8 Trending Marketing Tools (and Why Creative Teams Should Think About IT Support)

The marketing world never stands still - and neither do the tools that power it. From automation platforms and AI design tools to data analytics dashboards and digital asset managers, marketers today have an ever-growing toolbox. But with this innovation comes complexity, and that’s where things can get messy.

In this article, we’re taking a look at 8 of the most talked-about tools in the marketing world right now - why they’re trending, how they’re helping teams work smarter, and where potential risks or roadblocks lie. We’ll also explore why creative businesses are increasingly turning to managed IT services to help implement, integrate, and secure these tools.

We’ll cover:

HubSpot (CRM + Marketing Automation)
Canva Pro (Design + Collaboration)
Notion (Content Planning + Team Collaboration)
ChatGPT / GPT-4 Tools (Content Ideation + Drafting)
Webflow (No-Code Web Design)
Monday.com (Project Management)
Hotjar (UX Analytics + Behavioural Data)
Storyblok (Headless CMS)
Why All of This Matters for Creative Teams

Let’s dive in.

1. HubSpot (CRM + Marketing Automation)

Why it’s trending

HubSpot has come a long way from its early days as a simple inbound marketing platform. Today, it's a full-featured suite that combines CRM, email marketing, automation, social scheduling, sales enablement, and reporting - all under one roof. For growing businesses, particularly in creative and marketing sectors, it offers something increasingly rare: a centralised, user-friendly platform that helps teams manage both relationships and campaigns without constantly switching tools.

As more teams adopt remote or hybrid work, having a cloud-based system that keeps marketing, sales, and customer service aligned is a big win. HubSpot’s freemium pricing model also makes it easy for smaller teams to get started and scale over time, which helps explain its rise in popularity.

The benefits

Unified contact management: Keep track of leads, clients, and communications in one place, reducing the risk of missed follow-ups or duplicated outreach.
Powerful marketing automation: Create workflows that automatically send emails, score leads, assign tasks, or segment lists - saving time and keeping the sales pipeline warm.
Built for content teams: HubSpot’s blog, SEO, social, and landing page tools are designed to be intuitive for marketers, not just developers, which means faster content production and easier campaign launches.
All-in-one analytics: From email open rates to lead conversions and deal forecasting, HubSpot gives you a 360-degree view of your marketing and sales performance - in one dashboard.

Potential issues

For all its strengths, HubSpot isn’t plug-and-play, and that’s where many businesses run into problems.

Without proper setup, automation can be underused, contacts can get messy, and reports can become unreliable. If data is imported inconsistently or user permissions aren’t tightly managed, what starts as a helpful tool can quickly turn into an expensive filing cabinet no one opens properly.

Because HubSpot is a system of record, it holds sensitive data like contact information, deal histories, and marketing interactions - all of which could be at risk if security or access controls aren’t set up correctly. This is especially important for businesses in sectors with compliance requirements, such as finance, healthcare, or legal services.

This is where a managed IT partner can help - not just with implementation, but with:

Integrating HubSpot with other business tools like accounting platforms or internal CRMs
Setting up secure user roles and permissions
Ensuring data backups, privacy compliance, and secure API usage
Monitoring for unauthorised access or suspicious behaviour

Even creative teams need the backend to be solid. With the right support in place, HubSpot becomes more than just a marketing tool - it becomes the heart of your customer experience.

2. Canva Pro (Design + Collaboration)

Why it’s trending

Content is king, timelines are tighter than ever, and as a result, Canva Pro has become a staple for marketing and creative teams. Whether it's a quick Instagram post, a pitch deck, or a branded flyer, Canva offers a way to create polished visuals fast, even for people without formal design training.

It’s especially popular with teams that need to produce a high volume of content but don’t have a dedicated designer for every project. With Canva’s library of templates, stock imagery, and intuitive interface, non-designers can produce on-brand content without constantly pulling in a creative lead.

As remote work continues to shape the way teams operate, Canva’s cloud-based collaboration features have made it even more attractive, allowing multiple users to create, review, and edit assets in real-time from anywhere.

The benefits

Drag-and-drop simplicity: Users can quickly create professional-looking designs without needing to understand complex software like Photoshop or Illustrator. This empowers marketing, sales, and admin teams alike.
Brand kits and templates: Pro accounts allow businesses to upload logos, set fonts and colours, and create branded templates, keeping output consistent and on-message.
Team collaboration in the cloud: With Canva Pro, multiple team members can access, edit, and comment on designs in shared folders, which supports fast feedback cycles and a smoother workflow.
Asset libraries and stock content: Built-in access to stock photography, icons, videos, and animations removes the need for expensive third-party libraries or subscriptions.

