First published: July 1, 2021 @ 9:22 pm
Automation tools for startups are the modern equivalent of that old hot-wired telephone system we all grew up with. Like telephones, they are a necessary evil for most startups.
And like telephones, it is possible to make the tools we use obsolete before we even know it is happening. If you want to take your startup to the next level, then you need to automate as much of your startup as possible.
This is where automation tools come in. These tools are a staple in the startup toolkit and something that should be at the top of every entrepreneur’s mind when creating their company.
We can break them down into two categories: Scripting and Server-side Software.
Automation Tools for Scripting
Scripting tools are basically small scripts that run on your computer and can automate certain tasks. For example, there is Heroku which allows you to create virtual servers on the cloud using a very simple command-line interface.
A very popular script automation tool is Zapier, which has over 1000 available integrations (including products from Amazon, Salesforce, Dropbox, LinkedIn, etc.) The most important thing to remember about scripting tools is that they do not have to be expensive or complicated.
As long as they can accomplish the task we design them for, then you should feel comfortable using them. Scripting tools are a very effective way to automate startup tasks without having to hire someone else or spend a ton of money.
Automation Tools for Server-side Software
Server-side software tools are different from scripting tools in that they do not run on your computer. They run on the server, so they are a little more complicated than simple scripts.
The main difference between server-side software and scripting tools is that server-side software runs in the background and constantly monitors and interacts with your startup.
For example, if you have a product called SaaS Hacker then you could use the continuous integration service Jenkins to automatically build and deploy your code whenever you change it.
Jenkins has over 5000 integrations with over 3500 open source plugins (including products from Amazon, Salesforce, Dropbox, LinkedIn, etc.)
The most important thing to remember about server-side software tools is that they work in the background while your startup is running so you do not have to worry about them affecting how your startup functions when it is up and running.
Server-side software tools can be useful for many tasks including: Automating backend services, build servers, database changes/updates, etc.
Benefits of Using Automation Tools for Startups
The benefits of using automation tools for startups are plentiful. If you are a developer, then you know that coding is an art and there is no substitute for hard work. However, coding can be tedious and time-consuming. With these tools, you can save a lot of time by letting the tool do the work for you. Also, the tools allow you to focus on building your product rather than constantly having to troubleshoot problems with your startup. If your startup is working well and running smoothly then there is no need to manually troubleshoot it. Here are some benefits of using automation tools for startups:
Easy to Use
Automation tools are easy to use and anyone can learn how to use them in a short period of time. This is important because if you have to spend hours learning how to use a tool, then you will not have enough time to focus on building your product. They can help you build social media marketing campaign and managing your social media posts. All you need to do is just preparing the related content and sync the tools with your social media channels.
Cost Effective
Using the tools saves you money because you do not have to pay someone else or spend money on another company for help/support. You also do not have to pay anyone to maintain the automation tools. This is a huge benefit because if you do not have the money to pay someone to maintain your social media channels or your marketing systems.
Save Time
Automation tools save a lot of time because they work requiring no manual interaction from the user. For example, with Heroku, all you have to do is tell it what kind of virtual server you want and it will create it for you. It is very simple and there are no technical skills necessary (unlike coding). If you want to activate a new social media marketing campaign, then you could create an automation system, rather than emailing and doing follow up to each customer.
Low Risk
You do not have to worry about your startup failing because the tools are very reliable, and they will never fail. They are faulted, tolerant, and they can handle a lot of different scenarios. For example, Heroku can automatically scale up or down based on the traffic that your startup receives. There is no chance of your startup failing because you did not setup proper monitoring for it.
Robust
Automation tools are very robust, and they can handle almost any scenario that a human would be able to solve. For example, Heroku handles thousands of requests per second which is far more than most companies would ever need so it does not matter if there is a problem with Heroku’s system.
Also, Heroku handles failures without stopping or shutting down other apps so you do not have to worry about any issues affecting other apps on the same server (like with Amazon EC2). The same goes with social media campaign automation.
Let’s say you want to create a new social media marketing automation. You can input the list of your target audience to the system. After you publish your social media marketing automation, it will directly send the posts to your target audience as listed.
If you want to know more about automation tools and other useful tips to build your startups, explore WorkDeputy. It is an online platform where you can find software and information to maximize your business growth.
