Act-On

Act-On
Developer(s) Act-On
Initial release 2004
Development status Active
Operating system Software as a service
Type Marketing automation
License Subscription
Website act-on.com

Act-On Software is a software-as-a-service product for marketing automation developed by Act-On, a company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. The company was founded in 2008, retailing its software exclusively through Cisco, which provided $2 million in funding. It is used mostly by small to medium-sized businesses and corporate institutions' departments. It developed an internal sales department to market the software directly to users with $74 million in funding raised.[1][2][3] Act-On has received positive reviews for use by small to medium-sized businesses due to its ease-of-use, simplicity and cost.[4]

History

Act-On was founded in 2008 by Raghu Raghavan, formerly a founder of Responsys, after he saw "potential for a sophisticated, but affordable SaaS marketing tool mid-market companies could easily use."[5] Act-On initially sold through alternate channels, but later created its own sales team.[6] Entering the market after several competitors had been established, Act-On had a second-mover advantage, learning from the success and failures of earlier market entrants.[5] Raghavan commented in a 2013 interview, "We came in, we saw all of the things that had not been done right in this space, and I think it allowed us to build a company in a whole new way to attack what we saw in the monsters' market."[7]

In 2009 the company's investors tried to convince founder Raghu Raghavan to move Act-On to Silicon Valley, but it remained in Oregon.[8][9] The company raised a second round of funding for $4 million[9] in November 2010 [10] and a third round for $10 million in June 2011.[8][11][12] In March 2011 Act-On re-launched its software with a new user interface.[13] Later that year, Act-On expanded into larger offices in Beaverton, Oregon, Roseville, California and also established a new location in Silicon Valley.[14] An additional $16 million in funding was raised the following year.[15]

By 2013, the company had 140 employees,[16][17] up from 11 in 2010 and 35 in 2011.[8][18] In early 2016, it expanded again into larger offices in Portland.[19]

In April 2014, $42 million in additional funding was raised, which was the largest funding round in the Oregon technology market since the dot com bubble.[20][21] Act-On now employs 425 people, up from 250 in 2014,[16] and has expanded to include multiple offices in the U.S. and two abroad.[22] It serves over 3,000 customers worldwide.[6] In 2015, Act-On expanded its executive team with a new CFO, formerly of the company Jive, a VP of demand generation, previously with ExactTarget, and a VP of cloud operations.[23][24]

Features

The "Quick Start" guide in Act-On's online user interface.

Act-On is a subscription-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) product for marketing automation. Its software products are for email marketing, landing pages, social media prospecting, CRM integration, lead management, webinar management, and analytics.[4][1][25]

Act-On has a Twitter Prospector tool introduced in 2010 that automates the publishing and monitoring of content on Twitter, tracking prospective customers and measuring their activity.[26] An Act-On Insight tool, released in June 2012, compares a company's social media marketing performance to competitors.[27][28] Its Hot Prospects tool, introduced at the 2011 Dreamforce conference, creates a dashboard in Salesforce.com that scores the likelihood a prospect is ready to make a purchasing decision.[29] A set of software tools for search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising and other inbound tactics was introduced in May 2013 under the name Act-On Inbound. Act-On also introduced a mobile app and mobile optimization features.[30][31][32] In July 2014, Act-On announced a set of product updates intended to improve data visualization and customize the user experience.[33] Enhancements included a responsive email composer and expanded CRM integrations.[34][35][36]

In March 2015, It introduced Act-On Anywhere, a Chrome application allowing users access to marketing automation data and functionalities across any web-based browser.[37] Allowing users to embed calls-to-action in web pages and blogs from any web-based content management system,[38][39][40] this extension along with Act-On’s open APIs, supports a larger vision for an open marketing ecosystem, in which third-party applications can plug and play with Act-On – ensuring that end-users can continue to leverage their current systems and augment the use of those systems using engagement data collected within marketing automation.[39][41]

In June 2015, Act-On released Data Studio, an advanced data access and analytics tool allowing users to visualize, select, configure and export Act-On data to any Business Intelligence (BI) platform.[42] Offered as part of Act-On's enterprise package, the feature equips users with built-in wizards, filters and templates to extract and report on engagement data in real-time.[43][44][45]

Act-On is intended for marketing departments of between one and 15 people,[46] as a low-cost alternative to enterprise software suites.[47][48] It is one of few marketing automation vendors with adoption outside the technology industry,[49][50][51][52] and currently has a 7 percent share of the marketing automation market overall.[51]

Users can manage WebEx and GoToWebinar events within the software. It also integrates with data and analytics services, such as Google Analytics.[49][53] More connectors are available for Microsoft Dynamics, WordPress, Salesforce, SugarCRM, Oktopost and others.[54][55][56]

