Category Archives: B2B

As a marketing manager at HubSpot, I’m always looking for tech tools that are easy to use and save me valuable time in my day. And when it comes to advertising management software, I have some non-negotiables, like integration, automation, and advanced reporting.

If you work in advertising and haven’t been using ads management tools (or even know what they are), you could be missing a trick.

In this blog post, I’ll talk about what ad management is, outline high-quality advertising management software, and explain why they’re beneficial for all businesses.

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

• What is Advertisement Management?
• Advertising Management Software
• Best Ads Management Tools

What is Advertisement Management?

Advertising management is overseeing different marketing activities and responsible individuals to ensure that ad campaigns are running effectively and target markets are being reached.

Depending on your business needs, advertising management can focus on various metrics that contribute to campaign success, like ROI, conversions, or media placements that make sense for where your target audiences are.

As a senior marketing manager, I’ve seen the value of advertising management first-hand, but I know it’s difficult without effective advertising management software.

Advertising Management Software

Before I take you through my list of the best ads management tools, I’ll get you up to speed on what they are and the benefits they bring.

What is an Ads Management Tool?

Ads management tools streamline and automate different aspects of advertising, including ad and campaign planning, collaboration, execution, sharing, monitoring, and analysis. Some of these tools are all-rounders, while others focus on specific advertising tasks, such as social media campaign management.

Why Do I Use Ads Management Tools?

Not every ad management tool out there has the functionality I’m looking for. That said, I’ve found that my personal favorite ad management software programs offer the following benefits:

• They save me valuable time.
• I find them very user-friendly for marketing and advertising professionals — not just the tech-savvy ones.
• They have features that increase my productivity and efficiency.
• They allow me to easily collaborate with others, such as marketing team members and ad agencies.
• They let me operate cross-channel marketing campaigns with ease.
• They help me optimize campaign structures and workflows.
• Many ad management tools have powerful analytics and reporting tools, which have given me insightful, customizable reports.
• I can visualize advertising data that’s specific to my marketing goals.
• They increase the likelihood that my campaigns will reach their target audience and succeed.

Now that you know why I use advertising management software, I’ll give you my honest review of the best tools I found and tell you what they do best.

Best Ads Management Tools

1. HubSpot Ad Management Software

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As a marketing professional and HubSpot employee, I have lots of experience using HubSpot’s customer relationship management (CRM) platform and its ad management and tracking software.

This platform has become my go-to hub for inbound marketing campaigns, and I regularly call on its various features for marketing support, such as:

• Ad creation and lead syncing with my preferred CRM (HubSpot, of course!).
• Automated ad targeting, which I find efficient regardless of project size.
• Integration of ad campaigns across various platforms, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. This helps me see the fruits of my multi-channel marketing strategies under one roof.
• Flywheel reporting, which gives me detailed insights on leads and return on investment.

What I like: Call me biased, but I find this tool to be very user-friendly — I think it’s suitable for any marketer, regardless of their technical skills. I was able to get started quickly, and I didn’t need to do any IT setup.

Price: It’s free, but you can get additional features in the premium versions of HubSpot. See the pricing page for more information.

2. AdRoll

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AdRoll is an all-in-one marketing management platform that caters to teams of different sizes and marketing budgets. I usually associate it with ecommerce advertising, but it has plenty of other tricks up its sleeve.

I played around with some AdRoll features to see how they stacked up, and here’s what stood out to me:

• The display ads let me easily introduce media elements like animation, audio, images, and videos into ads.
• I loved the retargeting feature. After a potential customer bounces, AdRoll sends automated emails and shows them display ads to help win them back. I tested the tool on myself, and what surprised me most is that it’s quite… gentle. Typically, retargeting ads can be a little much to the person on the receiving end, but AdRoll strikes a nice balance between doing what it has to and not getting on the recipient’s nerves.

What I like: With features like consent management, I appreciate how seriously AdRoll takes customer data protection and makes it easy for marketers. Also, I like that AdRoll has management services for those who want an ads management solution that isn’t too time-consuming.

Price: Native and display ads are pay-as-you-go, and its Marketing & Ads+ plans start at $36 per month. I was disappointed to learn that social media channels aren’t in the pay-as-you-go option. That means no Facebook ads unless you fork out on a monthly plan.

3. RollWorks

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RollWorks is an account-based marketing and advertising platform targeted at various industries, such as technology and business services. I think this advertising management tool will benefit anyone involved in account-based marketing, from beginners to seasoned pros.

Here are some features and benefits I made sure to note when testing this tool:

• It gave me a good insight into anonymous users and their actions.
• Its keyword intent data let me bring search engine optimization into play.
• It has an impressive fit-scoring feature, which helped me prioritize high-value accounts. In essence, RollWorks uses machine learning to create an Ideal Customer Profile, and it then gives a “fit grading” from A to D. This means I could see which accounts I’d have the best chance of converting.

What I like: I like that RollWorks doesn’t pretend to be my all-in-one marketing and advertising solution. Instead, it makes life easier by integrating with the top CRM tools (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce).

Price: I found that their pricing page was big on marketing but murky on figures. This left me thinking, why bother with a pricing page if you won’t tell me your prices? So, you’ll have to schedule a demo to get a quote that fits your needs.

4. Influ2

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Influ2 is high up on the list of my favorite person-based marketing tools. Essentially, you target certain people, like decision-makers, and check up on their engagement with your ads.

In reviewing this advertisement management tool, I took a deep dive into various features, such as:

• Person-based targeting, which identified key decision makers and let me run ads wherever they would be most effective, including LinkedIn, Google, and Amazon.
• Contact-level engagement data, which gave me all I needed to know to initiate conversations with leads.
• Buyer journey building, which provided me with features like automated content marketing.
• Impact and revenue measurement, which gave great pointers on how to turn hunches into data-driven decisions.

What I like: I think the level of detail that goes into their person-based ad tool is excellent.

Price: There was no misleading pricing page here. Instead, I was prompted to contact them for pricing. A 30-minute product demo is also available.

5. 6sense

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6Sense is an account-engagement platform with account-based advertising capabilities. The platform uses AI, big data, and machine learning to help marketers identify their target audience’s buying behavior, prioritize sales and marketing accounts, and create and share personalized and engaging campaigns/content.

I think the technologies used by 6sense should be in any marketer’s arsenal. Why? Its proprietary Revenue AI™ feature collects data on things like website activity, company size and revenue, buyer profiles, and intent. But as any good marketer knows, data alone isn’t enough to convert.

What impressed me about Revenue AI™ was what it did with the data collected. It could tell me which employees are on the buying team, when to contact them, and even what to say.

While this approach wasn’t foolproof, I was impressed with the intelligence gathering and found the suggestions provided sensible.

To get a better idea of what 6Sense’s AI-driven approach can do for advertising professionals, I took a look under the hood. Here’s what I found:

• Account identification allowed me to sort anonymous and known buyers.
• Predictive analytics put the tool’s AI-powered chops to good use. The useful digital marketing benefits I noted were buyer stage predictions and data on the best time to engage potential buyers.
• The conversational email feature, which leverages AI to craft personalized emails, didn’t read awkwardly, which is such a hazard with some AI tools (I’m looking at you, ChatGPT).

What I like: I think the laundry list of integrations is useful for people like me who can’t stick to one tool. A minor point, but 6sense’s explanation of the so-called “Dark Funnel” shows that this company practices what they preach — I think it’s a masterclass in content marketing and great entertainment.

Price: Contact 6sense for pricing.

6. Celtra

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Celtra is a cloud-based software program that automates creative production. With the platform, all aspects of collaboration are streamlined and more efficient thanks to its cloud-based nature — team members can design, approve, and share digital assets among markets, campaigns, and more.

For this article, I had a look at Celtra’s three solutions, namely Creative Automation, Dynamic Product Ads, and Creative Enablement, to test their features. Here’s what I found:

• If you’re like me and appreciate modularity, you’re in luck with Creative Automation. The modular design made it easy for me to tweak content or design without altering the original image format.
• The Dynamic Product Ad feature has some great options for product sellers, such as ad templates and video.
• Creative Enablement really shows what Celtra brings to the table. To test this feature, I created an out-stream video ad for a car, which I used on a basic blog article. The transition from text to the ad was smooth, and the loading was superfast. Creating this ad from scratch was quicker than I expected, and I didn’t get frustrated when playing around with the various features.
• I forgot that this tool is cloud-based. Internet connectivity isn’t usually a problem for me, but a spotty internet connection while I was on the move interrupted my creative flow.

What I like: The ad builder is very user-friendly — I particularly liked the drag-and-drop components. Also, I think Celtra should be commended for trying to increase ad load speed while reducing the carbon footprint of advertising professionals.

Price: Get in touch with Celtra.

7. Smartly

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Smartly is an AI-primed advertising company that specializes in social media. It started out with just Facebook advertising, and it has now branched out to include Instagram, Google, Pinterest, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Here’s some notable features I found in my quest for the best ads management tools:

• Smartly’s all-in-one platform comprises three “suites,” namely Media, Creative, and Intelligence. For me, this made for a good user experience, since I found it easy to navigate through the platform.

• Real-time insights and optimization give you all the data you need on one platform. I was able to set KPIs for a marketing campaign I designed and integrate third-party data to measure performance accurately.
• Integration with Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google Marketing.

What I like: I liked playing with Smartly’s snazzy pivot tables, which look and feel better than boring old Excel sheets (sorry, Microsoft).

Price: Book a demo and start from there.

8. WASK

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WASK helps manage and optimize digital ads without the need for deep technical knowledge or an enterprise-sized wallet.

Its main selling points are:

• Campaign optimization, which I found quick and user-friendly.
• Smart advice, which gave me highly actionable insights on cost per click when I paired it with my Google Ads account. Instead of just telling me what I wanted to hear, it helped identify missed opportunities, like lost impressions, and gave advice on how to improve (e.g., changing keywords).

What I like: I’m always up for a free trial, and WASK gives you one week free to show you its value. It also has some free tools, like pay-per-click (PPC) competitor analysis and a keyword research tool.

Pricing: Some clear pricing — hooray! The basic plan is $29/month, and the professional plan is $129/month.

9. Marin Software

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This performance marketing software is beyond the budget of some marketers, but it has great integration and functionality. What’s more, it’s trusted by some major companies worldwide.

I used a free trial from Marin, and here are my takeaways:

• From my trial run, I could see how Marin would save time and provide revenue-generating insights.
• Its bidding engine provided personalized bidding strategy recommendations — this feature is something I’ve recommended to marketing contacts who need bid management services.
• I liked the dashboard layout and toolbar — very easy to navigate.
• Some reviewers mentioned that the software can be somewhat buggy, but I didn’t experience any problems.

What I like: The unified reporting feature brings together marketing data from many sources, such as CRMs and Google Analytics.

Pricing: Starts at $500/month.

10. StackAdapt

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StackAdapt is a programmatic advertising platform that digs deep into business data to give unique insights, helping its customers develop and deliver high-impact campaigns to target audiences.

Here are my main takeaways for you:

• Advertising campaigns are its bread and butter, and it has everything you’ll need, from planning and execution to analysis.
• It has plenty of media channels, which is great for marketing professionals who use more than just social media and browser ads. For example, I was surprised to see connected TV and in-game advertising options available.

What I like: It has services that are tailored toward a wide range of industries, like finance, healthcare, and gaming.

Price: Contact them for pricing information.

11. Hootsuite

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If you’re a social media marketer, you might have this marketing and management tool. It does its job well, but it won’t interest marketers who don’t leverage social media much.

Here are some stand-out points from this top name:

• AI content creation from OwlyWriter, which didn’t impress me as much as I’d hoped.
• Social advertising, including publishing, analysis, boosting, and reporting on how ads are performing, all from a dashboard I found very easy to get around.
• Social listening, which will be further boosted if an upcoming acquisition of Talkwalker goes through.

What I like: The publish and schedule feature saved me hours of time and gave me good inspiration for new posts.

Price: The Professional plan is $99/month, and a free 30-day trial is available. This is limited to one user, so I wouldn’t recommend it for an agency.

Grow Better With Ad Management Tools

I hope this journey through advertising management tools has not only been informative, but helped you understand how they can help — and maybe even pinpoint the tool that will best fit your needs. I find advertising management tools to be a great time-saver in my work, and I love the data and insights they give me.

If you haven’t used any before or are looking to change things up, try a few of them out — on a free trial if possible.

I’ve been sorting data in Excel for years, even before I joined HubSpot in 2011. And considering that content marketing tools often exported unordered data without a logical order, it’s safe to say I know a thing or seven about keeping data tidy in Excel.

While Excel and its data-sorting methods have improved over the years, using it can still prove overwhelming to some. 

But don’t let Excel intimidate you. Excel is powerful, and its sorting function can simplify your data-sorting workflow. Let me walk you through the different ways you can sort in Excel so you can start using Excel like a pro.

Table of Contents

• How To Sort in Excel
• Productivity Tip: Use Sort A to Z and Sort Z to A Buttons
• Sorting Multiple Columns
• Sorting in Custom Order
• Sorting a Row
• Sorting Using Conditional Formatting
• Sorting by Partial Values
• Sorting a Range Within a Larger Range

How To Sort in Excel

As a professional spreadsheet software, Excel offers several ways to sort data. You can use “Sort,” add a “Filter,” or turn your dataset into a “Table.”

While all of these features let you organize your data, I prefer using the “Sort” tool because it sorts the data without adding any extra elements.

I’ll be using Microsoft Excel 365 for Windows in this guide, but the steps will be similar for previous Office versions and Microsoft Excel for Mac.

1. Highlight the rows and/or columns you want to be sorted.

To sort a range of cells in Excel, click and drag your cursor across your spreadsheet to highlight all the cells you want to sort — even those rows and columns whose values you’re not sorting.

Excel usually detects the datasets I want to sort even if I don’t do this and just select a cell inside the dataset. Still, I prefer doing it this way to have more control over the data I’m sorting since I’ve seen Excel include extra rows or columns that weren’t part of the original dataset.

Note the screenshot below. While I intend to sort this sheet by click rate to see how each blog topic is performing, I’m highlighting the other columns so every other detail about the blog topics matches the click rate entry that gets sorted. Otherwise, there could be a mismatch between columns when I finish sorting.

2. Navigate to data along the top and select Sort.

Once you’ve highlighted all the data you want to sort, select the “Data” tab along the top navigation bar.

This tab will expand a new set of options beneath it, where you can select the “Sort” button. The icon has an “A-Z” graphic, as you can see below, but you can sort it in more ways than just alphabetically.

3. If sorting by column, select the column you want to order your sheet by.

A setting window will appear once you hit the “Sort” button. This is where you can configure what you‘d like sorted and how you’d like to sort it.

If you’re sorting by a specific column, click the leftmost dropdown menu — shown below “Column” — and select the column whose values you want to be your sorting criteria. In my example, it’ll be Click Rate.

4. If sorting by row, click Options and select Sort left to right.

If you’d rather sort by a specific row than a column, click “Options” at the top of the window and select “Sort left to right.” (If you’re on a Mac, you’ll find this button at the bottom of the window.)

Once you do this, the Sort settings window will reset and ask you to choose the specific row you’d like to sort by in the leftmost dropdown (where it currently says “column”).

This sorting system doesn‘t quite make sense for my example, so we’ll stick with sorting by the Click Rate column.

5. Choose what you’d like sorted.

You can sort cells by more than their value.

In the middle column of your Sort settings window, you’ll see a dropdown menu called “Sort On.”

Click it, and you can choose to sort your sheet by different characteristics of each cell in the column/row you’re sorting by. These options include cell color, font color, or any icon included in the cell.

I often lean on “Sort On” to sort project tasks by their statuses — completed, pending, or overdue. That lets me see overdue tasks at the top. I’ll dig deeper into that further below.

6. Choose how you’d like to order your sheet.

In the third section of your Sort settings window, you’ll see a dropdown bar called “Order.” Click it to select how you’d like to order your spreadsheet.

By default, your Sort settings windows will suggest sorting depending on the column content. If the column contains numbers, it’ll suggest “Smallest to Largest.” But if you choose a column with letter-based values, it’ll suggest “A to Z.”

As I’m sorting by Click Rate, I get “Smallest to Largest.” But since I want to see highly performing blogs at the top, I’ll change the order to “Largest to Smallest.”

If the default options don’t fit your data, you can also use “Custom List.” I’ll discuss how and why you might sort by custom list further below.

7. Click OK.

Click OK in your Sort settings window, and you should see your list successfully sorted according to your desired criteria.

For instance, here’s what my sorted data looks like:

Productivity Tip: Use Sort A to Z and Sort Z to A Buttons

While I use the Sort settings window to organize complicated data, I often default to using the “Sort A to Z” and “Sort Z to A” buttons when I’m working with smaller datasets, such as a list of fewer than 20 entries with 2-5 columns (e.g., a list of monthly blogs).

To use “Sort A to Z” and “Sort Z to A”:

1. Select a cell in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Click “Sort A to Z” if you want to sort in alphabetical order or ascending order. Alternatively, click “Sort Z to A” if you want to sort in a reverse alphabetical order or in descending order.

When working with data surrounding content performance, I love using these two options to get valuable insights, such as converting blog pieces, high-traffic blogs, and unoptimized content topics.

Sorting Multiple Columns

What if you want to sort more than one column?

For instance, I want to organize my blog topics by their authors and then by the click rate to see how each author fared.

Here’s how I’ll do it.

1. Click on the data in the column to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in the toolbar.
3. Open the “Sort” options.
4. Change the “Column” dropdown to the column I want to sort. (In my example, I’ll change it to Author.)
5. Click “Add Level” at the top left of the pop-up, which will add a “Then by” row to the Sort settings window.
6. Use the dropdown list in front of “Then by” to select the second column I want to sort by. (In my case, I’ll change it to Click Rate.)
7. Check the “Order” column to ensure it shows the order I want to see my data in (alphabetically for authors and largest to smallest for click rates) and click “OK.”

Note: If your data has headers, ensure “My data has headers” is ticked.

Sorting in Custom Order

Sometimes, you want to avoid sorting by A to Z or Z to A and instead sort by something else, such as months, days of the week, or some other organizational system.

In situations like this, you can create your custom order to specify precisely the sort you want.

For instance, since templates and infographics are sales assets, I often sort content pieces by their type to see how the different content types performed — I’ve added a column for Content Type to do this.

To sort in custom order:

1. Click on the data in the column you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Click on the “Sort” button.
4. Change the “Column” dropdown to the column you want to sort. I’ll use Content Type.
5. In the “Order” column, click the dropdown list and select “Custom List.”
6. If you’re sorting by month or day, use the predefined lists to sort your data. Otherwise, add your own values. For instance, I went for “infographic, template, video, blog.”
7. Click “Add” to add the custom list, and click “OK.”
8. In the “Sort” settings window, Click “OK” to sort the data.

Sorting a Row

Sometimes, your data may appear in rows instead of columns. You can still sort your data by using a slightly different step when that happens. While rare, this feature has proven useful whenever I was dealing with monthly figures and wanted to quickly see how we did in different months.

