Austin—OutboundEngine, an Austin, TX-based company that makes business development software, has raised $16 million in Series C funding.

The round was led by S3 Ventures, with participation from Silverton Partners, Noro-Moseley, Harmony Partners, Altos Ventures, and Capital Factory.

The company says it will use the money to hire additional software developers, as well as marketing staff to develop new product features and expand into other sectors such as accounting and healthcare. With the Series C round, OutboundEngine has raised a total of $33.8 million. The company had previously raised $11 million and $6.8 million in earlier funding rounds in the last four years.

OutboundEngine makes software that automates marketing duties for small businesses such as real estate agents, electricians, and plumbers. The company creates content for the businesses while also managing e-mail and social media channels online and on mobile devices. Customers have options to request quotes, refer friends, and schedule services on a site customized for them.

The idea, says CEO Branndon Stewart, is to give customers tools designed to build and nurture customer relationships and prospects.

The company reports that it now has more than 7,500 customers, who spend about $200 a month for the service. OutboundEngine is looking to expand beyond e-mail and social media management to include a more personalized service that leverages artificial intelligence to further customize its software for customers.

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