The widespread adoption of generative AI (gen AI) brings us to a point in marketing where we are overwhelmed with data. Ironically, this abundance is hindering our ability to create truly data-driven campaigns.
The truth is: Big data is useless until we effectively collect, analyze, and take actions from it. Moreover, we need to do it quickly as gen AI becomes more and more integrated into business processes. It tells us: Keep up with its lightspeed production, or get left behind.
To help you get started, we've compiled a list of some of the most efficient and easily scalable tools. Delve into the advantages of each, find pricing information, and tips for selecting the best fit for your organization.
1. involve.me
Category: Form, survey, quiz and interactive content builder
This is one of the most versatile tools on this list as it does everything from data collection to leveraging AI-powered analytics for creating detailed reports.
With involve.me, you can build various kinds of interactive content. This includes quizzes, surveys, forms, and calculators to name a few.
Here are some types of data you can collect using involve.me:
Basic Information: Collect standard information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses.
Multiple Choice Responses: Gather user preferences, opinions, or feedback through multiple-choice questions.
Text Responses: Allow users to provide detailed responses in their own words through open-ended text questions.
File Uploads: Enable users to upload files or documents, useful for tasks like receiving resumes or project submissions.
Rating Scales: Gauge user satisfaction or opinions using rating scales, helpful for feedback or reviews.
Payment Information: Integrate payment features to collect transaction details for products or services.
Dates and Times: Capture specific dates and times, useful for scheduling appointments or events.
Location Information: Use geo-location features to collect data related to users' physical locations.
Scores and Results: Create quizzes or assessments and collect scores or results based on user interactions.
You can build interactive content easily with involve.me – they have a rich library of templates that are effective, professional, and highly customizable.
You can also use involve.me's AI-powered form builder to generate your first form:
Create your form with AI
Just paste your URL & click generate
Key Features of involve.me
AI Form Builder: Craft dynamic and user-friendly forms with ease.
AI Reports: Access detailed insights and analytics powered by AI.
Conditional Logic: Create dynamic forms that adapt based on user input.
Native Integrations: Connect with popular platforms like Notion, Google Docs, HubSpot, and more.
Integrated Payment Solutions: Accept payments with built-in solutions.
Automated Email Responses: Improve communication with automated emails triggered upon form completion.
Involve.me Pricing Information
If you want to give it a test run, involve.me offers a free trial for a certain time period. After that, you can avail of the Pro plan for $59 per month, or Business and Agency plans for $129 and $199 per month, respectively.
2. SurveySparrow
Category: Survey builder
SurveySparrow, much like involve.me, lets you build surveys with the help of AI. By simply entering a prompt you get intuitive and conversational forms.
It also combines data from feedback scraped from online reviews. With its AI analytics, it then processes the data collected from scraped online reviews and your enterprise or net promoter score (NPS) surveys to deliver insights that help you better understand your customers.
All-in-all, SurveySparrow is a tool built for customer insight development and understanding. It even lets us create customer journey maps, thereby painting a clear picture of how they transact and where.
That said, we can take advantage of this tool mainly for customer experience optimization and even product development.
Key Features of SurveySparrow
QR code, SMS, widget, web link, and email sharing options.
Automation for recurring surveys & reminder emails.
NPS surveys and sentiment analysis.
SurveySparrow Pricing Information
Pricing information for their portfolio of solutions isn’t available. You will need to book a consultation with their sales team to discover a package most suitable for your budget.
3. Typeform
Category: Survey builder
If you want simple, straightforward, yet stunning forms, Typeform is a good choice for data collection. Apart from leveraging AI technology to build conversational forms, one of the key strengths of this product is the simplicity of its UX.
This makes adoption and scaling quick and easy, especially if we’re aiming to get responses and develop insights about our customers fast. However, one downside of this tool is that it only collects and organizes your data. Analysis and development are yet to be powered by AI.
Key Features of Typeform
AI-powered form, survey, and quiz builder.
Customization covers form layout, design, and survey domain.
Seamless integration with project and lead management tools.
Typeform Pricing Information
Typeform’s bare minimum features can be accessed for free and it offers four pricing tiers to use more advanced features and expand the number of allowable responses.
The Basic, Pro, and Business plans can be availed at $25, $50, and $83 per month, billed annually. A consultation with their sales team is needed to determine the costs of their Enterprise tier.
4. Responsly
Category: Survey builder
This is another survey, form, quiz, and poll generator that leverages AI technology from the building phase to data processing and analysis. With it you can:
Automatically generate and adjust questions based on previous responses
Optimize surveys for different devices
Customize the layout of your surveys
Marketing it as an experience optimization tool, Responsly also offers products that help you design better customer, employee, and product experiences. It offers Customer Heaven, Office Harmony, and Product Hero as add-ons to your Reponsly subscription.
