Social media marketing can be overwhelming when you do every little task yourself. From planning and creating content to publishing, engaging, and evaluating results — there’s a lot to do. Attempting to tackle it all without using social media marketing software is, well, a tad ignorant.
However, not every platform is worth its salt.
So, how do you decide which software to invest in? In this guide, we’ll spotlight five social media management software tools cherry-picked by our marketing team. These tools will help you manage your brand’s online presence while saving time and effort.
Let’s get started!
What Is Social Media Marketing Software
Social media marketing software (SMMS) enables marketing teams to streamline tasks across social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The tool aims to automate tasks like content planning, monitoring, and audience engagement from a single dashboard to enhance the management of a brand’s online presence.
Importance Of Social Media Marketing Software
Getting buy-in takes time and effort. Here are some benefits of social media marketing software to help you win over top management.
Manage Overwhelming Task Load
Challenge: Managing diverse tasks across various social media platforms, from content creation to engagement, can be overwhelming.
Solution: SMMS automates tasks, easing the burden and allowing efficient management from a unified platform. Plus, your team has more time to focus on other creative endeavors.
Content Consistency
Challenge: Maintaining a consistent brand image and content across platforms is challenging without a streamlined process.
Solution: SMMS enables planning and scheduling, ensuring consistent messaging and aesthetics.
Real-Time Engagement
Challenge: Responding promptly to audience interactions in real-time is difficult when monitoring multiple platforms manually.
Solution: SMMS provides real-time notifications and engagement tools, facilitating timely responses and fostering audience relationships across several social media platforms.
Data Evaluation Complexity
Challenge: Analyzing performance data from various platforms can be time-consuming and complex.
Solution: SMMS aggregates analytics from various platforms into a single dashboard, simplifying data evaluation to make informed decisions.
Popular Social Media Marketing Software
Now for the fun part: what options do you have?
Below are some amazing software platforms to simplify different social media marketing tasks.
1. CoSchedule — For Scheduling Social Media Posts
Using CoSchedule’s robust marketing calendar, you can schedule posts across Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, among other platforms. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or a newbie to automation tools, CoSchedule has you covered. Instead of taking time out to post daily, you can plan and schedule all your social content for weeks or months — even years — at once.
Top Features
- Real-time marketing calendar with custom color-coding
- Team collaboration capabilities
- Bulk scheduling
- ReQueue automatically optimizes posting times and fills gaps with top-performing posts
Pros
- User-friendly
- Direct sync with WordPress
- All-in-one marketing calendar
- Bulk uploading and collaborative features simplify content management
Cons
- Doesn’t support X
- Limited feature access on Chrome extension and mobile app
Pricing
- Free plan or starting from $19/user/month with a paid subscription.
Recommended Reading: Social Media Calendar Template
2. Sprout Social — For Social Media Analytics
Regarding cross-channel social media analytics, Sprout Social takes the lead with its comprehensive analytics tools. Use it to track Facebook Page impressions, Twitter link clicks, Instagram follower growth, LinkedIn engagement, and more from a centralized location. Also, you can organize and share your data effortlessly with presentation-ready reports — or build custom reports following your organization’s KPIs with Premium Analytics.
Pros
- Tailored analytics and ready-made reports
- Social media optimization tools
- Scheduling tools for seamless post creation
- Advanced Listening tool delves into demographics, influencers, and competitor performance
Cons
- Expensive standard plan
- Navigational limits on social profiles
Pricing
- Starting from $249/month for five profiles; 30-day trial available.
3. Buffer — For Engaging On Social Media Platforms
Buffer’s engagement tool is a game-changer for managing social media interactions across Facebook Pages and Instagram business accounts. Responding to comments is a breeze, thanks to the user-friendly interface, which allows you to react with emojis or provide timely answers. The sentiment and label features ensure no customer interaction goes unnoticed, helping you promptly address negative comments or queries.
Features
- Simplified dashboard to track significant interactions
- AI Assistant
- Smart alerts to prioritize conversations
- Keyboard hotkeys and smart emojis
Pros
- Smart inbox for message management
- In-depth analytics for performance evaluation
- CRM integration for holistic customer engagement
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for advanced features
- Limited free plan
- More social media platforms
Pricing
- Free plan or starting from $6/month for 1 channel; 14-day trial available.
4. Hootsuite — For Social Media Listening
By honing in on trends, topics, and social media profiles within your industry niche, Hootsuite’s social media listening tool offers crucial insights into your brand’s online perception. Create customized social media streams effortlessly to monitor conversations, keywords, mentions, and hashtags. And thanks to the centralized dashboard, you can respond to interactions and track competitors without toggling between platforms.
Features
- Robust analytics
- Filters for date, demographics, and location
- Flexible post composer and scheduler
- Brand perception monitoring
- Instant keyword notifications
Pros
- Customizable feeds
- Consolidated inbox
- Comprehensive end-to-end content management features
Cons
- Doesn’t provide demographic or psychographic data
- Social listening limited to paid plans
Pricing
- Starting from $49/user/month for 10 social accounts; 30-day trial available.
5. Mentionlytics — For Social Media Monitoring
Mentionlytics helps track mentions, keywords, and sentiment across various languages. This AI-driven tool provides a holistic view of branded and general terms, helping you analyze audience sentiment and identify influencers. Its Social Intelligence Advisor (SIA) further enhances social media marketing for businesses with personalized suggestions, optimal posting days, and recommended hashtags.