To sort a row:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Click on the “Sort” button.
4. Open “Options” at the top of the window (located at the bottom of the window if you’re on a Mac).
5. Under “Orientation,” select “Sort left to right.” Then, click “OK.”
6. In the “Row” column, select the row number you want to sort from the dropdown. (I’m going with Row 5 to sort by total sales.) When you are done, click “OK.”

Sorting Using Conditional Formatting

If you use conditional formatting to change the color of a cell, add an icon, or change the font color, you can sort by that, too.

When I was a Product Marketing Manager at HubSpot, I relied on conditional formatting and sorting to see if any of the content pieces were overdue and required my attention.

To show how it works, I’ve added another column and four new blog topics to the sample data.

To sort using conditional formatting:

1. Click on the data in the row you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Click on the “Sort” button.
4. Under “Column,” select the column you want to sort. In my case, it’s Status.
5. In the “Sort On”, select “Cell Color.”
6. In the “Order column,” select the red bar.
7. Click on “Add level.” Repeat steps 4-6, and instead of selecting the red bar, select the yellow bar.
8. Click on “Add level.” Repeat steps 4-6, and instead of selecting the red bar, select the green bar.
9. Click “OK.”

Sorting by Partial Values

While normal sorting gets the job done most of the time, you may encounter data where you want to sort the partial value of a column. For instance, you may want to sort a customer list by last name where you have data in the form of “First Name Last Name” (as in Rachel Leist).

I ran into that issue in the past whenever I tried to study the competing domains that had date data in their URLs. Instead of sorting the URLs in alphabetical order, Excel would sort the URLs using their date information — as the prior section of the URL stays the same.

To bypass the issue, I divide the column with partial values into multiple columns. Then, I sort the column with the desired value to get the required data.

Here’s how you can sort by partial values:

1. Highlight the cells containing the relevant data.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Click “Text to Columns.”
4. Select delimited if data is divided by commas, dashes, a space, or any symbols.
5. Tick the delimiters that apply and add specific symbols in Other if required. In my case, as I’m dealing with a URL, I added a forward slash (/) as a delimiter.
6. Once you have the partial value untangled, you can use “Sort A to Z” to “Sort Z to A” to sort the data quickly. Alternatively, you can use the sort dialog box to configure a sort order.

If you’re looking for more tricks like using Text to Columns, check out our Microsoft Excel guide for beginners.

Sorting a Range Within a Larger Range

If you’re looking to temporarily manipulate the data and want to explore different insights, you can also sort a subset of the data by sorting inside the larger range.

To sort a range within a larger range:

1. Highlight the subset of the data you want to sort.
2. Click on the “Data” tab in your toolbar.
3. Use “Sort A to Z” to “Sort Z to A” to sort data. You’ll see a “Sort Warning” notifying you that MS Excel found larger data near your selection.
4. Select “Continue with the current selection” and click “Sort.”

While sorting a range with a larger range gives you a flexible way to temporarily tweak the dataset, I don’t recommend using it on your main document — or at least that’s what my not-so-tiny data disasters have taught me.

You have to restore to a previous version to eliminate data errors if you lose track of the previous arrangement. Learn from my mistakes and create a spare copy of the main dataset to avoid losing your work. Or, if these specific insights are crucial to your project, add filters to hide/unhide entries without affecting the underlying data.

Common Issues Surrounding Sorting in Excel

While I’ve shared my tried and tested tips to get you through sorting error-free, mistakes can happen. So, here are a few issues I’ve faced myself or seen others struggle with:

• Incomplete sorting. Excel ignores the hidden rows and columns during sorting. So, if you unhide the row or column after sorting, you might see incomplete sorting.
• Headers get sorted. If one of the header cells has no text, Excel will consider that header row as data by default. So, if your headers get sorted, check if one of the header cells is empty.
• Data changes after sorting. Excel recalculates the formulas after sorting. If your dataset relies on random number generation, you’ll face data changes after sorting. Typically, you can avoid that by replacing the RAND function entries with the output values.

There you have it — I’ve listed all the possible ways to sort in Excel.

Ready to put your sorting skills to use? Grab one of the Excel templates below and organize your data as you see fit.

Conducting market research pulls details together to help you choose new products or services to launch. They also help identify your audiences and best marketing strategies so you are ready to act without the guesswork.

Businesses use market research software to minimize risk and make more data-driven choices.

I own a small business, and by gathering facts and opinions, I can better predict whether new products or features — and for more prominent companies, even locations — will succeed before investing.

Here are 25 of the best tools for conducting market research, including a few recommendations directly from HubSpot market researchers and bloggers who use them.

Helpful Market Research Tools & Resources

1. Similarweb

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Similarweb is probably the highest quality, most well-known, and most convenient way to get and compare traffic information about any website you land on — short of having an expert analyst whispering in your ear, which could get awkward.

Their free suite of products — including the Chrome extension — is worth exploring and gives you useful, high-level information. The deep insights come from taking advantage of their database of real-world information on global website performance gathered over time, which they’ve already been building for over 10 years. They have their finger on the pulse of online business worldwide, from sales to sites to stocks.

Microsoft, Amazon, and even Google use Similarweb and the insights they provide on other enterprise-level operations down to small businesses. If you want to know how your company stacks up and then initiate a robust research and marketing campaign, these are serious tools that can help you grow.

What I like: One of their add-ons is called App Intelligence, and it can benchmark your growth and track your progress against millions of apps — for both iOS and Android — and provide daily insights on app rankings, engagement, retention, and more.

Pricing: Starter plans cost $125 per month paid annually; professional plans cost $333 per month billed annually; team and enterprise plans have custom pricing.

2. Glimpse

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For Max Iskiev, market research analyst at HubSpot, one research tool stands out from the rest: Glimpse.

He told me, “Glimpse is my favorite research tool. It’s quick and easy to use, allowing me to design and launch short surveys for real-time insights on trending topics.”

Writers for the HubSpot Marketing Blog have also used Glimpse to run short, 100-person surveys for articles (case in point: Are Sales Reps Rushing Back to the Office?).

Not only is Glimpse valuable for doing quick pulse-checks on the latest trends, but it also leverages the power of AI for even deeper insights.

“Glimpse really shines when it comes to open-ended questions, using natural language processing and AI to analyze emotion and sentiment, saving time, and offering invaluable insights,” Iskiev shared.

Best for: Those who can invest in AI tools for their businesses but don’t need a decade’s deep dive like users of Similarweb might.

Pricing: Starter Plan – Free; Professional – $500/month; Advanced – $1,000/month; Enterprise – custom pricing.

3. BuzzSumo

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BuzzSumo offers several highly useful tools that work best as a content research tool for mid-size businesses and up. If you need many ideas for a whole lot of content, BuzzSumo is likely a good fit for your company.

Their monitoring tools can alert you to new content that relates to your keywords of choice.

This is smart for writers, content strategists, and those who manage writers and content strategists to stay on top of trends in what consumers want to know more about within your industry — so you’re right there to provide it.

BuzzSumo also gives you access to reporting tools that stream various sources of information to your dashboard, making it easy to keep up with developments and build visual assets to communicate about them.

You can find major influencers — worldwide — through BuzzSumo that fit your brand to sponsor and collaborate with.

Unfortunately, BuzzSumo doesn’t integrate well with Instagram, so you’ll want to focus on influencers that use other social channels unless you’re willing to do IG work on the side.

What I like: Their Chrome extension is a nice addition to their offerings for companies that work with freelancers and remote workers to take the work on the move.

Pricing: Free 30-day trials are available. Content creation plans cost $199 per month; PR and comms plans cost $299 per month; suite plans cost $499 per month; and Enterprise plans cost $999 per month.

4. Answer the Public

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Answer the Public is a sister product to UberSuggest, both being brainchildren of Neil Patel.

Answer: the Public watches what people are searching for and lets you keep track of how things change over time. By studying the changes, you can be at the front of trends — positive or negative — so you can respond to the changes quickly.

It’s billed as an excellent tool for public relations professionals to give them a heads-up on how their company is faring in the public eye.

If you fall on the wrong side of public sentiment, you can be right on top of salvaging the situation and making improvements to regain trust.

If you’re doing something right and see gains in positive engagement, you know to keep up what you’re doing and may even want to expand upon it.

Great examples of what organizations have done with information like this include Wendy’s ongoing roasts and savage clapbacks on social media.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s hilarious insistence on not bringing mountain lions in the house also nabbed engagement by the truckloads (of corgis).

What I like: I like that Masterclass videos are available. They make sure to include lots of opportunities to learn how to best use their products and get maximum value from the suite.

Pricing: Individual plans cost $9 per month; pro plans cost $99 per month; expert plans cost $199 per month. Lifetime Pricing is available. Individual lifetime plans cost $99, pro lifetime plans cost $199; and expert lifetime plans cost $1,990.

5. GrowthBar SEO

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GrowthBar SEO is all-in for AI. If your leadership wants a slice of the AI action at work in the company’s market research, this might be the tool to reach for.

It uses ChatGPT-4, and the peer-to-peer review site G2 ranked it the #1 AI writing tool for SEO in 2022 and 2023.

What sets it apart is that the AI writing assistant doesn’t just compile and give word to information it finds online.

It offers selections of relevant keywords, titles, headings, industry standard word counts, and link suggestions that you can choose from as you move through the outline.

They also include tools for keyword research, keyword ranking, and information about your keyword competitors. And because Google search is incorporated into the suite, you can do most, if not all, of your writing work on one screen.

Pro tip: As with all AI content, you’ll need a writer to bring the content to life by fact-checking information, adding unique or inside perspectives, meaningful quotes, and many other values that make the content rich to read.

GrowthBar SEO knows this, and you can source freelance writers there as well!

Pricing: A seven-day free trial is available. Standard plans cost $36 per month; pro plans cost $74.25 per month; and agency plans cost $149.25 per month.

6. Statista

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Statista is a data visualization website that takes data from reputable reports across the web and makes them easy and digestible for researchers, marketers, and product creators just like you.

“Statista is like my market research sidekick, giving me all the data I need without the endless search. No more digging through the haystack. With Statista, I can spot trends and make informed decisions with ease,” Icee Griffin, market researcher at HubSpot, told me.

One neat aspect of using Statista is that the same chart is updated as the years pass. Say that you want to allude to the value of the beauty market in your proposal.

If your investor accesses that same graph a year from now, it will reflect updated numbers. Statista finds the most recent research to update their visualizations.

Pro tip: Statista doesn’t carry out original research, but does have around 100 analysts who seek out gaps in their resources to provide ever more useful, trending data.

Pricing: Basic plans are free. Starter plans cost $199 per month, billed annually. Professional plans cost $959 per month, billed annually.

7. Think With Google Research Tools

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Wish you had information on your product’s likelihood of success?

Think With Google’s marketing research tools offer interesting insights on whether anyone is looking for your product (Google Trends), which markets to launch to (Market Finder), and what retail categories rise as the months and seasons pass (Rising Retail Categories).

If you’d like to market your product through YouTube, the Find My Audience tool allows you to investigate what your potential viewers are interested in and what you should discuss on your brand’s YouTube channel.

What I like: Free and incredibly useful in my experience, small and newer businesses really benefit from having tools like this to conduct market research and get their growth rolling.

Pricing: Free

8. Census Bureau

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The Census Bureau offers a free resource for searching U.S. census data.

You can filter by age, income, year, and location. You can also use some of its shortcuts to access visualizations of the data, allowing you to see potential target markets across the country.

If you’re considering a highly competitive product or service, you can easily find out where your target industry is most popular — or where the market has been oversaturated.

Another helpful tool is the Census Bureau Business and Economy data, where you can also target premade tables depending on your industry.

Pro tip: The text information on each screen can be overwhelming, so here’s a shortcut for you. One of the best ways to use this tool is by finding the NAICS code for your business.

Then, access the “Tables“ tool, click ”Filter” on the sidebar, and search for your industry.

Pricing: Free

9. Make My Persona

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HubSpot’s Make My Persona tool allows you to create a buyer persona for your potential new product. In this tool, you pick a name for the persona, choose their age, identify their career characteristics, and identify their challenges.

This allows you to pinpoint both demographic and psychographic information.

Creating a buyer persona is an early step in the marketing process but an important one to avoid scope creep.

If you’re unsure about details like these and how to use market research tools for your business, let me recommend Hubspot’s Market Research Kit.

It’s completely free and helps you build a strong foundation for data-driven decision-making in your future marketing strategies.

Best for: Make My Persona is best suited to B2B product launches because you’ll be prompted to document your buyer persona’s career objectives and role-specific challenges.

Ideally, your product would solve a problem for them in the workplace or help their company achieve revenue goals.

Pricing: Free

10. Tableau

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Tableau is a business intelligence suite of products that allows you to “connect to virtually any data source.” But the data isn’t presented in unreadable tables.

Rather, Tableau helps you visualize this data in a way that helps you glean insights, appeal to external stakeholders, and communicate the feasibility of your product to potential investors.

You can visualize data on anything from corn production in tropical climate zones to office product sales in North America. With Tableau’s tools, you can take as granular or as general a look you’d like into potential marketplaces and supplier regions.

What I like: Visual information for humans and pure data for the machines all in one. Tableau integrates well with spreadsheets and databases so that you can export Tableau data to Excel, back up records in Amazon Redshift, and more.

Pricing: Tableau Viewer plans cost $14 per user each month when billed annually. Tableau Explorer plans cost $42 per user each month when billed annually. Tableau Creator plans cost $75 per user each month when billed annually.

11. Paperform

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A market research survey is an effective way to better understand your target audience and their needs by asking them directly.

This step is integral to understanding your dream customers’ problems, so you want to ensure the process is as interactive as possible and gathers objective, accurate responses.

With its free-text interface, Paperform is as simple as writing a Word document. You can make your survey stand out by customizing colors, fonts, layouts, and themes to create your unique look and feel.

There are 27+ question field types, such as ranking, matrix, or scale fields. Use several to create visually engaging surveys that collect more information and see higher completion stats.

If you’re unsure where to start, you can use one of their expertly-made questionnaires or market research survey templates to get you started.

Best for: In my experience, Paperform is able to efficiently incorporate multiple customer personas. It uses conditional logic to show or hide questions or whole sections of content to create fully personalized paths.

These interactive forms lower drop-off rates and boost customer interaction.

Pricing: Essentials plans cost $29 per month. Pro plans cost $59 per month. Business plans cost $199 per month. For enterprise pricing, contact Paperform’s sales team.

12. GWI

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GWI is an on-demand consumer research platform that makes audience research a breeze. Powered by the world’s largest study on the online consumer base, GWI provides insights into the lives of over 2.8 billion consumers across 50+ markets.

With 250k+ profiling points, you can find your unique customers and learn everything you need to know about who they are, what’s on their minds, and what they’re up to.

One user-friendly platform makes it quick and easy to become an expert on your audience and capture the answers you need to succeed.

Pro tip: GWI even has features to compare markets and create customized and shareable charts in seconds, helping you distribute critical information as quickly as you find it.

Pricing: Explore Interactive Demo for free; Flexible and custom pricing with discounts available.

13. SurveyMonkey

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SurveyMonkey is a powerful tool for creating in-depth market research surveys that will help you understand your market and consumer preferences.

With this tool, you can create targeted, uber-specific surveys that help you collect answers that pertain specifically to your product.

While using a data source can give you a general overview of your target audience and market, SurveyMonkey can help you get more granular insights from real consumers.

SurveyMonkey offers dedicated market research solutions and services and a reporting dashboard option that allows you to easily parse through the results.

What I like: I like that SurveyMonkey is a good fit for exploring markets beyond your shores. It includes a global survey panel and survey translation service for international research.

Pricing:

• Individual plans: Advantage annual plans cost $39 per month. Premier annual plans cost $119 a month. Monthly plans cost $99 per month.
• Team plans: Team advantage plans cost $29 per person each month. Team premier plans cost $75 per person each month.
• Enterprise pricing is available upon request.

14. Typeform

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Like SurveyMonkey, Typeform allows you to run research surveys to get direct answers from your target consumers. It’s an easy-to-use, mobile-optimized form-builder that’s great for market research.

Typeform’s distinguishing factor is that it shows viewers one form field at a time. In its templates, Typeform encourages a more conversational, casual approach (like in its market research survey template).

You can create a wide range of question types, and other features include the ability to recall answers from previous questions and create logic jumps.

In a survey, you’d want to collect both demographic and psychographic information on your customers to understand their purchasing behaviors and the problems they encounter.

The goal is to find out if your product is the solution to one of those problems — and whether, before launching, you should add more features or rethink your product positioning strategy.

Best for: I think Typeform is best for product launches that target a younger demographic.

If you’re targeting C-suite executives at established firms, consider a more formal option, such as SurveyMonkey, or keeping your tone more formal in your questions.

Pricing: Free plans are available. Basic plans cost $29 per month. Plus plans cost $59 per month. Business plans cost $99 per month. Enterprise plans are available upon request.

15. PureSpectrum Insights (Previously Upwave Instant Insights)

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PureSpectrum acquired Upwave Instant Insights in 2021 and rebranded as PureSpectrum Insights.

As before, this platform is primarily a consumer research tool. While it isn’t advertised as a survey creation tool, it allows you to launch market research surveys specifically to get consumer insights.

PureSpectrum allows you to perform customer and market segmentation and also to visualize your data for easy scanning by key stakeholders and investors. They’ve grown to include A/B testing, brand tracking, and customer sentiment.

Pro tip: PureSpectrum distributes your survey to real people. Take a look at their marketplace profile to get a sense of where and from whom you can collect valuable data.

Pricing: Schedule a demo for more information.

16. Claritas MyBestSegment

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Claritas MyBestSegment provides product researchers with tools to understand a specific area’s demographic information as well as the lifestyle habits of those who live there.

Their audience segments give you information gleaned from tens of thousands of data points, giving you insight into much more than just household income, employment, and education levels.

By finding out what a segment of the population does — without having to go out and survey them — you can find out which areas would be most receptive to a campaign or launch.

You can also discover which competitors are located nearby and which lifestyle trends have shifted or are on the rise.

What I like: I like that they are able to do some of the leg work for you. Syndicated Audiences is a tool available from Claritas for finding an organized audience of consumers who are more likely to be interested in your products or services.

Pricing: Pricing is available upon request.

17. Loop11

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Loop11 is a user experience testing platform that allows you to test the usability of your website, study user intent, test the information architecture of your site, and examine how the user experience changes based on the device they’re using.

Loop11 tests your site on any device by making users perform tasks. They then complete a short question about how easy or difficult the task was to complete.

Your product may be phenomenal, but unless consumers can actually buy it through your site, your launch won’t be successful.

You can use Loop11’s participants for niche demographics or bring in your own to learn more about your current customers.

Best for: Market research for your site development. You can find out whether your target consumers find your site easy to navigate and also identify snags that prevent conversions.

Pricing: Rapid Insights plans cost $199 monthly or $179 per month, billed annually. Pro plans cost $399 per month or $358 per month, billed annually. Enterprise plans cost $599 per month or $533 per month, billed annually.

18. Userlytics

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Like Loop11, Userlytics allows you to test the usability of your website, mobile app, and site prototype. You can target different devices, define a buyer persona, and disqualify participants based on screening questions.

Testing is based on tasks that your test-takers carry out. They then answer a simple question about the difficulty of the task. You can structure the question in various ways:

You can leave it open-ended, provide multiple choices, or ask for a rating. Other formats you can use include System Usability Scale (SUS) questions, Net Promoter Score (NPS) questions, and Single Ease Questions (SEQ).