Potential issues

For all its speed and convenience, Canva can quickly become a digital free-for-all without proper oversight.

File sprawl: Shared folders fill up fast. Without clear naming conventions or version control, it becomes hard to tell which version of a design is the latest, or which one’s client-ready.
Inconsistent branding: Even with brand kits, users can still go rogue, especially if access controls aren’t properly configured or if templates aren’t locked down.
Data vulnerability: While Canva is cloud-based and generally secure, it’s still another platform where sensitive content (like client campaigns or internal strategy slides) is being created and stored. If accounts are accessed using weak passwords or shared logins, it opens the door to breaches.

This is where IT support for creative teams can make a big difference. A managed IT partner can:

Establish role-based access controls to limit who can edit or publish assets
Create structured folder hierarchies and backup systems
Integrate Canva with other cloud tools like Google Drive, Dropbox, or digital asset managers
Enforce multi-factor authentication and secure team logins

For agencies or in-house teams working with multiple brands or clients, having a secure, organised Canva environment helps maintain creative quality and brand consistency, without slowing the team down.

3. Notion (Content Planning + Team Collaboration)

Why it’s trending

Notion has rapidly grown from a niche productivity tool to a mainstream staple in the marketing world - and for good reason. As teams look to simplify their tech stack, Notion offers a compelling alternative to juggling Google Docs, Trello boards, spreadsheets, Slack threads, and internal wikis. Instead of switching between tools, teams can build a centralised workspace that fits the way they work.

What makes Notion stand out is its customisability. It’s not just a document editor - it’s a framework for building everything from content calendars and campaign trackers to client onboarding docs, design briefs, and reporting dashboards.

It’s especially popular with hybrid and remote teams, who need to keep their work centralised, structured, and accessible without drowning in notifications or losing track of tasks.

The benefits

All-in-one workspace: Notion blends note-taking, database creation, calendars, and wikis - allowing marketing teams to plan, document, and collaborate in one place.
Flexible structure: Build custom templates for campaign planning, editorial workflows, client reporting, or meeting notes, and adapt them as your needs evolve.
Supports remote collaboration: Team members can comment, assign tasks, and edit pages in real time, helping distributed teams stay aligned.
Integrates with popular tools: Notion can link to Figma, Slack, Google Drive, and more, making it easier to connect content with creative, assets, and communications.
Potential issues

Notion’s biggest strength - its flexibility - can also become its greatest challenge.

Without structure or oversight, Notion workspaces can quickly spiral into chaos, with duplicate pages, unclear hierarchies, and undocumented processes. What starts as a clean knowledge base can become an overwhelming maze, especially for new team members.

There are also serious data security considerations:

Notion isn’t always GDPR-compliant by default, and it doesn’t yet offer features like data residency or enterprise-grade DLP (data loss prevention) out of the box.
User permissions can be inconsistent, especially as teams grow and projects multiply. Accidentally sharing confidential pages externally is a genuine risk.
For agencies managing multiple clients or brands in one workspace, clear separation and access control are essential - but not always easy to enforce without external support.

This is where managed IT support becomes a critical partner. An experienced provider can help:

Design a secure Notion workspace structure from the start
Implement role-based access and approval workflows
Ensure regular data backups and retention policies
Advise on GDPR compliance, especially for client-related content
Train teams on secure usage and best practices

For creative businesses relying on collaboration, content, and knowledge-sharing, Notion can be a game-changer - but only when it’s set up and maintained in a way that scales securely with the business.

4. ChatGPT / GPT-4 Tools (Content Ideation + Drafting)

Why it’s trending

Few tools have disrupted the marketing world quite like ChatGPT and other GPT-4-powered writing assistants. What started as an experimental chatbot quickly evolved into a daily go-to for copywriters, content marketers, and creative leads looking to speed up ideation and lighten the load on overstretched teams.

From blog outlines and product descriptions to email campaigns and video scripts, AI-assisted writing tools are changing how creative work gets done, especially during the early stages of content development.

As these tools become more accessible (and increasingly integrated with platforms like Notion, Slack, and Google Docs), they’re moving from novelty to necessity.

The benefits

Saves time on first drafts: Whether you're starting a blog post or building a presentation, ChatGPT can generate a workable base to refine, saving hours each week.
Unblocks creative teams: When you’re stuck staring at a blank page, AI can provide a nudge to get ideas flowing again. It’s great for brainstorming headlines, campaign angles, or social captions.
Built-in integrations: Plugins and extensions allow ChatGPT to work directly within your favourite platforms - from drafting in Notion to summarising meeting notes in Google Docs.
Customisable tone and structure: Prompt the AI with your brand voice, target audience, or formatting needs to quickly shape content that aligns with your goals.

