Trying to juggle several social media platforms simultaneously can be challenging unless you have a social media management tool like Hootsuite to help. Is Hootsuite a solid pick for your social media management needs? We will help you figure that out by reviewing its features, pros and cons, and pricing.
Hootsuite Features
Hootsuite has a host of social media management features, some of which are better than others. Before we break those down, let us first discuss what Hootsuite is. Think of it as a hub for managing all of your social media accounts. Instead of having to log into and post from your different social media accounts separately, you can use Hootsuite’s single dashboard to get the job done.
Who is Hootsuite ideal for? Social media managers and digital marketers who have accounts across various networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn who want the power to post across multiple social channels with a single click, so they can save time. But beyond the convenience, Hootsuite can also serve Internet marketers seeking to get insights into what is and is not working, so they can optimize their social media posting practices.
Now that you know what Hootsuite is, let us look at what it has to offer as a social media management tool.
Read: Best Social Media Optimization Tips
Social Media Post Scheduling
Consistent posting is essential to optimizing your social media. With Hootsuite, you can ensure consistency with its built-in social media posting calendar.
The calendar makes it easy to schedule posts across different social media networks, so you keep giving your followers the content they look forward to. You can also analyze your audience’s responses to determine the top times to post for increased engagement. If any errors occur when posting, Hootsuite will let you know. And if you need to edit posts already loaded in the calendar, you can do that too.
Social Media Analytics Tool
Being able to post across various channels with ease is great. But being able to see which posts are winners is even better. That is where Hootsuite’s analytics comes in, as it lets you see how many likes, shares, clicks, and engagements your content receives via a single view.
By seeing social media stats, social media managers can better understand what their audience is attracted to and what they tend to overlook. Then, you can use that insight to craft your social media content in the future.
Easy Collaboration for Marketing Teams
Your brand may be big enough to the point that you have a digital marketing team managing your social media. If that is the case, Hootsuite can help, as it works wonders for social collaboration in several ways.
You can organize your workflow by assigning tasks to different team members in Hootsuite. If a task is not up your alley, you can reassign it to someone who can complete it, which boosts team efficiency. You can also edit posts if other team members forget to include any essential details, plus share information, so everyone is on the same page.
Beyond collaborating with social media team members, Hootsuite also makes it easy to respond to customers. This is a must for social engagement and protecting your brand should any negative comments come through on your social media posts or pages. Since certain situations can be tough to resolve on your own, you can use Hootsuite to collaborate with team members to determine the best way to respond.
Read: Social Media Tips for Twitter Optimization
Social Inbox
One of the biggest reasons someone would choose Hootsuite is to avoid logging in to every social media account they own. While that can be helpful with posting, Hootsuite also makes it beneficial for engagement.
You can respond to incoming direct messages through the inbox. And for Twitter accounts, you can reply to mentions without exiting Hootsuite, which is a huge time-saver.
Social Media Streams Dashboard
If you are monitoring specific topics, you can use the Streams Dashboard to see what is new and worthy of your attention. Instead of going to your individual social media accounts, this dashboard lets you monitor mentions, keywords, hashtags, and conversations, plus respond all in one place.
Easy Access to Images
High-quality images can play a huge role in your social media success. To make consistent posting easier, Hootsuite lets you access your image assets from its dashboard.
Content Library
Staying on-brand is essential when posting to social media, and Hootsuite’s content library can help you achieve that goal. With it, you get a bank of images, videos, templates, and more that are pre-approved by your company.
By having such a library at your disposal, you can ensure your team members never veer off and post something that does not align with your core values, which could damage your brand’s reputation.
Read: Tips to Increase Facebook Engagement
Tons of Integrations and Apps
With over 150 app integrations, Hootsuite does not fall short here. Hootsuite integrates seamlessly with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Reddit, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, WordPress blogs, and more. And you can use the Hootsuite app directory to up your social media game and extend your dashboard’s functionality.
Whether you are looking to boost sales engagement, find the best hashtags, collaborate more efficiently, or access better data, you can probably find an app for it in Hootsuite’s directory.
Hootsuite Social Media Management Platform Pricing
Hootsuite offers different plans to support varying needs. Hootsuite Free lets you manage just two social media accounts with one administrator. You can schedule up to five posts and use free apps to connect existing tools to Hootsuite.
For $49 per month, Hootsuite Professional lets you manage up to 10 social media accounts with one admin. You can schedule unlimited posts and access all of your messages in one inbox, plus view, export, and share metrics across your accounts.
Hootsuite Team costs $129 per month. It allows for three users, 20 social media accounts, the inbox feature, unlimited posts, metrics, assignments, and the ability to review post performance with ease.
Last but not least is Hootsuite Enterprise. It lets you manage over 50 accounts, collaborate with over five team members, use keywords to automatically tag messages, and more. If you choose this plan, you will get a live training session for your entire team, and you will be assigned a dedicated customer service manager. To get Enterprise pricing, you will have to contact Hootsuite directly.
For all of the premium plans, you can get a free 30-day trial. For the Enterprise plan, you can request a demo.
Read: Tips to Increase Instagram Engagement
Hootsuite Social Media Management Tool Pros
Hootsuite has many checks in its favor. The interface is user-friendly, which makes it simple to schedule posts, and it has tons of third-party integrations. Add in RSS integration, automatic tracking for all analytics and apps for iOS and Android, and it is easy to see why so many use Hootsuite for their social media management needs.
Hootsuite SMM Software Cons
Hootsuite does have some drawbacks. For starters, some users complain that its connections with social networks are sometimes iffy and that the scheduler can seem buggy. Although these may seem like minor gripes, they could be significant issues for anyone who places a premium on quick and timely posting.
Beyond that, you could find Hootsuite to be too expensive. Some analytics reports can get costly, and the more add-ons you select, the closer you will get to breaking your budget. However, since Hootsuite is seen as a leader in the social media management space and offers so many features, you could say that its higher costs are worth it if you are a business owner seeking a simple way to automate your marketing.
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