What I like: Userlytics performs both a webcam and a screen recording. You can compare the user’s answers with their reactions on video to understand how they feel when they’re interacting with your assets.

Pricing: Schedule a free demo for more information.

19. Temper

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Sometimes, you need a no-frills test to take the pulse of consumers. Temper allows you to create a question and pop it onto your website, into your emails, etc.

The smiley face, “meh” face, and frowny face make it easy for viewers to share their feelings — and for you to read their minds.

You can also add it to a product page or a landing page, tailoring the questions to fit your offerings.

As for what you see, there are three options for receiving the feedback: in a tab on each page you are monitoring, embedded in the web page itself to narrow in on aspects within the page, or at the bottom of emails so you can get real-time information as the interaction unfolds.

Pro tip: One great way I’ve seen this used is by adding it to a blog post announcing the launch of a new product. You can find out general sentiment toward the product before it even launches!

Pricing: Hobby plans cost $12 per month. Pro plans cost $49 per month. Business plans cost $89 per month. White label plans cost $199 per month.

20. NielsenIQ (NIQ)

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NielsenIQ (NIQ) is a retail and consumer intelligence consultant that works with you to collect consumer insights, identify the best distribution channels for your product, and create a range of products to address the needs of your target buyers.

This service helps you look at your product launch from all angles, delivering forecasting data that predicts how your sales will perform upon launch. NielsenIQ can also run consumer insights surveys on their list of panelists and partners.

NIQ now offers a service called Byzzer to help small businesses with fewer resources. It opens a door for market research reporting, in-person events, and consulting at a lower cost than the full NIQ suite.

Best for: I think Byzzer can be a helpful and affordable option for smaller businesses, but because NielsenIQ operates like a consultant and not as a self-service software, it is a better option for established firms with a bigger product launch budget.

Pricing: Pricing is available on request.

21. Ubersuggest

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Don’t be intimidated by the visually text-heavy Ubersuggest. It really is an easy tool for doing keyword and content research. You just input a phrase, and it’ll create a list of keyword suggestions.

You can also see top-performing articles and pages to better understand the types of content that rank for those keywords.

This tool is useful for market research because you can see who your top competitors are, how often your product is searched for, and whether there’s enough space in the market for the type of product you’re launching.

You can also find out the questions your target audience asks in relation to the product. Each of these questions can be turned into an informative blog post that can guide your audience, increase your brand authority, and drive conversions.

Pro tip: If you want a quick look at the results you can get, head to their website and do a search — just know that you only get one glimpse before they make you register. Alternatives to Ubersuggest include Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMRush.

Pricing: Free seven-day trials are available for all three tiers. Individual plans cost $29 per month. Business plans cost $49 per month. Enterprise and agency plans cost $99 per month. Add-ons are available at $5 each. Lifetime memberships are also available.

22. Pew Research Center

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From economic conditions to political attitudes, social media usage to food science, the Pew Research Center website has loads of free research that you can use to better understand your target markets.

Be careful with your curiosity, though. It’s a gorgeous trap of interesting information that can drain your day away — but so happily.

I that Pew Research Center integrates visual data directly into the text — and we’re not talking about a chart or image spliced in.

The site has hundreds of interactive articles that allow you to filter and sift through the data for more granular, targeted insights while also making dense information easier to understand.

Their research topic selection is delightfully vast. Click the top left tab for “Research Topics.” Then, there is a link to their “Full Topic List.” Once there, each topic cluster has a “More” option.

What I like: As a writer in digital marketing, I am always on the hunt for targeted and nutritious quotes and insights. I love that you have access to what research participants actually had to say below the Pew Research articles.

It’s a stellar feature for building compelling presentations. The quotes are tagged, too, so you can sort quotes more specifically on various concepts or groups related to the research.

Here’s an example article — scroll to the In Their Own Words section at the bottom to check it out.

Pricing: Free

23. SocialMention (Part of BrandMentions)

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SocialMention is a part of BrandMentions focused on social media monitoring. The platform helps you understand what your prospective customers are buzzing about online.

Search for a keyword, and SocialMentions will show you recent social posts that contain that keyword, along with the context of its usage.

After subscribing to the platform, you’ll also get other metrics such as Reach (how many people view the keyword per day), Performance (how many people engage with the keyword per day), and Mentions by Weekday (when people mention the keyword).

One way to use this tool for market research is by finding out what time of day or night people are looking for your product on social media sites.

Let’s say you’ve developed a sleeping aid app and learn through SocialMention that most people look for sleeping aid apps at 2:00 AM. When you start announcing your product, you will need to schedule your post around 2:00 AM.

Pro tip: Another useful tool you’ll have access to is sentiment analysis on your keywords. It allows you to find out how people are generally feeling about the type of product you’re launching.

That way, you can refine the tone of your campaigns.

Pricing: Growing business plans cost $79 per month. Company plans cost $249 per month. Enterprise and agency plans cost $399 per month. All prices are billed annually.

24. Qualtrics Market Research Panels

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Qualtrics takes away the hassle of finding respondents for your market research surveys. They provide an online sample service so you can access real, live human thoughts without having to actually manage any humans.

It’s an introverted marketer’s dream come true!

Once you’ve identified your target audience, head on over to Qualtrics and sign up to access a representative sample.

You can then use Qualtrics’ built-in platform to start gathering insights and information from the people whose pain points you might be able to help solve.

Pro tip: You can actually choose between Qualtrics’ built-in platform or using your own chosen survey software. Sometimes, you’re already familiar and comfy with one system or need to hustle with a program you know — Qualtrics lets you pick.

Pricing: Pricing is available on request.

25. ProProfs Qualaroo

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Qualaroo is an advanced user and market research tool that helps you understand your specific market with targeted surveys.

You can run surveys on over six channels at once — such as website, app, product, social media, and email — to get a 360-degree view of your existing and potential customers.

It comes packed with features like question branching, 12+ answer types, automatic survey language translation, in-depth audience targeting, pre-built survey templates, and an extensive repository of professionally designed questions.

You can create various market research surveys in minutes to collect data on the demographic, psychographic, and behavioral traits of your target audience.

It can help you map customers’ expectations and preferences, create customer personas, and perform audience segmentation.

Qualaroo also promotes quick feedback analysis. Its in-built AI-based sentiment analysis and text analytics engine automatically categorizes the responses based on user moods.

It also highlights the key phrases and words in real time, saving hours of manual work.

What we like: In my experience, you can get an awful lot done with just this one source for conducting market research. I like it for its rare combination of tool inclusivity and affordable pricing — it’s definitely a solid source to start with.

Pricing: Omni channel plans for up to 50 responses are free. Omni channel plans for businesses up to 100 responses cost $19.99 per month, billed annually. Email surveys up to 50 responses are free.

Email surveys for businesses up to 100 responses cost $9.99 per month, billed annually.

Conduct Market Research for a Successful Product Launch

Conducting market research is essential to a successful product launch to market.

With the tools I’ve just introduced you to, you can find out who’s looking for your product, why they need it, and how you can better market whatever you’re looking to launch.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Ever feel like Hollywood is stuck on rewind? Sequels, reboots, remakes — it’s all a bit … well, repetitive.

And it’s not because Hollywood is unoriginal or out of ideas. It turns out that we, as the audience, crave the comfort of revisiting what we know and love.

Barbie and Top Gun? Enough said.

I also noticed that rewatch podcasts have been super popular lately and wanted to understand why. So, I dug into the whole “nostalgia bait” thing and talked to marketers to discover what makes this trend so hot.

What is a rewatch podcast?

The rewatch podcast is hosted by the cast members of a famous film, series, or TV show that is no longer running. Hosts watch episodes or scenes together and chat about them.

Sometimes, directors, writers, and other actors join in and make the episode even more exciting. The most interesting parts are behind-the-scenes stories that every fan enjoys.

For instance, do you remember Pam and Angela from The Office? Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey launched a rewatch podcast, Office Ladies, back in October 2019. And by 2022, it was one of the top 10 most listened-to podcasts.

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Every week, Angela and Jenna choose one episode of The Office and spill all the juicy secrets you never knew.

The podcast gets even better with other Office actors like John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Ed Helms, and Brian Baumgartner. As an avid fan, I can’t get enough of the show.

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So now that we know what a rewatch podcast is, how does it tie into nostalgia? Well, first, we need to start with a definition.

What is nostalgia bait?

Nostalgia bait is a marketing strategy that relies on fond memories of the past to sell something. It uses references or elements from pop culture, fashion, or even historical periods to trigger positive feelings that we have about those times.

The goal is to make you think, “Hey, I remember that from when I was a kid/teenager. What great times these were!”

This good feeling can make you believe the new product or media is as good as the original, even if it’s not actually that unique or high-quality.

Here are a few examples of the nostalgia resurgence:

• Y2K fashion is back. Popular styles from the late 1990s and early 2000s, like low-rise jeans, butterfly clips, and chunky sneakers, are trending again. Instagram and Pinterest are full of it.

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• Classic TV shows sometimes get rebooted or revived decades later so fans can enjoy their favorite characters and stories again. A good example is Fuller House, which continues the story of Full House with the one and only Tanner family.

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• We had Super Mario on old Nintendo consoles with simple graphics and enjoyed the game in which a little man punched the boxes with his head. And almost 30 years later, it’s still here! In a bit newer, fresher look, 3D versions of Mario Bros bring amazing games, toys, and even a movie. A man of 50 and a kid of 5 both know who Mario is. How cool is that?

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So, why is nostalgia bait so popular?

“Nostalgia wraps us in a comforting blanket, and that’s why it works,” says Digital Marketing Strategist Charles Lange.

And that makes sense.

Nostalgia highlights positive memories and makes us want to relive those moments. Brands understand this and use the emotional connection to link their product with our memories and “manipulate” us to buy.

Julie Snow, content marketing strategist at Big Leap, agrees and says that nostalgia-themed ads and designs are more favorably rated and can boost a consumer’s willingness to pay more.

She continues, “Everybody seems to want to go back to a time period that was a bit more carefree than it may seem today.”

Content creator Tiffany Ferg points out that even with blatant fan service or nostalgia bait, many fans eagerly consume it.

The best example is the Mean Girls Walmart commercial for Black Friday, which was a huge boom.

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Ferg questions what‘s fueling this nostalgia craze — audiences or the industry? She believes it’s both.

There’s a massive demand for nostalgic content, translating to profit, such as through fan conventions, once stigmatized but now lucrative.

Rewatch Podcasts That Take Me Back

Besides Office Ladies, here are some of my favorite for rewatch podcasts. I’ll also dive into what makes the so enticing so you can unlock the power of nostalgia.

Fake Doctors, Real Friends

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This podcast by Zach Braff (J.D.) and Donald Faison (Turk) is a total laugh riot. It’s a re-watch of the Scrubs show where Braff and Faison provide commentary and BTS insights into each episode.

They reminisce about filming, break down classic scenes, and interview guest stars like Neil Flynn (the Janitor). Wanna watch it? Then I need to warn you — get ready for some serious “Daaaang” moments.

What I like: Their real-life friendship makes the whole thing even funnier.

What brands can learn: Your hosts are arguably the most important part of your show. If you want to tap into the power of nostalgia, you’ll need people who lived through the era. Hosts with lived experience will make the nostalgia feel authentic.

Clueless Rewind

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Clueless Rewind is a popular podcast in which hosts Alan Scott and Kerensa Cadenas take listeners back to the 1995 film Clueless.

They analyze the fashion, the slang, and the life lessons hidden beneath the Clueless exterior. This podcast totally bugs out with fun and takes us back to one of the most popular ’90s teen comedies.

What I like: Interviews with cast and crew, serving up some juicy gossip.

What brands can learn: Sometimes, you can’t snag a celebrity to host your podcast. However, you might be able to get some on-screen icons to join you for an interview. Special guests can help you overcome these limitations and make a great show.

 

Drama Queens

Bethany Joy Lenz, Hilarie Burton, and Sophia Bush, aka the Drama Queens themselves, are back together! They break down every single episode of One Tree Hill and share so many good secrets here.

You’ll feel like you’re on coffee with your besties and chat about the good old days. That’s the feeling it brings.

What I like: The topics are so interesting, so girly, and so perfectly covered that you simply can’t stop listening.

What brands can learn: Think about the references your audience knows. Drama Queens appeals to listeners who not only loved the show but likely went to high school when One Tree Hill aired. The hosts can then make references and jokes that people in their audience can relate to.

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Welcome to Our Show

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Welcome to Our Show is a hilarious podcast hosted by three real-life best friends from the sitcom New Girl. In each episode, the trio rewatches an episode of New Girl and shares BTS stories and hilarious anecdotes.

They goof around, riff on iconic lines, play fun games, and simply make your day better.

What I like: This isn’t just a straight replay. The hosts also share their personal memories, which sometimes bring a tear to my eye and sometimes make me snort-laugh out loud.

What brands can learn: A rewatch podcast doesn’t need to be focused only on an iconic television show. You can add elements like games or themed segments to keep the show entertaining.

Other Examples of Successful Nostalgia Bait.

Many brands have been jumping into the nostalgia pool lately, but not every company gets it right. Here are a few campaigns that caught my attention and gave me an authentic blast from the past.

Converse: Chuck Taylor All-Stars — Limited Edition Pokemon Designs

I love this genius collaboration of Converse with Pokemon that created limited edition Chuck Taylors featuring characters like Pikachu and Charizard. They even re-released some of the older designs to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokemon.

The result? The brands combined two things more of us loved as a kid and tapped into nostalgia bait.

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Nintendo: NES Classic Edition

In 2016, Nintendo presented the NES Classic Edition. This tiny console had 30 old-school NES games and flew off shelves.

It was great for reliving childhood gaming memories and introducing Super Mario and Donkey Kong to new generations.

Well done, Nintendo — retro gaming at its finest!

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Barbie

The 2023 Barbie movie sparked nostalgia for 2010s pop feminism. Social media was flooded with campaigns urging women and girls to share old photos and stories.

The movie itself was a mix of nostalgia and empowerment, though it sparked some concerns about profiting from insecurities.

But despite the debate, Barbie seems to have bounced back stronger than ever. Her influence isn‘t just limited to toys anymore. She’s in fashion and cosmetics, and impacting the whole industry.

How To Get Nostalgia Bait Right?

It’s easy to get lost here and make a nostalgia bait campaign a total fail, so I have the tips to make your audience feel the warm fuzzies (the good kind) without being cheesy.

Here’s what you should(n’t) do.

1. Nudge, don’t shout.

If you need to shout “nostalgia” in your campaign, you’re doing something wrong.

Gently guide customers instead of overwhelming them with loud and too obvious ads. Use cool details and nods to the past that make people go, “Hey, I remember that!”

According to John Pennypacker, vice president of marketing and sales at Deep Cognition, you need to subtly incorporate old references into content for effective nostalgia marketing.

He continues, “Instead of blatantly stating that your product is a ‘throwback to the 90s,’ use design elements, color schemes, or even specific references in a more subtle and understated manner. This will allow your audience to feel nostalgic on their own terms rather than being told what to reminisce about.”

2. Be authentic.

Authentic nostalgia isn’t just about cashing in on memories. It must honor the fans, the creators, and the stories themselves.

People can easily see your attempts to just profit from a trend, so be careful.

I recently watched a great NickyandCoco episode discussing whether nostalgia bait kills creativity and looks too salesy. They talked about how important it is to make it feel real.

Just like with Marvel movies — if you keep doing the same thing over and over, people get tired, says Nicky. It’s called “superhero fatigue.”

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This stat proves why it’s important to keep your original content fresh by adding authenticity, originality, and new angles. Otherwise, the audience interest may flop like this.

Here’s a brand that got it right…

The Hunger Games franchise does a great job of mixing old and new.

It brings back familiar characters and places from the original books and movies but also adds new twists and interesting elements all the time. This way, it keeps both longtime fans and newcomers interested.

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Getting It Wrong

Using nostalgia to make money instead of telling a good story can be super dangerous. It can lead to rushed sequels or adaptations that disappoint everyone.

That happened with Game of Thrones. It was amazing (my favorite, honestly), but then it ran out of books, and things went downhill fast. The ending wasn’t what fans expected.

They rushed it, and it was obvious.

3. Add a modern twist.

Don’t just rehash the past. Use the nostalgia as a springboard to introduce something fresh.

For instance, Polaroid cameras, once hugely popular, lost out to digital photography at some point. Now, they’re more popular than ever.

How did this happen?

Polaroids today offer the vintage joy of capturing a moment and watching it develop in front of your eyes but with modern features — digital storage and instant sharing.

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Instagram also has a great retro-modern approach.

Its vintage camera filters add a grainy, old-timey feel to your photos, but you can still edit and share them digitally.

Lessons from both: Make classic styles cool again.

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4. Don’t focus solely on one audience.

The biggest mistake marketers make is focusing too much on one type of audience, let’s say the 90s generation, and targeting them only. It should not be like that.

You need to find a balance on how to appeal to different generations.

Lee Moskowitz, director of growth marketing at SmartPass agrees and emphasizes that the many nostalgia campaigns only work for a portion of the audience and can isolate others.

“There are multiple generations in the workforce, and your main decision-makers could be any of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and now Gen Z. If you are going to use nostalgia bait, make sure you’ve done a full demographic and psychographic analysis of your audience and TAM; otherwise, it can do more harm than good,” Moskowitz says.

So, how do we target different ages at the same time?

Google’s Real Tone campaign from 2022 is a perfect example. It deals with the problem of smartphone cameras not showing darker skin tones well.

The ad uses old photos and black-and-white movie scenes to help you realize how photography has changed over time.

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This especially resonates with older generations and reminds baby boomers of their past snapshots from youth.

The campaign also includes selfies and young people to attract Gen Z. This way, everyone sees “themselves” in the ad and understands why the Google Pixel 6 is something they all might need.

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The Future of Nostalgia: Why It’s Here to Stay

Rewatch podcasts and all this nostalgia stuff are hot because they let us revisit happy memories. And this isn’t just a marketing fad that will disappear at some point. It will be here, and I feel like it’ll be used more than ever because:

• It feels good, like comfort food for our brains.
• Rewatch podcasts give us juicy behind-the-scenes info.
• Old favorites are back, but cooler, modern, and simply better.

And finally, here’s the best tip to make your nostalgia bait campaign work (thank me later):

Feel it: “It’s Saturday morning. You’re on the couch with colorful cereal, watching Pokémon. No worries. No adult problems. Just a freedom and the coolest Cartoon Network show.”

Recreate that excitement and feeling in your marketing, and you’ll win.

In the summer of 2022, we first started hearing buzz around a new term: “Quiet quitting“.

Quiet quitting is a term that essentially means an employee who does the core responsibilities of their role, but doesn’t go above-and-beyond for their company.

I think it‘s safe to say we’ve all met quiet quitters throughout our careers — heck, most of us have been quiet quitters during times when we felt less engaged by our work, and opted for the out-by-five approach rather than staying late to pursue projects outside our scope.

There are parts of the quiet quitting approach that I believe are fundamentally healthy … but there are other aspects that hint at employees who feel unengaged, unmotivated, or unsupported in their roles.

