From what I’ve seen, Hootsuite excels in scheduling posts across multiple platforms simultaneously, with a dashboard facilitating optimal posting times and content discovery. Additionally, its analytics reports provide insights into brand performance and social growth by monitoring conversations.

Users commonly raise concerns about Hootsuite’s pricing structure, particularly its suitability for individuals or small businesses. While a free plan is available, it offers limited features, such as only two social accounts and five monthly scheduled posts.

For those needing more robust features, such as the Enterprise plan, the upfront cost can be significant—$8,868 (although specific pricing may vary). Additionally, some Legacy Pro users have expressed dissatisfaction with being compelled to upgrade to new pricing tiers, resulting in potential cost increases of up to 550%. This transition can be frustrating for existing customers who feel they have limited options other than upgrading or discontinuing their platform use.

Also, while some users like the interface, some don’t and find it outdated, confusing, and complicated to monitor. So before you decide to pay, check out some screenshots and make sure you like it.

🚀 Top 3 Features

• Content Planning and Publishing
• Social Media Engagement Tools
• Analytics

💡 About the Company

There are a lot of social media tools like Hootsuite, but Hootsuite was one of the first social network managers on the market (2008), and it is today’s most used and well-known all-in-one social media software, with 16 million users.

Hootsuite releases frequent updates on its change logs page, typically 2 to 3 times a week, sometimes even more often, and sometimes once a week. For example, from January 1st to September 1st, 2021, Hootsuite released 19 new features and functions, seven new apps, 25 improvements, and fixed 29 issues and bugs.

⭐️ Rating

Hootsuite snagged 4.2 out of 5 (over 4,000 reviews) on G2 and 4.4 out of 5 on Capterra (3,663 reviews). Overall, Hootsuite tends to receive positive reviews for its effectiveness in streamlining social media workflows and improving brand presence across platforms.

Buffer’s standout feature lies in its pricing model: a flat $5 monthly fee per connected social media channel. In my experience, you can start with one or two channels and add more and more as you grow bigger and bigger (and can handle them). This flexibility appeals to small to medium-sized businesses, enabling gradual expansion without hefty upfront costs. They currently have four separate products — Buffer Publish, Buffer Analyze, Buffer Engage, and Buffer Start Page — included in the paid plan.

While occasional posting issues surface in reviews, they’re common across scheduling platforms. Users can expect to encounter these issues with any social scheduling platform, so I would take them with a grain of salt. Although most users find the dashboard user-friendly, some experience difficulties with account connections and tagging.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Buffer Publish – a social media planner app
• Buffer Analyze – detailed reports to increase your brand’s reach.
• Buffer Engage – all your comments at a glance

💡 About the company

Buffer, a team of ten since 2013, embodies transparency as a core value, pivotal during a 2013 hack when they promptly informed customers, reinforcing trust. They expanded transparency by sharing salaries and workplace culture.

Product-wise, they launched Reply in 2016 for social customer service but closed it in 2020 due to changing needs. Buffer Analyze debuted in 2019 for social media analytics, followed by Buffer Engage in 2021. Start Page, for mobile-friendly landing pages, launched in October 2021.

Updates in 2022 included enhancing the Start Page and new features like TikTok video scheduling, Instagram Reels auto-publishing, and Google Business profiles.

⭐️ Rating

According to G2, Buffer performs better than Hootsuite in almost all categories when considering thousands of user reviews. Most people feel Buffer is easier to use, set up, and administer than Hootsuite. Here is another review where the tools are compared side by side, ranking Buffer slightly higher than Hootsuite and recommending it, especially for small businesses.

Sprout Social stands out for integrating customer relationship management (CRM) features, offering comprehensive customer profiles, and facilitating stronger relationships. With complete engagement histories and shared notes among teams, it’s a handy tool for personalized interactions. While similar to Hootsuite, Sprout Social excels in user support and provides phone assistance—a feature lacking in Hootsuite’s contact options. Given the significance of these tools and customer preferences for phone communication, this accessibility enhances user experience and support quality.

Before committing to the long term, ensure the interface aligns with your needs and preferences, as some users find it less intuitive than other tools. Additionally, consider testing the LinkedIn integration, as some users have reported issues. While I couldn’t verify this firsthand, reaching out to the provider or testing the integration can offer clarity before committing.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Analytics – customized data and reports
• Listening – insights from social conversations
• Publishing – planning, creating, and managing campaigns

💡 About the company

Sprout Social updates its product every three months, occasionally monthly or less frequently. Despite gaps in updates between 2018 and 2019 and then until 2021, the company has experienced significant growth since its 2010 fundraiser. Key milestones include launching Bambu in 2015, Bot Builder in 2017, opening headquarters in Chicago and Dublin, a design refresh in 2020, introducing a social commerce solution in 2021, and reintroducing Employee Advocacy in 2022.