As part of its Open Marketing Ecosystem, the Act-On platform offers native integrations with all major CRM systems, so as to be vendor agnostic without being indifferent.[57][58] A separate version for agencies has an agency dashboard to centrally manage multiple client campaigns and is sold at a lower bulk price.[53] Act-On also promotes its agency partners and third-party applications on the Act-On Partner Exchange (APEX), manages an educational resource called the Act-On Center of Excellence (ACE) and provides professional services.[53][56]

Reception

Act-On continues to draw praise for its growth, product and leadership. The company was named to the Inc. 500 List of Fastest-Growing Privately Held Companies in 2013, 2014 and 2015,[59] Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 List in 2013[60] and 2014,[61] and Portland Business Journal’s List of 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in 2013,[62] 2014,[63] and 2015.[64]

In early 2015, the Portland Business Journal anointed Act-On’s CEO Raghu Raghavan the Technology CEO of the Year, for his ability to manage the company's growth across multiple offices and continents.[65]

In February, Act-On published the results of a three-month survey, detailing differences between top and average performing B2B companies.[66][67] The report found that few marketers owned the customer lifecycle "end to end," and top-performers were likelier to focus on customer retention and expansion, rather than their mid-size, average-performing peers.[68][69][70][71] For its efforts promoting this report, Act-On was shortlisted for MarketingProfs' 2015 B2B Bright Bulb Awards.[72]

In the 2014 Forrester Wave Report on Lead-to-Revenue Management Vendors, Act-On was ranked a leader in both categories: Small Marketing Teams and Large Enterprises. Forrester noted that Act-On did an admirable job delivering functionality for "nearly every criterion" evaluated: Simplicity, feature-set, software and support.[73] In Gleanster’s Gleansight 2014 benchmark, Act-On received a "Best" ranking in three out of four categories: Ease of deployment, ease of use and overall value.[74] In the 2014 VEST report from analyst firm Raab Associates, Act-On was awarded “good scores” on the “product and vendor dimensions,” numbering among “strong leaders” in the “crowded small-to-midsize company segment.”[75] The 2015 VEST report named Act-On as “the only privately held company to rank as a leader across all major categories of business.”[76]