So I‘d like to revisit the concept of quiet quitting and figure out why roughly 30% of full-time employees say they’re quiet quitting in 2024 — and whether that’s actually a bad thing.

What is quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting is a term that took off on TikTok in a video by content creator Zaiad Khan.

In the video, which currently has 3.5 million views, the Tiktoker explains what quiet quitting is: A rejection of hustle culture and a reclaiming of work-life balance.

Shortly after, other TikTok users shared their thoughts and experiences with quiet quitting – the hashtag now gaining 97.6 million total video views.

So while the term includes the word “quitting,” it actually has nothing to do with it.

Quiet quitting involves completing your work responsibilities without going above and beyond. This looks like logging out at 5 p.m., not seeking additional tasks or projects, and taking regular time off.

For some quiet quitters, it’s a form of rebellion. For others, it’s an odd term to describe something they’ve done for decades.

How many employees are quiet quitting in 2024?

HubSpot Blog Research found one in three full-time employees say they’re actively quiet quitting in 2024.

Here’s how this breaks down by generation:

• 32% of full-time Gen Z
• 37% of full-time millennials
• 35% of full-time Gen X

What‘s more interesting, though, is the respondent’s viewpoint on what quiet quitting actually means: Over half (55%) of full-time employees think quiet quitting is equivalent to setting healthy boundaries at work, while 45% say quiet quitting reflects an employee’s work ethic.

That’s about an equal, 50-50 split.

So I took to LinkedIn and sent out a poll: Do most people think quiet quitting is a bad thing … Or do they think it’s healthy?

The Results Are In Favor of Quiet Quitting … So What Are The Benefits of Quiet Quitting?

A whopping 71% of the respondents on my LinkedIn poll stated that quiet quitting is a good thing.

To be clear: Quiet quitting, a term originally coined by Zaiad Khan in a TikTok video with 3.5 million views, initially began as a reclamation of work-life balance, and a rejection of hustle culture.

As Khan puts in his video: “Work is not your life. Your worth is not defined by your productive output.”

Those in favor of quiet quitting believe that it can help an employee establish boundaries around work, while ensuring they aren’t taken advantage of by their employer.

In other words: Why should an employee stay late to work on “extra” projects beyond their current scope, if they aren’t feeling valued or fulfilled in their role otherwise?

I can see the argument. Many employees are feeling burnout from being required to consistently overachieve. Our culture often emphasizes productivity at all costs – be it mental, physical, or emotional health. (There’s actually a word for this: Toxic productivity.)

HubSpot’s most recent 2024 Consumer Trends report found that the top four reasons employees are considering leaving their jobs in 2024 are:

• Pay is not competitive enough (38%)
• Wanting to switch career paths (24%)
• Lack of a sense of purpose in their work (23%)
• Burnout (20%)

And, to some extent, all of these reasons point back to the benefits of quiet quitting. If you‘re not feeling fulfilled or finding purpose in your role, if you’re not getting paid enough, or if you’re feeling overworked and underaprpeciated … Why should you continue to go above-and-beyond for your employer?

I’m all for setting work-life boundaries and finding your worth outside the productivity hampster wheel.

But hear me out: Is quiet quitting really the healthiest way to do it? Or is quiet quitting just a reflection of an unengaged, unfulfilled employee?

Quiet Quitting Suggests a More Insiduous Problem

A couple of years ago, I was a quiet quitter myself – at a chocolate store.

It was my first high school job, and I didn‘t like my manager. I felt she didn’t respect me enough to abide by my work preferences when it came to my work hours, and she made jokes about my age in front of customers, which embarrassed me.

So what did I do? The bare minimum, of course.

I didn‘t stay late to help her wrap Easter baskets; I didn’t raise my hand when she asked who could pick up an extra Saturday shift; and at six p.m. on the dot, whether I was with a customer or not, I beelined it for the exit.

As silly as this example is (I get it – it was a high school, part-time job), I use it to suggest that quiet quitting isn’t always about achieving more work-life balance, or setting healthy boundaries.

A lot of times, it‘s a miserable experience, and it occurs because an employee doesn’t feel engaged or motivated.

The dream for most employees is to want to go above-and-beyond for their employer. Quiet quitting usually isn‘t an employee’s first choice: Instead, it‘s the result of months or years of burnout where they’ve been unsupported and underappreciated.

In his article, “What’s New About Quiet Quitting (and What’s Not)“, J. Richard Johnson, Ph.D., writes: ”If a worker enjoys his or her job, he or she will supply more — possibly far more — than the bare minimum … Consider as examples the work of a professional surfer or musician. The surfer and the musician get intrinsic joy — gratification — from their work regardless of whether they are paid.”

Simply put: Your employees won’t feel compelled to quietly quit if they feel engaged. The two are at odds.

At HubSpot, I‘ve always felt compelled to own projects outside my role because I know it’s the fastest way to create a career I‘m excited by — and because I trust my employer to reward my hard work. I’ve also felt empowered to work extra hours (at times) because I’ve been too engaged to shut my laptop down.

Why aren‘t I quietly quitting at HubSpot? Because I love my job, I feel appreciated and supported by my manager, and I feel like I’m making a difference. And I trust that my employer has my best interests at heart: Including allowing me to sign off when I’m finished, and never expecting me to give 110% if I only have 70% in the tank.

That‘s empathy, and it’s likely the key to reversing the quiet quitting trend.

How Companies Should Address Quiet Quitting

In an NPR article, critics of this term say that quiet quitting is a misnomer for setting boundaries at work and having a healthy work-life balance.

They also argue that this term highlights how many companies exploit employees and set an expectation of overperformance without adequate compensation.

With this in mind, instead of seeing quiet quitting as a trend that’s harming the workplace, employers should see it as an opportunity to improve their workplace culture.

The fact is: Employees are only “quiet quitting” as a result of a poor workplace environment – and there’s data to support this.

Invest In Good Management

A workplace study by HBR states that quiet quitting is a reflection of “bad bosses” rather than employees’ unwillingness to go the extra mile.

Their researchers found that managers who ranked highest in balancing business needs with employees’ needs had the highest percentage of employees willing to go the extra mile — 62% to be exact with only 3% quiet quitting.

This is a stark contrast to the managers who ranked the lowest in the category only having 20% of their employees willing to go the extra mile and 14% quiet quitting.

An employee who receives adequate support from their manager, is given growth opportunities, and is rewarded for their work will be motivated to perform at the highest level.

It’s up to employers to create the environment in which that happens. It starts with setting boundaries surrounding work hours – this can look like a no-contact policy around out-of-office times.

Management training is also important as that will likely have the strongest impact on the employee. Training on growth coaching, skill development, and pay transparency will help toward building trust with employees and promoting a positive work life.

In addition, set quarterly career chats between managers and their direct reports to discuss areas of interest and focus, current or expected challenges, and more. The more engagement managers build with their teams, the lower the likelihood of quiet quitting.

Encourage Recognition as a Remedy

However, to effectively tackle the problem of quiet quitting, we need to address its roots. When work dissatisfaction affects morale, recognition emerges as a remedy. In environments where recognition is part of the culture, quiet quitting doesn’t thrive because employees are consistently affirmed and reminded of their value.

When employees feel seen and appreciated, it transforms their perception of their work. They become more engaged, form closer bonds with their colleagues, and are less prone to stress and burnout. When employees believe they’re recognized, they are 2.7x more likely to be highly engaged.

So what does effective recognition look like? Shanyu Kates, a Data Analyst on HubSpot’s People Analytics team, told me her team has instituted “High Five Fridays”, a weekly initiative that encourages managers and ICs to give shout-outs via an automated Slackbot in the team channel. This practice is a simple yet powerful tool to reinforce appreciation and combat the underlying causes of quiet quitting.

In most cases, a quiet quitter is simply an employee who doesn’t have the right support. Once you offer what they need, you’ll have an engaged performer on your hands.

How Employees Should Address Quiet Quitting

Finally, Sarah DeLuca, a Human Resources Manager at Dion & Sons Inc. and podcast host, believes employees will also need to figure out how to address their own inclination towards quiet quitting. 

As she told me, “Employees must also take ownership of their career satisfaction and well-being. Rather than silently enduring dissatisfaction, individuals should actively communicate their concerns with their managers or HR representatives.”

She adds, “Whether it involves re-negotiating workload expectations, seeking opportunities for skill development, or advocating for a healthier work-life balance, employees play a crucial role in shaping their professional experiences.”

Ultimately, it’s up to you to imagine the type of role or career experiences that would make you feel most engaged — and then continue to make efforts to head in that direction. If your employee isn’t fostering a culture where that’s possible, maybe you should consider actually quitting. 

As DeLuca puts it, “Only through collaborative efforts can we navigate the complexities of the contemporary work landscape and create environments where both employers and employees thrive.”

It feels like Instagram, more than any other social media platform, is evolving at a dizzying pace. It can take a lot of work to keep up as it continues to roll out new features, updates, and algorithm changes.

That‘s where the Instagram stats come in. There’s a lot of research about Instagram — everything from its users’ demographics, brand adoption stats, and all the difference between micro and nano influencers.

I use this data to inform my marketing strategies and benchmark my efforts.

Read on to uncover more social media stats to help you get ideas and improve your Instagram posting strategy.

80+ Instagram Stats

Click on a category below to jump to the stats for that category:

Instagram’s Growth

Instagram User Demographics

Brand Adoption

Instagram Post Content

Instagram Posting Strategy

Instagram Influencer Marketing Statistics

Instagram’s Growth & Usage

1. Instagram is expected to reach 1.44 billion users by 2025. (Statista)

2. The Instagram app currently has over 1.4 billion monthly active users. (Statista)

3. U.S. adults spend an average of 33.1 minutes per day on Instagram in 2024, a 3-minute increase from the year before. (Sprout Social)

4. Instagram ad revenue is anticipated to reach $59.61 billion in 2024. (Oberlo)

5. Instagram’s Threads has over 15 Million monthly active users. (eMarketer)

6. 53.7% of marketers plan to use Instagram reels for influencer marketing in 2024. (eMarketer)

7. 71% of marketers say Instagram is the platform they want to learn about most. (Skillademia)

8. There are an estimated 158.4 million Instagram users in the United States in 2024. (DemandSage)

9. As of January 2024, India has 362.9 million Instagram users, the largest Instagram audience in the world. (Statista)

10. As of January 2024, Instagram is the fourth most popular social media platform globally based on monthly active users. Facebook is first. YouTube and WhatsApp rank second and third. (Statista)

https://youtu.be/EyHV8aZFWqg

11. Over 400 million Instagram users use the Stories feature daily. (Keyhole)

12. As of April 2024, the most-liked post on Instagram remains a carousel of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and his teammates celebrating the 2022 FIFA World Cup win. (FIFA)

13. The fastest-growing content creator on Instagram in 2024 is influencer Danchmerk, who grew from 16k to 1.6 Million followers in 8 months. (Instagram)

14. The most-followed Instagram account as of March 2024 is professional soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, with 672 million followers. (Forbes)

15. As of April 2024, Instagram’s own account has 627 million followers. (Instagram)

Instagram User Demographics

16. Over half of the global Instagram population is 34 or younger. (Statista)

17. As of January 2024, almost 17% of global active Instagram users were men between 18 and 24. (Statista)

18. Instagram’s largest demographics are Millennials and Gen Z, comprising 61.8% of users in 2024. (MixBloom)

19. Instagram is Gen Z’s second most popular social media platform, with 75% of respondents claiming usage of the platform, after YouTube at 80%. (Later)

20. 37.74% of the world’s 5.3 billion active internet users regularly access Instagram. (Backlinko)

21. In January 2024, 55% of Instagram users in the United States were women, and 44% were men. (Statista)

22. Only 7% of Instagram users in the U.S. belong to the 13 to 17-year age group. (Statista)

23. Only 5.7% of Instagram users in the U.S. are 65+ as of 2024. (Statista)

24. Only 0.2% of Instagram users are unique to the platform. Most use Instagram alongside Facebook (80.8%), YouTube (77.4%), and TikTok (52.8%). (Sprout Social)

25. Instagram users lean slightly into higher tax brackets, with 47% claiming household income over $75,000. (Hootsuite)

26. Instagram users worldwide on Android devices spend an average of 29.7 minutes per day (14 hours 50 minutes per month) on the app. (Backlinko)

27. 73% of U.S. teens say Instagram is the best way for brands to reach them. (eMarketer)

28. 500 million+ accounts use Instagram Stories every day. (Facebook)

29. 35% of music listeners in the U.S. who follow artists on Facebook and Instagram do so to connect with other fans or feel like part of a community. (Facebook)

30. The average Instagram user spends 33 minutes a day on the app. (Oberlo)

31. 45% of people in urban areas use Instagram, while only 25% of people in rural areas use the app. (Backlinko)

32. Approximately 85% of Instagram’s user base is under the age of 45. (Statista)

33. As of January 2024, the largest age group on Instagram is 18-24 at 32%, followed by 30.6% between ages 25-34. (Statista)

34. Globally, the platform is nearly split down the middle in terms of gender, with 51.8% male and 48.2% female users. (Phyllo)

35. The numbers differ slightly in the U.S., with 56% of users aged 13+ being female and 44% male. (Backlinko)

36. As of January 2024, Instagram is most prevalent in India, with 358.55 million users, followed by the United States (158.45 million), Brazil (122.9 million), Indonesia (104.8 million), and Turkey (56.7 million). (Backlinko)

37. 49% of Instagram users are college graduates. (Hootsuite)

38. Over 1.628 Billion Instagram users are reachable via advertising. (DataReportal)

39. As of January 2024, 20.3% of people on Earth use Instagram. (DataReportal)

Brand Adoption

40. Instagram is the top platform for influencer marketing, with 80.8% of marketers planning to use it in 2024. (Sprout Social)

41. 29% of marketers plan to invest the most in Instagram out of any social media platform in 2023. (Statista)

42. Regarding brand safety, 86% of marketers feel comfortable advertising on Instagram. (Upbeat Agency)

43. 24% of marketers plan to invest in Instagram, the most out of all social media platforms, in 2024. (HubSpot)

44. 70% of shopping enthusiasts turn to Instagram for product discovery. (Omnicore Agency)

45. Marketers saw the highest engagement rates on Instagram from any other platform in 2024. (Hootsuite)

46. 29% of marketers say Instagram is the easiest platform for working with influencers and creators. (Statista)

47. 68% of marketers reported that Instagram generates high levels of ROI. (HubSpot)

48. 21% of marketers reported that Instagram yielded the most significant ROI in 2024. (HubSpot)

49. 52% of marketers plan to increase their investment in Instagram in 2024. (HubSpot)

50. In 2024, 42% of marketers felt “very comfortable” advertising on Instagram, and 40% responded “somewhat comfortable.” (HubSpot)

51. Only 6% of marketers plan to decrease their investment in Instagram in 2024. (HubSpot)

52. 39% of marketers plan to leverage Instagram for the first time in 2024. (HubSpot)

53. 90% of people on Instagram follow at least one business. (Instagram)

54. 50% of Instagram users are more interested in a brand when they see ads for it on Instagram. (Instagram)

55. 18% of marketers believe that Instagram has the highest growth potential of all social apps in 2024. (HubSpot)

56. 1 in 4 marketers say Instagram provides the highest quality leads from any social media platform. (HubSpot)

57. Nearly a quarter of marketers (23%) say that Instagram results in the highest engagement levels for their brand compared to other platforms. (HubSpot)

58. 46% of marketers leverage Instagram Shops. Of the marketers who leverage Instagram Shops, 50% report high ROI. (HubSpot)

59. 41% of marketers leverage Instagram Live Shopping. Of the marketers who leverage Instagram Live Shopping, 51% report high ROI. (HubSpot)

60. Education and Health and Wellness industries experience the highest engagement rates. (Hootsuite)

61. 67% of users surveyed have “swiped up” on the links of branded Stories. (HubSpot)

62. 130 million Instagram accounts tap on a shopping post to learn more about products every month. (Omnicore Agency)

Instagram Post Content

63. Engagement for static photos has decreased by 44% since 2019, when Reels debuted. (Later)

64. The average engagement rate for photo posts is .059%. (Social Pilot)

65. The average engagement rate for carousel posts is 1.26% (Social Pilot)

66. The average engagement rate for Reel posts is 1.23% (Social Pilot)

67. Marketers rank Instagram as the platform with the best in-app search capabilities. (HubSpot)

68. The most popular Instagram Reel is from Samsung and has over 1 billion views. (Lifestyle Asia)

69. Marketers rank Instagram as the platform with the most accurate algorithm, followed by Facebook. (HubSpot)

70. A third of marketers say Instagram offers the most significant ROI when selling products directly within the app. (HubSpot)

71. Instagram Reels with the highest engagement rates come from accounts with fewer than 5000 followers, with an average engagement rate of 3.79%. (Social Pilot)

72. A third of marketers say Instagram offers the best tools for selling products directly within the app. (HubSpot)

73. Over 100 million people watch Instagram Live every day. (Social Pilot)

74. 70% of users watch Instagram stories daily. (Social Pilot)

75. 50% of people prefer funny Instagram content, followed by creative and informative posts. (Statista)

76. Instagram Reels are the most popular post format for sharing via DMs. (Instagram)

77. 40% of Instagram users post stories daily. (Social Pilot)

78. An average image on Instagram gets 23% more engagement than one published on Facebook. (Business of Apps)

79. The most geo-tagged city in the world is Los Angeles, California, and the tagged location with the highest engagement is Coachella, California. (HubSpot)

Instagram Posting Strategy

80. The best time to post on Instagram is between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on weekdays. (Social Pilot)

81. Posts with a tagged location result in 79% higher engagement than posts without a tagged location. (Social Pilot)

82. 20% of users surveyed post to Instagram Stories on their business account more than once a week. (HubSpot)

83. 44% of users surveyed use Instagram Stories to promote products or services. (HubSpot)

84. One-third of the most viewed Stories come from businesses. (HubSpot)

85. More than 25 million businesses use Instagram to reach and engage with audiences. (Omnicore Agency)

86. 69% of U.S. marketers plan to spend most of their influencer budget on Instagram. (Omnicore Agency)

87. The industry that had the highest cooperation efficiency with Instagram influencers was healthcare, where influencer posts were 4.2x more efficient than brand posts. (Emplifi)

88. Instagram is now the most popular social platform for following brands. (Marketing Charts)

Instagram Influencer Marketing Statistics

89. Instagram is the top platform for influencer marketing, with 80.8% of marketers planning to use the platform for such purposes in 2024 (Oberlo)

90. Nano-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers) comprise most of Instagram’s influencer population, at 65.4%. (Statista)

91. Micro-influencers (10,000 to 50,000 followers) account for 27.73% (Socially Powerful)

92. Mid-tier influencers (50,000 to 500,000 followers) account for 6.38% (Socially Powerful)

93. Nano-influencers (1,000 to 10,000 followers) have the highest engagement rate at 5.6% (EmbedSocial)

94. Mega-influencers and celebrities with more than 1 million followers account for 0.23%. (EmbedSocial)

95. 77% of Instagram influencers are women. (WPBeginner)

96. 30% of markers say that Instagram is their top channel for ROI in influencer marketing (Socially Powerful)

97. 25% of sponsored posts on Instagram are related to fashion (Socially Powerful)

98. The size of the Instagram influencer marketing industry is expected to reach $22.2 billion by 2025. (Socially Powerful)

99. On average, Instagram influencers charge $418 for a sponsored post in 2024, approximately 15.17%​​​​​​​ higher than in 2023. (Collabstr)

100. Nano-influencers charge between $10-$100 per Instagram post. (ClearVoice)

101. Celebrities and macro influencers charge anywhere from $10,000 to over $1 million for a single Instagram post in 2024. (Shopify)

102. Brands can expect to earn $4.12 of earned media value for each $1 spent on Instagram influencer marketing. (Shopify)

The landscape of Instagram is vast and ever-expanding. However, understanding these key statistics will ensure your Instagram strategy is well-guided and your marketing dollars are allocated for maximum ROI.