⭐️ Rating

Sprout Social boasts 4.4 stars on G2 (over 2,800 reviews) and 4.4 on Capterra (±500 reviews).

Automatic content curation allows users to quickly and easily find and share relevant content with their audience. From what I’ve seen, the platform also offers detailed analytics reports, allowing users to track their social media performance and make data-driven decisions about their social media strategy.

Users appreciate Social Pilot’s affordability, user-friendly interface, and responsive customer support. However, some find the feature set limited compared to other tools, and larger businesses may require more robust solutions.

Some drawbacks include occasional glitches, a clunky interface, and less detailed analytics reports. However, it is still a good option for those who want to manage multiple social media accounts without breaking the bank.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Bulk schedule via CSV
• RSS feed automatic content curation
• AI assistant

💡 About the company

Founded in 2014, SocialPilot has transformed into a leading social media management tool, expanding its offerings beyond scheduling and content management. Evolving to include advanced features like analytics, team collaboration, and client management, it caters to diverse needs.

Regular updates, such as enhanced Google Business Profile Analytics, a Content Library, and improved collaboration features, demonstrate its commitment to innovation and user satisfaction.

⭐️ Rating

Social Pilot snags 4.4 stars (365 reviews) on Capterra and 4.5 (761) on G2.

While other social media management tools offer standard features like scheduling and analytics, Sendible distinguishes itself with its robust reporting and collaboration capabilities. Users can customize reports, incorporate branding, and access data from multiple platforms.

Advanced team collaboration tools, including workflows and a shared calendar, further enhance productivity. Sendible’s CRM integration enables engagement with leads and prospects, facilitating conversions and improved relationships.

Despite its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, Sendible’s higher pricing may deter small businesses. Technical glitches, like failed posts and inaccurate analytics, have been reported. Some users also encounter challenges with customer support, such as slow responses or unhelpful assistance.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Content publishing
• Client management via dashboards
• White labelling options

💡 About the company

Founded by Gavin Hammar in his London spare bedroom in 2009, Sendible initially focused on content distribution across social media channels of links, emails, and blogs. Over time, it evolved into a comprehensive tool tailored for agencies and brands.

In February 2021, Sendible joined ASG and Traject, expanding its offerings to SMBs, agencies, and marketers. Updates occur monthly or bi-monthly, with recent 2022 additions including Instagram carousels, Instagram comment replies, scheduling for short-form videos on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, Alt text for Facebook images, and integration with GIPHY and Pexels.

⭐️ Rating

The user rating of Sendible is 4.6 (130 reviews) on Capterra and 4.5 (865) on G2.

Finding an affordable yet feature-rich social media management tool can be challenging, especially with many platforms geared toward large corporations, like Hootsuite, which cater to gazillion-dollar enterprises. MeetEdgar addresses this gap by offering pricing plans tailored for freelancers, side hustlers, and small businesses, with a free seven-day trial and flexible cancellation policy. Here’s how Edgar fares against other tools: Edgar vs. Hootsuite, Edgar vs. Buffer, and Edgar vs. Sprout Social.

While it covers fewer social media networks (Facebook pages, Facebook groups, Instagram feed, Instagram stories, X, Pinterest, LinkedIn & LinkedIn Company Pages) and has limited functionality compared to mainstream tools, it provides essential features at a minimal monthly fee.

🚀 Top 3 features

• AI assistant, Inky
• Category automation
• Calendar queue

💡 About the company

MeetEdgar was born in 2014, and it was inspired by founder and CEO Laura Roeder’s personal need for a social media tool that could recycle posts automatically. Updates are infrequent, occurring every 3 to 6 months. Recent highlights include joining the Pinterest Marketing Partner Program, insights on creating a perfect home office with Edgar, and joining SureSwift Capital.

⭐️ Rating

Although it has few reviews, MeetEdgar scores 4.7 (39 reviews) on Capterra and 4.2 (52) on G2.

Due to the high demand, I had to include at least one tool explicitly stating that it can handle automation and management on the TikTok platform.

