2 | Wrike Give the approver the option to comment or have the final say without leaving the proofing window. | Free plan available | From $9.80/user/month | Website |
3 | Kantata Best for streamlining digital projects while remaining budget-conscious | Free demo | Pricing upon request | Website |
4 | Ravetree Manage your projects, resources, clients, and finances in one place | 7-day free trial | From $29/user/month | Website |
5 | Smartsheet Best for digital marketing teams at enterprise organizations | Freemium version available | From $7/user/month | Website |
6 | Hub Planner Best project and resource management in one | 30-day free trial | From $7/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
7 | Trello Receive automation suggestions based on usage patterns to optimize your workflow. | Free trial + free plan available | From $6/user/month | Website |
8 | Asana Automations, asset management, and content proofing in one good-looking product. | 30-day free trial + free plan available | From $13.49/user/month | Website |
9 | ActiveCollab Create invoices for your clients in minutes, thanks to its financial capabilities. | 14-day free trial + free plan | From $6.25/user/month | Website |
10 | Workamajig Platinum Build guides and pre-made content from start to finish. | Free demo available | From $37-$50/user/month | Website |
Other Digital Marketing PM Software Options
Here are a few more that didn’t make the top list but are still worth your consideration.
- Workzone
Manage your files and view their various versions in one view.
- TeamGantt
Older versions of a file are kept in a separate view, so you can keep track of changes.
- Gain
Automated workflows for approval rounds with multiple approvers.
- Height App
Best for custom user views and in-app team collaboration
- ClickUp
Create custom forms to gather requirements from your team or clients.
- Screendragon
Brings clarity to the design team through its side-by-side version comparison feature.
- Hive
Easily track your campaigns thanks to their Kanban board layout.
- Celoxis
PM platform with unlimited client accounts to keep everyone in the loop.
- ProProfs Project
Easily store portfolios, give feedback & track project progress.
- Zoho Projects
Analyze your progress with a planned vs. actual chart.
How I Picked The Best Digital Marketing Project Management Software
I researched and picked all the popular tools based on user reviews and ratings. Then, I narrowed down the list using my experience in a digital agency and compared the tools based on core features I believe they should have. Finally, I selected the top tools and defined the criteria for my evaluation, which you'll find below.
User Interface (UI)
Since we normally deal with tons of content, I look for a management tool with an intuitive interface that can display the information in an organized way. Call me an Apple enthusiast, but I particularly like having tons of white space around elements for a minimalistic view.
A clean interface can help you track progress, monitor project timelines and due dates faster. It will also make navigating through advanced features, like automating custom workflows easier.
Usability
Marketing projects usually involve contractors. These can be more common for startups, but bigger companies also use them (mostly to relieve mounting work pressure). Therefore, I’m interested in how easily people can learn to use this software. I look at ways to make project planning faster, like using project templates. Also, I go through training materials that can flatten the tool’s learning curve and streamline new user onboarding.
Integrations
Integrations make a tool more powerful by allowing it to transfer information back and forth from other platforms. These can include agile tools, CRMs, productivity software, and even other PM tools like Basecamp or Teamwork. I will tell you if there are pre-built integrations and APIs that you can use to build custom ones. I will also detail if there is a third-party software that can help you build integrations.
Pricing
I look at their pricing strategy and if they have any free trials or free versions of the software. When available, I will provide the price based on a monthly plan (not annual).
What key features does Digital Marketing Project Management Software have?
- Automations: The tool should have a way for me to automate recurring tasks. A part of the software that lets me program when an activity ends, I can assign tasks to other members of the marketing project.
- Proofing or approval: This marketing project management software should have a feature where my creative team can collaborate on content pieces. A place where they can discuss the progress, make corrections, and even get comments and approval from the client.
- Asset management: The software should have a place where you can store, sort, and search your digital assets and set access permissions. This feature is more optional because we can also use an integration with a storage software or DAM software, but it’s better if we have it in the same tool. The best marketing project management software will have it all in one solution (although maybe for an additional fee).
Read more about the different use cases of project management software here.
What is project management in digital marketing?
Project management in digital marketing is usually the coordination of online marketing collateral for brands, whether that is a landing page for a brand, social media content, banners, or any paid media-related deliverables.
The job of the project manager usually involves communicating client needs to the creative teams, gathering feedback, getting approvals for collateral, and explaining changes to the client. Scope creep is also present in these projects as the client will always try to sneak in a few extra campaigns, designs, images, special favors, and what have you.
What's Next?
Although tracking task lists, to-do lists, milestones, and dependencies is most of what you’ll do, there are more things to think about. For example, how should your team tag content in the DAM software so you easily find it for your next pitch? How do you organize your marketing resources to be the most efficient?
If you are a DPM or interested in digital project management, I highly recommend you join our Insiders Newsletter. It’s free, you receive it in your inbox every week, and it’s got tons of value! (like learning why our constant search for dopamine forces us to seek quick wins when we should be prioritizing the hard, more impactful work).