There’s more than just Instagram out there, of course. So, download the free guide below for the latest Instagram and Social Media trends.

PowerPoint presentations can be professional, attractive, and really help your audience remember your message.

If you don’t have much experience, that’s okay — I’m going to arm you with PowerPoint design tips from pro presenters, the steps you need to build an engaging deck, and templates to help you nail great slide design.

Download Now

Buckle up for a variety of step-by-step explanations as well as tips and tricks to help you start mastering this program. There are additional resources woven in, and you’ll find expert perspectives from other HubSpotters along the way.

Table of Contents

• How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation
• PowerPoint Presentation Tips

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

Microsoft PowerPoint is like a test of basic professional skills, and each PowerPoint is basically a presentation made of multiple slides.

Successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint’s design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and being consistent with your style.

Keep those in mind as we jump into PowerPoint’s capabilities.

Getting Started

1. Open PowerPoint and click ‘New.’

A page with templates will usually open automatically, but if not, go to the top left pane of your screen and click New. If you’ve already created a presentation, select Open and then double-click the icon to open the existing file.

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2. Choose a theme or create your own.

Microsoft offers built-in themes and color variations to help you design your slides with a cohesive look. To choose from these pre-built themes, choose the File tab again, select New, choose one of the options, and click Create.

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There is also an option to select a blank presentation if you prefer to start from scratch. With this option you can use PowerPoint elements, your design sense, and your brand’s color palette to make your own theme.

Creating PowerPoint Slides

3. Insert a slide.

Insert a new slide by clicking on the Home tab and then the New Slide button. Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including heading, text, and imagery.

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4. Create a variety of slides for different purposes.

You don’t want to present the same exact slide each time, just with different content on it. This would bore your audience, so make sure that you create multiple variations.

Consider what kind of multimedia you’ll be using, and choose or create different layouts accordingly. At minimum, you’ll need:

• A title slide
• An agenda or table of contents slide
• A slide that introduces the speaker
• Various content slides

5. Use the Duplicate feature to save you time.

There’s no need to create these designs over and over. Now that you have a few to draw from, simply duplicate them before inputting your content:

• On the left pane, right-click the thumbnail of the slide you want to duplicate.
• Choose Duplicate Slide from the pop-up menu.

This will automatically add a copy of this slide to the presentation. From there, you can customize it for your needs.

6. Add photos to your slide.

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Add images by clicking Insert and clicking the Pictures icon. You can add other elements by using features in the Home and Insert tabs on the top ribbon. Explore your layout by dragging elements around.

7. Add transitions to your slides (optional).

When done well, transitions can add a little bit of movement and showmanship to your presentation. PowerPoint has several transitions built in for you to choose from.

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Select the Transitions tab from the top ribbon. Select a transition for it to preview on your screen. To customize it further, click Effect Options and play with the features to find something that suits your liking. To remove a transition, select Transitions and click None.

8. Add animations to your slides (optional).

Like transitions, animations can add movement, reveal information, and help you underscore the points you want to hit during your speech. To animate an element, follow these steps:

• Select the element you want animated by clicking on it.
• Choose Animations from the top ribbon.
• You’ll have the option to choose from several effects displayed in the ribbon.
• Clicking on one will give you a preview.
• To customize the animation, select Effect Options.
• To remove an animation, click None in the ribbon.

You’ll also have the option to move animations around as you edit your slides by clicking on the Animation Pane button, then reordering the animations in the pop-up list.

Finishing Up Your Presentation

9. Save your presentation.

Click File and Save, making sure to specify where you want your PowerPoint to be stored. If you’re using your slides for education or teaching, it could be beneficial to convert your presentation to an online course.

10. Run your presentation.

Always do a trial run to ensure that your slides are set up properly and your animations fire the way you expect them to.

To present your PowerPoint, go to the Slide Show tab and click Play from Start. The slide will cover your whole screen so that your audience (in this case, you) is solely focused on the visual elements of your presentation.

11. Advance the slides.

Whenever you’re in presentation mode and you’re done with one slide, click your mouse to advance to the next slide.

PowerPoint Style

1. Don’t let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

Microsoft wanted to provide PowerPoint users with a lot of tools, but this does not mean you should use them all. You don’t want it looking like your tweenage Geocities site and playing unwanted midi-files.

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To keep it professional, here are some key things to look out for:

• Make sure that any preset themes complement your needs before you adopt them.
• Avoid Microsoft Office’s default fonts, Calibri and Cambria — they can make the presentation feel underwhelming.
• Professionals should never use PowerPoint’s action sounds.
• PowerPoint makes bulleting automatic. Bullets are often appropriate, but not always.
• All shapes start blue with a small shadow. Remove this shadow if it’s not needed, and don’t leave shapes default blue — it reads as a mistake to other PowerPoint users.

The easiest way to know you’re getting it right is to download some templates. We offer 10 free templates that you’re welcome to try out. Even if you don’t end up using them, you’ll get a sense for best design practices.

2. Create custom slide sizes.

Default slide sizes work for most presentations, but you may need to adjust it for larger presentations and/or weirdly-sized displays. Here’s how:

• In the top-left corner, choose File.
• Select Page Setup.
• Type the height and width of the background you’d like, and click OK.
• A dialogue box will appear. Click Scale if you want to also resize your content, or Don’t Scale if not. We recommend clicking Don’t Scale, then manually adjusting minor layout issues.

Pro Tip: You can avoid a headache if you resize your slides before you add any objects to them. Otherwise, the dimensions of your objects will become skewed.

3. Edit your slide template design.

It‘s much easier to edit your underlying PowerPoint template before you start — this way, you don’t have to design each slide by hand. Here’s how:

• Select View in the top navigation.
• Click Master.
• In the drop-down, click Slide Master.
• Make any changes you like, then click Close Master in the top ribbon. All current and future slides in that presentation will use that template.

4. Write text with your audience in mind.

Remember that whatever else your PowerPoint presentation does, it needs to support the fantastic content you’re sharing with stakeholders.

A significant part of a PowerPoint’s content is text, and great copy can make or break your presentation.

Evaluate your written work from a few different angles so you know your entire audience can see and understand it.

Keep the amount of text under 6-8 lines (or 30 words max). Use a minimum of size 24 pt. How your text is received differentiates good presenters from the best.

Typography

Choosing the right font is important — the perception of your font type could influence your audience’s impression of you. The right typeface is an opportunity to convey consistent brand personality and professionalism.

Some fonts are seen as clean and professional, but this doesn‘t mean they’re boring. A common mistake is thinking your font isn’t exciting enough, which could lead you to choose a font that distracts from your message.

I recommend sticking to simple serif and sans-serif fonts. Avoid script fonts because of potential readability issues.

That said, you can still use fun and eccentric fonts in moderation. Offsetting a fun font or large letters with something more professional can create an engaging presentation.

Above all, be sure you’re consistent so your presentation looks cohesive throughout each slide. Check out this example from HubSpot’s company profile templates:

Interested in this presentation template? Download it for free here.

5. Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Having properly aligned objects on your slide is the key to making it look polished and professional. You can manually try to line up your images, but we all know how that typically works out.

Get rid of the guessing game and let PowerPoint work its magic to align multiple objects:

• Select all objects by holding down Shift and clicking on all of them.
• Select Arrange in the top options bar, then choose Align or Distribute.
• Choose the type of alignment you’d like.

Here’s how to align objects to the slide:

• Select all objects by holding down Shift and clicking on all of them.
• Select Arrange in the top options bar, then choose Align or Distribute.
• Select Align to Slide.
• Select Arrange in the top options bar again, then choose Align or Distribute.
• Choose the type of alignment you’d like.

PowerPoint Design Tools

6. Use “Format Object” to better control your objects’ designs.

Format menus allow you to do fine adjustments that otherwise seem impossible.

To do this, right-click on an object and select the Format Object option. Here, you can fine-tune shadows, adjust shape measurements, create reflections, and much more. The menu looks like this:

Although the main options can be found on PowerPoint’s format toolbars, look for complete control in the format window menu. Other options include:

• Adjusting text inside a shape.
• Creating a natural perspective shadow behind an object.
• Recoloring photos manually and with automatic options.

7. Take advantage of PowerPoint’s shapes.

PowerPoint’s shape tools have come a long way. Today’s shapes include a highly functional Smart Shapes function, which enables you to create diagrams and flow charts in no time.

These tools are especially valuable because paragraphing and bullet lists are boring to look at — you can use shapes to help express your message more clearly.

8. Create custom shapes.

When you create a shape, right click and press Edit Points to create custom shapes that fit your specific need. For instance, you can reshape arrows to fit the dimensions you like:

Another option is to combine two shapes together. Select the two shapes you’d like to work with, then click Shape Format in the top ribbon. Tap Merge Shapes. There are several options to create custom shapes:

• Combine creates a custom shape that has overlapping portions of the two previous shapes cut out.
• Union makes one completely merged shape.
• Intersect builds a shape of only the overlapping sections of the two previous shapes.
• Subtract cuts out the overlapping portion of one shape from the other.
• Fragment will split your shape into different parts depending on where they overlap.

9. Crop images into custom shapes.

You can also use PowerPoint to crop existing images into new shapes:

• Click on the image and select Picture Format in the options bar.
• Choose Crop, then Crop to Shape, and then choose your desired shape.

10. Present websites within PowerPoint.

Believe it or not, presenting websites within PowerPoint is something we’re still having to find work-arounds for.

From my experience, these are some tactics that have worked in the past that may be helpful depending on which version of PowerPoint you have:

• Traditionally, to show a website in a PowerPoint slide you would just create a link to the page and prompt a separate browser to open.
• Try adding the third-party program LiveWeb that you install on your PowerPoint program. Head to the LiveWeb website and follow the instructions. Unfortunately, Mac users don’t have a similar option.
• Take screenshots of a website, insert the image on your slide, and link in through a browser. You can embed media (such as a YouTube video) by downloading it directly to your computer.
• Some versions allowed a Web Viewer Add-on until Microsoft decided that was a security risk. Insert>Get Add-ons, search for Web Viewer, then click on the Add button.

• Install ClassPoint, which essentially puts an internet window on top of your slide for use until you’re done with it, then you can just move to the next slide. You can even bookmark the webpage you want ahead of time to jump straight to it. Using this does introduce a new navigation bar along the bottom of your presentation. Here’s a video Introduction to ClassPoint:

• Finally, PowerPoint Live is a new tool that enables you to do more seamless presentations during video calls and may be a better overall match for doing presentations remotely. Check out this video:

11. Try Using GIFs.

Image Source

GIFs are looped animated images used to communicate a mood, idea, information, and much more.

Users add GIFs to PowerPoints to be funny or quickly demo a process. They’re very popular with and easily recognized by Millenials and Gen Z, and it’s easy to add GIFs to your slides:

• Download and save the GIF you want.
• Go to the slide you want the GIF on.
• Go to the Home tab, and click either Insert or Picture.
• From the Picture drop-down menu, choose Picture from File.
• Navigate to where you saved your GIF and select it. Then, choose Insert.
• It will play automatically the moment you insert it.

PowerPoint Process

12. Keep it simple.

Image Source

PowerPoint is an excellent tool to support your presentation with visual information, graphics, and supplemental points.

Your PowerPoint should not be your entire presentation, and the elements you do introduce need to function properly.

If the presentation simply repeats your words, has broken links, or shows unreadable text, the hiccups can become the take-away of your talk no matter how well-spoken the presentation.

Slam-dunking the basics by keeping it simple is the way to go. If your slides have dense and cluttered information, it will distract your audience and you could lose their attention.

In short? Keep your presentation persuasive by keeping it clean:

• Limit bullet points and text.
• Avoid paragraphs and long quotes.
• Maintain “white space” or “negative space.”
• Keep percentages, graphs, and data super basic.

13. Embed your font files.

Image Source

One constant problem presenters have with PowerPoint is that fonts seem to change when presenters move from one computer to another.

The fonts are not actually changing — the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed.

To embed your fonts on a PC:

• Click File then Options.
• Open up the Save tab.
• Select the Embed fonts in the file check box under Preserve fidelity when sharing this presentation.

Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers.

To embed your fonts on a Mac:

• On the top bar, click PowerPoint, then click Preferences.
• Under Output and Sharing, click Save.
• Under Font Embedding, click Embed fonts in the file.

14. Save your slides as a PDF file for backup purposes.

If you’re still afraid of your presentation showing up differently when it’s time to present, you can create a PDF version just in case.

This is a good option if you’ll be presenting on a different computer because if it doesn’t have Powerpoint installed, you can still use the system viewer to open a PDF.

The only caveat is that your GIFs, animations, and transitions won’t transfer over.

To save your presentation as a PDF file:

• Go to File, then click Save as…
• In the pop-up window, click File Format.
• A drop-down menu will appear. Select PDF.
• Click Export.

You can also go to File, then Export, then select PDF from the file format menu.

15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

• Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.
• Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

If you use PowerPoint for Mac it gets a bit complicated, but it can be done:

• Always bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation.
• Only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder.
• If the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format.
• Consider using the same operating system for designing and presenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. The easiest fix? Just bring along your own laptop when you’re presenting.

The next easiest fix is to upload your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides as a backup option — just make sure there is a good internet connection and a browser available where you plan to present.

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation software that will show up the same way on all operating systems.

To import your PowerPoint presentation into Google Slides:

• Navigate to slides.google.com. Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account (preferably your own).
• Under Start a new presentation, click the empty box with a plus sign. This will open up a blank presentation.
• Go to File, then Import slides.
• A dialog box will come up. Tap Upload.
• Click Select a file from your device.
• Select your presentation and click Open.
• Select the slides you’d like to import. If you want to import all of them, click All in the upper right-hand corner of the dialog box.
• Click Import slides.

When I tested this out, Google Slides imported everything perfectly, including a shape whose points I had manipulated. This is a good backup option to have if you’ll be presenting across different operating systems.

17. Use Presenter View.

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation.

PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the Slide Show tab of PowerPoint. Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you’re reading off of.

Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the “A” key will bring it back if you need it.

Your Next Great PowerPoint Presentation Starts Here

Now that you have these style, design, and presentation tips under your belt, you should feel confident to create your PowerPoint presentation.

But if you can explore other resources to make sure your content hits the mark. After all, you need a strong presentation to land your point and make an impression.

With several templates to choose from — both in PowerPoint and available for free download — you can swiftly be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audiences.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2013 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Welcome to Creator Columns, where we bring expert HubSpot Creator voices to the Blogs that inspire and help you grow better.

In the 5 years I’ve run Nudge, I’ve interviewed dozens of experts on pricing. These aren’t run-of-the-mill LinkedIn gurus. They’re peer-reviewed researchers from some of the world’s most prestigious universities. In this blog, I reveal their top five pricing tips.

5 Secrets About Pricing

Recently on my podcast Nudge, a guest told me a secret about pricing.

“The truth,” Melina Palmer said, “is that pricing isn’t really about the price.” Instead, it’s everything around the price. The framing, the offer, the brand. That’s what makes people buy.

This insight has been backed up by dozens of other behavioural scientists who I’ve interviewed for my show, and in hundreds of peer-reviewed papers I’ve read on the topic.

Simply put, offering a lower price isn’t the smartest way to improve your sales. Instead there are five other tips I’d suggest you try first.

1. Break your price down.

When showing your price, try to break it down into smaller increments.

Richard Shotton, in his book the Choice Factory, ran tests with customers looking to purchase a car. Some potential buyers saw the cost outright ($40,000). Some saw the cost per day over the course of several years ($11 a day).

Those who saw the price broken down were 4x more likely to rate the price as a good deal and 50% more likely to buy.

This doesn’t only work for expensive products like cars.

John Gourville in 2003 published a paper that found that cheaper items — like mobile phone contracts — were seen as more affordable when framed in daily terms. The contract was seen as better value when shown as $1 per day — rather than $30 a month.

So, when setting your price, consider showing the price per day equivalent to customers.

2. Avoid round numbers.

When setting the price, don’t opt for a round number.

Michael Santos, a psychologist at the University of California, demonstrated why in his 1994 study. For the study, the researchers dressed up as street beggars and requested donations from pedestrians.

Some asked for rounded amounts, like a dollar or a quarter. Others asked for precise amounts like $1.02 or 35 cents.

Incredibly, those that asked for the specific amounts received 60% more donations. 60% more, even when they asked for more than the rounded amount. Asking for 35 cents gets more donations than simply asking for a quarter.

The specificity makes the request seem more genuine — encouraging people to donate more.

This has real world implications.

A 2008 study of 25,000 house sales in Florida found that homes that listed their sale price as a specific price sold for closer to their asking price.

For example, listing a house at $249,749 — rather than a rounded price of $250,000 — would increase the end-sale price.

Being precise increases the appeal of your price. So ditch rounded prices.

3. Add a premium decoy.

If you want to increase your sales, you should create a premium option that you don’t expect customers to buy. It sounds irrational — but it works.

It’s known as decoy pricing.

Dan Ariely, in his book Predictably Irrational, showed how The Economist Magazine used this so effectively in the early 2000s.

Originally, The Economist offered two subscriptions.

1. Web-only subscription for $59
2. Print & web subscription for $125

Later, they added a decoy option. A print-only subscription that costs as much as the print & web subscription.

Adding the decoy changed consumer behavior. Previously, the majority bought the $59 web-only subscription. But after seeing the decoy price, the majority picked the $125 print and web subscription.

Adding an expensive premium decoy makes your standard option seem more appealing. It anchors the buyer to a higher price point and makes the original offer look better value.

Researchers in 2018 found the effect still holds true today. Experiments at the National Academies Press showed that introducing a hardcover priced between 160% and 790% more expensive than the paperback increased paperback sales by 16.2%.

So if possible, introduce a higher-priced decoy into your pricing mix.

4. Enforce a purchase limit.

Enforcing a purchase limit sounds a little irrational. Surely to increase sales you shouldn’t cap how much a customer can buy?

But some smart marketers would disagree.

One study from the 2011 Journal of Marketing Research looked at soup sales at American grocery stores. Half the stores showed advertising banners encouraging customers to buy soup — these were standard adverts that read:

“Buy soup today”

The other stores had the same adverts, but with one twist — a disclaimer next to the ad which said:

“Buy soup today: limited to 12 cans of soup per customer.”

Nobody was buying 12 cans of soup in the first place, so you might think this message is fairly pointless, but it wasn’t.

The limitation made the product seem scarce — and it increased sales by 112%.

