# How Tools Create a Better Marketing ROI \| Ep\. \#114

**URL:** https://www.singlegrain.com/episodes/marketing-school/how-tools-create-a-better-marketing-roi-ep-114/  
**Published:** 2016-11-22  
**Updated:** 2017-12-06  
**Author:** Selena Templeton  
**Summary:** In Episode \#114 Eric and Neil discuss how tools create better marketing ROIs for your business\. Listen to hear their examples and to better understand that links are a big\.\.\.  

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In Episode #114 Eric and Neil discuss how tools create better marketing ROIs for your business. Listen to hear their examples and to better understand that links are a big factor for tools.

### Time Stamped Show Notes:

- 00:27 – Today’s topic: _How tools create a better marketing ROI_
- 00:39 – Neil did a test 
    - 00:44 – Neil checked [Hubspot](http://www.hubspot.com/)
    - 01:02 – Leads today from content marketing, conferences, sponsorships and ads
    - 01:09 – During the early days, they got leads from their tools
    - 01:12 – Word Stream also generates leads from their PPC creator
    - 01:19 – Neil’s tool experiment on Quick Sprout
- 02:31 – Check [Walkscore](https://www.walkscore.com/) through [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/) and you’ll find a lot of anchor text going back to their site 
    - 02:56 – Don’t do black area
- 03:28 – Neil shares what he knows on Walkscore 
    - 03:55 – They created a tool
    - 04:15 – How realtors helped Walkscore build links
    - 04:40 – Realtors were able to use Walkscore as selling point
    - 05:00 – Using links and badges these days can be hit by Google
    - 05:46 – Don’t use tools for mischievous purposes
- 05:51 – Tools are mouse traps
- 06:16 – Check [Outgrow.co](https://outgrow.co/) will help you get started
- 07:01 – Simple tools don’t do well
- 07:14 – Do a tool that’s a bit more wowing
- 07:52 – Think about interactive content too
- 08:20 – Links are a big factor
- 08:34 – That’s it for today’s episode!

### 3 Key Points:

1. Create tools for black hat purposes if necessary.
2. Complex tools require complex solutions.
3. Instead of creating simple tools, go for ones with interactive content.

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**Connect with us:**

- [NeilPatel.com](http://neilpatel.com/)
- [Quick Sprout](https://www.quicksprout.com/)
- [Growth Everywhere](https://www.singlegrain.com/)
- [Single Grain](https://www.singlegrain.com/)
- [Twitter @neilpatel](https://twitter.com/neilpatel)
- [Twitter @ericosiu](https://twitter.com/ericosiu)