Guide to Success — Social Media Management Tools
As I was growing up, my father frequently made the point you should always use the right tool for the job. Today, in social media management, this advice remains true.
Many management platforms offer free and paid assets to help manage your social media. Service platforms like Hootsuite and Sprout Social have become industry giants that help manage other organizations’ online presence. This type of service can aid yours, too.
What’s the importance of social media management tools?
I’d be very surprised if you didn’t already use online banking. Similarly, if you manage social media accounts, you should be using all the assets available to you and your organization.
These platforms provide tools that offer insights into analytics, community engagement, trend tracking, content planning, and much more. Using these tools relieves stress, offers better efficiency with content, and maximizes return on investment (ROI).
“Managing your social media accounts can become complex very quickly as you begin to grow your presence on multiple networks”(eClincher, 2020). Social media has become a full-time job. You feel the time crunch, but understand the importance, so finding balance is crucial. Social media management tools will reduce your time spent and maximize your output.
As an example, analyzing each post to measure its success with specific demographics has value. You can begin shaping your content to your better align with target audience preference. As a result, your audience will connect better with your organization and forming stronger relationships.
No matter the product or service you provide, relationships lead to sales.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social
These two services are among my favorite social media tools. Each offers a variety of tools through different plans with different pricing.
There are strong similarities between the two. Both offer customizable dashboards and the ability to interact with customers directly on the feed. Both are used to create scheduled posts and shorten links.
Hootsuite offers a free subscription to help manage three of your social media platforms at a basic level. There are also tiered plans that range from $30/month to $600/month for agencies.
At the $30/month level, Hootsuite offers a model where one administrator manages ten platforms or accounts. They can use this tool to plan and schedule posts. Their service offers automated ads, the ability to monitor conversations with your name, and the power to measure and analyze data in an easily understandable dashboard. Hootsuite touts their ability to position a user to “set performance benchmarks and monitor improvements over time”(Hootsuite, 2020).
Sprout Social is another great option with similar tiered packaging. Pricing ranges between $99 to $250 per month per user(built for agencies).
Sprout Social also provides users the ability to boost posts through Facebook and measure results
Shout Me Loud explains that Sprout Social “makes your customer service more professional by letting you respond to questions and resolve issues as quickly as possible across all social networks.”
There are differences between these management platforms in both price and services available. Hootsuite is better at analytics where Sprout Social is more dedicated to the user experience. TechnologyAdvice provides a clear and direct explanation of the difference that may help when you chose your tool. “Sprout Social is much easier to look at and use. Hootsuite favors function over form.”
If you aren’t already using a social media management tool, either of these services could provide value. Begin with the free trial to get a feel for each before committing.
What are community engagement and social listening?
Social Media Today helps define the goal of social media:
It’s a “primary way to build a bigger business and gain new customers”(Paveza, 2014).
Community engagement and social listening are two key factors in communicating effectively with your audience. Opening doors for two-way conversations allows your audience to both be heard and to hear from you. Personalized care leaves a lasting impression that keeps you front and center when customers make a purchasing decision.
Social listening is actively tracking your name on the web even when not tagged. The ability to “hear” what is being said about you and then respond helps solidify brand image. You can also see any negative comments posted and direct message (DM) the commenter to address their complaints.
Social media allows organizations to speak to their customers 24/7 in a format where the end-user is comfortable. Community engagement connects audiences, helps them feel heard and special, and creates a lasting impression.
The social media tools discussed above(and many more) offer features that listen to and analyze your audience. To create a large and strong community you must provide value to each customer. Understanding how and what your customers think helps you shape content to meet specific customer needs.
When using social media, your end goal should be to reach customers in a place and style that makes them happy. There are many tools and resources available to help you and your organization improve customer relationships. It may take a little extra effort on the front end, but choosing the right tool for the job is still the best advice.
If you want to learn more about finding and fulfilling your marketing goals this year, hit the subscribe button for more informative articles coming soon.
Resources:
