Managing your social media account manually is time-consuming. Social media is no longer a need but a necessity for your business. With social media marketing, you need time for content curation, publishing, management, and measuring. This can make it a productivity wasteland.
92% of marketers highly value social media as a marketing tool. However, the primary reason they succeed is that they use social media tools to systemize the tedious tasks.
3.8 billion people are currently on social media, that’s more than a third of the world’s population. As an online business, you are lucky if you get 0.00001% of this population on your posts. It’s underwhelming for businesses looking for their ROI on social media.
Many of us are left wondering, “What are we doing wrong?”
The digital marketing pie is huge from Facebook to Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. I have made mistakes, experimented, and learned in the process. From that, I have put together the best tools to help you level up your social media game.
But first, let’s look at some of the most common social media problems businesses face and their solutions.
Social Media Marketing Challenges faced by Businesses
1. Making an authentic connection with your audience
Over the years, there has been a major shift in the meaning of social media effectiveness. Nowadays, creating a personal connection with each individual audience is key to your success. You can’t have authentic relationships without humanizing your brand.
You simply can’t sit on your computer sharing and monitoring posts on all your social media platforms. It’s overwhelming to monitor mentions, manage your followers, commenting and so on. Thanks to social media monitoring tools like Sprout Social, Tweetdeck, and Buffer, you can respond to each person giving them a solution to their problems.
2. Consistency in great content creation
Maintaining the creative juice and being original while doing it is a major challenge. It’s a full-time job to curate, create, update, or reuse content across different social profiles.
However, today you have Facebook pages, Quora, or Buzzsumo to help you in content idea generation. Social networks will give you an idea of what your audience wants to see as well as insight into their pain points.
For instance, Buzzsumo can be your PI and give you the inside scoop of the top social media buzz in your niche when you do a keyword search. With the key terms related to your industry, Quora gives you an insight into the questions your audience needs to know. Facebook page insights can also be used to show you the most engaging posts giving you insight into what your audience wants.
3. The decline in organic reach
In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg gave a reason for the decline in Facebook’s organic reach. He said, “Recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content — posts from businesses, brands, and media — is crowding out the personal moments that lead us to connect more with each other.”
Organic posting isn’t enough on its own. It needs to be used together with paid social media advertising to create brand awareness. A few dollars behind your content gets you in front of hundreds of your target market. But keep in mind it’s not a quick win as simply throwing money at Facebook doesn’t guarantee ROI. Use audience insights to learn more about your audience personas and create highly-targeted ads.
4. Not tracking and monitoring social media posts
How many of us are guilty of winging it when it comes to tracking our social media profiles?
Well, I am guilty. A while back, social media analytics were complex and difficult to access and understand. Currently, there are numerous analytics tools that have simplified the process. You need to know your audience, what they respond too, and their problems. Google Analytics guide your marketing strategy so any serious marketer shouldn’t ignore it.
What makes a great social media management tool?
- Social media tools save you time. They automate processes while not compromising on the quality of your work.
- The ultimate result of your social media management tool should be to increase your brand awareness and engagement.
- A social media tool should be user-friendly enabling you to perform all functions at ease.
- Consider the pricing when choosing a social media tool. What’s your budget? What are the ‘must have’ features? And is it worth the cost?
- Organization and tidiness of a social profile is the key to creating good visual content. A good tool should help you achieve that.
So, how can you not only manage but effectively expand your reach, engagement, and increase the quality of your social media accounts?
Regardless of the size of your business, here is an extensive list of tools to make the life of a social media marketer smooth.
Let’s dive in.
Best Social Media Marketing Tools
MeetEdgar
Scheduling posts to curating and repurposing content, start at$49/month
Are you struggling to come up with new content for your social accounts?
MeetEdgar is the solution you need. It helps you recycle your old posts ensuring your queue has fresh content at all times. When you run dry, MeetEdgar comes through for you.
Key Features
- Category based scheduling of posts.
- Continuous publishing and re-sharing content.
- Google Chrome extension to auto-generate social media posts from articles.
- A/B testing of social media posts.
Pros
- It automatically goes through your post categories and recycles older content ensuring you never miss posting.
- The browser extension saves you time by auto-posting content.
- It bulk updates your edit library.
- It works for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts.
Cons
- No Pinterest intergration.
- Conversations can’t be managed on the platform dashboard. One still has to log in on the different social media accounts to comment, share, retweet, etc.
Pricing
It starts at $49/month.
MavSocial
Content management, curation and publishing solution, starting at $19/month
MavSocial brings a whole new ball game to the way businesses engage and manage social media. From content curation to collaboration, social listening, engaging, publishing, and reporting. All your social media activities are taken care of on one dashboard.
