LinkedIn tools are essential for professionals aiming to optimize networking, lead generation, and content performance. Choosing between all-in-one platforms like Closely or specialized tools like Taplio and Shield depends on your priorities:
- Closely: Focuses on LinkedIn and email automation with AI-driven personalization for outreach. Ideal for sales teams.
- Taplio: Specializes in LinkedIn content creation, scheduling, and analytics. Perfect for personal branding.
- Shield: Offers in-depth LinkedIn analytics to track performance, audience insights, and competitor benchmarks.
Each tool serves distinct needs, so your choice should align with your goals – whether it’s automation, content creation, or analytics.
Quick Comparison
| Feature/Tool | Closely | Taplio | Shield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Purpose | LinkedIn & email automation | LinkedIn content creation | LinkedIn analytics |
| Key Features | AI personalization, multi-channel campaigns | AI-driven post suggestions, scheduling | Advanced performance tracking |
| Best For | Sales teams, lead generation | Content creators, personal branding | Analytics-focused users |
| Starting Price | $49/month | $39/month | $29/month |
This comparison highlights how each platform excels in its area, helping you decide based on your priorities.
Closely vs Prosp: Comparing Best LinkedIn Outreach Automation Tools
1. Closely
Closely is a LinkedIn and email automation platform that uses AI-powered personalization to make multi-channel outreach more efficient. It simplifies the prospecting process by handling everything from finding leads to running campaigns and tracking results.
Outreach Automation
Closely automates LinkedIn outreach and integrates it with email campaigns, allowing users to connect multiple LinkedIn accounts and use unlimited email accounts. This makes it easier for teams to scale their outreach efforts. Key automation features include sending connection requests, follow-up messages, and coordinating email sequences.
The platform’s AI-driven personalization tailors messages based on prospect data and behavior. This has led to impressive results: a 35% increase in response rates, 45% more pipeline opportunities, and a time savings of 20 hours per week compared to manual outreach methods [1].
Closely also offers data enrichment tools that automatically find verified email addresses and phone numbers, cutting down on lead research time. A unified inbox consolidates replies from LinkedIn and email, making it easier to manage all prospect interactions in one place. These automation tools work seamlessly with the platform’s performance tracking features.
Analytics & Performance Tracking
Closely doesn’t just automate outreach – it also provides detailed analytics to help users measure and improve their campaigns. With its performance tracking tools, you can gain insights into how your campaigns are performing and adjust your strategies accordingly. These insights are especially useful for sales teams looking to refine their outreach efforts [2].
"Closely is a powerful tool for anyone looking to enhance their sales engagement. The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible even for those who are not tech-savvy." – Antonio D., Digital Strategist & Coach [1]
Analytics options depend on the plan you choose. The Basic plan covers essential reporting, while the Pro plan includes more advanced insights [2].
Pricing
Closely offers four pricing plans to fit different team sizes and needs:
| Plan | Monthly Price | LinkedIn Accounts | Credits | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $49 | 1 | 1,000 | Unlimited email accounts, white-label included |
| Growth | $127 | 3 | 3,000 | Enhanced team collaboration features |
| Essential | $205 | 5 | 5,000 | Advanced automation capabilities |
| Custom | $350 | 10 | Custom | Full feature access with custom limitations |
The credit system supports a variety of activities, such as email sends, phone lookups, and AI personalizations. For example, 1,000 credits can be used for 250 emails, 50 phone lookups, or 500 AI personalizations. All plans include white-label options, CRM integrations, webhooks for custom workflows, team management tools, and 24-hour support. Higher-tier plans also provide access to dedicated customer success managers to help maximize campaign success.
2. Taplio
Taplio stands out by focusing exclusively on LinkedIn content creation and scheduling, steering clear of broader automation tools. It’s designed to help users build their personal brand on LinkedIn through AI-driven content creation, post scheduling, and engagement tracking. By emphasizing organic growth through consistent posting and community interaction, Taplio provides tools tailored for impactful content creation and performance monitoring.
Content Creation & Scheduling
Taplio simplifies LinkedIn content creation with AI-powered tools that include post templates, a large inspiration library, and automated scheduling. The platform’s library of viral posts offers fresh ideas, while its AI analyzes trending topics and provides suggestions based on industry-specific insights. Users can schedule posts across multiple time zones, planning weeks or months ahead to maintain a steady presence on LinkedIn.