Capping how much a customer can purchase can increase sales — so consider adding some limits to your product availability.

5. Don’t say “it’s free.”

Often, to increase the appeal of a price, marketers throw in a bonus product “for free.” We assume this will work well. After all, who doesn’t like free stuff? But it’s not the smartest way to promote your product.

This insight comes from a 2020 study by two Korean researchers Koo and Suk. They ran online experiments in the US, UK, Canada and South Korea. Hundreds of participants would see two different types of promotions.

Some would see that the bonus product or service was “free.”

Other times the promotion would state it’s $0.”

Saying it’s $0 appears to work best. In the 10 experiments, saying $0 was more effective as a promotion than saying it’s free.

Why? Well, $0 seems a bit more salient, it stands out. It’s a simple, yet effective way to improve any promotion.

To create a great price you need to think beyond the number. Offering the cheapest option won’t always win. And often, adding some psychology to your price can be better than trimming the cost.

This blog is part of Phill Agnew’s Marketing Cheat Sheet series where he reveals the scientifically proven tips to help you improve your marketing. To learn more, listen to his podcast Nudge, a proud member of the HubSpot Podcast Network.

Whether you want that job promotion or to sidestep into a new field, you’ll need to commit to learning new skills. One of the best ways you can do that is by taking free online courses.

Blog posts and podcasts are great starting points for exploring a particular topic.

But, I believe that online business courses will provide you with the time and space you need to explore a topic in-depth and truly master a new skill.

Plus, most courses are made up of on-demand videos and exercises that you can progress through at your own pace.

Below, I‘ve gathered the best free online business courses. Having taken some of these courses myself, I must admit that these are some of the most detailed and valuable free online courses you’ll find.

These cover the main business skills you‘ll need to advance in today’s rapidly changing workplace — from digital marketing and coding to selling, managing conflicts, and more.

Keep reading to become an expert in whatever subject you feel can best help you succeed. Or if you’d prefer, click on one of the following topics to jump straight to courses regarding that topic in particular:

• Best Free Online Courses Overall
• Free Fundamental Marketing Courses
• Free Content Marketing Courses
• Free Social Media Marketing Courses
• Free Email Marketing Courses
• Free SEM Courses
• Free Sales Courses
• Free Ecommerce Courses
• Free Coding & Developer Courses
• Free Personal & Professional Development Courses
• Free Design Courses
• Free Business & Finance Courses
• Free Writing Courses
• Free Entrepreneurship Courses
• Free Humanities Courses
• How to Choose an Online Course
• Free Online Courses FAQ

Best Free Online Courses Overall

Learning new skills can be both time-consuming and challenging.

In fact, according to Josh Kaufman, international bestselling author of The Personal MBA, it takes 20 hours to go from knowing nothing about a particular subject to being pretty good at it.

Of course, if you want to become an expert, that takes even longer.

Online courses allow you to get a head-start on the fundamental skills you need to grow in your career or switch to a new field. Here are some of my top picks.

• Fundamental Marketing — Inbound Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy
• Content Marketing — Content Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy
• Social Media Marketing — Social Media Marketing Course by HubSpot Academy
• Email Marketing — Cold Email Masterclass by Mailshake
• SEM — Google Ads by Google Skillshop
• Sales — Inbound Sales Certification by HubSpot Academy
• Ecommerce — Dropshipping 101: Build Your First Online Store by Shopify Academy
• Coding — Intro to HTML and CSS by Udacity
• Personal and Professional Development — Conquering the Fear of Public Speaking by Udemy
• Design — Graphic Design Course by HubSpot Academy
• Business and Finance — Business Foundations Specialization by University of Pennsylvania
• Writing — Good with Words: Writing and Editing by University of Michigan
• Communication — Communication Skills – Persuasion and Motivation by Alison
• Entrepreneurship — How to Build a Startup by Udacity
• Humanities — Introduction to Digital Humanities by Harvard University
• Languages — Basic Spanish 1: Getting Started by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia

Ready to start developing your skills? Let’s take a look at the best courses below.

Free Fundamental Marketing Courses

1. Inbound Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy

Length: 5 Hours

From attracting leads to engaging prospects and delighting customers, this course covers the fundamentals of what inbound marketing is all about.

In my opinion, this course is ideal for new graduates who’d like to go into marketing or for any experienced professional who’s considering shifting into a marketing career.

It will give you the foundational knowledge you need to move into any marketing job.

Recommended for:

• New marketing professionals.
• Experienced non-marketing professionals who are shifting into marketing.

2. Get a Business Online by Google Skillshop

 

Length: 3 Hours

I would highly recommend this course if you’re looking to start a successful business online. You can learn the basics of building a digital presence, plan your online business strategy, and more.

This course is a helpful introduction to making your business visible online and also getting noticed locally without delving too deeply into the specifics.

Recommended for:

• Small business owners.
• New marketing professionals at small businesses.

3. Get Started Using Google Analytics by Google Skillshop

Length: 1 Hour

This course shows new Google Analytics users how to create an account, implement a tracking code, and set up data filters.

You’ll learn how to navigate the Google Analytics interface and reports, and set up dashboards and shortcuts.

I would suggest this course for both beginner and advanced marketers who need a refresher on Google Analytics or need more advanced instruction.

Recommended for:

• Marketing professionals at every level.

Free Content Marketing Courses

4. Content Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy

Length: 8-9 Hours

I strongly encourage taking this course if you want to power your business with remarkable content.

This course will teach you how storytelling, content creation, repurposing, and promotion come together to build a content marketing machine that grows your business and your career.

While every professional will benefit from taking the content marketing certification course, I believe it’s especially recommended for new content writers and content managers.

Recommended for:

• New content marketers, content writers, and content managers.
• Experienced non-marketing professionals moving into a content marketing role.

5. Viral Marketing and How to Create Contagious Content by Coursera

Length: 4-5 Hours

Ever wondered why some things become popular, while other things don’t?

This course explains how things catch on and can help you apply those ideas to become a more effective marketer.

This is a good course to take if you feel your marketing efforts aren’t yielding the results you want or aren’t becoming as widespread as you’d like.

While individual contributors would benefit from taking this course, marketing managers who have a hand in ideation and strategy would most benefit from the knowledge they gain.

Recommended for:

• Mid- and senior-level marketers with a hand in strategy and ideation.
• Brand managers of all levels.

6. Online Video Marketing Course by HubSpot Academy

Length: 3-4 Hours

This online video marketing training will teach you how to get started with online video marketing to better attract, engage, and delight your audience.

I strongly recommend this course for individual contributors with a hand in video creation and content creation.

Managers would also benefit from taking the first course, “How to Create a Successful Video Marketing Strategy,” if they’ve not yet established a video marketing strategy.

Recommended for:

• Video and content marketers getting started with video marketing.
• Marketing managers who want to start a video marketing strategy.

Free Social Media Marketing Courses

7. Social Media Marketing Course by HubSpot Academy

Length: 5-6 Hours

This course provides you with everything you need to build a social media strategy — including tools to help you attract new customers, build loyalty, and shape a positive conversation around your business.

In my opinion, it’s a great fit for marketers of all levels who need a strong foundation in social media marketing.

Recommended for:

• Marketers of all levels who are delving into social media marketing.
• Business owners who want to create a social media marketing strategy.

Once you’ve completed this overarching social media marketing course, I highly recommend you check out the following channel-specific courses:

• Facebook Marketing (~1 Hour). Facebook is a huge platform, ripe with marketing opportunities. Learn how to develop an effective marketing strategy using Facebook that covers all the bases.
• LinkedIn for Business Marketing (~1.5 Hours). You know LinkedIn beyond the basics, and now it‘s time to bump it up a notch. In this course, you’ll learn advanced techniques for building and launching a successful LinkedIn marketing strategy.
• Instagram Marketing (~2.5 Hours). An Instagram marketing and advertising strategy is one of the most powerful ways to connect with customers and drive marketing impact. This course takes you from the beginning to the end of planning an Instagram marketing strategy.
• YouTube Marketing (~2 Hours). HubSpot’s course in YouTube Marketing is an in-depth, expansive set of tools and lessons that offer successful strategies to grow a monetized, optimized YouTube channel. It’s ideal for social media managers and anyone who would be creating videos for your company’s YouTube channel.

8. Introduction to Social Media Strategy by Skillshare

Length: 30-60 Minutes

Whether you’re looking to foster brand awareness, increase website traffic, or drive sales, this course can teach you how to craft a social media strategy to achieve your goals on Facebook and X.

From finding your voice to buying paid advertising, this course describes a proven process for creating custom social strategies. I think it’s ideal for new marketers who need a quick refresher or overview.

Note: Skillshare offers community members free access to its courses for 14 days — you’ll need to sign up as a member to access the class for free.

Recommended for:

• Marketers of all levels who want to delve into social media marketing.
• Business owners who want to create a social media marketing strategy.

9. Video Storytelling for Social Media by Social Creators

Length: 5 Days

This crash course is set up like a challenge. The goal? To help you make high-quality videos with your iPhone or Android device so you can start vlogging and share engaging videos on your social media accounts.

It’s ideal if you’re planning to market your brand or business over video-based channels such as Instagram or TikTok. In my opinion, it’s a great fit if you don’t want to spend money on expensive video gear.

Recommended for:

• Video marketers and content creators who want to create storytelling videos.
• Freelance bloggers and content creators who are looking to create more videos.

10. How to Create an Instagram Content Plan & Strategy by Later

Length: 1-1.5 Hours

This video series is a great introduction to the Instagram world.

You‘ll learn how to gain more followers, build a community, and create content that drives true engagement.

I highly encourage taking this course if you’re interested in finding influencer partners on Instagram and building a visual identity.

Recommended for:

• Marketers at small businesses without an Instagram strategy.
• Freelance bloggers and online content creators.

11. Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate by Meta

Length: Varies

This is a series of six social media marketing courses offered by Meta. These courses are in-depth and offer valuable knowledge to establish your online presence on various social media platforms.

Additionally, these courses offer extensive insights into creating Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns in Meta Ads Manager that drive results.

Recommended for:

• New social media marketing managers.
• Marketers who are interested in specializing in social media marketing and Meta ads.

12. X Ads Academy by X

Length: Varies

X Ads Academy isn’t so much a course as it is a school for both advanced and beginner X marketers.

Whether you’re a social media coordinator or the director of social media marketing at an enterprise firm, X Ads Academy’s courses will help you build the knowledge and skills you need to scale and improve your X marketing strategy.

The courses have been designed to help you level up your expertise with advertising on X so you can succeed.

I think this is a must-take course for marketers who have been extensively using Twitter marketing and want to understand what changes have been made since Twitter changed to X.

Recommended for:

• New and experienced social media professionals who are planning to use X extensively.
• Any marketer or professional who wants to specialize in X marketing.

Free Email Marketing Courses

13. Cold Email Masterclass by Mailshake

Length: Self-Paced

Whether you use cold emails to connect with influencers, build your personal brand, find mentors, or grow your network, there’s no underestimating their power.

Sujan Patel offers eight lessons that will reveal how to turn theory into practice, tapping into existing cold email best practices and deploying them in a way that’s both efficient and effective.

What I love most about this course is that the learning is not just applicable to cold emails. You can also learn email writing best practices that will serve you as you market to leads and prospects who’ve subscribed to your email list.

Recommended for:

• Any marketer or professional who’s planning to email leads or other professionals in their network.
• Any professional who wants to improve their cold emailing skills.

14. Email Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy

Length: 3-4 Hours

Email marketing is a necessity to learn. By completing HubSpot‘s course, you’ll walk away with expansive knowledge in all things email marketing, from templates to testing, as well as a certification to add to your resume.

I think this is an excellent follow-up to the Cold Email Masterclass. It allows you to specialize in email marketing, learn to segment your user base, and optimize email deliverability rates.

Recommended for:

• Marketers of all levels who are planning to do email marketing.

15. Email marketing masterclass by Mailmodo

Length: ~1.5 hours

If you’re starting as an email marketer or want to know the basics of it, this email marketing masterclass by Mailmodo is the perfect course for you. The USP of this course is that it teaches you so much in such a short amount of time.

The entire course is divided into seven chapters, with an assessment at the end of each chapter. The topics include email list segmentation, deliverability, email design, and AMP emails.

I love that, in the end, you get an assignment to practice what you’ve learned on their platform completely free of cost. You also receive a certificate of completion.

Recommended for:

• New and aspiring email marketers.
• People who would like to understand how email marketing works.

Free SEM Courses

16. Google Ads by Google Skillshop

Length: Varies

If you don‘t know where to start with Google’s ad products, Google’s Skillshop for Google Ads may be for you.

You’ll figure out where to get started in mini, bite-sized lessons or jump straight into the certification process.

Topics include programmatic ads, AI-powered ads, search ads, discovery ads, video ads, and more.

In my opinion, if you already have experience with Google Ads, you can forgo taking the courses and instead apply your existing knowledge using a series of exercises.

Recommended for:

• Marketers of all levels who want to further their knowledge or practice their existing Google Ads knowledge.
• Business owners who want to learn how to set up Google Ads.

17. SEO Certification Course by HubSpot Academy

Length: 3-4 Hours

Interested in building traffic but unsure about a successful strategy? Our SEO crash course eliminates the pains of navigating a concrete SEO strategy and provides you with the tools to implement a winning one.

This course starts from a basic starting point, so I recommend it for beginner marketers only. If you’ve been in a digital marketing role for a few years, chances are you’re familiar with most of this information.

Recommended for:

• New marketers who want to learn the basics of SEO and improve their SEO skills.
• Experienced non-marketing professionals who want to learn SEO.

Free Sales Courses

18. Inbound Sales Training by HubSpot Academy

Length: 3-3.5 Hours

In this certification course, you’ll learn how to grow your sales pipeline, close more leads, and grow your career.

I recommend this course for new sales professionals or experienced salespeople who need a refresher or formal training in core sales skills.

Recommended for:

• New and aspiring salespeople.
• Experienced sales professionals who need a refresher in sales fundamentals.

Once you complete this initial certification, I strongly encourage you to dive into more specific topics, such as sales enablement and management training.

• Sales Enablement Training (Length: 7.5 Hours). In this self-paced online course and exam, you’ll learn how to align marketing and sales for optimal efficiency. You’ll learn to bridge the gap between marketing and sales teams with strategies and tactics from sales leaders.
• Sales Management Training (Length: 4.5 Hours). Learn how to define your target market, create a scalable sales process, and build training, coaching, hiring, and on-boarding programs to help your sales team grow.

19. Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator by Yale University

Length: 3 weeks

If you want to become good at sales, first, you must become good at negotiation.

This course will help you do just that. I highly recommend this course as it is designed to analyze and shape your negotiations.

Additionally, you’ll be offered opportunities to negotiate with other students using case studies based on real-life business challenges.

Recommended for:

• Sales managers who want to improve the performance of their sales team.
• Experienced salespeople who are looking to level up their skills in negotiation.

20. The SMART Sales System by SalesScripter

Length: 10-12 Hours

This program is designed to give you a strategy-backed process. It covers building a value proposition, asking the right questions, closing more effectively, and more. You’ll sell more, and even better — selling will become more fun.

After you’ve watched all of the videos in the training course, you’ll have an overview of the most important topics in sales.

Recommended for:

• New sales professionals who are trying to get a high-level overview of the most important sales topics.
• Sales managers who want to level up their team.

Free Ecommerce Courses

21. Dropshipping 101: Build Your First Online Store by Shopify Academy

Length: 2 Hours

Dropshipping is a business model where you don’t keep any products in stock at your own warehouses but rather ship them directly from the manufacturers’ or suppliers’ warehouses.

It’s one of the best ways to start an ecommerce business with low overhead and startup costs.

In this course, you’ll learn to find winning dropshipping products, pick trustworthy suppliers, and build an ecommerce brand step-by-step.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who’d like to start an ecommerce business with a dropshipping model.

22. Launch Your Online Business by The State University of New York

Length: 3 weeks

I highly suggest taking this course if you are looking to start your own online business.

At the end of the course, you will have a better understanding of different online business models, customer personas, building brand identity, and more.

You will also gain knowledge about copywriting, photography, and video production. These are some of the most important skills you need to acquire if you plan to start your online business.

Recommended for:

• Anyone looking to start an online business.

23. Ecommerce Marketing Training by HubSpot Academy

Length: 30-60 Minutes

If you work for an ecommerce business and want to implement an inbound marketing strategy, this is a good course for you.

In this short crash course, you’ll learn the basics of selling more online and how that fits into an inbound strategy. I recommend taking this course once you’ve got the basics down, such as how to run a dropshipping business.

Recommended for:

• Ecommerce sellers who want to grow their business.

24. Email Marketing for Ecommerce by MailChimp

Length: ~30 Minutes

Learn how to use automation, optimization, and personalization to boost your business through email. Once you’ve got the leads from your ecommerce website, it’s time to nurture them through email marketing.

This course will run through the entire process. Due to its inclusion of advanced marketing topics such as A/B testing and segmentation, I recommend it for experienced marketers at an ecommerce retailer.

Recommended for:

• Experienced marketers working at ecommerce businesses.
• Freelance marketers with ecommerce clients.

Free Coding & Developer Courses

25. Intro to HTML and CSS by Udacity

Length: ~3 Weeks

In this course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of HTML and CSS, two core web development languages, along with best practices and professional problem-solving techniques using Developer Tools.

I appreciate how the coding lessons are designed, offering easy-to-follow instructions, interactive quizzes, and a tested curriculum that can help anyone learn how to code.

Recommended for:

• Marketers, salespeople, and freelancers wanting to learn HTML and CSS.

Udacity offers a variety of other courses that can teach you to code. Once you’ve covered HTML and CSS, you can then dive into:

• Intro to JavaScript (Length: ~2 Weeks). After HTML and CSS, JavaScript is an essential language to learn if you’re planning to create high-performing websites. Udacity’s Intro to JavaScript course will cover all the basics you need to know.
• Intro to Python Programming (Length: ~14 hours). Come to grips with key computer science concepts in this introductory Python course. You’ll learn by doing and will build your own search engine and social network.
• Self-Driving Fundamentals: Featuring Apollo (Length: ~4 Weeks). Through this course, you‘ll be able to identify key parts of self-driving cars and get to know Apollo architecture. You’ll be able to use Apollo HD Map, localization, perception, prediction, planning, and control, and start the learning path of building a self-driving car. I recommend taking this course for fun.

26. Learn Java by Codecademy

Length: 25 Hours

Codecademy offers an excellent repository of coding courses.

If you didn’t like Udemy’s HTML and CSS class, I recommend learning it from Codeacademy instead.

One of the languages you can learn is Java, which can be used to create web applications, software-as-a-service products, and mobile apps.

Because it’s a more advanced programming topic, I only recommend it if you’re planning to start a computer science career or develop your own web app or SaaS.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in shifting into a developer role or coding their own app.

27. Introduction to iOS App Development, Xcode, and Interface Builder by Devslopes

Length: 3-4 Hours

This iPhone app development course will give you all you need to create your very own iOS app from the ground up.

You’ll specifically learn how to create an app using XCode, Apple’s iOS app builder, and Interface Builder, which is a feature within Xcode.

With clear video tutorials that are easy to follow, this course will get you up-to-date with the latest iPhone app development trends.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in coding their own iOS app.

