This week we're taking a look at some of the best industry tools for automations to help save you time and sanity. There's enough crazy out there. Give yourself a break.

Check out the video or podcast above. Subscribe to our weekly live stream on Facebook, or take it on the go with a podcast on your chosen platform. Keep up-to-date on news, trends, and tips in digital marketing and join in on the conversation.
What's New?
It seems like there are new updates and overhauls on a nearly daily basis, especially with the big players. This week, Google. Next week it will be Facebook. No wait, this week it's Facebook, too. Of course. Silly me.

Google Updates the Search Console Coverage Report - Google announced it had made substantial updates to the Google Search Console coverage report. Check out the link to learn more!

Facebook Launches Updated Page Layout for Public Figures Which De-Emphasizes Page Likes - After it was first spotted in testing last July, Facebook is today launching its new Page layout for creators and public figures, which provides more management options and engagement insights, while also, notably, placing increased emphasis on following a Page instead of liking it.
What's Working?
Staying on top of what you should be measuring or targeting can be exhausting, challenging, and very time-consuming.

Tools for automations can make those jobs a little easier, so you and your team can focus your time and attention on other efforts that drive revenue.

There is a mountain of tools out there you can use, so how do you know which ones are the most useful?

Today we'll be looking at 4 of them:

* ActiveCampaign
* Zapier
* Integromat
* IFTTT

Let's get into it.
Email Automations
Automated email, also referred to as triggered email or behaviour-driven email, is any message automatically sent from your email service provider (ESP) in direct response to an individual user's specific actions made (or not made) on your website or web app.

Automated email allows you to send real-time, one-to-one messages that strengthen customer engagement, retention, and loyalty.

This is an example of a flow chart of an automated email cadence using ActiveCampaign.
How Do Email Automations Work?
Let's break down exactly how email automations works. Here is a typical and straightforward flow:

* A person visits a website and downloads an ebook, fills out a form, etc.
* They are added to the email marketing database.
* They are placed into different audience segments based on their location, interests, behaviour, etc.
* The marketer creates an email campaign. They set the rules/triggers, create the drip campaign, schedule the emails, etc.
* The person receives emails based on the conditions and campaigns set by the marketer.

And here is a visual example of what that workflow looks like:

This is an example of a typical email campaign automation workflow.
Tools of the Trade
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to email automations. For example, here are just a few of the most popular platforms: