Marketing Automation Tools vs Notification Infrastructure Platforms - Which one should be used, and when?
Tags: webdev, beginners, programming, tutorial
Published: 2024-05-02 13:48:16

Two major types of tools exist to achieve this objective of notifying end users: Marketing Automation Tools (MATs) and Notification Infrastructure Platforms (NIPs). Although both serve similar purposes, there are significant differences between them. Understanding the [unique aspects of MATs and NIPs](https://www.suprsend.com/post/comparing-notification-infrastructure-marketing-automation-tools-a-guide-to-choose-the-right-platform-for-your-product) can aid in making informed decisions about which tools to implement for specific business requirements.

Background
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MATs, represented by industry leaders like Braze, Customer.io, Iterable, and CleverTap, dominate the marketplace by helping businesses execute targeted marketing campaigns. Such campaigns contribute positively towards customer retention and engagement. Alongside these activities, businesses must transmit essential product notifications, covering transactional alerts and updates in customers' accounts. Though MATs prove competent in addressing promotional use cases, they may lack the capacity to deal with intricate product notifications pivotal to product success.

Common Objectives, Divergent Methods
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MATs and NIPs share a fundamental goal: connecting businesses with their intended audiences. Nevertheless, their underlying functionalities diverge substantially.

### Marketing Automation Platforms (MATs)

#### Strengths

MATs possess several advantages, including:

* _User Segmentation_: MATs excel at categorizing users based on a range of factors, thereby enabling firms to craft focused and impactful messaging.
* _One-Time Campaigns_: MATs facilitate the construction and release of standalone campaigns meant to stimulate specific reactions, such as announcing new launches or urging cart additions.
* _Cohort Change Notifications_: MATs automate alerts linked to shifts in user group membership, dispatching timely and applicable communications.
* _Rapid Experimentation and A/B Testing_: MATs permit swift prototyping and comparisons of alternatives aimed at optimizing conversion paths.
* _Multi-Step Campaign Journeys_: Visual editors within MATs make it straightforward to establish sequential, condition-driven engagements, leveraging historical interaction data.
* _External User Preferences_: MATs collect user preferences via externally hosted forms, chiefly for promotional situations, easing subscription management.

#### Weaknesses

Notwithstanding their virtues, MATs exhibit certain weaknesses, specifically when tackling complex product notifications:

* _Limited Scalability_: When confronted with escalating numbers of incoming requests, MATs may encounter difficulties maintaining satisfactory performance levels.
* _Inadequate Flexibility_: Due to preset constraints, MATs might impose limits on customizability, hampering attempts to introduce novel features.

### Notification Infrastructure Platforms (NIPs)

NIPs represent the latest generation of tools developed to tackle the challenges associated with building and preserving product notifications.

#### Benefits

NIPs bring numerous enhancements, notably:

1. _Expanded Channel Coverage_
	* NIPs interface smoothly with both widely adopted and cutting-edge channels, unlike MATs concentrating predominantly on mainstream methods.
2. _Real-time In-app Notification Feeds_
	* NIPs provide genuine real-time alert presentation inside apps, whereas MATs often resort to non-native display techniques.
3. _Robust Multi-tenant Structures_
	* NIPs readily supply powerful multi-tenant configurations, accommodating diversified tenant-level demand profiles.
4. _Advanced Workflow Processing_
	* NIPs furnish superior assistance in devising and administering convoluted workflows, surpassing MATs constrained by elementary structures.
5. _Sophisticated Preference Management_
	* NIPs afford improved preference administration, letting users exercise finer command over channels, subjects, and recurrence patterns.
6. _Granular Insights_
	* NIPs yield rich analytical reports, revealing deeper insights than those generated by standard MATs.
7. _Improved Resilience_
	* NIPs demonstrate increased tolerance against disruptions, safeguarding continuous operation amid adversities.
8. _Developer-Oriented Interfaces_
	* NIPs expose interfaces geared explicitly towards developers, fostering accelerated iterations and automation.
9. _Segmented workspaces for staging and production environments
	* NIPs offer independent workspaces suited to staging and production environments, eliminating conflicts arising from shared resources inherent in MATs.

[SuprSend](https://www.suprsend.com/) supports all the above use-cases.

Making Informed Decisions: Choosing the Right Tool
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When deciding whether to utilize MATs or NIPs, assessing the following points can lead to an educated decision:

* Identifying the desired outcome(s) and mapping them to corresponding tool capabilities
* Matching resource allocation with expected return on investment
* Balancing operational expenditure against capital expenses
* Anticipating future expansion and its implications on selected tools
* Accounting for technological advancements and evolving ecosystem trends

Technical Use Case Examples
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E-Commerce
~~~~~~~~~~

* Utilize NIPs to generate dynamic discount codes, recover abandoned shopping carts, and foster repeat purchases
* Leverage MATs to broadcast seasonal sales announcements, recommend trending items, and track shoppers' browsing histories

Healthcare
~~~~~~~~~

* Employ NIPs to schedule medication reminders, confirm appointments, and disseminate lab results
* Harness MATs to propagate health tips, solicit feedback, and promote disease prevention programs

Financial Services
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Capitalize on NIPs to distribute billing statements, notify transactions, and report fraudulent activities
* Exploit MATs to suggest financial instruments, publicize interest rate updates, and encourage savings behavior

Logistics and Transportation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Take advantage of NIPs to monitor shipments, estimate arrival times, and arrange pickups
* Apply MATs to propose alternate routes, forecast traffic congestion, and reward punctual delivery personnel

Ultimately, combining the powers of MATs and NIPs equips businesses with potent arsenals to engage and retain customers successfully. Carefully considering the tradeoffs and synergies between these tools guarantees sustained progress in today's competitive landscape.