If you’re using Frase to create content and want that work to actually show up in your CRM or marketing automation tools, you’re not alone. Marketers, content managers, and tech leads all run into the same headaches: juggling too many platforms, copy-pasting between tools, and trying to keep everything in sync. This guide is for you if you’re tired of manual busywork and want your systems to just talk to each other (or at least argue less).
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s how to actually connect Frase with your CRM and marketing stack without wasting a week—or your sanity.
1. Know What Frase Can (and Can’t) Integrate With
Before you start, let’s get real about what’s possible. Frase isn’t a full-blown automation platform. It’s a content research and optimization tool with some handy integrations, but it doesn’t natively talk to every CRM or marketing tool out there.
What Frase does well: - Helps you create, optimize, and manage SEO content. - Connects to Google Search Console and WordPress out of the box. - Offers a public API (but it’s limited). - Plays nicely with Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat).
What it doesn’t do: - No deep, plug-and-play integrations with big CRM players like HubSpot, Salesforce, or ActiveCampaign. - No native email marketing automation.
Pro tip: If you’re hoping to avoid using Zapier or custom scripts, lower your expectations. Most real integrations still need a “middleware” like Zapier or Make.
2. Map Out What You Actually Need to Sync
Here’s where a lot of people waste time: trying to sync everything between Frase and their CRM. Don’t do it. Figure out what matters.
Ask yourself: - Do you want content drafts or finalized articles to show up in your CRM? - Are you hoping to trigger an email campaign when a new piece of content goes live? - Do you just want notes, keywords, or briefs to be visible to the sales or marketing team?
Write down the actual workflow.
For example:
- When a Frase article draft is finished, copy the title, summary, and link into a new CRM task for the sales team.
- When a content brief is created, notify marketing via Slack or email.
Get this straight before you touch any integrations. Saves plenty of headaches.
3. Use Zapier (or Make) to Bridge the Gap
Here’s the blunt truth: Most of the time, you’ll need Zapier or Make to get Frase talking to your other tools. Zapier is more popular and generally easier for beginners. Make is a little more flexible and cheaper if you’re automating lots of stuff.
How to set it up:
- Create a Zapier account (if you haven’t already).
- Check Frase’s triggers and actions:
- Frase’s Zapier integration is limited. Usually, the main trigger is when a new document is created or updated.
- Your CRM or marketing tool (like HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, etc.) will have more triggers and actions.
- Build your Zap:
- Start with a Frase trigger (“New Document” or “Document Updated”).
- Add an action (e.g., “Create Task in HubSpot,” “Add Note in Salesforce,” or “Send Email via Mailchimp”).
- Test it. Don’t skip this. Zapier’s “Test” button is your friend.
Things to watch out for: - Frase’s Zapier integration doesn’t support every field—you might only get a document title, summary, and URL. - Formatting can get weird. Sometimes you’ll end up with ugly markdown or missing images. - Delays: Zapier isn’t instant, especially on the free plan.
Pro tip: If your CRM or tool isn’t on Zapier, Make might have it—or you’ll need to use webhooks (more on that below).
4. Tap Into Frase’s API (If You’re Handy With Code)
If you have a developer on hand, or you’re comfortable with basic scripting, Frase does offer an API. It’s not the world’s most robust API, but it can get the job done for pulling documents or pushing content into other tools.
Quick overview:
- Frase API docs are public, but expect minimal hand-holding.
- You can pull document data (title, content, metadata).
- You can’t (as of writing) push updates back into Frase.
How to use the API:
- Get your API key: In Frase, go to your account settings and look for the API section.
- Write a script (Python, Node.js, whatever):
- Use the API to fetch content you want to send to your CRM or marketing tool.
- Use your CRM’s API to create/update records on their side.
- Automate it: Set your script to run on a schedule, or trigger it with a webhook.
Downsides: - More setup time up front. - You’ll have to maintain the code. - If Frase changes its API, you might need to update your script.
This is worth it if:
You want total control, or Zapier just isn’t cutting it.
5. Don’t Forget About Good Old Copy-Paste (Sometimes It’s Fine)
Here’s a secret: Sometimes the best integration is just copying and pasting. Not every workflow needs to be automated, especially if you’re only moving over a couple documents a week or month.
When to just copy-paste: - You’re only syncing a handful of articles. - The format in your CRM is wildly different from what Frase spits out. - You don’t want to manage another integration that might break.
Copy-paste isn’t glamorous, but it’s reliable. Don’t overcomplicate things.
6. Watch Out for Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Integrations can look easy on a vendor’s landing page, but here’s what actually goes wrong:
- Field mismatches: Frase’s content might not fit neatly into your CRM’s fields. You might need to map or clean up data.
- Duplicate entries: If your automation runs multiple times or triggers on updates, you can easily end up with duplicates in your CRM.
- Image and formatting issues: Frase exports in markdown or HTML, but your CRM might only accept plain text.
- API limits: Both Frase and your CRM may have rate limits, especially on cheaper plans.
How to dodge these:
- Always run tests on a throwaway record, not your real leads or clients.
- Start simple—sync only what you need.
- Document what you’ve set up, so you know what to fix if something breaks.
- Set up notifications for integration errors (Zapier and Make both support this).
7. What to Ignore (Unless You Love Tinkering)
Some advice you can skip, unless you’re really into building Rube Goldberg machines:
- Custom browser extensions: These break all the time. Stick to supported integrations.
- Overly complex multi-step automations: If you’re linking Frase → Excel → Slack → CRM → Trello, something will break. Keep it simple.
- Third-party “integration tools” from random vendors: Security is a real concern. Only use trusted platforms.
Summary: Start Small, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
You don’t have to wire up every tool on day one. Start by mapping out the one or two workflows that will actually save you time. If copy-paste works, use it. If you need automation, Zapier or Make cover 90% of cases. Only pull out the API if you have a real reason.
Keep your systems as simple as you can, document what you build, and don’t fall for the myth that everything has to be perfectly integrated. Iterate as you go—your future self will thank you.