Potential issues

While AI is powerful, it’s not without pitfalls - especially in a business context.

Sensitive data risks: It’s easy to forget that anything you input into a public AI model is processed externally. Pasting client briefs, unpublished strategies, or internal data into these tools can lead to accidental data exposure if proper safeguards aren’t in place.
Copyright and content ownership concerns: Generative AI can create content that resembles other work, raising questions around originality, attribution, and legal usage. Businesses need to tread very carefully when using AI-generated copy in published materials.
Quality still needs human oversight: AI can generate passable content, but it lacks context, nuance, and editorial judgment. Without human review, there’s a risk of publishing inaccurate, generic, or brand-inconsistent material, which can be detrimental to the trustworthiness of your brand.
Integration vulnerabilities: Tools that embed AI into apps or websites via plugins or APIs may introduce new security or compliance risks if not managed properly.

This is where an experienced IT provider adds real value. They can:

Help your team implement usage policies to define what can and can’t be shared with AI tools
Configure secure environments for AI usage, especially when integrating with cloud platforms
Advise on data protection and compliance with tools like ChatGPT Enterprise or private deployments
Monitor and audit usage to reduce the risk of accidental leaks or misuse

In short: AI can supercharge your content pipeline, but only when it’s used with structure, policies, and care. Having IT involved ensures it becomes a long-term asset, not a liability.

5. Webflow (No-Code Web Design)

Why it’s trending

For years, marketers have faced a frustrating dilemma: wait in the dev queue to make simple site updates, or risk breaking something in the CMS themselves. Webflow changes that.

Webflow is part of the no-code movement, offering a powerful visual web design tool that lets marketers build and launch websites without touching a line of code. What sets it apart is that it doesn’t compromise on design - in fact, it’s one of the few platforms where creative freedom and technical performance live side by side.

As companies look for faster, more agile ways to get new landing pages, microsites, and campaign hubs online, Webflow is becoming the go-to alternative to WordPress, Wix, or hard-coded sites.

The benefits

Faster site launches: With a drag-and-drop interface that mirrors design tools like Figma or Adobe XD, teams can go from concept to live website in days, not weeks.
Marketer-friendly control: Webflow puts site management back in the hands of marketing teams. No more waiting for developer bandwidth to update a headline or swap a banner image.
Built-in CMS and SEO tools: Webflow’s native CMS allows for dynamic content (like blogs or case studies), and its built-in SEO features make it easier to manage metadata, indexing, and schema without plugins.
Responsive design, made easy: Sites automatically adjust for mobile and tablet views, helping brands maintain a polished digital presence across all devices.

Potential issues

Webflow may feel plug-and-play on the surface, but it still relies on solid technical infrastructure under the hood. And that’s where many marketing teams hit their limits.

Hosting and performance: Webflow hosts its sites on its own platform, which is generally reliable, but businesses still need performance monitoring, uptime alerts, and integration with their broader infrastructure (like DNS or CDN settings).
Security and access control: Logins, permissions, and content publishing rights need to be managed carefully, especially for teams with multiple contributors or freelancers. It’s easy for something to be published - or changed - unintentionally.
No native backups: Webflow doesn't offer automatic rollback or restore functionality. If something is deleted or broken, it’s gone unless you’ve set up your own backup system.
Scalability and custom functionality: While Webflow is great for marketing sites, it can become limiting if your business needs more complex integrations, membership systems, or custom app features.

This is where a managed IT services partner can quietly keep things running smoothly in the background. They can:

Monitor site performance and uptime
Help with DNS, domain routing, and SSL configuration
Set up secure user roles and permissions
Create external backup systems
Advise on scalability or integration needs as your site evolves

Webflow is a fantastic tool for creative freedom, but like any web platform, it works best when paired with the right technical support. That way, marketing teams can move quickly, without worrying that something’s going to break in the background.

6. Monday.com (Project Management)

Why it’s trending

Visibility and structure are everything, and Monday.com has become the project management platform of choice for teams looking to streamline collaboration, campaign planning, and creative workflows.

Originally a simple task tracker, Monday has evolved into a flexible, visual work OS used by agencies, in-house teams, and creative studios to manage everything from content calendars and digital ad campaigns to asset approvals and cross-team sprints.