Key Features
- Schedule posts and reschedules your best content for optimal reach.
- Tracks trending topics through social listening and filters out what’s needed to suit your target audience.
- Advanced classification machine learner to carry out sentiment analysis.
- Real-time social media activity monitoring.
Pros
- Saves time spent on content and graphics curation as you easily do this from RSS feeds.
- Auto-posts to social media platforms directly from your dashboard.
- Takes advantage of social listening to monitor your competition.
- Allows Facebook ads functionality on the platform.
- Track and responds to engagements across all social media channels.
- 14-day free trial period.
Cons
- You need some time to master its user interface.
- No Pinterest integration.
Pricing
It starts at $190 annually or $19/month.
Onlypult
Scheduling content, teamwork, and analytics for social media, starting at $25 / month
Onlypult combines several tools for social media management — scheduling posts for 14 social media, blogs, and messengers, advanced analytics, team collaboration within the platform, creating mini landings, and multi-links.
Key Features
- Posts scheduling, crossposting, and multi-crossposting, adaptation of the same posts for different social networks
- Advanced analytics for social media
- Teamwork tools for collaborative management and content approvement
- Making Content with AI
Pros
- It works with Facebook, Instagram, X (Tw), LinkedIn, Google Business, YouTube, TikTok, Tumblr, WordPress, Telegram, Pinterest, and Medium.
- Content creation directly on the platform: in-build image library photo and video editor, hashtag sets
- Various view options: dashboard, grid, feed, list, calendar
- A large number of functions for posts: cloning, auto-deletion, repetitive posts, bulk scheduling, creating post templates, drafts, tags, and post previews.
- There’s no need to download the app to your laptop. Use the web version and iOS mobile app.
- The free trial is 7 days
Pricing
It starts at $25/month
Hootsuite
Sheduling and team collaboration tool, starting at $19 / month
It’s the most popular social media management platform on the internet for a good reason.
You can connect and post to more than 35 social media networks with one click. Hootsuite helps you schedule posts across all your social profiles.
Key Features
- Content curation tool that helps discover, manage, and share captivating images and content.
- Post scheduling tool across all platforms.
- Enables content promotion straight from the dashboard.
- Reporting social media analytics to see the results of your marketing efforts.
- Social media monitoring tool.
Pros
- It supports so many social platforms.
- Ease in post-auto-scheduling.
- It supports a lot of apps and integrations.
- Enable team management under one platform.
- It has detailed real-time analytics.
- It has a free limited plan supporting 3 profiles.
Cons
- The robust tool can be overwhelming for non-tech-savvy guys.
- It gets expensive if you want more applications and team members.
Pricing
It starts at $19/month for 10 social profiles and unlimited scheduling.
Buffer
Sheduling, publishing, analytics, and engagement platform, starts at $15/month
It is also one of the most common scheduling and automating social media tools. Whichever social media platform you are on, you can schedule your posts from one dashboard. One thing that has made Buffer standout is the IOS and Android mobile apps.
Key Features
- Scheduling and post automation options.
- Team collaboration and coordinating platform for social media campaigns.
- It has a visual report and analytics tool to track and monitor retweets, shares, mentions, comments, likes, and reach.
- RSS feeds connectivity.
- It has a Chrome, Safari, and Firefox extension.
Pros
- Saves time by post scheduling.
- It helps your social profiles have an organized layout.
- Easy to use interface.
- It provides detailed analytics and insights for your business.
Cons
- No option to add sub-titles when scheduling posts. You have to wait for it to be posted and edit the post on your Facebook.
- It’s time consuming to keep re-authorizing social accounts.
Pricing
It starts at $15 per month.
Tailwind
Scheduling and collaboration tool for Instagram and Pintarest, starts at $15/month
Are you looking to skyrocket your Pinterest marketing efforts? As they are Pinterest official partners, Tailwind will help you master the Pinterest platform like no other tool. It enables you to schedule posts in bulk and pins them to several Pinterest boards. It can also be used for Instagram accounts.
Key Features
- Drag-and-drop content scheduling calendar.
- Tailwind Tribes.
- SmartLoop tool that helps maximize your evergreen content reach.
- Hashtag finder for your Instagram account keeping you up with the current trends in your niche.
Pros
- Tribe collaborations expand your brand’s reach.
- Tailwind provides insight on the best times to post for optimum engagement.
- Powerful scheduling tool for visual content.
- Excellent customer service.
Cons
- Scrolling through many scheduled drafts can be time-consuming as Tailwind occasionally experiences slows loading time.