For visual content, Taplio includes carousel makers and video editing tools designed specifically for LinkedIn’s format. These features allow users to create polished, professional visuals without needing separate design software. Additionally, the platform optimizes content formatting to boost engagement on LinkedIn.
Analytics & Performance Tracking
Taplio goes beyond basic LinkedIn insights, offering detailed analytics to fine-tune your strategy. It tracks metrics like post performance, engagement rates, follower growth, and optimal posting times. Users can also identify top-performing posts and engagement patterns to refine future content.
The platform’s competitor tracking feature allows users to compare their performance with industry leaders, offering valuable benchmarking opportunities. Weekly and monthly reports summarize key metrics and highlight growth trends, making it easier to track progress.
Profile analytics dive deeper, providing data on profile views, connection requests, and follower demographics. This helps users better understand their audience and create more targeted content. The platform also tracks the performance of LinkedIn polls, events, and newsletter subscriptions, giving users a complete view of their LinkedIn activity.
Pricing
Taplio offers three pricing tiers to suit a range of needs:
| Plan | Monthly Price | LinkedIn Accounts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $39 | 1 | Basic scheduling, content templates, analytics |
| Standard | $55 | 1 | Advanced analytics, AI content suggestions, competitor tracking |
| Pro | $149 | 5 | Team collaboration, advanced scheduling, priority support |
The Starter plan is ideal for individual users starting their LinkedIn journey, providing essential scheduling and analytics features. The Standard plan steps it up with AI-driven content suggestions and deeper analytics, catering to serious content creators. For agencies or larger teams managing multiple accounts, the Pro plan supports collaboration and advanced features.
Annual subscriptions are available, offering around 20% savings compared to monthly billing.
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3. Shield
Shield is all about LinkedIn analytics and performance monitoring. Unlike tools that focus on creating content or automating outreach, Shield zeroes in on providing detailed insights into your LinkedIn activity. It helps professionals track their network growth, engagement trends, and overall performance on the platform. Essentially, it’s like having a dedicated analytics dashboard tailored specifically for LinkedIn.
Analytics & Performance Tracking
Shield’s standout feature is its ability to deliver advanced analytics that go well beyond LinkedIn’s built-in tools. It tracks detailed metrics like connection growth, post engagement, and profile performance. You can see insights into your network’s quality, industry representation, and even where your connections are located geographically. Plus, Shield breaks down engagement rates for different post types – whether it’s text, images, videos, or carousels – so you can figure out what resonates most with your audience. All of this data is presented in clear, easy-to-read visualizations.
Another handy feature is competitive benchmarking. Shield lets you compare your LinkedIn performance against industry standards or even specific competitors. You’ll get weekly and monthly reports that highlight critical stats like profile views, post impressions, and engagement rates. Businesses can also track their LinkedIn company pages, making Shield a valuable tool for managing a corporate presence on the platform.
Shield doesn’t stop at just showing you stats. It offers profile optimization tips based on your performance data. For example, it can suggest the best times to post based on when your audience is most active or recommend hashtags and keywords that could boost your engagement.
Pricing
Shield keeps its pricing simple and focused on analytics and monitoring:
| Plan | Monthly Price | Profiles | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $29 | 1 | Basic analytics, performance tracking, monthly reports |
| Professional | $59 | 3 | Advanced analytics, competitor tracking, optimization recommendations |
| Team | $119 | 10 | Team dashboards, bulk reporting, priority support |
The Individual plan is ideal for solo users who want more detailed insights than LinkedIn’s native analytics can offer. The Professional plan is a step up, providing tools for competitive analysis and more advanced tracking, making it a great fit for consultants or serious LinkedIn users. The Team plan caters to agencies and larger organizations, offering collaborative features and the ability to manage multiple profiles with ease.
If you’re looking to save, Shield offers annual billing with about 15% off compared to monthly payments. Plus, there’s a 14-day free trial for all plans, so you can test out the platform’s features before committing.
Shield’s robust analytics make it a key addition to any LinkedIn strategy, offering valuable insights to fine-tune your approach. Next, we’ll dive into a detailed look at its pros and cons.
