Social media matters more to some businesses than to others. If you are at a point where you’ve invested in shoppable links through social media, you definitely need to invest in social media software. You don’t want to underpay and of course, you don’t want to overpay. But if you are using social media mainly for brand awareness and don’t post that often, you should probably get some form of social media software. However, you can probably get by with an inexpensive or free plan. You actually will probably find that social media management tools or software will help you post more. It makes it easier to repurpose content, schedule it for the future, and track impressions of your posts.
In short, social media software helps you work smarter and faster. Here, we’ll explain what social media software does and how it might be able to help your business.
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What Is Social Media Management?
Social media management tools and software make it easy to connect multiple social media accounts from one place. In other words, there is no longer a need to log into separate X, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, and Instagram accounts every time you want to post. Plus, the software allows you to schedule content a week, a month, or even a year in advance. This way, during slow periods, you can create content for when you know you’ll be busy. Social media management software typically also includes other features, such as analytics, brand awareness, and communication tools like email newsletter templates.
How to Choose the Best Social Media Management Tools
It can be overwhelming to try to decide which social media management tool is right for you because of the large number of software options available. The best way to choose the right tool for you is to start by clarifying your priorities, budget, goals, and timeline. Here’s what we ask our clients, and what you should ask yourself:
- How many social media outlets can you realistically create content for on a consistent basis?
- How many hours per week do you want to devote to social media?
- Can you afford to hire someone who is dedicated to your social media management?
- Would a better use of your budget be for social media software?
Once you answer these questions, it will be easier to search for the tools and software that fit your needs.
What You Definitely Want In Software
Your social media management tools should help you capture the eye of new followers and drive engagement with your current followers. In an ideal world, if you have products, your posts will be directly shoppable, allowing people to purchase something without visiting your website.
Here are a few things the software you choose should do, regardless of your goals:
Works With Multiple Platforms
Keeping up with all of your social media profiles can quickly become too much. When looking for social media management software, make sure it enables you to manage all your social media platforms from one single dashboard. Some software, like Pluber, allows you to connect a certain number for free. That may work for you just fine if you only get traffic from a couple of platforms.
Available to Multiple Users With Different Levels of Control
If you are a busy business owner, you may hand off your social media to someone else. But you should be able to “assign” them certain powers. After all, you don’t want a disgruntled employee to hand you a PR disaster. Social media can go wrong for other reasons too. Sometimes, a person who doesn’t have a lot of social media use may post or share something that you feel is off-brand. Good software has levels like “admin” or “editor” so that only certain people can publish.
Content Calendar Scheduling Options
A content calendar helps you plan all your social media posts and social media campaigns in advance. This is a must-have feature if you want to review everything that’s published but don’t have time to do this daily.
Post Optimization Tool
Scheduling great content anytime is better than not publishing content at all. But each platform has “busy” times of day and week. A good tool will tell you if you are publishing something during “off times” for the platform.
Analytics and Reporting Tools
Analytics are the data reports that tell you everything you need to know about what has or hasn’t worked for previous posts or campaigns. Without analytics, you’ll continue to make the same mistakes and not see potential great opportunities. You should use analytics reports you can understand and digest. Hootsuite offers some of the best visual reports that are customizable. You’ll pay for them, but it will pay off if you truly rely on social media for ads, sales, and brand awareness.
Brand Monitoring
No one can be on social media all the time, which is why you want software for the places and occasions when your brand is mentioned. Whether you are mentioned positively or negatively, you can reply through the right social media software.
What Social Media Software Options Are There?
Now that you know what you’re looking for in software, let’s take a look at some of the best options available.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite’s analytics capabilities are the best on the market. The platform gives users a deep understanding and view of all their social media accounts from one dashboard. You can also set goals over time or per campaign. Hootsuite is the best way to learn what you’re doing right and when you’re in dead water. Prices: Free for 30 days, then $99-$299 per month
Sprout Social
Big businesses that have the budget and time could opt for Sprout Social. They are more expensive than Hootsuite and also have great analytics and reporting tools. The software enables users to set certain demographic and geographic measurements to track how content is doing among certain age groups and locations. Sprout Social can monitor brand mentions across all social media platforms and alert businesses when their name is mentioned. Most importantly, Sprout Social even allows users to compare their social media performance to their competitors’ social media performance.
Price: Free for 30 days, then $249, $399, or $499 per month
Later
Some social media software is even free. Even big brands, like the Food Network, use Later, which has a free plan that allows you to schedule content in advance. You have to pay for other features, but their rates are extremely reasonable.
Price: Free, then $25, $45, $85 per month.
SEO Design Chicago Can Help You With Social Media
At SEO Design Chicago, we can consult you on a variety of digital marketing efforts. This includes the SEO on your website, your website content, your paid social media ads, paid search ads, and social media content. We can identify your strengths and weaknesses in each area and help you optimize your strategy for any or all of the above. Reach out to us for a consultation or more information.
FAQ:
- What is social media software?
- Do I really need social media software?
- What are good options for social media software?
- How do I decide which social media tools I need?
- What are the benefits of Sprout Social?
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