References

  1. 1 2 "Marketing automation startup Act-On raises $42M, sets sights on IPO". GeekWire. 2014-04-15. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  2. ↑ Rogoway, Mike. "Act-On Software lands whopping $42 million VC round, among Silicon Forest's biggest ever". The Oregonian/OregonLive. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  3. ↑ Dayaratna Ph.D, Arnal. "Marketing Automation Vendor Act-On Raises $42M Just Days After IBM's Agreement To Acquire Silverpop". Cloud Computing Today. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Ludwig, Sean. "5 Davids beating Goliath in the cloud arena". Venture Beat.
  5. 1 2 Soper, Taylor (April 15, 2014). "Marketing automation startup Act-On raises $42M, sets sights on IPO". Geekwire. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Gupta, Ankush. "Interview with Raghu Raghavan, Founder & CEO, Act-On Software". MarTech Advisor. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Raghu Raghavan of Act-On: Now is the Time to Dive Into Marketing Automation". Small Business Trends. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 Rogoway, Mike (June 1, 2011). "Act-On Software lands $10 million in venture capital, says Portland startups are finally getting respect". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Rogoway, Mike (November 14, 2010). "Act-On resists Silicon Valley's call, lands $4 million in venture capital anyway". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Act-On Software Scores $4M from Voyager, USVP | Xconomy". Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  11. ↑ Woodward, Kurt (June 1, 2011). "Trinity Leads $10M Investment in Act-On Software, Helping Oregon-Based Digital Marketing Company Fuel International Growth". Xconomy. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  12. ↑ Wauters, Robin (June 1, 2011). "Act-On Raises $10 Million For Online Marketing Automation Platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  13. ↑ Casey, Kevin (March 1, 2011). "Act-On Unveils Online Marketing Platform". InformationWeek. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  14. ↑ Batista, Amanda (November 29, 2011). "Act-On Software Surpasses 500 Customers; Plans Aggressive Expansion Track In 2012". DemandGen Report. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  15. ↑ Butcher, Mike (September 6, 2012). "Act-On's $16M D Round From Norwest Venture Is Evidence That Online Marketing Will Be Automated". TechCrunch. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Inc. 5000: #172 Act-On Software". Inc. Magazine. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  17. ↑ Anderson, Mark (April 28, 2014). "Act-On Software on hiring spree, mostly for Roseville office". Sacramento Business Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Act-On Software Reports 405% Revenue Growth; Expands International Footprint". DemandGen Report. January 19, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  19. ↑ Rogoway, Mike (May 22, 2013). "Act-On Software, continuing to grow, will move to larger offices in Beaverton". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  20. ↑ Rogoway, Mike (April 15, 2014). "Act-On Software lands whopping $42 million VC round, among Silicon Forest's biggest ever". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  21. ↑ Spencer, Malia (April 15, 2014). "Act-On Software lands $42M". Portland Business Journal.
  22. ↑ Spencer, Malia (January 30, 2015). "CEOs of the Year - Tech: Raghu Raghavan of ActOn Software". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  23. ↑ Bell, Jon (March 30, 2015). "Tech firm lures CFO away from Jive, expands management team". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  24. ↑ Rogoway, Mike (March 30, 2015). "Act-On Software hires CFO from Jive, names two other execs". The Oregonian. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Independent Act-On Software Review". www.crmsearch.com. Retrieved 2016-05-21.
  26. ↑ "Act-On Twitter App Connecting Social Outreach to Marketing Automation". DemandGen Report. April 5, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  27. ↑ Gleberman, Monica (June 28, 2012). "Act-On Software Launches New Tracking Tool, Act-On Insight". TMCNet. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  28. ↑ Knight, Kristina (July 2, 2012). "New tools offer additional reporting features for online, social". BizReport. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  29. ↑ Casey, Kevin (September 2, 2011). "One SMB's Secret for Improving Sales Leads". InformationWeek. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Act-On Extends Inbound Marketing Capabilities, Unveils Mobile App". May 30, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  31. ↑ Zinck, Barb (May 29, 2013). "Act-On Adds Inbound Marketing Capabilities, New Mobile App". CMS Wire. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  32. ↑ Romano, Benjamin (May 29, 2013). "Meeting the Wizard of Moz: Culture Breeds Community". Xconomy.
  33. ↑ Dayaratna, Arnal (July 15, 2014). "Act-On Announces Data Visualization, User Experience, and Integration Enhancements for its Marketing Automation Platform". Cloud Computing Today. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  34. ↑ Zimmerman, Kim (June 10, 2014). "New Funnel Reports, Gmail Integration Among Upgrades Unveiled At Act-On User Event". Demand Gen Report. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  35. ↑ Koetsier, John (July 15, 2014). "Act-On revs up marketing automation: Adds funnel reports, Gmail integration, and more". Venture Beat. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  36. ↑ Nicastro, Dom (July 19, 2016). "Act-On's Enhancements Focus on Reporting, Responsive Design". CMS Wire. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  37. ↑ Urbanski, Al (March 11, 2014). "Act-On Brings Automation to the Browser". Direct Marketing News. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  38. ↑ Noyes, Katherine (March 11, 2015). "New Chrome app puts Act-On's marketing automation tools front and center for SMBs". CIO Magazine. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  39. 1 2 Eddy, Nathan (March 17, 2015). "Act-On Anywhere Targets Small Business Marketers". EWeek. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  40. ↑ Dressler, Amberly (March 18, 2015). "Take Your Marketing Act Anywhere". Website Magazine. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  41. ↑ Jones, Andrew (March 11, 2015). "Embedding marketing automation in WordPress, Twitter, LinkedIn: Act-On launches Anywhere". Venture Beat. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  42. ↑ "Act-On surfaces engagement data". The Hub Comms. June 2, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  43. ↑ Eddy, Nathan (June 5, 2015). "Act-On Announces Data Studio for Deeper Analytics, Visual Discovery". EWeek. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  44. ↑ Levine, Barry (June 1, 2015). "Act-On releases new Data Studio tool to feed data-hungry marketers". EWeek. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
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  48. ↑ Morphy, Erika (June 29, 2012). "Act-On Insight Lets Businesses See How They're Seen Online". CRM Buyer. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  49. 1 2 Wizdo, Lori (January 21, 2014). "The Forrester Wave: Lead-to-Revenue Management Platform Vendors, Q1 2014". Forrester. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  50. ↑ Koetsier, John (January 8, 2014). "Fast growing marketing automation still has only 3% penetration in non-tech companies". Venture Beat. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  51. 1 2 Koetsier, John (November 7, 2014). "HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot, Act-On, and Eloqua lead latest marketing automation numbers". Venture Beat. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
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  53. 1 2 3 Schoen, Claire, Market Intelligence Report: B2B Marketing Automation Tools 2013: A Marketer’s Guide (PDF), retrieved July 19, 2016
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  55. ↑ Bitton, Sam Avishai (February 7, 2015). "5 Online Tools I Recommend to B2C Israeli Startups". Times of Israel. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  56. 1 2 Crosier, Kristen (May 14, 2014). "Let's Talk Act-On: Behind the Software Q&A with CMO Atri Chatterjee". Business Software Com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
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  73. ↑ Wizdo, Lori (January 21, 2014). "The Forrester Wave: Lead-to-Revenue Management Platform Vendors, Q1 2014". Forrester. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
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