The Best Startup Platforms with Which Your Startup Will Continue to Grow
- 23 Nov 2023
- 9 min
Samuel Iluyemi
Content Writer
Do you believe that “Necessity is the mother of invention?” Throughout history, man used tools to make his job more manageable. In the stone age, man discovered the wheel to move objects or used stones and sticks to create weapons for hunting.
In 2023, people working in startups still need tools–they just got digital. To get things done, the core of startup teams take on different hats. You want to equip them with the best tools to make their lives easier.
Startups need specific tools to succeed. Hence, it’s important to discover which tech stack tools fit your business needs.
What Are Tech Stack Tools?
But before you determine which tech stack tools you need, you must define the term.
Hubspot defines a tech stack or technology stack as a collection of tools, platforms, apps, and software that a company uses to build its products, carry out its business operations, and monitor its performance metrics.
Lira Skenderi, a data analyst and engineer at hosting provider DigitalOcean, describes tech stack tools in a Mixpanel article this way:
“When you have a product in mind, you usually start with the front end, the piece that faces the customer, and then decide what back end tooling is needed to support that.” The collaborative tools used to create that product are called a tech stack.
By working with their teams, startups must choose tools that can help maximize their efficiency.
Choosing the right tech stack will vary depending on the company’s needs. That’s why it’s crucial to choose a set of tools that work well together and provide the functionality required.
With this in mind, not all tech stack tools are created equal. You will need to determine which specific task these tools will function. Some of these tech stack tools are:
1. IT Tech Stack
Said to be the origin of tech stack, these tools are usually coding languages, back-end and front-end tools, databases, operating systems, and programming languages used to run either a mobile application or web application.
Examples: MEAN - Mongo, Express, Angular & Node, MERN - Mongo, Express, React & Node, and RAD - React Native & Django
2. Marketing Tech Stack
These are tools specifically used to attract, build, and retain audiences for your brand.
Examples: Email automation software, chatbot software, analytics tools, content management systems (CMS), search engine optimization (SEO) tools, and lead generation mechanisms
3. Sales Tech Stack
These tools must help your sales team gather prospects, convert leads, and increase their sales numbers.
Examples: CRM (customer relationship management) software, VoIP or call tracking software, data management software, meeting scheduling software, and video recording tools
4. Service Tech Stack
These tools cater to customer issues efficiently. They can track, follow up and record their concerns and actions taken by your team.
Examples: Ticket management software, Help desk software, Knowledge base software, Live chat software, Survey tools, Call center software, Task workflows, etc.
Each of them has many types, for instance, help desk software can be both for offices and help desk software for schools.
As more programs, apps, and systems develop into tools to make business operations more manageable, which tools must startups use in 2023?
Startup’s Tech Stack Tools in 2023
Building a tech stack may pose a challenge for startups. It includes selecting a mix of back-end and front-end technologies and tools for user experience and management.
While there is no one-size-fits-all tech stack, most companies need a robust set of tools to power their online presence.
It can be daunting to choose the right tech stack. While building a complete set of tech stacks per function may work for enterprises, startups should consider their budget, tool knowledge, and assigned personnel.
Founder of the startup Krit, Andrew Askins, has some insight to share with fellow entrepreneurs about choosing your tools. “We’re no longer concerned with end-to-end stacks. Instead, we must focus on solutions that let us create the best products for our clients.”
In line with this idea, here are tools you can use for your startup’s benefit.
1. Website Builder
The first thing a startup needs to launch the business is its website. It serves as your online home where you can focus all your business efforts.
To create your website, you must define its purpose and goal. What does your website aim to accomplish? If you’re worried that you don’t have coding knowledge, a website builder fits right in your tech stack tools.
Check out features like drag and drop. Ask whether a purchase offers a free domain, SSL, business email, or other eCommerce features. Will a website builder allow you to customize web pages and their design?
Find out if it can integrate third-party marketing tools such as Google Analytics, CRM, and live chat. Will this builder allows you to transition to another hosting site seamlessly, should you prefer? It is crucial to your organization, especially if your clients input their data into your website.
Finally, consider if it can handle the organization’s needs as it grows.
For example, because the business is just new, group chats on a messaging platform can serve as an office communication tool. However, as more people join the team, communication between team members may need better features and functionalities such as videoconferencing, file sharing, and analytics.
2. Content Creation Tools
Content is a crucial tool for marketers and startups. Research by FocusVision showed that buyers consume an average of 13 pieces of content before deciding to buy from a brand.
However, gone are the days when content just means words.
Content does not only mean blogs, white papers, or newsletters. Depending on your audience, it also comes as videos, photos, GIFs, and even sounds.
People of different ages and backgrounds prefer various methods of getting content. You must choose various content creation tools to engage your prospects and clients.
Aside from writing and editing tools, you can also try exploring screen recording tools. It can be an advantage, especially if your clients appreciate tutorials or if you sell digital products.
However, one of the preferred methods of consuming content is through social media. That’s why you must also take time to study the social media apps where they flock.
You can choose to work in graphic design-centered web applications such as Canva to create infographics and curated social media posts.
However, buyers prefer to engage with ephemeral content like Twitter Fleets, Instagram Stories, or Youtube Shorts. So, you can also try to create content within the apps themselves.