Its rise in popularity is driven by its ability to bridge the gap between task management and creative process, without being too rigid or too technical.

The benefits

Highly customisable: From boards and automations to status columns and timeline views, Monday can be shaped to match the way your team works, not the other way around.
Integrates with other key tools: Monday connects with Slack, Google Drive, Zoom, HubSpot, Canva, and many more, allowing marketing teams to centralise updates and assets without constantly switching apps.
Great for campaign planning: Whether you're mapping out a multi-channel launch, coordinating across departments, or managing client deliverables, Monday makes it easy to track progress and hit deadlines.
Visual and intuitive: With its drag-and-drop interface, colour-coded statuses, and multiple view options (calendar, Kanban, Gantt), Monday is user-friendly for both creative and operational roles.

Potential issues

Despite its flexibility, Monday can quickly get out of hand without structure. As more boards and users get added, it becomes easier for things to go wrong:

Data silos: Different teams or departments might build their own boards that don’t talk to each other - leading to duplicated work, outdated data, or missed dependencies.
Inconsistent templates and workflows: Without standardisation, processes vary across projects, making it harder to scale, report accurately, or onboard new team members.
Access management risks: As more users join, especially freelancers, contractors, or clients, permission settings need to be carefully managed. It's easy to accidentally give someone access to the wrong board or sensitive information.
Integration overload: Connecting too many tools without a clear integration strategy can lead to errors, notifications overload, or data being pushed into the wrong places.

This is where managed IT support can provide valuable behind-the-scenes structure. With the right partner, you can:

Standardise board templates and workflows across teams
Create secure user roles and manage permissions at scale
Integrate Monday with CRM, asset management, or reporting tools
Monitor usage and maintain data consistency across the platform

In short, Monday.com is a brilliant tool for creative execution - but as your use of it grows, so does the need for good governance and smart system design. With IT involved, you get the flexibility you want and the control you need.

7. Hotjar (UX Analytics + Behavioural Data)

Why it’s trending

Understanding what your audience actually does on your website - not just what they say they do - is a huge advantage in modern marketing. That’s why Hotjar has become a go-to tool for marketers, designers, and UX teams who want to improve conversions, engagement, and overall user experience.

Rather than relying solely on traditional analytics tools like Google Analytics, Hotjar provides visual insights through features like heatmaps, scroll depth, click tracking, and session recordings. It shows you where users are getting stuck, what they’re ignoring, and what’s catching their attention - all without needing to ask them directly.

It’s especially popular with agencies and in-house teams running A/B tests or iterative design updates, as it makes it easier to justify design decisions with real behavioural data.

The benefits

Simple, visual reporting: Heatmaps, click maps, and video session replays make it easy to see what’s working and what’s not - even for non-technical users.
Faster UX improvements: Instead of guessing why users are bouncing or not converting, Hotjar helps teams pinpoint friction points and adjust quickly.
Lightweight installation: Adding a small tracking script to your site gives instant access to insights, without requiring complex setup or infrastructure.
Integrated with your stack: Hotjar works well alongside Google Analytics, CRM tools, and A/B testing platforms, giving context to the numbers you’re already tracking.

Potential issues

While Hotjar is powerful, it comes with responsibilities, especially around user privacy and data handling.

GDPR compliance concerns: Tools like Hotjar capture user sessions, mouse movements, and sometimes typed inputs. If improperly configured, they can record personal or sensitive data, putting your organisation at risk of violating data protection laws.
Consent requirements: Depending on where your users are located, you may be legally required to obtain explicit opt-in consent before enabling session recording or heatmap tracking. Failing to do so could expose your business to legal risk.
Anonymisation must be configured manually: Out of the box, Hotjar does include privacy features, but many of them need to be actively set up. If you're not careful, you could end up logging data you never intended to collect.
Tracking script risks: Like any third-party script, if the Hotjar tracking code is added carelessly, it can affect site performance, conflict with other scripts, or expose your site to vulnerabilities if left unmaintained.

This is where IT support becomes critical, especially for teams that want the insights without the headaches. A managed IT provider can:

Ensure Hotjar is deployed in a GDPR-compliant way, including proper user consent mechanisms
Configure tracking exclusions to avoid collecting sensitive or personally identifiable data
Help integrate Hotjar insights with your broader analytics and marketing stack
Monitor performance and script behaviour to prevent issues with site speed or reliability

For data-driven marketing teams, Hotjar provides a unique window into user behaviour - but only if it’s used responsibly. With the right IT guardrails, it becomes a safe, smart part of your growth toolkit.