Pros and Cons Comparison
Here’s a closer look at the strengths and challenges of Closely, highlighting its standout features and areas that may require a bit more consideration.
Pros
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive Automation | Handles LinkedIn and email outreach from one platform, simplifying campaign management. |
| AI-Powered Personalization | Leverages data like company names and job titles to craft personalized outreach messages. |
| Multi-Channel Campaigns | Combines LinkedIn and email sequences for a cohesive multi-touch engagement strategy. |
| Data Enrichment Tools | Includes features like verified email and phone finders to speed up lead enrichment. |
| White-Label Options | Perfect for agencies, allowing them to manage multiple client brands under one platform. |
| Unified Inbox | Consolidates all conversations into one dashboard, making it easier to track and manage replies. |
While these features make Closely a robust tool, there are a few challenges to keep in mind.
Cons
| Consideration | Detail |
|---|---|
| Learning Curve | The platform’s advanced features can require more time to set up and adapt to initially. |
| Credit-Based System | Premium features like email verification and AI-powered personalization use monthly credits, so monitoring usage is essential. |
| Pricing | The cost may feel high for users who only need basic functionalities. |
| LinkedIn Account Limits | Some plans restrict the number of LinkedIn accounts you can connect. |
Additional Considerations
Closely’s integrated approach not only streamlines outreach but also reduces the need for juggling multiple tools. Its CRM integrations and webhook support make it easy to connect with your existing sales tools, while team management features provide scalability for collaboration. Although the platform’s extensive capabilities might require an initial adjustment period, its ability to automate tasks, personalize outreach, and manage campaigns in one place offers a strong long-term payoff.
Conclusion
Closely brings together everything you need for LinkedIn outreach into one streamlined dashboard. With plans starting at $49/month, it automates lead generation through AI-driven personalization while combining LinkedIn and email campaigns, data enrichment, and performance tracking. This integration eliminates the need for juggling multiple tools, making it a practical choice for today’s sales teams.
For larger operations, the Custom plan ($350/month) allows up to 10 LinkedIn accounts, offering scalability for growing teams. Plus, its credit-based system for premium features like AI personalization ensures you only pay for what you actually use.
When considering your workflow needs, Closely stands out if sales automation and lead generation are your priorities. It covers the entire outreach process – from finding prospects to converting them – while saving time and effort. Although there’s a learning curve, the payoff is a more efficient and results-oriented outreach strategy.
What sets Closely apart is its ability to consolidate your LinkedIn management tools into one powerful, easy-to-use platform, simplifying the complex processes outlined earlier without requiring additional specialized software.
FAQs
How does Closely’s AI-powered personalization enhance LinkedIn outreach, and what results can users expect?
Closely uses AI-driven personalization to transform LinkedIn outreach into a more effective and engaging process. By analyzing how prospects interact and crafting messages tailored to their preferences, it helps build genuine connections that lead to higher response rates and stronger engagement.
In fact, users have seen impressive results: response rates have increased by as much as 50%, and reply rates have climbed by 35%. By sending highly relevant, personalized messages, Closely not only improves connection success but also simplifies the sales process, saving valuable time and delivering stronger outcomes.
What are the differences between Closely’s pricing plans, and how do they meet the needs of various team sizes?
Closely provides four pricing plans tailored to fit different team sizes and outreach needs: Starter, Growth, Essential, and Enterprise. The Starter and Growth plans are well-suited for smaller teams or solo professionals, while the Enterprise plan caters to larger organizations with advanced requirements and greater capacity.
Each plan comes with a unique set of features, usage limits, and support options, allowing businesses to select a package that matches their specific goals. This flexible structure makes it easy to adjust as your team expands or your outreach demands change.
How does Closely work with other sales tools, and how does it improve a sales team’s efficiency?
Closely works effortlessly with popular sales tools and CRM systems, ensuring data moves smoothly between platforms. This integration cuts out the hassle of manual data entry, minimizes errors, and keeps your sales pipeline current in real time.
By automating repetitive tasks and offering a single, unified view of sales activities, Closely helps teams spend more time building relationships and closing deals. The outcome? Streamlined workflows, stronger collaboration between sales and marketing, and a noticeable increase in overall productivity.