3. Search Engine Optimization Tools
In 2023, consumers will continue to search online for brands that meet their needs. With many brands vying for the attention of consumers, search engines use technology that allows them to sort which pages should show for every search done by a user.
As a result, most brands today must optimize their websites according to the guidelines set by search engines. They use search engine optimization (SEO) tools to do so.
SEO tools optimize websites using both front-end and back-end methods. If you want to optimize your website thoroughly, consider these three essential tools: tracking and analytics, keyword research, and link-building tools. These help you to enhance your website’s online presence and site authority.
4. Project Management Tools
Again going back to startup teams donning different hats, startup project management tools are the key that keeps everything running smoothly.
As a startup, you must choose which style fits your company culture. Do you prefer Kanban or siloed style of tracking? Try Trello. If you prefer to have your teammates comment on your tasks, perhaps you can try Basecamp.
Choose a project management tool that will promote efficiency and teamwork among your colleagues and avoid distractions from juggling multiple projects. Once you choose the right project management tool, you can expect better results.
Want another way to boost your team’s efficiency and teamwork? Explore HR software platforms you can use to engage and inspire your teams.
5. Customer Engagement Tools
Today, most startups develop Software as a Service (SaaS), mobile apps, or automation tools as their main offer. With many startups presenting similar products and services, how can you stand out?
Aside from capturing their attention via content posted on your website and social media profiles, PWC research says you can do it by giving a good customer experience.
Customer engagement tools allow you to drive retention, inspire customer loyalty, and encourage your customers to engage with your product.
Some customer engagement platforms that exist are user onboarding software, live chat, in-app resource centers, marketing automation, and other types of personalized engagement.
An example of an effective customer engagement tool is a survey app or software. When you use surveys, you can gather customer feedback, customer insight, and other pertinent data to serve your clients better and improve their user experience.
6. Customer Relationship Management
One of the buzzwords in terms of the tech stack is the term CRM or Customer Relationship Management. CRM refers to the technique on how to foster relationships with clients, and CRM apps or software are your tools to achieve that easier
It is essential in any startup’s tech stack tool kit because here is where you can track your client’s buyer’s journey. You can organize and record information, sort according to their needs and preferences and even track their behavior on your website. This way, you can respond to their needs.
Examples of CRM tools you can choose from are Hubspot, Monday.com, and Insightly.
Insightly is one of the popular and easy-to-use CRM. You can consider Insightly alternatives if you need more advanced features in your CRM.
7. Work Automation Tools
One way to enhance productivity and efficiency is through automation. For your employees not to spend their time doing repetitive tasks, you must adopt work automation tools in your tech stack.
Different work automation tools operate based on your workflows and processes.
A good example is Zapier. It is an API software that helps integrate most applications.
Another example is Automate.io which you can use to automate email marketing, social media marketing, and lead generation.
8. Communication Tools
One of the essential tools needed by any startup involves communication. How would you reach out to your clients or work with your colleagues if not through particular communication channels?
As a startup, you must carefully consider which communication tools you will adopt. Check your organization’s needs. Does it make sense to acquire on-premises telephony for your employees?
However, considering digital progress and the recent shift to remote and hybrid work, your team members could use a cloud-based unified communications platform.
Cloud-based communication systems serve not only as tools for instant messaging or voice calls for team collaborations, but can also help maximize support to customer relationships, project management, and even work automation.
9. Time Tracking Tools
As a fresh startup, the productivity of your employees is crucial to the success of your organization. Employers have always faced the dilemma of how to make sure workers are working without being overbearing.
Thankfully, there are now plenty of tools you can use to track work without peeking over employees’ shoulders. Using one ensures that all the time spent on work is billed accordingly, which benefits your employees as well.
Modern clock in and clock out apps can have all kinds of functions from generating invoices to taking screenshots as proof of work. You will be faced with plenty of options, however, choose carefully based on the needs of your startup.
Think about what functions your business needs the most and also make sure the software is easy to use. For example, a Chrome time tracker can automatically track the time your team members spend on each website so that they know exactly how long each task took.
Benefits of Tech Stack Tools
With the different tech stack tools presented above, startups can reap benefits in many ways. These are:
1. Time
Saved employees’ time
Time is a valuable resource for every business, especially startups. With the right tech stack tools, you can allocate your time to other important details.
2. Cost
Saved money on apps.
Startups know that every cost saved is a win for the business. Choosing the right tool is vital in saving from unnecessary expenses or losses.
3. Efficiency
Consolidated apps
When you consolidate apps that work well together, you can trust the data to form business insights for your startups.
4. Scalability
Opportunity to grow
Recognize that your needs in your early years will not be the same as you continue to expand the business.
Final Words
Like any toolbox, the tech stack must have regular checkups and audits. Do the tools still fit your business needs? Take the time to inspect, evaluate, and update them to see if they still bring value and get the task done. With the right tech stack tools, startups can continue to grow.
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Author Bio: Princes Eunice P. Nedamo
Princes is an SEO content writer currently working in RingCentral, writing about cloud communications solutions. When not writing, she tries to discover more about clouds–both digital and the natural formations in the sky.
