AEC Marketer’s Tech Stack

Written By Jessica Wyman

Most AEC firms are still running marketing the same way they did ten years ago… InDesign for proposals, Mailchimp for the occasional newsletter, maybe a shared drive full of project sheets nobody can find.

The skillset required to run effective AEC marketing now goes well beyond layout and email blasts. You need to be part strategist, part technologist, comfortable sorting through project data, building targeted audiences, and pressure-testing strategy with AI, all in a single day.

I've spent the past seven years working in tech, learning tools and tactics that can be powerful levers for AEC marketers. Below is a rundown of what I actually use and like, shared in case it helps you discover new ways to work.

Website Builder & CMS: Squarespace

I hands down love Squarespace. Its Content Management System (CMS) is super easy to spin up and edit your website, think hours, not months. Formatting for mobile is super easy. Everything looks beautiful too. If you need something more custom, definitely try Webflow or Framer. Wordpress if you have to, but keeping plugins up to date can be a hassle. I still prefer GA4 over Squarespace for analytics.

Other Website Building & CMS tools: Webflow, Framer, Wordpress + Developer help

SEO & GEO: Semrush, Google Keyword Planner

The importance of SEO has been eclipsed by optimizing for GEO, Generative Search Engines, like ChatGPT. That said, it’s still important to optimize your website for both. I’ve used Semrush previously for SEO, but found it cost prohibitive and have since leaned on Google Keyword Planner and AI to optimize websites. If you have bandwidth to dive deep, definitely look into Semrush or comparative tools like Moz and Ahrefs. Just note that most OOTB website builders have built in SEO/GEO tools.

Other SEO & GEO tools: Moz, Ahrefs

DAM: OpenAsset

OpenAsset is the AEC industry standard and for good reason. The platform has an intuitive UI with powerful search, sort, and filtering capabilities. It’s easy to view and download the file size you need without searching through endless server folders. Its true differentiator is its integration with other AEC industry standard platforms like Deltek, Synthesis, and InDesign.

CRM: Hubspot, Salesforce, Attio

Overall, I prefer Hubspot for its intuitive UI and all-in-one functionality. Their pricing can be cost prohibitive past the first 1,000 contacts, but I think it’s worth it since Hubspot includes a large suite of tools like email marketing, templates, and deal trackin. Salesforce is also a powerful platform, but has a steep learning curve. Attio has data enrichment built in, but isn’t as comprehensive of a tool as Hubspot or Salesforce.

Other CRM tools: Deltek, aec360

Data Enrichment: Apollo, Hubspot

Apollo came on my radar last year and it’s quickly become a tool I use every day. If you have a super defined ICP, Apollo can take your targeted marketing efforts to the next level with powerful filtering and ICP list building. The app is especially useful if you install their website pixel. Hubspot also has data enrichment, though it adds up quickly.

Other Data Enrichment tools: Clay, Attio

Layout: InDesign, Figma, Sketch, Canva

I love Figma, but the failed Adobe sale left a bad taste in my mouth. InDesign is still my go-to for multi-page layouts. If you’re doing one-off social posts or other graphics, Sketch is a great alternative to Figma. Canva is a more basic options but is perfect for collaborating with and empowering non-designers to own their branded collateral.

Other Layout tools: Affinity

Video Editing & Clipping: Descript, Riverside, Premiere

I’ve been using Descript for the past year or so and it’s much easier to use than Premiere. However, if you’re doing any kind of video recording like a video podcast, record in Riverside, then bring it over to Descript. I found Riverside editing tools harder to use, but they are constantly making improvements, so test drive both. If you need particular studio-quality editing then stick with Premiere.

Social Publishing Platforms: Hubspot, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, Buffer

I love Hubspot’s social publishing platform. If you’re not on Hubspot and have the budget, Sprout Social is amazing too. It’s been awhile since I used Hootsuite, but I found their link shortening annoying. Buffer is a great low budget tool. 

What I really recommend is to post your content organically. Gone are the days of posting the same content on different channels at the same time. 

Email Marketing: Mailchimp, Squarespace, Salesforce Marketing Cloud

I’ve tried to quit Mailchimp, but keep coming back to it for its ease of use. Squarespace’s marketing email functionality is super basic, but does the trick if you don’t need any crazy list filters. The Squarespace email builder is just as easy to use as their website builder. Salesforce Marketing Cloud / Account Engagement is pretty clunky compared to Mailchimp and Squarespace, it’s also quadruple the price, especially if you don’t have the stomach to negotiate. 

Intranet & Internal Comms: Synthesis, Notion, Loom

If your firm is larger than 25 people, you’ll want to check out Knowledge Architecture’s Synthesis platform, which is much more than an intranet. The KA team has built an incredible community around their internal comms, learning management, and AI search platform. If your firm is smaller, Notion is an excellent, lighter lift option. Loom isn’t an intranet tool, but it is an awesome platform for communicating async and sharing knowledge with your teams.

Other Internal Comms Tools: Workshop

Project Management: Notion

I hated Notion when I first used it five years ago. Now I love love love it. It’s flexible, collaborative, and intuitive. Being able to track multiple formats of data on a calendar view is one of my go-to use cases, especially for shared social media calendars. 

Other Project Management tools: Asana, Monday, Trello

Scheduling: Hubspot, Calendly, Google Calendar

Finding a mutual time to meet via email is one of my least favorite activities. I love Hubspot’s built in calendar scheduling tool, especially if you’re managing multiple peoples’ calendars. Calendly is my second favorite if you don’t have Hubspot. Google Calendar works great if you’re on a budget.

AI: Claude

Claude has been such a helpful sounding board for marketing work. It does hallucinate a lot when I ask it specific UI/navigational or pricing questions about software, but for the most part, it does it all. Number crunching. Data formatting. Idea Generator. Claude is awesome.

Other AI tools: Search “AEC AI Tools” on LinkedIn and there are some great lists out there, including this one from aec+tech >

Your proposals and qualifications packages still matter. But the AEC marketers who thrive aren't just designers or writers, they're tech-savvy operators who can connect the dots between tools, data, and strategy.

If any of this sparked an idea or a question, contact me! I’d also love to hear what's in your AEC Marketing tech stack >

Jessica Wyman
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