Smart Insights
Smart Insights is a UK-based digital marketing intelligence platform that sells the proprietary RACE Growth System, ten specialized toolkits, and 200+ editable templates via a freemium subscription model to individual marketers, in-house teams, and agencies across 170+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersLeeds, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Smart Insights does
Smart Insights (Marketing Intelligence) Limited is a UK-registered digital marketing intelligence platform founded in 2010 by Dr. Dave Chaffey and Stuart Miller and headquartered at 1 Aire Street, Leeds. The company sells a structured methodology for digital marketing planning and optimization built around its proprietary RACE Growth System, which combines the RACE Planning Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage) with the RACE OSA improvement process (Opportunity, Strategy, Action). Around this framework, Smart Insights has assembled a product suite of ten specialized toolkits (covering digital strategy, campaign planning, content, email, social, SEO, digital experience, Google Analytics, and paid media), more than 200 editable templates, e-learning learning paths, and downloadable PDF guides such as the 131-page 7 Steps to Digital Marketing Strategy. The RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard integrates the Google Analytics API and Google Data Studio to deliver monthly performance reporting.
The business operates on a freemium and content-led go-to-market model. A free membership tier (email registration only) provides access to selected templates and the blog, converting into paid Learner, Starter, and Professional subscriptions with monthly or annual billing and auto-renewal, alongside one-time purchases of individual toolkits and guides through the shop.smartinsights.com storefront. Distribution is entirely digital and self-serve: the company website, blog, email newsletters, and social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram) drive organic acquisition; no third-party reseller or partnership channel is disclosed. Pricing tiers are not publicly disclosed, and no public-facing API or SDK exists.
Smart Insights serves three primary customer segments: individual marketers and SMBs, in-house marketing teams at medium-to-large companies, and marketing agencies and consultants; enterprise brands are addressed as a secondary segment. The company claims over 100,000 business customers, 165,000+ consultants/agencies/entrepreneurs/SMBs served, and presence in 170+ countries, with named testimonials from Honeywell, The Weather Channel, O'Neills, DUQM Refinery, Blue Grapes Innovative Marketing, and InnerTrends. The business is privately held by its two co-founders with no external funding, no parent company, and no institutional investors disclosed.
Smart Insights firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smart Insights
- Legal name
- Smart Insights (Marketing Intelligence) Limited
- Website
- https://smartinsights.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Smart Insights is a UK-based digital marketing intelligence platform that sells the proprietary RACE Growth System, ten specialized toolkits, and 200+ editable templates via a freemium subscription model to individual marketers, in-house teams, and agencies across 170+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smart Insights industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Marketing Resources
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Recommendation & Discovery Engines (content/product) (BPAMAAAG)
Keywords
Where Smart Insights is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leeds
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smart Insights business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Memberships: Three-tier membership model (Free, Learner, Starter/Professional) providing recurring subscription revenue. Members pay monthly or annually for access to premium content, toolkits, templates, and e-learning resources.
- Individual Toolkit Sales: One-time purchases of individual toolkits and templates through the online store without requiring a subscription.
- Digital Marketing Guides: Sale of individual downloadable PDF guides such as the 7 Steps to Digital Marketing Strategy guide (131 pages).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free membership with basic access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Learner membership for individual access |
| Subscription | Annual | Starter/Professional membership for teams |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Smart Insights product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smart Insights is a digital marketing intelligence platform that sells marketing planning resources organized around its proprietary RACE Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage). The company offers 10 specialized toolkits covering digital strategy, campaign planning, content marketing, email marketing, SEO, social media, digital experience, Google Analytics, and paid media, along with downloadable templates, e-learning modules, the RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard (Google Analytics-integrated reporting), and PDF strategy guides. Resources are sold via individual purchases, freemium membership, and team/company subscriptions.
