How We Chose the Best Social Media Management Software
Managing multiple social media accounts takes hard work and planning. Many brands and social media marketing agencies choose to invest in social media management software to plan and manage their accounts more easily. There are many software options out there, but they don’t have the same features and capabilities. It can get confusing knowing which software brand to choose. That’s why we did all the research and narrowed down the best options. We evaluated social media management software companies on the most important features: automation, integrations, and reporting features.Automation
It takes a lot of effort to maintain social media accounts, and in many cases, many tasks must be completed. It’s best to use software that can save the user time and energy with features such as automated publishing and post scheduling tools. We looked at software options that include these important features.Integrations
The software should also have pre-built integrations so it’s simple to use other marketing software along with the social media management software of choice. We highlighted social media software options that integrate well with popular and common apps and tools and the most popular social media platforms.Reporting Features
It’s especially helpful if social media management software offers robust reporting tools that include things like impressions and engagement so the user can adequately measure their social media campaigns’ performance and make changes as necessary. We’ve highlighted software options that offer excellent reporting tools.What Is Social Media Management Software?
Social media management software refers to programs that provide tools to make it easier for users to manage their social media accounts and social media marketing strategy.
In most cases, social media management software offers multi-account capabilities, so that brands or agencies can manage multiple social media accounts and profiles at once. While not all software is created equally, many top software options offer the same capabilities. Users can more easily plan out their posts, schedule their posts in advance, automate their postings, and measure the success of their campaigns. This makes it easier for users to handle their social media needs, and it can help them save time and have more success with their efforts.
Most social media management software options are cloud-based or web-based so users can access the tools and resources from anywhere. Many brands also offer a mobile application for Android and iOS devices. While it’s possible to post to social media without the use of social media management software, this kind of software solution makes it simpler.
Most software options support all major social media platforms, while a few software options cater to one or a few platforms.
Benefits of Social Media Management Software
There are many benefits to using social media management software. It can make life easier for brands and social media marketing professionals. Here are some of the top benefits of using social media management software:
- Save time: With the tools included in this software, users can save time. They can automate certain tasks and plan in advance so there are fewer manual tasks that need to be handled each day.
- Improve organization:Social media management software can also help brands improve their organization. With content management and scheduling tools, brands won’t forget to make important posts and will know more about what their upcoming content includes.
- Be more consistent: This software can also help companies be more consistent with their social media interactions and posting efforts, which can make the brand appear more active on social media and improve its reputation as a whole.
- Improve engagement: Using this type of software to make the right kinds of posts and to post more consistently can help to improve customer engagement.
- Get better results:It takes a lot of effort and planning to handle social media marketing campaigns. Without the right software, it can be hard to be successful and to know what needs to be changed to have more success. Most social media management software includes powerful reporting tools to help brands and marketers learn from their mistakes and get better results.
Must-Have Features of Social Media Management Software
Many social media management software options have similar features, but not all are exactly the same. It’s important to look at what’s included with each brand to make sure you’re getting the right software for your needs. Here are some of the best features that should be included in social media management software:
- Multi-account management: With the use of social media management software, users should be able to manage multiple social media accounts and profiles. This feature is a must for social media marketing agencies.
- Post scheduling: It should be easy to schedule social media posts so users can plan out content several weeks or months in advance.
- Automated publishing: Users should also be able to automate their publishing. Once they pre-plan their posts, they should be able to publish automatically.
- Reporting tools: Social media management software should include reporting tools. These reports should make essential data easier to interpret so brands can make more informed social media campaign choices.
- Social media monitoring: With this software, it should be easy for users to monitor social content related to their brand or industry.
- Customer engagement tools: This kind of software should also include customer engagement tools to make it easier to communicate with social media users effectively. This makes it simple for brands to keep conversations going.
The Cost of Social Media Management Software
The cost of social media management software varies depending on the brand’s popularity and its offerings and capabilities. Most companies offer multiple price options depending on a user’s needs. For example, it’s more costly for a large marketing agency to pay for this kind of software compared to an individual brand that has fewer needs. Most software is available as a monthly subscription, though many companies offer a discount to customers paying annually.
Smaller organizations can expect to pay an affordable price for this kind of software — usually somewhere between $20 and $40 per month. Most midsize teams can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 per month for social media management software.
Larger organizations and marketing agencies can expect to pay a lot more — in most cases, at least $150 per month and up to $600 per month. While they pay more for this software, they won’t have to worry about a limit on the number of posts they make or the social media accounts they use. They may also get access to more advanced reporting tools.
A few social media management software companies offer free plans, but they have limitations. This may work out nicely for individual companies that don’t post content often. Most brands offer a free trial period of their software, the average trial period being 14 days.