Key Features
- Comprehensive web and social media reports
- Sentiment analysis
- Social reach and engagement metrics
- Top mentioners identification
- Integrations with Hootsuite, Data Studio, and Slack
Pros
- Affordable
- Time-saving data consolidation
- Brand and competitor mention overview, with broader activity summary
- Real-time analytics
Cons
- Cluttered UI
- Slow loading time
- Limited customization options
Pricing
Starts at $49/month for 3 keyword rules; 14-day trial available.
Features Of Social Media Marketing Software
Depending on your needs, you’ll want to look for the following features when choosing social media software:
Social Media Monitoring & Listening
Look for tools that scour social media platforms for queries, mentions, and keywords. This will help you gain valuable insights into how people interact with your brand.
Scheduling
A must-have feature for any social media software, scheduling allows you to plan content with a social media calendar, ensuring timely and strategic posts.
Engagement
Choose software that facilitates two-way communication. This means being able to respond to comments, mentions, and new followers. Some social media management tools also allow you to set up streams, simplifying engagement.
Team Collaboration
Opt for software with a centralized dashboard featuring live activity tracking. This makes collaboration secure and transparent, especially when working with colleagues from different departments.
Analytics
Effective social media marketing requires vigilant monitoring of campaign insights. As your reach expands and shares increase, analytics closely track metrics like comments, likes, shares, and retweets across platforms and campaigns. Using this data, you can make informed decisions aligned with evolving trends.
Security
Ensure appropriate permissions for team members, providing unique IDs to hold individuals accountable for posts. Robust security features protect against suspicious activities on social media platforms.
Social Media Ads
Look for tools that provide access to paid advertisements alongside organic posts, enabling strategic ad placement and tracking post success. The ability to discover new fans and create custom audiences is another plus.
Support
Choose software with robust support options, including help articles, FAQs, forums, and chatbots. Ensure your chosen software can evolve alongside the dynamic landscape of social media. After all, the goal is to simplify processes, not complicate them.
How To Choose The Right Social Media Marketing Software
Wondering how to choose the best social media marketing software for your needs? Here’s everything you need to know:
Factors To Consider When Choosing Social Media Marketing Software
- Integrations: Find out if the tool integrates with your existing platforms, including major social networks, CRM systems, and analytics tools.
- Scalability: Choose software that aligns with your business’s growth, accommodating increased demands in users, social channels, and data.
- User-Friendliness: Ensure the tool has a user-friendly interface for streamlined operations, featuring intuitive navigation and a clear dashboard.
- Analytics and Reporting: Pick software with robust analytics and reporting capabilities to get detailed insights into performance metrics, audience engagement, and campaign effectiveness.
- Automation and Scheduling: Select software with automation features to simplify repetitive tasks like scheduling posts and managing social media calendars.
- Customer Support: Assess the responsiveness and knowledge of the support team for prompt issue resolution.
Tips For Making The Right Decision Based On Needs & Goals
- Define Your Objectives: Articulate your social media marketing objectives. Do you want greater brand awareness, more traffic, or enhanced engagement?
- Trial Periods and Demos: Software trials and demos are great for hands-on experience and can help you assess the UI and compatibility with your team’s workflow.
- Seek User Feedback: Look for reviews and testimonials to understand how the software performs in the real world.
- Future-Proofing: Anticipate future needs and select a solution aligned with emerging trends in social media marketing.
- Training and Onboarding: Ensure the training and onboarding support provided meets your marketing team’s needs.
Tips For Utilizing Social Media Marketing Software
Once you’ve chosen the appropriate tools, here are some best practices to maximize effectiveness and common pitfalls to avoid.
Best Practices For Using Social Media Marketing Software
- Be Consistent: Maintain consistency in brand image, message, posting frequency, and hashtags. Prioritize quality over quantity, especially when starting on social media.
- Create Engaging Content: Stay current with trends that align with your brand to captivate your audience consistently. Keep an eye out for newsworthy topics and use clear visuals where possible.
- Personalize Interactions: Tailor interactions based on data insights to provide your audience with a personalized and impactful experience.
- Conduct A/B testing: Implement A/B testing to experiment with various content elements and identify optimal strategies.
- Do Regular Analytics Reviews: Regularly review analytics reports to refine your strategy based on campaign performance.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Using Social Media Marketing Software
- Ignoring Data Insights: Be sure to act upon analytics insights to enhance your social media strategy.
- Over-Automation: Maintain a balance between automation and genuine human interaction to avoid a lack of authenticity.
- Neglecting Customer Interaction: Prioritize timely and authentic interactions with your audience to build a positive brand reputation.
- Ignoring Platform-Specific Features: Tailor your approach to maximize the benefits of each social media platform’s unique features.
- Failing to Adapt Social Media Strategy: Adjust your social media marketing strategy in response to changing trends and user behaviors. Otherwise, you risk making your brand irrelevant.
Grow Your Online Presence With Social Media Marketing Software
Whether you’re a savvy digital marketer or a trend-setting influencer, investing in social media marketing tools is a strategic must to enhance your brand’s SSM effectiveness. Consider it your compass, guiding you through impactful engagement, personalized interactions, and data-driven triumphs.
Research every software option carefully, exploring pricing plans and sifting through verified reviews. Better yet, sign up for trial runs to find the perfect fit that aligns seamlessly with your unique requirements.