Product overview
Smart Insights is a digital marketing intelligence platform offering a portfolio of marketing planning resources organized around the RACE Growth System framework. The core offering consists of the RACE Framework (a marketing planning methodology covering Reach, Act, Convert, Engage stages) combined with the OSA improvement process (Opportunity, Strategy, Action). The product portfolio includes 10 specialized toolkits covering digital strategy, campaign planning, social media, email marketing, SEO, digital experience, Google Analytics, and paid media. Additional products include downloadable PDF guides (like the 7 Steps to Digital Marketing Strategy Guide), the ChatGPT Prompt Cheatsheet for AI-assisted marketing planning, and Learning Paths combining e-learning with templates. Resources are available through free membership, paid individual memberships (Learner, Starter), and Professional/Enterprise subscriptions. The RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard provides analytics integration using Google Analytics API and Google Data Studio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RACE Growth System The core planning and optimization framework combining the RACE Planning Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage) with the OSA improvement process (Opportunity, Strategy, Action) to help marketers plan, manage, and optimize digital marketing activities.
- RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard
Quantifiable outcome
- Tenfold improvements in digital marketing results reported by customers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Smart Insights
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Smart Insights technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Smart Insights partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Smart Insights competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MarketingProfs: Marketing training, education, and resource platform for B2B marketers. Comparable to Smart Insights in offering courses, templates, and a PRO membership model targeting marketing professionals.
- Content Marketing Institute (CMI): Leading content marketing education and training organization offering events, certifications, and resources. Comparable as a content-driven marketing education platform serving similar SMB and enterprise audiences.
- CXL: Conversion optimization and digital marketing training platform offering courses, certifications, and frameworks. Comparable as a subscription-based marketing education resource targeting practitioners and agencies.
- Digital Marketing Institute (DMI): Global digital marketing certification body offering accredited courses and membership programs. Comparable in providing structured digital marketing learning pathways and professional credentials.
- HubSpot Academy: Free marketing, sales, and customer service training and certification platform from HubSpot. Comparable as a content-led marketing education resource, though bundled with HubSpot's broader software ecosystem.
- Moz: SEO software and education company offering tools, the Moz Blog, and learning resources. Comparable as a specialist digital marketing platform combining paid tools with content-led learning.
- Ahrefs: SEO and digital marketing tool suite with a large free educational content library and blog. Comparable as a content-driven marketing intelligence platform serving both SMB and enterprise customers.
Broad incumbents
- SEMrush: Broader digital marketing platform offering SEO, PPC, content, and competitive research tools with educational resources. Comparable as a marketing intelligence platform but at significantly greater scale and broader scope.
- Hootsuite: Established social media management platform with an education arm (Hootsuite Academy). Comparable as a social media marketing resource and training provider, though operating as a broader SaaS incumbent.
Emerging players
- Copyblogger: Content marketing education and copywriting resource platform. Comparable as a content-led digital marketing education site, though smaller in scope and focused on content/copywriting specifically.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smart Insights social profiles
Digital presenceSmart Insights financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smart Insights leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Smart Insights funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smart Insights M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smart Insights
What does Smart Insights do?
Smart Insights is a digital marketing intelligence platform that sells marketing planning resources organized around its proprietary RACE Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage). The company offers 10 specialized toolkits covering digital strategy, campaign planning, content marketing, email marketing, SEO, social media, digital experience, Google Analytics, and paid media, along with downloadable templates, e-learning modules, the RACE Digital Marketing Dashboard (Google Analytics-integrated reporting), and PDF strategy guides. Resources are sold via individual purchases, freemium membership, and team/company subscriptions.
Is Smart Insights a public or private company?
Smart Insights is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smart Insights founded?
Smart Insights was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Smart Insights based?
Smart Insights is headquartered in Leeds, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Smart Insights make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Memberships are the primary driver. The others are individual Toolkit Sales and digital Marketing Guides.
Who are Smart Insights's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MarketingProfs, Content Marketing Institute (CMI), CXL, Digital Marketing Institute (DMI), HubSpot Academy, Moz and Ahrefs. Broad incumbents are SEMrush and Hootsuite. Copyblogger is listed as an emerging player.
Does Smart Insights have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smart Insights.
What industry is Smart Insights in?
Smart Insights's product category is Digital Marketing Resources. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAAAG, Recommendation & Discovery Engines (content/product). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.