Social media has become an indispensable part of any successful marketing strategy today. However, managing multiple social media accounts and keeping up with constantly updating platforms can be extremely time-consuming for businesses. This is where social media management tools come in very handy.
Social media management tools enable you to efficiently manage all your social media accounts and campaigns from one centralized dashboard. They automate mundane tasks like scheduling posts, analyzing performance data and collaborating with team members. This frees you up to focus more on creating engaging content and devising social media campaigns that deliver real business impact.
But with so many options to choose from, how do you determine the best social media management tool for your business? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the key features to look for and the top tools on the market right now. Let‘s get started!
What is a Social Media Management Tool?
A social media management tool is software that allows you to manage, analyze and engage with your social media presence from one place. Key features typically include:
- Centralized dashboard to access all connected social accounts
- Content scheduling and automation
- In-depth analytics and reporting
- Team collaboration tools
- Audience engagement capabilities
These tools aim to save time, improve efficiency and provide valuable insights to optimize your social media efforts.
Benefits of Using a Social Media Management Tool
Here are some of the major reasons businesses should invest in a social media management platform:
Saves Time – Scheduling content in advance and automating repetitive tasks frees up several hours each week. You can invest this time in high-value work like content creation.
Improves Efficiency – Manage multiple accounts from one intuitive dashboard instead of constantly switching between platforms. Streamlined workflows make collaboration more productive.
Provides Valuable Insights – Robust analytics give data-driven insights to refine social media efforts. Identify high-performing content types and platforms.
Increases Audience Engagement – Tools facilitate interacting with followers at scale. Respond to conversations in real-time. Drive more conversions.
Optimizes Campaigns – See what content resonates best with your audience. Double down on what works. Tweak or eliminate what doesn‘t.
The right social media tool provides immense value in streamlining your marketing operations and amplifying business growth.
Top 7 Social Media Management Tools for Business
With a crowded marketplace, reviewing all the options yourself can get overwhelming. So based on market research and first-hand usage experience, here is my roundup of the top seven social media management tools for businesses:
1. Sprout Social
Sprout Social tops my list for its intuitive user interface, powerful analytics and collaboration features. It supports social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and more.
Key features include:
- Unified inbox to manage conversations
- Comprehensive analytics and reports
- Robust collaboration tools
- Advanced audience engagement capabilities
- Integration with CRM and help desk systems
Suitable for solopreneurs to large enterprises, Sprout Social is easy to use yet packed with features to scale social media efforts. Pricing starts from $99 per user / month. They offer a 30 day free trial.
2. Hootsuite
Hootsuite is another highly popular platform used by over 18 million users worldwide. It allows you to handle 35+ social networks from one dashboard itself.
Standout features of Hootsuite:
- Social media monitoring across unlimited accounts and users
- 200+ app integrations via App Directory
- Scheduled messages with queue prioritization
- Customized reports and dashboards
Hootsuite offers a forever free plan for basic usage. Paid plans start from $29 per month. It‘s a great fit for social media teams thanks to stellar collaboration tools.
3. Agorapulse
For user-friendly interface and social inbox management, Agorapulse is a great choice. It works with key global networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Why businesses love Agorapulse:
- Single unified inbox for messages
- Easy-to-use team workflows
- Hundreds of post templates
- Schedule posts up to 6 months in advance
- Powerful social listening capabilities
Pricing is all-inclusive without any hidden charges. Plans start from $99 per month. 7-day free trial available.
4. Buffer
With features tailored for solopreneurs and small businesses, Buffer makes social media management accessible and affordable. Post to major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram.
Notable aspects of Buffer:
- Free plan available (with limited features)
- Drag-and-drop scheduling interface
- In-depth analytics for data-driven decisions
- Audience engagement tools like polls and questions
- Simple and intuitive user interface
Buffer offers a forever free plan for up to 3 social accounts along with paid packages starting $5 per month. It‘s fantastic value without compromising on great features.
5. Sendible
Sendible stands out for its post scheduling flexibility and streamlined collaboration for teams. You can manage accounts like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.
Important Sendible features:
- Schedule posts months in advance
- Review requests for better team collaboration
- Custom reporting across channels and teams
- Real-time notifications feed
-Audience segmentation tools
Sendible plans begin from $29 per month after a 14-day free trial. Also offers white label social media tools.
6. SocialPilot
SocialPilot gets top marks for its automated publishing and advanced analytics. It even supports emerging platforms like TikTok to stay relevant.
Key SocialPilot capabilities:
- Bulk uploading of content for auto scheduling
- Automated reports delivered via email
- Custom workflows based on IFTTT logic
- 800+ post templates for inspiration
- Tooltips on posts to refine content strategy
Plans start from $49 per month. Free version available with basic features. 30-day money back guarantee offered.
