Running a marketing agency isn’t easy—especially when you’re managing hundreds of clients. Things can quickly get out of control if you don’t have the right tools and systems in place. From keeping track of client projects to managing SEO tasks, Google Ads, and team communication, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes.
Over the years, we’ve tested dozens of platforms, software, and project management solutions to find what works best. And after plenty of trial and error, we’ve landed on four key tools that have transformed the way we run our agency.
Whether you’re just getting started with your agency or looking to streamline operations, this post will walk you through the exact tools we use to keep things running smoothly.
1. SearchAtlas
(Our Go-To SEO Powerhouse)
When it comes to managing local SEO clients, SearchAtlas is one of our most trusted tools. It’s more than just a keyword research tool—it’s a full-blown SEO platform designed to help agencies like ours deliver results at scale.
Why We Chose SearchAtlas
SearchAtlas is packed with features that help us:
- Identify high-performing keywords
- Audit websites for technical issues
- Generate and optimise content
- Track Google Maps rankings
- Create professional reports for clients
It covers every major step in the SEO workflow, which saves our team loads of time and allows us to deliver consistent results across all our SEO accounts.
Keyword Research Made Simple
One of the core benefits of SearchAtlas is its powerful keyword research tool. We simply type in a service and a location—say, “plumbing East London”—and within seconds, the tool gives us a list of keywords sorted by search volume, competition, and trends.
This makes it easy for our SEO strategists to:
- Spot high-potential keywords with low competition
- Build location-specific strategies
- Understand what local customers are actually searching for
We use this data to create a well-defined SEO plan that targets the right phrases and brings in traffic that converts.
Technical Audits That Get to the Root of the Problem
SearchAtlas also shines when it comes to website audits. Many of the local business websites we work with have issues they didn’t even know existed—broken links, missing meta descriptions, slow page speed, duplicate content—you name it.
SearchAtlas runs comprehensive audits and flags all the critical issues. Even better, it provides actionable suggestions so our SEO team knows exactly what needs fixing. This means less time spent digging through source code and more time actually solving problems.
AI-Powered Content Creation and Optimisation
Another feature we love is the AI content assistant.
SearchAtlas allows us to generate high-quality, optimised content in minutes. Whether we’re creating a new service page or updating an old blog post, the AI tool helps us:
- Improve keyword placement
- Ensure proper formatting
- Match search intent
This tool alone has significantly reduced the amount of time we spend writing and editing content—and helped us get better rankings for our clients in the process.
Google Map Rank Tracking
For local businesses, appearing in the Google Maps 3-Pack can make or break their lead flow. SearchAtlas includes a Google Map Rank Tracker that shows us exactly where a business is showing up in Maps results for specific keywords.
We can monitor:
- Which areas the client is ranking well in
- Where they’re underperforming
- How rankings change over time
This data helps us fine-tune our local SEO efforts and target the right neighbourhoods or service areas to maximise visibility.
Client Reporting
All the work we do means little if the client can’t see it. That’s why SearchAtlas’s reporting tools are so valuable. We can easily create branded, professional reports that show:
- Rankings improvements
- Fixes made to the site
- Content that’s been added
- Traffic increases over time
These reports are not only impressive but also help build trust and transparency with our clients.
2. Google Docs and Google Sheets
(Our Project Management Backbone)
You might expect us to name a fancy project management software next. We’ve tried a lot of tools, you name it. But at the end of the day, we always come back to Google Docs and Google Sheets.
They might seem simple, but they’re fast, flexible, and perfectly suited to our workflows.
Google Sheets: Dynamic Checklists That Keep Us on Track
Our entire SEO process—from audits to on-page optimisations—is tracked in live checklists on Google Sheets. Every client has a dedicated checklist that includes:
- Tasks assigned to each team member
- Status updates (not started, in progress, done)
- Deadlines and review dates
- Links to relevant files or pages
Since everything updates in real-time, there’s no confusion over what’s been completed or what’s still pending. Everyone on the team is on the same page (literally).
Google Docs: Content Planning and SEO Templates
We also use Google Docs extensively for:
- Creating and editing website content
- Planning out blog articles
- Drafting metadata and headings
- Tracking whether content has been optimised or uploaded
For every client, we maintain a “Content Plan” doc where we track each page’s:
- Title
- Type (e.g. service page, blog post)
- Keyword target
- Optimisation status
Because everything is stored in Google Drive, it’s easy to organise folders by client and keep documentation tidy and accessible.
Why Not Use Something Else?
Here’s the truth: we’ve tried more complex project management systems. They either slowed us down or didn’t offer enough flexibility. Google Docs and Sheets work because:
- They’re fast to load
- They’re easy to share with the team and clients
- They integrate with our existing systems
- They don’t cost extra
Sometimes the simplest solution is also the best one.
3. GoHighLevel
(Our Google Ads and Automation Hub)
When it comes to managing Google Ads for clients, especially at scale, we needed something more powerful than Google Ads Manager alone. Enter GoHighLevel.
It’s one of the newer additions to our tech stack, but it’s already proven to be a game-changer.
Centralised Campaign Management
With GoHighLevel, we can manage ad campaigns for hundreds of clients from a single dashboard. This makes it easy to:
- Monitor performance across accounts
- Compare which ads are working best
- Adjust targeting and budgets quickly
- Detect issues before they become serious problems
Having everything in one place helps us maintain consistency and quality across all our accounts.
Landing Pages Built Right Inside the Platform
One of the key reasons we love GoHighLevel is its built-in landing page builder. When we create Google Ads campaigns, we can quickly build a relevant, high-converting landing page tailored to that specific ad group.
Better landing pages = better Quality Scores = lower cost-per-click.
And because it’s all built inside GoHighLevel, we can test, tweak, and improve landing pages without switching tools or waiting for developers.
Integrated Lead Funnels
GoHighLevel also integrates with all our clients’ other marketing channels:
- Facebook Ads
- Organic SEO
- Google Business Profile
Every lead from every channel gets funnelled into one central dashboard. This makes it easier for our clients to manage their leads and see what’s working (and what’s not).
Automation That Saves Hours of Work
One of the most powerful features of GoHighLevel is its automation workflows. We’ve set up automations to:
- Send welcome emails to new leads
- Notify sales teams of new opportunities
- Trigger follow-ups if a lead doesn’t respond
- Send reminders before bookings
This means our team spends less time on admin and more time optimising campaigns.
If you’re handling multiple ad clients, GoHighLevel is one of the best platforms you can add to your agency.
4. Slack
(Our Internal Communication Lifeline)
Finally, let’s talk about Slack. This is our main tool for day-to-day communication and team collaboration.
When you’re working with a distributed team or even managing multiple departments under one roof, keeping communication streamlined is crucial. Email simply isn’t fast enough, and WhatsApp gets messy.
Real-Time Problem Solving
If a team member runs into an issue—say a page isn’t indexing or a report looks off—they can post in Slack and get immediate help. It’s faster and more efficient than email chains or meetings.
We also use integrations like Google Drive, Calendly, and GoHighLevel notifications to keep everything in sync.
Final Thoughts
These four tools—SearchAtlas, Google Docs/Sheets, GoHighLevel, and Slack—are the backbone of how we run our agency. They’ve helped us:
- Deliver better SEO results
- Manage ad campaigns at scale
- Keep the team organised and on track
- Communicate clearly without confusion
If you’re running or growing a marketing agency, the right tools will save you time, improve your results, and allow you to serve more clients without burning out.
Thanks for reading. If you want more tips on how we run our agency and get consistent leads for our clients, check out the rest of our content. We’ve built a whole series of tutorials to help you grow your business the smart way.