8. Storyblok (Headless CMS)

Why it’s trending

As marketing teams aim to deliver content faster and across more platforms than ever, traditional content management systems (CMS) are starting to show their limits. That’s where headless CMS platforms like Storyblok are making a name for themselves.

Unlike WordPress or Squarespace, which tightly couple content with design, Storyblok uses a "headless" architecture, meaning content is created and managed separately from how and where it’s displayed. This makes it ideal for omnichannel marketing, where the same content might appear on websites, apps, digital signage, voice assistants, or even AR/VR experiences.

Storyblok stands out among headless platforms for offering a visual editor alongside developer-level flexibility, making it one of the few tools that truly balances marketing needs with technical scalability.

The benefits

Content and design are decoupled: Marketers can update text, images, or layouts without touching code or waiting on developers, while devs can build custom front-ends in any language or framework.
Multichannel made simple: Publish once, and reuse your content across web, mobile, email, or third-party platforms - without duplicating work or reformatting each time.
Faster sites and better performance: Because Storyblok delivers content via APIs, front-end developers can optimise the site’s speed, responsiveness, and accessibility without being restricted by a monolithic CMS.
Scalability and structure: Storyblok’s modular content approach is great for growing brands with complex site structures, multiple regions, or evolving user journeys.

Potential issues

While headless CMS offers freedom and flexibility, it introduces a new level of technical complexity, especially for marketing teams used to point-and-click content management.

More moving parts: With Storyblok, you're managing the CMS, a front-end framework, APIs, hosting, and integrations separately. This means more room for configuration errors or miscommunication between teams.
Security and compliance challenges: APIs need to be secured, access tokens managed, and content delivery endpoints monitored. These aren’t always on a marketer’s radar, but they’re critical to keeping data safe.
Setup requires development expertise: Unlike traditional CMS platforms, Storyblok doesn’t come with a prebuilt front-end. That means you’ll need developer support from the outset, and ongoing maintenance as the site evolves.
Governance and workflows can be overlooked: Without a clear content governance structure, it's easy for content modules to become duplicated, inconsistent, or difficult to reuse.

This is exactly where a managed IT provider becomes essential. While Storyblok is a powerful tool for marketers, it only shines when the technical foundation is solid. IT support can:

Handle secure API integrations and hosting environments
Establish user roles, access controls, and approval workflows
Ensure performance monitoring, backups, and security patching
Coordinate with developers to maintain a clean, scalable content structure

For marketing teams looking to scale their content strategy across channels and regions, Storyblok offers the agility they need, but technical guidance is key to unlocking its full potential.

Why All of This Matters for Creative Teams

Creative and marketing teams thrive on momentum. Whether you're launching campaigns, building brand assets, or managing a dozen deadlines at once, the priority is usually speed, not infrastructure. But as teams scale and rely more heavily on cloud-based tools, automation, and data-rich platforms, the need for reliable, secure, and well-integrated technology becomes impossible to ignore.

Every tool mentioned in this article - from Canva to Storyblok - empowers teams to move faster and create more. But these tools also introduce risks: inconsistent workflows, data sprawl, compliance blind spots, and integration headaches. And when things go wrong, it’s rarely something a social media manager or content strategist can fix alone.

That’s where a managed IT services provider becomes more than just background support - they become a strategic partner.

Here’s how:

Guided tool selection and rollout: With so many new platforms emerging, it’s easy to overcommit or choose the wrong tool. An IT partner can help assess your needs, vet vendors, and ensure new software fits smoothly into your existing tech stack, without breaking anything along the way.
Secure access and permission management: As your team grows - and brings in freelancers, collaborators, or clients - keeping track of who can access what becomes a security risk. IT support ensures platforms are configured with the right permissions, so sensitive data stays protected.
Compliance and data governance: Tools like Notion, Hotjar, and ChatGPT raise serious questions around GDPR, copyright, and data handling. A good IT partner helps you stay compliant, avoid fines, and build trust with clients and stakeholders.
Ongoing support and troubleshooting: Tools will crash. APIs will misfire. Passwords will be forgotten. When (not if) that happens, having someone on hand who already understands your systems means faster fixes and less downtime.

At the end of the day, you didn’t hire your creative team to troubleshoot WiFi or untangle permissions in a CMS. You hired them to create. With a strong IT partner supporting your tools and infrastructure, you can do just that - confidently, securely, and at full speed.

Whether you're an agency juggling multiple clients, an in-house team scaling rapidly, or a creative studio looking to streamline operations, managed IT is no longer a nice-to-have - it's a quiet advantage that helps everything else run smoother.

Discover how.