7. MeetEdgar
For unlimited social media automation, MeetEdgar is a fan-favorite tool of solopreneurs. You can resurface evergreen content automatically.
Why MeetEdgar is loved by many:
- Automates scheduling evergreen content
- No storage limits for content library
-Scheduled social sharing for RSS feeds - Built-in image editor
- Affordable pricing plans
After a 30-day free trial, paid plans begin from $29 per month. Discounted annual subscriptions offered.
This covers my top recommendations, from enterprise-grade tools to cost-effective options suited for lean teams and solopreneurs. But how do you evaluate which one is the best match for YOUR business?
How to Choose the Right Social Media Management Tool
With widely varying features and pricing plans, picking the ideal social media tool for your needs boils down to:
- Analyzing post scheduling and automation capabilities based on volume
- Comparing collaboration tools needed for your team
- Assessing analytics dashboard and reports
- Reviewing audience engagement functionality
- Matching integrations required for your tech stack
- Selecting the tool with maximum relevant features per price point
Additionally, here is a step-by-step process to evaluate your options:
Step 1: Document your current social media usage including channels, post volume, resources allocated, etc. This is key to determine must-have features.
Step 2: Shortlist tools that support all your required platforms and match majority of your needs.
Step 3: Scrutinize free trial versions of shortlisted tools for ease-of-use, UI aesthetics, available features and analytics.
Step 4: Compare collaboration functionalities and workflows relevant for your team structure.
Step 5: Evaluate paid plans to select one that offers the maximum features per price point. Don‘t overpay for unnecessary extras.
Step 6: Initiate purchase and onboard your team to the selected tool. Continuously assess performance metrics over the next quarter and tweak as required.
Choosing the right platform upfront and investing time in tool adoption will lead to long-term gains in efficiency, productivity and ROI from social media.
What to Expect When Using a Management Tool
Wondering what difference a social media management tool can make for your business? Here is what you can expect:
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Saving 8-10 weekly hours typically spent switching between networks and manually scheduling posts. This time is now available for high-value tasks.
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Ability to plan, schedule and manage 100+ posts at once. No more worrying about keeping up with multiple daily updates.
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Auto-updates on posts performance across every connected platform like Facebook and Twitter without any manual checks.
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Complete visibility on important metrics like best post times, top-performing content, follower demographics and engagement rates in one unified dashboard.
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Smoother internal collaboration between team members through features like shared calendars, task assignment, approvals and centralized asset libraries.
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Responding 10x faster to audience queries and comments with tools a unified inbox and canned response templates. Increased conversions.
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Optimization of campaigns and strategy based on actionable insights from analytics leading to 2X higher ROI.
The right social media tool frees you from tedious grunt work so you can actually focus on audience engagement and content strategy. Over time, leveraging automation and insights moves the needle to drive real business growth.
FAQs About Social Media Management Tools
Q. What does a social media management tool cost?
There are options across price points. Many leading platforms offer basic free plans with limitations that are suitable for solopreneurs. Entry-level paid plans start from $25 per month while enterprise-grade tools can go up to $500+ per month depending on your usage requirements.
Q. What analytics do these tools provide?
Robust tools offer an indepth look at both quantitative and qualitative analytics from your social media efforts:
Quantitative data includes metrics like reach, engagement rate, clicks, followers growth and demographics. Qualitative data covers aspects like audience sentiment, feedback, and conversational analysis.
Q. How many social accounts can I manage with these tools?
Most paid versions do not impose limits on the number of profiles you can connect. Tools like Sendible can manage 150+ brand pages comprising thousands of profiles in a single interface. Even free plans allow up to 5-10 connected accounts.
Q. Can I use it to respond to customers and messages?
Definitely! Built-in audience engagement capabilities allow managing conversations easily at scale. Instead of tracking mentions separately on each platform, a unified inbox shows everything at one glance. Other useful features include canned responses and assigning interactions to the right team members.
Q. Are there any downsides to using these tools?
The only notable disadvantage is the learning curve your team may initially face in getting used to new software. Investing in proper onboarding and training is crucial. Occasional minor technical glitches can also occur. But overall, the sheer time and efficiency gains massively outweigh any temporary hassles.
A purpose-built social media management tool is invaluable for any brand looking to streamline their efforts, engage better with customers and accelerate growth. While the volume of options can get overwhelming, focusing on core platform requirements, analytics needs, collaboration priorities and budgets will help you zero in on the right fit.
maximize efficiency, improve audience engagement and unlock growth.
