What is Hootsuite? Hootsuite is undoubtedly among the most popular social media tools. It does have some really unique cutting edge features such as:
- Ability to connect numerous social networks like Facebook (groups and pages), Twitter, LinkedIn (Pages and Profiles), Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
- A 90 day free plan.
- Content scheduling features, which can be uploaded via a CSV file and previewed.
- Easy team collaboration.
- Hootsuite App Directory has numerous apps which can be integrated with the aid of Alternatives HootSuite.
- Team collaboration is made easy.
- The app directory has numerous apps which can be integrated with the tool.
- Analytics and reporting features are also offered.
A benefit of using the post performance area within hootsuite analytics is that it shows:
A benefit of using the post performance area within hootsuite analytics is that it shows real time strategy and planning and accurate reporting, which are easily trackable and scalable. Yet there are some downsides to Hootsuite which should be considered:
- It does not support Google Business Profile.
- The free plan has limitations, where only two social accounts can be used and only five posts can be scheduled.
- The content scheduled in bulk cannot be paused.
- Team collaboration features are quite expensive (starts from USD$ 1,548 per year).
- The user interface is complicated and dull.
- Customer support is not available on all plans.
- Most of the apps in the Hootsuite app directory need to be purchased.
Those who are looking for the best Hootsuite alternatives to amplify their social media presence are in luck. They definitely are looking for a social media tool having more features, an improved user interface with definitely the best pricing to offer for teams and reporting. Let us now have a look at each alternative present.
Top-notch alternatives Hootsuite
Based on recommendations of experts, here are some of the best Hootsuite alternatives social media teams and professionals have been looking for:
- Sendible.
- Agorapulse.
- TweetDeck.
- Sprout Social.
Sendible
For some professionals, Sendible is a top pick when it comes to Hootsuite alternatives. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and all the favorite social networks can be easily connected through it.
Like Hootsuite, Sendible can help social media marketers view social media streams and additionally, can also get the addition of a social media inbox collating all messages, tweets and comments into a unified feed. Such a feature alone saves a lot of time.
The main idea behind this platform is that no social media marketer should miss out on any important messages. Those who are using voice assistants for social media or making it work as part of team work can also assign any social updates for their team members easily.
Moreover, Sendible also offers the best scheduling functionality in the industry. A social media calendar, queue features, content libraries and publishing from RSS feeds are included. There is even a content curation feature allowing marketers to find content to share with the audience. This is another good reason why it is ranked among the best Hootsuite alternatives.
The reporting and analytics functionality helps marketers create custom reports for each social network to help them obtain an idea of their social presence progressing or not. Social listening is also part of the platform to help see if people are sharing content without tagging the brand’s username.
Here are some of its salient features:
- Engage with your audience either through social streams or a social inbox.
- Easy publishing of content on social media.
- Powerful scheduling functionality including social calendar, queues, content library, RSS auto publishing and the like.
- Creation of custom reports.
- Social listening to uncover brand mentions.
- Team collaboration user accounts are built-in.
- Mobile apps for managing accounts when on the go.
Its pricing starts at USD$ 29 per month with a free trial available for 14-days.
Agorapulse
Agorapulse is another platform and one of the best Hootsuite alternatives serving as a worthwhile alternative to Hootsuite. It is packed with a host of robust features with a key focus on simplicity. The platform can help social media marketers manage all aspects of their efforts.
The platform lacks the streams features which Hootsuite has. Instead, marketers get a social media inbox which is known to be time saver compared to the streams Hootsuite offers. Social media marketers can schedule updates, engage with the audience, run keyword searches for brand mentions across various social media platforms, and make detailed reports.
Moreover, an inbox assistant is present for tweets, allowing social media marketers to set up rules for specific actions. If a certain keyword is mentioned in a tweet, marketers can automatically assign it to a team member to save time. This is why Agorapulse is ranked among the best Hootsuite alternatives.
The platform will also categorize followers to help them find brand ambassadors. Highly engaged fans and followers can also be found. When it comes to the set of features and pricing, Agorapulse is a worthwhile fit for most social media marketing teams and digital marketing agency in Pakistan.
Here are some of its salient features:
- A social media inbox for monitoring and engaging with the audience.
- Scheduling updates to popular social media networks.
- Social media monitoring is part of it.
- It has in-built collaboration features which allow social media marketers to assign tasks to their team members.
- Making detailed reports.
- Access to Social Media Manager School which is an in-depth training course to help improve social media marketing skills.
In terms of pricing, a free plan is available. Paid plans usually start from almost USD$ 104 per month (annual charges have a discount offered).
TweetDeck
TweetDeck is a worthwhile and among the desired Hootsuite alternatives for those who are only using the latter for managing Twitter. If social media marketers love the streams offered by Hootsuite, then this platform will be like a home for them.
TweetDeck helps customize each column with the streams by adding the messages, mentions, new followers, Twitter lists and the like. The platform also includes basic social scheduling functions. Considering the worthwhile price point of it, social media marketers can make the most of TweetDeck without having to pay a cent.
Yet, they will still need other tools if they are using other social media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Those focused on Twitter can find this platform very handy.
Here are some of its salient features:
- It supports Twitter.
- Making custom social streams.
- Managing the Twitter messages.
- Scheduling tweets from within the app.
- Users do not have to sign up for a new tool.
TweetDeck is free and has no price.. This is why it is known to be topmost among the best Hootsuite alternatives that are free of cost.
Sprout Social
Sprout social is a fully loaded social media management tool. The reason it is ranked among the best Hootsuite alternatives out there. It is suitable for large teams and enterprise firms. Those looking to sidestep Hootsuite’s business or enterprise plans then Sprout Social is a worthwhile fit.
Sprout Social can give social media marketers a worthwhile access to a unified social media inbox and a worthwhile scheduling functionality. A social calendar helps keep the team organized. The platform has built-in CRM/Task management features making the team management and content approval an easy task.
Then there are various kinds of reporting on the platform. Paid plans provide access to competitive reports and trend analysis, plus more features. The platform also provides response time reports which are best for most teams.
The higher paid plans will help social media marketers unlock more advanced features like chatbots and automation tools. They are a worthwhile addition to the platform. However, the platform is suitable for larger businesses and enterprise level firms.
Here are some of its salient features:
- Publishing and scheduling content seamlessly.
- A social inbox mentioning comments and mentions.
- In-built social calendar for improved organization.
- It has robust reporting functionalities which provides more reports on paid plans.
- Custom workflows for approving content.
- Automation tools and chatbots present.
Pricing starts from USD$ 99 per month per each user. There is also a free trial period for 30 days. Companies having five users will hence pay USD$ 495 per month.
Conclusion
The list may seem small but these platforms are tried, tested and proven to be best for multiple kinds of businesses. Sprout Social goes well with large enterprises and large businesses whereas the others are suitable for all kinds of businesses and companies. Moreover, Hootsuite alternatives are wide and many, but they should be carefully evaluated before it is utilized and purchased.