- It may take some time to learn the platform as it can be a bit overwhelming in the beginning.
Pricing
It starts at $15/month with a free 30-days trial period.
CoSchedule
Real-time social media calendar, starts at $100 /month.
Are you spending a lot of time on social media and blog management?
CoShedule is here to save the day. It helps you schedule and visualize all your social media profiles in one place. The creators feature it as a marketing calendar and organizer for a reason. Additionally, all team members can contribute and take part in the marketing campaigns.
Key Features
- Post and content scheduling.
- Blog organization calendar.
- It acts as a team collaboration platform.
- It provides a digital assets organizer for your business.
Pros
- It has a calendar for all your social media activities.
- It offers WordPress, Google Analytics, Google Drive, and email marketing platforms integrations.
- Easy access of team metrics for team managers.
- It helps you monitor what your competition is creating, therefore, helping you in content curation.
Cons
- It is quite expensive.
- The panel is overwhelming and not so intuitive to use.
- Calender sharing is complicated for small team and single users.
- One has to sign up a second user for feedback and edits.
Pricing
It starts at $100/ month with a 14-day free trial period.
Later
Cloud-based platform for planning, scheduling and managing Instagram, starts at $7.5
Later helps you plan and schedule content for your Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Its Linkin.Bio feature sets it apart from the crowd as it makes your posts shoppable.
Key Features
- Drag and drop post scheduling calendar.
- Instagram hashtag finder.
- Linkin.Bio feature.
- Access to user-generated content that resonates with your target audience.
Pros
- It has a free-forever account and very affordable prices.
- It allows you to schedule Instagram stories.
- It has a user-friendly interface.
- It offers great Instagram analytics.
Cons
- It doesn’t allow you to post tweets.
- Instagram stories are almost impossible to schedule thanks to the limited space so you can’t view the full image or video. And only through push notifications can you post Instagram stories.
- The mobile app version doesn’t allow you to post Pinterest videos.
Pricing
It starts at $7.5 / month.
Agora Pulse
Scheduling, analytics, and monitoring tool, starting at $79
Are you looking for a tailor-made solution for Twitter and Facebook?
Agora Pulse is one of the best engagement and monitoring tools for Facebook and Twitter. It has top-notch analytics features that enable you to engage your audience through quizzes, contests, and promotions.
Key features
- Head-to-head competitor analysis.
- Simple yet detailed social media reporting and monitoring.
- It’s a team collaboration platform.
Pros
- Their smart labeling features enable you to better optimize your content for your target audience.
- It gives you access to unlimited post schedules and reschedules.
- You can easily track conversions, click-through, and revenue earned from your marketing efforts.
- It offers free tools like the Twitter report card, Ads reporting, Facebook Page Barometer, and Employee advocacy.
Cons
- No Pinterest integration
- Lack of Hashtag tracking
- No white label reporting
- Lack of automated reporting to receive on email
Pricing
It starts at $79 /month with a 28-day free trial period.
Iconosquare
In-depth analytics and social media management platform, starting at $14
Do you need in-depth insights for your Facebook and Instagram Platforms?
Iconosquare will give you all the information you need to improve your social media strategy. You get reports on your most liked photos, follower’s growth charts, and other advanced analytics. It makes lead generation easier as well as conversion tracking.
Key Features
- In-depth Instagram analytics.
- Post scheduling and content auto-publishing.
- Multi-account content management.
Pros
- Easy to use interface.
- Excellent customer service.
- It is a powerful scheduling tool that saves you time.
- It helps improve your Instagram content marketing by providing insightful competitor analysis.
Cons
- Lack of Twitter and Pinterest management.
- You can separate paid and organic posts.
- Tracking group story posts is messy.
Pricing
It starts at $14/month with a 14-day trial period.
Crowdfire
The only social media tool you’ll ever need for monitoring, engagement, and reporting starts as $ 9.99/month.
Are you looking to attract more customers on social? Or you want to increase your credibility and grow your online following? Or looking to increase your ROI on your social media campaigns?
To achieve either of the above scenarios, there is an easy-to-use app made just for you. Cue, Crowdfire. You’ll have tons of features and seamless integrations to help you grow your online presence. It’s not just reports and analytics but also scheduling, social listening, content curation, among other hallmark features.
Key features
- A1 mentions tracking tool
- Ability to cue and schedule content.
- Competitor analysis and performance monitoring tools
- Seamless integration with WordPress and Twitch.
- Links to numerous social media accounts to track mentions and messages under one platform.
- Advanced reporting and analytics
Pros
- The detailed stats makes it easy to measure and improve your social media strategies.