28. Algorithms, Part I by Princeton University

Length: ~53 Hours

This course by Princeton University covers the essential information that every serious programmer needs to know about algorithms and data structures, with emphasis on applications and scientific performance analysis of Java implementations.

Because algorithms are a more advanced coding topic, I only recommend it if you’re planning to shift into a programming career. If that doesn’t sound like you, start with Udemy’s HTML and CSS course instead.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in shifting into a programming career.

29. Machine Learning Specialization by Stanford University

Length: ~33 Hours

I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of AI and machine learning. This is a course by AI visionary Andrew Ng that teaches you to construct machine learning models in Python.

In addition, you will learn how to apply this knowledge to practical complex problems. Whether you’re stepping into the world of AI or want to build a career in machine learning, this is the perfect place to start.

Recommended for:

• Programmers who want to get a foundational knowledge of AI and machine learning.

Free Personal & Professional Development Courses

30. Conquering the Fear of Public Speaking by Udemy

Length: 30-60 Minutes

We all fear public speaking — or, at the very least, feel a measure of anxiety whenever we have to give a speech or a presentation.

This course will teach you techniques to overcome the fear of public speaking, as well as how to avoid feeling nervous before speaking publicly. It’s a short course, too.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who wants to overcome the fear of public speaking.

31. Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help You Master Tough Subjects by Deep Teaching Solutions

Length: ~15 Hours

Whether you’re a student or a young professional, I believe learning how to digest and access information is a key skill to succeed at both school and work.

This delightfully “meta” course teaches you how to learn new subjects and retain information.

Recommended for:

• Students of all levels who want to get better at retaining information.
• Professionals of all levels who want to learn how to retain information.

32. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills by University of Michigan

Length: ~17 Hours

In this course created by the University of Michigan, you’ll learn about and practice four key steps to a successful negotiation.

While negotiation may be most often used at work and specifically during a sales call or prior to signing an employment contract, these skills can also be used in your day-to-day and personal interactions.

Recommended for:

• Professionals of all levels.
• Sales personnel who want to improve their negotiation skills.

33. The Manager’s Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Managing People at Work by University of London

Length: ~28 Hours

This course gives you a practical guide to managing people at work. It doesn’t matter whether you are a first-time manager in a shop or a middle manager in an office environment — the same skills apply to every workplace.

Recommended for:

• Mid- to senior-level professionals moving into a managerial role.

34. Career Success Specialization by University of California, Irvine

Length: ~10 Hours / Week (2 Months)

This course will teach you project management skills, communication skills, time management skills, and financial skills — all of which are needed to succeed in today’s workforce. You’ll also learn business writing and negotiation skills.

I recommend it for new graduates or anyone who’s still in college.

Recommended for:

• Recent college grads or current college students.

35. The Science of Happiness by University of California, Berkeley

Length: 4-5 Hours / Week (11 Weeks)

This course by UC Berkeley will walk you through the concept of happiness from a scientific and psychological standpoint and give you practical tips for boosting happiness when you’re feeling blue.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who’d like to improve their happiness in work and life.

36. The Science of Wellbeing by Yale University

Length: ~19 Hours

The purpose of this course is to not only learn what psychological research says about what makes us happy but also to put those strategies into practice. It’s an excellent follow-up to UC Berkeley’s course above.

I believe it’ll help you rewire the way you think about happiness and well-being.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who’d like to improve their happiness in work and life.

Free Design Courses

37. Graphic Design Course by HubSpot Academy

Length: 30-60 Minutes

Need to become a graphic designer in less than an hour?

This course by HubSpot Academy offers basic concepts in graphic design to create designs that accurately represent your brand.

You can then translate these concepts to any tool of your choosing, including Adobe Illustrator, Canva, and even PowerPoint.

Recommended for:

• Non-design professionals who need to learn the basics of graphic design.

38. Learn Adobe Illustrator From Scratch by EduOnix

Length: 10-11 Hours

Adobe Illustrator is one of the best tools you can use for your graphic design projects. In this course by EduOnix, you’ll learn how to master Adobe Illustrator with real-world examples.

I only recommend it if you have an active Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

Recommended for:

• Designers who need to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator quickly.

Free Business & Finance Courses

39. Introduction to Business Ownership by Udemy

Length: 54 Minutes

This course will provide you with the vital information that you need before starting a business. It‘ll teach you the basics of business financing, taxes, licenses, and permits that you need. You’ll also learn how to market your business.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who wants to start a business.

40. Stock Market Investing for Beginners by Udemy

Length: 1.5-2 Hours

Learn the basics of the stock market through comprehensive, interesting, and fun lectures. This is an essential course for anyone who’d like to invest and diversify their portfolio.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who wants to start investing.

41. Corporate Finance by New York University

Length: Self-Paced

New York University’s Corporate Finance course is a big-picture class. It looks at the financial principles that govern how businesses raise funds, invest those funds in assets and projects, and return those funds to investors.

This would be a helpful course for both entrepreneurs and professionals considering starting a career in corporate finance.

Recommended for:

• Entrepreneurs.
• Professionals moving into executive roles.
• Professionals interested in shifting into corporate finance.

Free Writing Online Courses

42. Good with Words: Writing and Editing by University of Michigan

Length: 18-20 Hours

Good with Words: Writing and Editing prepares you to write strong prose from a grammatical, technical, and syntactical standpoint.

This is an excellent option for anyone who’d like to strengthen their writing skills without necessarily diving into additional topics such as marketing or essay writing. It’s a great foundational course for any type of writing discipline, including fiction writing.

To take this course for free, click the “Enroll for Free” button. In the pop-up, click “Audit the course.” This will give you the option to view the course materials without paying for the certificate.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who writes emails, social posts, articles, and web pages in their role.

43. Blogging Course by HubSpot Academy

Length: 2 Hours

Business blogging is more than just writing and publishing content in the hopes you‘ll attract customers.

In this course, you’ll learn how to craft a blogging strategy that drives business growth, create quality blog content that customers love, and build a guest blogging strategy that’s powered by SEO.

Recommended for:

• Mid- to senior-level marketers who have a hand in their company’s marketing strategy.
• Individuals who want to improve their blogging skills.

Free Communication Courses

44. Effective Communications Skills for Business by Udemy

Length: 38 Minutes

This course will introduce you to essential communication skills that aid persuasion and show you how to use strong communication in business. I assure you that you’ll be a better communicator at the end of the course.

Recommended for:

• Anyone who’d like to improve their communication skills.

45. Conflict Management Specialization by University of California, Irvine

Length: 4 Months

With this series of courses by the University of California Irvine, you’ll learn listening skills, verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and how to assemble a conflict management plan likely to yield positive resolutions.

While anyone would benefit from taking this course, I especially recommend it for professionals in people-management roles.

Recommended for:

• Mid- to senior-level professionals who manage teams or other people.
• Anyone who’d like to improve their conflict management skills.

Free Entrepreneurship Online Courses

46. How to Build a Startup by Udacity

Length: ~1 Month

In this course, Steve Blank and Kathleen Mullaney provide insight into the key steps needed to build a successful start-up.

You’ll learn the various types of business models, the parts of a value proposition, the concept of customer segmentation, and more.

In my opinion, this is a top-to-bottom course that will give you the foundations you need to start a business.

Recommended for:

• First-time entrepreneurs.

47. Business Strategy Specialization by University of Virginia

Length: ~1 Months (10 Hours/week)

Develop your ability to think strategically, analyze your competition, recommend a positioning strategy, and create value.

In this course, you’ll explore the underlying theory and foundation of a successful business strategy and gain the tools you need to understand that strategy.

Recommended for:

• Entrepreneurs with an existing business they’d like to grow.

48. Marketing Fundamentals: Who Is Your Customer? by Babson College

Length: 3-4 Weeks

This course will help you discover how to acquire the right customers and grow your startup business.

While it’s branded as a marketing course, I think it’s designed for entrepreneurs who don’t know how to begin marketing their new product or service and who want to understand their target market.

That said, it’s also a great course to take if you’re interested in going into marketing.

Recommended for:

• Entrepreneurs without a marketing background.
• Professionals with an interest in marketing.

Free Humanities Online Courses

49. Introduction to Digital Humanities by Harvard University

Length: ~7 Weeks

The term “humanities” encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields.

Regardless of your favorite humanities subject, learning how to carry out research and visualize the subject using digital tools is essential if you’d like to progress in your career.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who carries out research in the humanities.

50. Modern Masterpieces of World Literature by Harvard University

Length: ~8 Weeks

Explore some of the world’s most salient literary masterpieces in Harvard’s Modern Masterpieces of World Literature course. You’ll get a taste not only of the English literary tradition but of others around the globe, too.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in global literature.

51. Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Specialization by MoMA

Length: 2 Months (10 Hours/week)

Want to explore modern art? Here is a series of three courses that offer a unique glimpse into the world of modern art.

In this course, you‘ll explore the Museum’s behind-the-scenes operations, step inside the studios of creative professionals, and see into the minds of artists, designers, architects, and other innovative creators.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in modern art.

52. Gender and Sexuality: Applications in Society by the University of British Columbia

Length: ~6 Weeks

If you’re interested in studying gender from a theoretical and epistemological standpoint, Gender and Sexuality: Applications in Society is the course you need to take.

It will give you an overarching overview of gender and sexuality through a variety of perspectives and lenses.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s interested in gender and sexuality.

Free Language Online Courses

53. Basic Spanish 1: Getting Started by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia

Length: ~7 Weeks

Learning a new language is always a worthwhile investment, especially if you’re a global marketer or salesperson. This basic Spanish course by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia will help you establish a foundation for the language.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s planning to use Spanish at work or for leisure.

54. Mandarin Chinese Level 1 by MandarinX

Length: ~6 Weeks

If you’re planning to expand your business into the Asian market, then learning Mandarin is key, given that Mandarin is the most spoken language in Asia.

It’s also a popular language for business. Mandarin Chinese Level 1 will give you the foundation you need to take more advanced Mandarin courses.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s planning to use Mandarin at work or for leisure.

55. Getting Started with French 1 by The Open University

Length: ~6 Hours

Have you been wanting to learn French? Getting Started with French 1 will teach you the basic phrases you need to interact with others in a French-speaking environment.

I highly recommend taking all of the courses in this series as a precursor for more advanced language study.

Recommended for:

• Any professional who’s planning to use French at work or for leisure.

How to Choose an Online Course

Deciding on which online course to select from such a wide range of options can be a complex process. To simplify this, I’ve listed the process I personally follow whenever I have to select a course.

Define your learning objectives.

First and foremost, before diving into searching from thousands of online courses, I make sure I have identified what my learning goals are. I ask myself questions like:

• What skills do I wish to acquire or improve?
• What knowledge gaps do I want to fill? What are my short-term and long-term goals?

Having clarity on what I want to achieve helps me to cut down options that are not relevant and find courses that send me in the direction of achieving my objective.

Research course providers.

Once I have an understanding of what I want to learn, I start researching who provides these courses.

I look for courses on well-known platforms such as HubSpot, Coursera, and EdX, as well as search websites that offer niche courses.

I also look for courses provided by prestigious universities. They usually have well-structured study programs and universally recognized certifications.

Some of the top course providers to select from:

• HubSpot Academy — best for marketing and sales courses.
• Coursera — best for a wide range of subjects.
• EdX — best for university-level courses.
• Codecademy — best for coding and programming.
• Udacity — best for tech-focused courses.
• Udemy — best for skill-based courses.
• Microsoft Learn — best for Microsoft product-related skills.
• Oxford Home Study — best for flexible, self-paced learning.
• OpenLearn — best for free courses from the UK’s Open University.
• freeCodeCamp — best for full-stack web development courses.
• Google Skillshop — best for digital marketing courses.

If you’re looking for one single place to learn how to take your career to the next level and/or grow your business, check out HubSpot Academy.

It contains tons of free certified courses on everything from inbound and content marketing to social media and sales.

Read course descriptions and syllabi.

When I come across a course that appeals to my interest, I make sure to review the course description and syllabus.

I look for information about the course content, learning outcomes, and time commitment required.

This allows me to figure out if the course covers the subjects that I am interested in and if it is suitable or not for my current skill level and schedule.

Check the instructor’s credentials.

I always check the instructor’s background and level of expertise in the domain before selecting a course.

I look for instructors who are experts in their field, have relevant industry experience, and have a track record of teaching successful courses.

Look for interactive elements and practical assignments.

I have noticed that courses with engaging activities and relevant assignments are more useful and fun for me during my learning process.

I look for courses that include quizzes, discussions, projects, and hands-on exercises. These elements help me apply what I’ve learned, strengthen my understanding, and develop practical skills that I can use in real-world situations.

Read reviews and ratings.

Before I finally make up my mind, I always take a look at testimonials and ratings posted by former students. I look for feedback about the subject matter, the way the course is taught, and the learning experience in general.

This helps me gauge the quality of the course and make an informed decision.

Free Online Courses FAQ

Have questions about taking an online course? I’ve got you covered.

What courses are available free online?

All the courses listed on this page are available for free online, including:

• Inbound Marketing Certification by HubSpot Academy
• Online Video Marketing Course by HubSpot Academy
• Cold Email Masterclass by Mailshake
• Dropshipping 101: Build Your First Online Store by Shopify Academy
• Intro to HTML and CSS by Udacity

Simply sign up on each platform and begin learning! I recommend you check out each provider’s full catalog to learn which courses are available for free.

What online courses are in demand?

Coding and AI online courses are overall in high demand, which is attributable to the exponential growth rate of technical fields.

The AI market is expected to grow by 36.8% from 2023 to 2030 at CAGR, and around 97 million people are expected to work in AI by 2025.

Therefore, learning and upskilling yourself to use AI in your day-to-day work is more important than ever.

However, I believe that in-demand courses vary by field. For instance, if you’re looking to jumpstart a marketing career, then an SEO course is the best choice, as it’s one of the most in-demand skills in marketing.

Which certificate course is best?

According to me, the best certificate course ultimately depends on what you want to do. I recommend starting with a general certification course and then narrowing it down after you find out what you’d like to specialize in.

For instance, if you’re looking to get into social media marketing, my advice would be for you to pursue a digital marketing certification course, so that you understand the basics of digital marketing.

Once you’ve mastered it, you can then get social media certified.

What is the best free online course platform?

For career-focused courses, I personally recommend HubSpot Academy or Coursera. For theoretical university-based courses, I recommend EdX. For employee-related training courses, I recommend ProProfs Courses.

Where can I get free courses with a free certificate?

You can access free courses with a free certificate on HubSpot Academy and Google Skillshop. Most online course providers, such as Coursera and EdX, charge for a certificate, but it varies by individual course.

Is an online certificate worth anything?

Yes! An online certificate is highly worthwhile. It will not only help your resume stand out, but it will ensure you’re adequately prepared to complete tasks in your desired role.

Not only that but getting an online certificate takes effort and consistency — two key attributes that will make you desirable to any employer.

Can you get a job with an online course?

You can get a job with an online course, but it’s important that you obtain a certification at the end of the course, build a portfolio of work, and showcase your newly learned skills with personal projects.

Over the years, I have seen more and more employers opening their hiring doors to candidates from non-traditional backgrounds — indeed, for most roles, a bachelor’s degree isn’t essential.

If you leverage the wealth of online courses at your disposal, you can build a breadth of knowledge that would rival that of any other candidate.

Learning is an investment that continues to pay.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

That’s never been truer than it is today. With new technologies emerging at breakneck speeds, there’s a palpable pressure to continuously upskill.

I hope you found the online business courses you need for the next step in your career — whether you’re looking for a promotion or a sidestep into an entirely new field.

Whatever your reason, I believe that learning new skills will give you a competitive advantage in today‘s rapidly changing workplace. Plus, the more you invest in your learning, the better you’ll grow.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

According to GetFive, only 30% of resumes are approved by applicant tracking systems (ATS). Once the resumes are approved, a hiring manager will only spend an average of six seconds reading each resume.

If those stats stress you out, I hear you. Writing a great resume that gets you noticed is tough — that’s why I’m here to encourage you to try a resume builder.

In this post, I’ve compiled a list of the best free resume builders that will help you create a personalized professional resume that passes ATS, stands out to the hiring manager, and helps you land your next job interview.

Why use a resume builder?

Writing a polished resume is second nature for some job applicants. But for others (and maybe most of us), creating a strong resume can be a struggle.

If you’re one of the many people who need a little extra support, here are a few ways I think a resume builder can help out.

Saves Time

Resume builders offer templates, clean designs, and tips that speed up resume writing. They also make the process less stressful.

Offers Writing Tips

It takes a lot of work to promote yourself. And even if you enjoy self-promotion, writing isn’t a skill everyone has. A resume builder can help you use the best words and phrases to show your experience and knowledge.

Improves Design

Each industry has different expectations for what a great resume looks like. If you’re not familiar with design skills or tools, resume builders offer free templates to make your resume look as good as it sounds.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Recruiters often use ATS systems to scan resumes. And a good resume builder will help with formatting to make sure that your resume is easy for these systems to read.

We’ve discovered the best free resume builders on the market. These resume builders are great for all jobseekers, from entry-level to executive level.

Each free resume builder has a simple interface, customization options, and templates that help you create the perfect resume for your next job.

Featured Resource: HubSpot Resume Templates

Download these free templates to get your thoughts on paper and plan your resume before using a free online resume builder.

1. Zety: Best for Expert Resume Creation Tips

Image Source

Zety is an excellent online resume builder because of its state-of-the-art templates. You can quickly start from scratch and input your information, or upload an existing resume.

I enjoyed this feature because it saves a lot of time if you already have a resume and want that as your starting point.

My favorite element of this tool, though, is that the site will walk you through the process. All you need to do is fill out the information, and then — voila! You have a resume.

In order to download your resume, you’ll need to make an account, and then pay for a 14-day access fee, which is $1.95. If you decide to pay the fee, you’re then granted unlimited downloads and edits.

It’s available in .pdf, a .docx, or .txt formatting.

Best For

Zety is best for those looking for expert help in creating their resumes. The tool provides tips and prompts to help you create the content for your resume. There are also a variety of customization options to ensure your resume fits your needs.

PROS	CONS
Guides users through each step of the process and offers tips and prompts	$1.95 fee to download your resume
Variety of customization options to create a unique resume	Some templates interfere with ATS
Auto-suggestion feature provides ATS-optimized descriptions of work experience and skills

Available Resume Templates

There are 18 resume templates to choose from, including Cascade, Crisp, and Concept.

Verdict

Zety is a fast and easy resume-building tool and I like that it offers writing help at crucial moments in the process. But you won’t be able to take advantage of its simple and attractive resume templates without paying a small fee.

2. Resume Genius: Best for Easy and Fast Resume Creation

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Resume Genius is undoubtedly one of the easiest and fastest free resume tools you have at your disposal.

With a clean and easy-to-use interface, the tool walks you (speedily) through the sections of your resume, including education, work experience, and references. It even auto-generates parts of the resume for you, which you can then edit.

Resume Genius provides you with easy fill-in-the-blank sections so you can have an impressive, comprehensive resume in no time. It also gives you the option to upload a resume, which it auto-fills into your template.

I think this resume builder is on par with Zety but is about a dollar more expensive.

