Every morning I stumble out of bed at 5:30 AM and brew myself a cup of pure magic. Once I take my first few sips and begin the path to cognizance, I sit down at my desk and check social media accounts and stats. I am a power user, handling multiple accounts, client accounts and team members, so I need powerful tools that let me do this efficiently. I work at ridiculous speeds and have zero patience for things that are not highly automated, so I tend to try out many solutions before I settle on the one I like. I learn the ins and outs because I’m geeky like that and it also helps when our team develops a strategy with the tools we’ve chosen if everyone is up to speed on our options.
One of my favorite tools for social media scheduling and listening is Hootsuite. This is not an affiliate post, nor am I getting anything out of this, so it is my sincere review of the tool based on our experience over several years of using it. We also use several other tools, since there are things that Hoostsuite doesn’t do for us.
The Pros
We’ve used Hootsuite for years and continue to do so simply because we can handle so many things in one place. Here are some of the things I really dig about using it.
The Cons
There are several things that we would like to see in Hootsuite that currently aren’t there, like Pinterest integration. Here are a few of the things we need and can’t use Hootsuite for.
Alternatives to Hootsuite
Here are a few alternatives worth mentioning. We use some of these as well.
There you have it. If you’re in the market for a social media management tool, test these out and see what works for you. There are a lot of choices, so you’re bound to find what makes you happy.
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31 Responses
I’ve heard about Hootsuite but never tried it because I think it’s crucial to have Pinterest as well. What do you think about Bufferapp? Are they any good?
Yes Hanna, BufferApp is a great alternative and it does include Pinterest. The starter one is great if you have 10 accounts or less to manage, which is most folks.
Buffer is great and has Pinterest integrated.
I just started using Hootsuite. I haven’t figured out completely how it works, but in general, I can say it’s pretty good. I would definitely recommend it.
I have also used Ho or suite and I also think it’s a powerful tool for beginners. Instagram integration and Pinterest integration will make it a more than awesome tool. Great article!
I have been told about hootsuite and many people rave about it but I just haven’t taken the leap yet. Definitely a lot to consider. Thank you for sharing both sides!
Hootsuite is a very good tool I used it for awhile – very good explanation of how and why to use it.
You should try out SocialPilot https://socialpilot.co/ . The best automation tool I’ve worked with until now. You can connect to 9 social media networks, and share as many as 500 daily posts and connect 200 profiles with just one SocialPilot account and that too at really cheap rates. It has features like Custom FB Branding, Bulk Scheduling, Never-ending feed content and suggestions, team collaboration upto 20 members and much more.
Thanks Manvi. I’m going to have to check it out. It’s been on our radar, but we just haven’t made the time to test it. After looking at the plans and features, it may be a great fit for several campaigns.
Thanks Manvi, I’m going to have to check it out.
Just curious Danay, did you give SocialPilot.co a try?
Not yet Manvi, but it’s definitely on my list.
I currently use Hootsuite and Tweetdeck. However, I must say I love SproutSocial, but I only subscribe to that when I am managing clients social media profiles as well as the price is a bit much for personal blog use in my opinion. Another tool I am in love with is OnlyPult as it actually lets you schedule out your Instagram posts.
I have heard of Hootsuite but have not used it yet. I am still figuring out how to effectively use Buffer. What kind of tool you use to schedule Pinterest and what is your thoughts on it?
Great tips, as I’ve been considering a social media manager. I’m also curious what you use for Pinterest scheduling. I’m in the free trial of BoardBooster right now.
Maya, I’d love to hear your thoughts on BoardBooster when you’re through testing.
I’ve been looking for a company to manage my social media accounts. Thanks for the helpful tips, and giving various price points and pros and cons of various companies.
I need to schedule more. I think it is time to look into this program
Those are all great options, I only knew about TweetDeck. Thank you so much for sharing other options! 🙂
I hear Hootsuite helps you dramatically with your social media marketing. Guess, I’ll have to try this one out. Thanks for the alternative tips. Gives me ideas which to go for.
Scheduling your posts is awesome, it gives you plenty of time to focus on your blogging and other priorities. It’s really convenient! I think hootsuite is a good tool for social media scheduling.
I know many people who use it and love it. I should take a look at it as I do social media work for a couple clients.
i’ve heard and tried this before. works like magic, but somehow i stopped using it as i can manage both instagram and fb posts on their own. and I tweet a lot so I didn’t need to schedule it. but this hootsuite is recommended for those who are looking for one.
What great tips for Hootsuiteand other social media tools. I know I am busy with everything I have to do during the day and any help beats none at all! Thank you!
I’ll keep the others in mind. I’m so used to Hootsuite that I think that nothing else can beat it in terms of interface and functionality.
I have heard about it before, but never took the chance to try it..thank you for the break down!
What a great tips glad you share this with us I can schedule more. Hootsuit sounds interesting for me.
I work in social media and marketing and we use hootsuite and tweetdeck as well. Personally, I love Tweetdeck a little bit more just because I find that it’s easier to use!
Thank you for the helpful post. There is so much out there it is easy to get info overload! I just signed up for Hootsuite and I’m thinking about tweetdeck for twitter chats. I just have to figure them out lol. I’m spending way too much time trying to do it all manually and failing so far. Thanks again!
Thanks for the great review. I agree that it is odd Hootsuite doesn’t manage Pinterest. I need to find an app to help me manage social media and scheduling posts. With my work, I often don’t have time to post my content and/or share content from others across all social media outlets. I’ve heard about Hootsuite and Buffer, but I have yet to explore any in detail or run a trial. Since Buffer has Pinterest, would you recommend this over Hootsuite, especially if someone is only managing his/her own social media accounts?