- They have Android and IOS apps
- Great for agencies and teams as it offers support to multiple users who need to access one account.
- It’s got an excellent content curation tool.
Cons
- Removal of the follow/unfollow feature that Crowdfire was known for. (But IT’S WORTH REITERATING that this has made it a safe platform as it complies with social media guidelines)
- Small glitches on the app. Like sometimes failing to; pull a post’s featured image or post on LinkedIn.
Pricing
It comes with a free version, but the paid version starts at $9.99 per month.
Sprout Social
Simplified social monitoring, listening, and engagement tool, starts at $ 99/month
Are you looking for a platform tailored to build and manage client relationships?
This is a one-stop-shop for all your social media accounts monitoring and sharing needs. We live in an instant gratification world. Our followers expect jet-speed feedbacks. Well, Sprout Social gives you a fast and reliable means to cater to this audience. It surely takes your customer service a notch higher. Who doesn’t need a faster, efficient, and smarter communication tool?
Key Features
- Rich data analytics.
- Organized inbox messages to streamline your engagement.
- Social listening tool.
- It gives you the ability to plan, schedule, and automate content publishing.
Pros
- It optimizes your engagement by arranging your messages as they were received.
- It allows team members to work on social media campaigns.
- It provides detailed platform and posts metrics.
- It enables you to monitor keywords and hashtags.
Cons
- Lack of Pinterest and YouTube integrations.
- Not so friendly user interface
- Lacks reports by country of origin
- The standard licence lacks social listening functions
- Instagram scheduling can be complicated
- Android functionality lacks in comparison to iOS
Pricing
It starts at $99/month with a 30-day free trial period.
Planable
Collaboration tool for creating, approving, and publishing content, starts at $32.5/month
Are you looking for a command center for your team to plan, create, and schedule your social media content?
Planable provides a collaborative and highly configurable platform for you. It’s designed to manage several social media profiles from one dashboard. It stands out because it has a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) user interface.
Key Features
- Automated content publishing.
- A team collaboration platform.
- Post scheduling feature.
- Customer engagement.
Pros
- It has an intuitive dashboard.
- Ideal for teams to plan and schedule posts.
- One-click approvals by team managers.
Cons
- Real-time customer support is only offered in the Enterprise tier.
- Lacks analytics and sentiment tracking
Pricing
It starts at $32.5 per month with a 14-day free trial period.
Sendible
Centralized hub for all your social networks, starts at $29 /month
If you are an agency dealing with several clients then Sendible is good for you. It’s one of the most popular tools for agencies managing multiple social media client profiles. Also, small businesses with different teams running their social media platforms together should sign up for Sendible.
Key Features
- Multiple social media channels publishing.
- Multiple clients and team management tool.
- It is a lead generation platform.
- It provides integrated tracking and analytics.
Pros
- You can handle as many social media accounts as you want.
- It has a user-friendly post scheduling interface.
- It enhances audience engagement and helps you generate new leads.
Cons
- The mobile app is glitchy.
- Setting up users/teams is confusing
- Import is difficult to use
Pricing
It starts at $29/month with a 14-day free trial period.
SocialPilot
One social media marketing dashboard for all major social platforms, starts at $30/month
Are you looking forward to taking your social media campaign to new heights?
Then SocialPilot will give you the wings to fly. If you want to boost the efficiency of your social media strategy, give it a spin. Unlike social media channels, Social profile offers no word count restrictions on your posts. Also, it comes with a mobile app allowing you to do all these at the comfort of your fingertips. It’s undoubtfully one of the best tools for digital agencies and small businesses.
Key Features
- Advanced post scheduling tool.
- It’s a client and team management platform.
- It has a URL shortener tool.
- It enables you to curate content by giving suggestions.
- In-depth social media analytics.
Pro
- It enables you to schedule and publish posts in bulk.
- It enhances team member’s collaboration.
- It offers robust analytics to improve your performance.
- It promotes your brand by overwriting the default ‘sharing app name’ on shared posts and showcasing your own.
Cons
- There is a learning curve involved as the interface is less intuitive.
- No automatic alert for failed queues so you need to keep an eye on your queues.
Pricing
Starts from $30/month with a 14-day free trial period
Let’s get started with Social Media Management
Just making use of the right tool will amplify your social media marketing efforts within no time. Choose the tools that best fit your social channel, content, and pocket. These tools will help you gain your followers, engage your fans, drive more traffic, and do all these within a reasonable time.
Most of these tools have a free trial period so try them out before you commit yourself into a long term relationship.
Let me know what you think in the comments. And remember, sharing is caring!
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