Although purchasing these is not required to generate surveys and insights via Responsly, it does aid in strategizing for experience optimization in the specified category. Customer Heaven, for example, combines collected data from Responsly surveys with online sentiment analysis data to generate recommended actions for improving customer experience.
Key Features of Responsly
AI-powered survey generator
AI-powered analytics with a reporting dashboard
Website and/or app integration and embedding for surveys
Responsly Pricing Information
Access to this tool comes free for seven days. After this period, you will need to pay $49, $79, and $159 per month to access their Essential, Professional, and Enterprise solutions, respectively.
It is important to note as well that all paid subscriptions automatically come with an AI assistant.
5. SurveyMonkey
Category: Survey builder
Having been in the industry of survey building for over 25 years, SurveyMonkey is an unquestionable pillar of AI data collection tools.
Using the data banked from over millions of survey questions, responses, and layouts, it has trained its AI survey builder to develop accurate and effective surveys with just one prompt.
Key Features of SurveyMonkey
Removes poor-quality responses so you focus on relevant information.
Sentiment analysis of responses to better understand the nature of answers.
Insights based on patterns and trends analyzed from responses.
SurveyMonkey Pricing Information
SurveyMonkey offers a variety of pricing tiers for different types of users. Individual plans can be paid at a standard rate of $23 a month.
For team accounts, on the other hand, SurveyMonkey charges each member that uses the tool on a monthly basis. Team Premier costs around $40 per month.
6. Qualtrics
Category: Data scraper and aggregator
If you’re a brand that does omnichannel marketing, Qualtrics is one of the most robust data collection tools you can have in your arsenal. As an experience management solution, Qualtrics offers a suite of AI-powered capabilities to help optimize your brand experience.
On top of collecting and analyzing your website data, a vast network of partners that offer their unique domain expertise helps Qualtrics create insights on improving customer experience.
Their tool gives experience insights not just for marketing and sales customers, but also for internal customers – a feature that HR practitioners can take advantage of for better employee engagement strategies.
Admittedly, however, this tool may mostly benefit enterprises that are present in a plethora of both online and offline touch points. It would be hard to justify its applicability to startups or small-to-medium enterprises with a limited reach and presence.
Key Features of Qualtrics:
A vast network of partners spanning e-commerce and market research companies.
AI-powered data analytics that processes both qualitative and quantitative data.
Product suite for different functional teams like marketing, HR, and research.
Qualtrics Pricing Information
Pricing information is not disclosed on the website. Booking a demo with their sales team is needed to determine costs for their platform.
7. Tactic
Category: Website data scraper
Tactic is one of the most powerful website scrapers in the market today. Used by both Fortune 500 companies and startups alike, it’s a robust platform that helps businesses streamline their pipelines to maximize revenue.
Compared to involve.me or other survey builders, website scrapers like Tactic don’t directly engage with nor collect data from your audiences. Tactic, specifically, indexes the entire internet and processes that data to give us a full picture of our total addressable market.
Their processing covers a vast range of data – from news articles about a prospect down to job openings and annual reports – to give insights into their propensity to buy, triggers, and intent. Basically, it tells us which leads to prioritize and when is the right time to talk to them.
Key Features of Tactic
Global, multilingual coverage for scraping.
Comes with executive reporting, and data consulting services.
Scalable, flexible, and user-friendly.
Tactic Pricing Information
Information is available only after booking a demo with their team of experts.
8. Polymer
Category: Website data scraper
Polymer functions like Tactic, albeit to a much limited degree, to collect, process, and analyze data from various data sources and crucial customer touch points. These include e-commerce touchpoints like Shopify, website performance data from GA4, and social media sites like Meta’s Facebook. You can even manually update existing data that you’ve organized in an Excel or Sheets file.
After collecting data, Polymer would then leverage its AI analytics to process and present it in dashboards that update automatically. This is helpful especially when we report key results of our efforts to internal and external stakeholders on a regular basis.
Key Features of Polymer
Integrates with various customer touch points.
Processes and presents data in automated dashboards.
No-code reporting.
Polymer Pricing Information
A 14-day trial period is available for the initial testing of Polymer. After that, you can either opt for the Starter or Pro packages for $10 and $20, respectively. Custom pricing is also available after consulting with their experts.
9. Databar.ai
Category: Website data scraper
Boasting over 120 data providers, Databar.ai is, no doubt, a powerful data collection tool. Functioning more as a data scraping tool, it virtually eliminates the need to manually search for prospects, thereby optimizing the research aspect of lead generation.
The tool features a user interface that looks similar to Google Sheets, making navigation familiar and almost intuitive for most users.
Databar.ai also has a Chrome extension that allows users to scrape website information for free.
Key Features of Databar.ai
Automate the scraping process.
Chrome extension for free data scraping.
Google Sheets and Coda Extension for seamless data extraction.
Databar.ai Pricing Information
No pricing information is visible on the page. You will need to get in touch with their sales team to learn about the cost of the tool.
10. Webscrape.ai
Category: Website data scraper
In terms of functionality, Webscrape.ai offers the same data scraping capabilities as Databar.ai.
The key difference is that its processes and offerings are more convenient. Compared to the latter, Webscrape.ai only needs a URL and specific data gathering parameters to pull the information you need.
You would then be able to export these into a sheet that you can save to local files or on your Google Sheets. While it allows you to automate the data collection process, it does not, however, provide you with AI-powered analysis and insights.
Key Features of Webscrape.ai
No-code automation for data collection.
Simple and straightforward data collection process.
Webscrape.ai Pricing Information
After a seven-day free trial, Webscrape.ai will start billing you $47 per month and $89 per month for the Pro and Bulk tiers, respectively.
AI Tools For Data Collection – An Important Leading Edge
The widespread adoption of generative AI holds great economic potential in 2024 and beyond. McKinsey’s research estimates that generative AI could add the equivalent of $2.6 trillion to $4.4 trillion annually, effectively piling onto the impact of all artificial intelligence by 15 to 40 percent. (see chart below)
In learning and development, AI can improve experiences for learners. For example, language learning apps like Duolingo and Ling use AI for voice recognition and personalized learning paths. These features, according to Ling’s founder Simon Bacher, are offering innovative approaches to teaching that better engage learners, resulting in “better absorption and retention of learnings overall.”
From the agency side, DesignRush’s managing director Gianluca Ferruggia, and his team report that AI is used for nearly every part of the marketing process. According to them, agencies use gen AI to create content for client websites. They also use non-generative AI for automating programmatic ad bidding, aiming to optimize for cost-efficiency and better targeting.
For the retail and consumer packaged goods industry, McKinsey suggests that the generated value could range from $400 billion to $660 billion per year.
Aside from these estimated growth values, AI currently benefits companies in several ways:
1. Precision in Targeting:
AI-driven tools excel at analyzing vast datasets to identify nuanced patterns in user behavior. This precision allows for hyper-targeting of audience segments with personalized content, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates. In an increasingly saturated online space, accurate resonance with the right audience is vital for attracting new customers.
2. Anticipating Customer Needs:
Predictive analytics enables businesses to anticipate customer needs before they are explicitly expressed. By analyzing historical data and identifying patterns, marketers can tailor their strategies to align with evolving customer preferences. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also positions businesses as industry leaders in anticipating market trends.
3. Automating Repetitive Tasks:
AI frees up time for various departments within an organization by automating manual data analysis and other processes. This saved time can be redirected towards developing strategic initiatives. From automating email campaigns to optimizing ad spend, AI tools bring efficiency and speed to marketing workflows, ensuring that efforts are data-driven and aligned with overarching business goals.
Key Considerations For Decision-Makers
While the advantages of AI-powered tools are clear, not everyone shares the same perspective on adopting them. Concerns about job security, among other issues, are frequently raised by stakeholders, leading to skepticism when leaders mention it.
The story wasn’t so different for Doorloop, not too long ago. And it's highly likely that you'll face similar sentiments when broaching the topic within your organization. Today, Loopers benefit from the ease AI brings to their work. However, reaching this point demanded leaders to consider and address certain factors, such as:
Integration With Existing Systems
The smooth integration of AI tools with existing marketing stacks is crucial for maximizing their impact. Decision-makers should assess how well a tool aligns with the organization's current infrastructure, ensuring it complements rather than disrupts established workflows.
Before choosing an AI data collection tool, take stock of your current tool stack and compare it with the integrations offered by the data tool (usually available on the product site). If it aligns with the majority of your tool stack, adopting the technology within your organization becomes much smoother.
If not, there's a risk of wasting time and resources adapting to an AI tool that isn't a good match with our existing ones.
Scalability And Flexibility
AI tools should not only meet our current business needs but also scale seamlessly as requirements evolve. Scalability is crucial, ensuring the tools can handle growing data volumes and complexity as the business expands.
When assessing the scalability of a tool, consider questions such as:
- How many departments and individuals can benefit from using this tool?
- To what extent does this tool improve productivity?
- What resources are available to facilitate onboarding and learning of the tool?
AI tools are a significant investment, so it's vital to strategize how to maximize their use for day-to-day operations and productivity.
If scaling the integration poses too many challenges for your organization, collaborating with AI-empowered companies is a viable option. In such cases, check if these companies are highly regarded in the industry, with a proven track record of excellent client servicing and delivering results.
Final Thoughts
AI will be most beneficial in the realms of rapid testing, measurement, and iteration, driving innovation for businesses.
You can begin streamlining your workflows by using the data collection tools highlighted in this guide. With their unique capabilities, leverage AI data collection tools to drive growth through data-driven decision-making.