Best For

Resume Genius is best for those looking for step-by-step guidance when creating a resume. The tool offers tips and advice at each stage of the process.

Another great feature I like is that Resume Genius’ search options help you build an ATS-optimized resume that’s customized to fit your industry and position.

PROS	CONS
Easy-to-use interface	You must pay $2.95 for a 14-day trial to download as a PDF or different format
URL for sharing and performance tracking
Can search for positions and choose from 50,000+ job description bullet points that relate to what you’re applying for

Available Resume Templates

Resume Genius has lots of templates varying, and allows you to change the color schemes. I like that its resume builder tools let you scroll through different templates to see how each one looks with your information.

Verdict

I think this resume builder is pretty intuitive to use and offers helpful suggestions to polish your resume. I enjoyed how fast it was to set up, and the tips it offers. The templates are nice, but the fee is something to keep in mind.

3. Wepik: Best for Customizing Pre-Made Resumes

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If you’re like me and don’t have that much graphic design knowledge, that’s no longer an issue thanks to Wepik, a user-friendly editing tool.

This tool allows users to create the most professional and attractive visual branding documents with ease.

Once you’ve picked your perfect resume, import and complete your information into the template including your academic background, contact information, and business experience.

With one more click, download the document in your preferred format, and you’ll be more than prepared to share your professional profile in minutes.

Best For

Wepik is a great tool for small businesses and individuals looking to create a quick, professional-looking resume and cover letter.

You’ll have access to completely free premium-level features within the online editor, such as a broad library of pictures, fonts, and graphic elements.

PRO	CONS
Free premium-level features	Fewer customization options for existing designs, which cannot be uploaded
Intuitive and easy editing	You have to start from scratch or choose a template
Lots of templates to choose from	Have to create an account

Available Resume Templates

This tool includes over 100 resume templates. Wepik also has thousands of ready-made templates for cover letters, name tags, cards, and more.

Verdict

I think Wepik makes it easy to plug your work experience into a beautiful template. Unlike the previous resume builders, it works more like a visual editor and doesn’t offer as much writing help as other tools.

But this tool does offer AI writing help, and you can download your finished resume in PNG, JPG, or PDF formats.

4. My Perfect Resume: Best for Guided Resume Creation Help

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My Perfect Resume allows you to either start from scratch and input information into a blank template or upload a pre-existing resume if you already have one.

Plus, the tool offers you expert recommendations as you move throughout the process, including suggested phrases you can include for specific roles.

My Perfect Resume also enables you to include optional sections like certifications, accomplishments, and affiliations.

This is vital, particularly if you‘re just starting out or switching industries. This tool is particularly useful if you’re applying for a creative role and want to add color or a unique design to your resume.

To use My Perfect Resume for free, click the“Download” button once you reach the final step of the builder instead of selecting “Finish Resume.” Then, choose “Plain Text (.txt)” to download your resume for free.

Best For

My Perfect Resume is excellent for those looking for guided help when creating their resumes.

I like that the tool recommends templates based on your experience level and provides expert recommendations for skills to include based on your job titles.

PROS	CONS
Recommends templates based on experience level	Fewer customization options
Provides expert recommendations for skills and job responsibilities based on job title	Some templates interfere with ATS
	Free download of a .txt file; you must pay $2.95 for a 14-day trial to download your resume as a PDF or Word document

Available Resume Templates

This tool has over 40 resume templates. It automatically shares template options based on how long you’ve been working. You can also filter templates by categories like Modern, Traditional, or Creative.

Verdict

I found this tool to be super user-friendly. It does a good job of anticipating and resolving challenges in the resume-making process. It also gives you a chance to experiment with templates before and after you‘re done editing your resume.

But to make the most of its optimized templates, you’ll need to pay a fee. Also, compared to other tools on the list, there are fewer customization options here.

5. Standard Resume: Best for Active LinkedIn Users

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I like that Standard Resume allows you to import your qualifications straight from LinkedIn. It’s a time-saver if your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date.

The white background and minimalist features enable you to focus on what really matters — your content. You can switch back and forth between “Write” and “Design” to see how your resume looks as you go along.

To download it as a PDF, you‘ll need a paid plan, but you can share it online for free when you’re finished. Best of all, the tool also makes your resume mobile-responsive so that you can view it on your smartphone.

Best For

Standard Resume is great for LinkedIn users looking to quickly create an ATS-compatible resume. The tool uses your LinkedIn profile to automatically build a professional resume.

Standard Resume also provides tips and best practices you can consult as you complete your resume draft.

PROS	CONS
Free	Limited customization options or design-focused tools
Easy import from existing LinkedIn profile
Minimalist, helping you focus on your experience and achievements

Available Resume Templates

Standard Resume offers 12 streamlined resume templates, including Yew, Venables, and Cordova.

Verdict

I think this is a good option, especially since the “Review Score” feature offers a clear score and a set of recommendations to improve your resume before you start designing.

It also offers an easy way to share an attractive resume online. But you’ll need a paid plan to download your resume as a PDF.

6. Kickresume: Best for Quick and AI-assisted Resume Creation

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Kickresume stands out as a versatile resume builder that offers both AI-assisted and manual resume creation options. With the help of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, you can generate a unique and tailored resume by simply answering a few questions.

To use Kickresume for free, simply stick to its basic features and templates that are not marked as “Premium.”

Create a full resume manually or with help from AI by navigating to “Your documents” on the dashboard and choosing either “New resume,” “New resume with AI,” or “Import from LinkedIn.”

When creating an AI resume, provide your name, recent job title, and select a template. Kickresume will then generate a resume, which you can modify and download in PDF format.

Best For

Kickresume is ideal for those who need assistance with their first drafts, want to create a resume quickly, or simply don’t enjoy writing resumes.

The AI-generated content saves time, incorporates relevant keywords, and ensures your resume stands out.

PROS	CONS
AI generates the first draft of your resume within one minute	Limited options available for free resumes
Easy-to-use interface with expert tips throughout the process Templates designed by HR experts and typographers

Available Resume Templates

Kickresume offers 35+ professionally designed resume templates. Four of these templates are available for free, while the remaining are premium options.

Verdict

Kickresume is a powerful, easy-to-use resume-building tool that simplifies the resume creation process.

Although some personalization may still be required, the AI-generated content saves valuable time and ensures relevancy thanks to its use of keywords. I think this builder is a good option if you don’t mind paying.

Plus, you’ll get access to proofreading and other features.

7. Canva: Best for Design Creativity and Expression

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If you‘re applying for a creative role or want a resume that truly lets you stand out, you might consider using one of Canva’s hundreds of free designer templates.

Canva‘s selections are incredibly varied and unique, so you’ll undoubtedly find one you like, and inputting resume sections can be as easy as copy-and-paste.

Best For

Canva is best for those looking for resume design creativity and expression.

Although not specifically designed for resume building, the tool offers a wide variety of templates, layouts, and designs to choose from when creating your resume.

PROS	CONS
Easy-to-use interface	No option to upload an existing resume, so you must start from scratch with each new resume
Hundreds of free designer templates	Difficult to edit design elements
Templates are categorized by industry	Canva’s PDF formatting can interfere with ATS

Available Resume Templates

Hundreds of templates, organized in categories, such as Graphic Design, Corporate, and Creative. This makes it easy to choose based on your preferred industry.

Verdict

In my experience, Canva can help you create a unique and visually stunning resume.

But if you’re looking for help formatting, writing, or editing your resume, you may want to look for another tool, since Canva focuses more on design and layout.

8. Pixpa: Best for Creating Online Resume Websites

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Pixpa provides an excellent solution for creating professional online resume websites that showcase your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a visually appealing and user-friendly manner.

It is particularly beneficial for job seekers, freelancers, and creative professionals who want to make a strong impression in the competitive job market.

With Pixpa, users can easily create visually stunning and customized resume websites that go beyond traditional paper resumes.

Best For

Pixpa is ideally suited for individuals who want to stand out in the job market and present their credentials effectively.

It caters to jobseekers, freelancers, creative professionals, and anyone looking to create a unique and visually striking online resume.

PROS	CONS
Create visually stunning and professional-looking resumes	No free plans are available
With a drag-and-drop editor, Pixpa makes it easier to customize your resume to match your personal brand and style.	Advanced coding customization may have limitations.
Easy to integrate resume with your portfolio	Unable to import or upload an existing resume or LinkedIn profile

Available Resume Templates

Pixpa offers 30+ beautiful personal and CV website templates that can be fully customized. Overall, there are 150+ templates available.

Verdict

I think Pixpa is a reliable resume website builder that offers a user-friendly interface and customizable templates.

9. Indeed: Best for In-Platform Job Seekers

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Creating an Indeed resume is an incredibly quick process. Best of all, the site allows you to automatically share your resume with employers on Indeed as soon as you‘re finished.

If you’ve already completed a resume, it’s still a good idea to upload it to the site for exposure to potential employers.

While Indeed doesn‘t offer as many options for creativity as some of the others on this list, it’s an impressive option if you want to create a more traditional resume and start sharing it right away.

Just add your pre-written resume content, add it to a template, and download your resume as a PDF.

Best For

In my experience, Indeed’s free resume builder is best for those looking to jumpstart their job search immediately after creating their resume.

It guides you through the resume creation process with expert advice and prompts to help your resume catch employers’ attention. Resumes created using Indeed’s free resume builder are designed to be viewed and picked up by ATS.

PROS	CONS
Free	Only eight templates
Includes expert tips and advice	Limited design and customization options
Templates compatible with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)	Unable to import or upload an existing resume or LinkedIn profile

Available Resume Templates

This resume builder has eight simple templates, including Executive, Modern, and Minimalist.

Verdict

Indeed’s resume builder is a straightforward option, which I enjoyed. They aren’t trying to sell you a product or require you to make an account. This resume builder is most useful if you’ve already used a resume template to write each section.

It‘s a quick way to make your resume look clean and professional, but if you’re looking for writing help or advice, you may want a more comprehensive tool.

10. Resume.com: Best for Minimalist Resume Creation

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With Resume.com, you can build a beautiful resume in minutes.

This tool is an excellent choice if you’re looking for recommendations on what to include in your resume. This resume website also has popular templates for various job categories to help you stand out from the competition.

To use this for free, when you‘re at the last stage, you’ll see a pop-up that says to create an account — instead, just click “Skip for now.” Then, in the top right-hand corner, you can click the download button.

Best For

Resume.com is great for jobseekers looking to quickly create a professional resume. This 100% free resume builder provides resume examples to help you during the process.

PROS	CONS
Completely free	Limited options for design and customization
LinkedIn importing	No pre-written content
Share, print, and download in multiple formats	Minimal guidance for resume creation

Available Resume Templates

This tool offers 15 simple resume templates, including Apollo, Tempe, and Terra.

Verdict

Resum.com is easy to use and offers general tips to inspire your resume creation.

That said, if you haven‘t already written a resume you love, it doesn’t offer any personalized help to improve your resume.

11. Novoresume: Best for ATS-Friendly Resume Building

 

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If you want a quick, modern, and professional resume, check out Novoresume.

This tool is especially popular for creative industries such as graphic design, writing, or marketing. Its drag-and-drop editor helps you customize your resume to your needs.

Plus, its “Content Analyzer” tool can give you ideas for content, formatting, and design. I think it’s an excellent resume builder if you’re changing careers or need an all-in-one resume tool.

Best For

Novoresume is an excellent choice if you want an ATS-friendly resume. The platform checks for relevant keywords and resume format for ATS system optimization.

Its templates are eye-catching but still meet the strict ATS guidelines. Plus, Noveresume has a free ATS checker to scan your final document.

PROS	CONS
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) Optimized	Limited features in the free version
User-friendly interface	Some features are only available with premium pricing
Modern design and formatting	Limited options for layout changes

Available Resume Templates

This tool offers eight free resume templates and more with the premium version.

Verdict

Novoresume offers a range of features to create a well-designed and easy-to-read resume that you can quickly download to PDF.

But many features come with premium pricing, and I didn’t like that there’s no option to upload an existing resume for editing.

12. VisualCV: Best for Multimedia Resumes

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Creative industries like photography, advertising, and design often like to see a resume with visual appeal. While many resume builders offer fetching designs, Visual CV offers a drag-and-drop editor to create a truly custom resume.

This tool also gives you a chance to track the performance of your online resume and multimedia extras. This lets you update your resume and attachments with data-driven ideas.

I liked that it also gives you three options for creating a resume: import your existing resume, work off of a pre-written resume, or start from scratch.

The pre-written feature exists in some other resume builders, but mostly as an AI-generated paragraph for certain parts of the resume.

Best For

Besides an appealing resume, creatives often submit multimedia applications with an online portfolio, videos, images, or links. This resume builder makes it simple to add media directly to your resume, adding interaction and visual engagement.

PROS	CONS
Multimedia resume options	Primarily for creative professionals
Customizable drag-and-drop editing	Limited features in the free version
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) optimized templates	Some complicated or difficult-to-use features

Available Resume Templates

This tool has over 20 attractive templates, including Denali, Quartz, and Fuji.

Verdict

Visual CV is a great way to create an attractive and professional resume with loads of premium choices. While technically a free tool, without upgrading to a paid account, you’ll have a large watermark on your new resume PDF.

13. CakeResume: Best for Resumes With an Online Portfolio

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CakeResume is one of the best resume websites for creative resumes. It offers customizable templates and a rich media editor to embed videos, images, and PDF files directly into your resume. It also includes resume optimization for ATS.

Make your resume stand out without coding experience using this simple interface and drag-and-drop tools.

Once you’ve designed your resume, you can preview it to make sure your final resume is formatted correctly, then click “Download PDF” to save your new resume.

Best For

This resume builder is for job seekers who want to add an online portfolio, video, quote, or slideshow to their resume.

Your online portfolio can include recent projects to help you stand out from other candidates and get to the job interview stage.

PROS	CONS
Create a resume with an online portfolio	Limited to one free resume
User-friendly drag-and-drop design features	Limited features with the free version
ATS optimization

Available Resume Templates

CakeResume offers 10+ multimedia-friendly resume templates.

Verdict

This resume builder is excellent for creating resumes that incorporate other media or important links. But it doesn‘t include tips for writing, so it’s useful to use a resume template for drafting your resume before using this resume design tool.

I also wish that there was an option to import your existing resume, but the option to import from LinkedIn is good.

14. Resume Now: Best for Time-Saving Resume Creation

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Creating a custom resume for each job application is ideal, but it can also be a headache because of the time drafting a resume can take.

But Resume Now is an intuitive resume builder with a ton of customization choices. It offers key phrase and skill suggestions for both ATS and the recruiter you need to impress.

Smart templates, a clear interface, and useful advice make this a great tool for resume building in no time.

To download your resume, instead of clicking “Save and Next” at the bottom of the screen, click “Download.” Then, select Plain Text to download your resume for free. Other resume download formats will mean a charge.

Best For

Resume Now uses powerful templates and useful tools to speed up the resume creation process. This makes it perfect for job seekers who want to create a personalized resume for each application.

You can also make your resume interactive and track resume engagement once you’ve finished.

PROS	CONS
Pre-written content and tips for different job industries	May not offer depth and detail for technical or niche positions
User-friendly interface	Limited customization compared to other resume builders
Easy to customize	Free download is a .txt file; you must pay for a 14-day trial to download as a PDF or Word document

Available Resume Templates

Resume Now offers over 30 attractive resume templates.

Verdict

This is a comprehensive tool for efficient and effective resume building, but you lose the unique quality of the templates when using the free version only.

I like that you don’t need to make an account to start (although they will send you marketing emails once you input your email into your resume). I also like the option to import your resume, as it saves time.

15. ResumeNerd: Best for Resume Writing Help

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ResumeNerd is a super helpful tool for new job seekers who are creating resumes.

It offers dozens of pre-written bullet points, expert resume coaching, and customizable designs. If you’re not sure how to write a resume, this could be the resume builder for you.

Another bonus this builder offers is industry-specific resume samples. That said, if you’re looking for a free tool, this free download is .txt format only.

Best For

This resume builder is a top choice for help with writing a resume.

Its features include writing suggestions and pre-written sections for highlighting skills and experience. This tool is also super user-friendly for creating quick and polished resumes.

PROS	CONS
Pre-written phrases and bullet points	Limited features in the free version
Step-by-step resume-building instruction	Better for entry-level job seekers than experienced professionals
24/7 customer support	Some features are only available on the premium version

Available Resume Templates

This resume builder offers 13 unique templates, including Hospitality, Impresa, and Heron.

Verdict

ResumeNerd is a helpful resume builder for people building a first resume, but the suggestions and tips may not be as useful for people with more work history.

However, I do like the option to start your job search while building the resume to get tips on the specific skills you should add for that targeted position.

16. Jofibo: Best for Comprehensive Guides

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Jofibo is known for its intuitive and easy-to-use interface where you just have to enter your data and professional experiences.

The resume builder is one of the cheapest alternatives and lets you test all features for free before you decide whether or not to buy a subscription.

Best For

I like that Jofibo is there for you all the way during your job search.

With their comprehensive guides on how to write a resume, a cover letter, or how to prepare for a job interview you can always count on them for help. This tool offers expert tips during the entire resume writing process.

One of their biggest forces is their easy-to-use interface where everything is customizable down to the last detail.

PROS	CONS
Intuitive editor with resume templates across multiple industries	No option to upload existing resumes
Free tools available	Some features are only available with subscriptions
Detailed customization features

Available Resume Templates

There are 12 resume templates available which are all optimized for ATS. You can easily shift between templates when creating your resume.

Verdict

Jofibo is very easy to use and does not require any technical skills or knowledge to get started. The templates all offer a high level of customization so that you can create documents that match the exact requirements you may have.

You can try all features for free but if you want to download your documents, you will need to pay a small fee.

17. Hloom: Best for Resume Templates

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Whether you need a modern, creative, or traditional template, Hloom can help job seekers in any industry. This customizable and easy-to-use resume builder can help you create an eye-catching and ATS-friendly resume or CV.

This tool is comprehensive too — you can add fonts or images to amp up your design or use the resume writing tips to improve your resume.

Best For

Hloom offers a selection of over 400 professional resume templates. You can edit any template to your specific needs, saving time and effort.

This platform also offers cover letter and reference templates to keep your personal branding consistent across your job applications.

PROS	CONS
400+ resume templates	Free downloads are limited to .txt files
Industry-specific templates	No multimedia support
Drag-and-drop customization features

Available Resume Templates

HLoom has over 400 templates available and offers categories to help you find the best template for your needs.

Verdict

I think HLoom is a simple and straightforward resume builder that offers a range of templates and tips for resume creation.

Like many other tools, users need to pay to get all the benefits of designed templates, as it limits free downloads to Plain Text files.

What’s the best resume builder?

The answer to that question depends on your needs. All the tools and tips I have shared above should help guide you to the resume builder that is the best fit for you and your needs.

Building a resume can feel overwhelming, and like you’re staring at a blank canvas. But with an online resume builder, you can get recommendations, formatting and content tips, and build a beautiful document that will stand out and highlight your skills.

Choose the resume builder that meets your needs and fits your industry and personal style, and you’ll be well on your way to earning a second look from hiring managers.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and was updated for comprehensiveness.