Loomly facilitates video scheduling from your phone or laptop and sends push notifications for publishing. Notifications are available via email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams, enabling advance post scheduling and timely publishing reminders. Additionally, it offers a comprehensive marketing guide for TikTok, supports other networks, and provides essential features at a reasonable price.

While I personally don’t use Loomly’s automatic Facebook story-posting feature, I’ve noticed their proactive approach to addressing user concerns about it. Acknowledging that this limitation originates from Facebook, not their platform, builds trust in their dedication to customer satisfaction.

Avoid Loomly if you need a feature-rich social media management tool. However, note that many new features are being developed. While this indicates progress, it may also result in potential cost increases down the line. Users may retain legacy accounts at a low cost, but there could be changes similar to Hootsuite’s legacy account policies.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Approval workflows
• UTM parameters and campaign tracking
• Hashtag manager

💡 About the company

Loomly update posts seem pretty frequent, with new features and integrations mentioned about once a month or even more frequently. This commitment to resolving issues enhances user feedback and interaction scores. Loomly informs users about upcoming features on their roadmap, demonstrating transparency and responsiveness.

They also post regular “how-to” articles on how to use specific features of their tool. Additionally, they have a podcast called Brand Moat, where guests share their marketing and business success tips and stories.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, Loomly scores 4.7 (492 reviews) and 4.6 out of 1,585 reviews on G2, where I was pleasantly surprised to see that they answered each complaint.

For those who want to keep their social media accounts active without the hassle of content creation, Post Planner is an ideal solution. It’s particularly beneficial for overcoming writer’s block and alleviating uncertainties about what to post. While it may not significantly increase follower count, it enhances engagement by encouraging the auto-recycling of evergreen content.

Unlike other social media tools that bundle various features, Post Planner focuses solely on curated content planning. This specialization allows for more affordable pricing, making it an attractive option for businesses prioritizing engagement over additional functionalities.

Users criticize Post Planner for its customer support, integrations, and analytics capabilities. However, it may still be a viable option if these aspects are not critical to your needs. The most significant reason not to use Post Planner is if you prioritize personalized content tailored to your brand and have specific preferences about what you post on social media. In such cases, creating content yourself would be preferable.

🚀 Top 3 features

• In-app content creation
• Canva plugin for design creation
• Analytics dashboard

💡 About the company

Post Planner, founded in 2011 by Josh Parkinson, Julie Benzaquin, and Slav Ivanov, initially gained popularity as an in-app scheduler on Facebook. By 2014, they introduced a browser-based app for publishing on Facebook and Twitter.

In 2020, they expanded their services to encompass integrated content management and publishing across various platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, RSS, Google, and Instagram. However, no public roadmap currently outlines their future updates or improvements.

⭐️ Rating

Post Planner scores 4.1 (out of 184 reviews) on Capterra and 3.8 (44 reviews) on G2, ranking lower than most competitors.

It has many valuable features that will make your life easier, like creating and scheduling tweets, tracking conversations and mentions, and monitoring multiple Twitter timelines simultaneously. X Pro also gives us some insights and analytics about our Twitter activity, such as tweet reach and engagement. This helped me to understand what was happening and optimize my Twitter strategy accordingly.

Some users, particularly newcomers, find X Pro’s interface overwhelming. It can simultaneously present extensive information in multiple columns, leading to navigation challenges. Additionally, there’s feedback about a steep learning curve, especially for those new to social media management tools, as customizing columns, filters, and settings can be daunting.

Glitches and bugs, like non-refreshing columns and tweet loading issues, have been reported, impacting user experience. The mobile version’s limited features compared to the desktop version frustrate users needing on-the-go management. Moreover, the absence of Instagram support is a downside for those handling multiple social media accounts.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Decks for a cleaner workspace
• Advanced X analytics
• Post creation tools

💡 About the company

X Pro was a social media management platform launched in 2009. The platform was acquired by Twitter in 2011 and has since become one of the most popular tools for managing Twitter accounts. After the acquisition, it was integrated into the Twitter platform. However, many users still prefer to use X Pro as a standalone application.

In recent years, there have been reports that Twitter plans to phase out X Pro, but concrete plans have yet to be announced. Some people believe that X Pro is no longer necessary for managing Twitter accounts, while others think it is still valuable. Most users seem to believe that X Pro is no longer as practical as it once was, but it still has its place in the Twitter world.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, X Pro logged 1,043 reviews, summing to 4.5 stars.

While researching this article, I saw many dashboards, and these ones looked way better than the rest. So, if you have 3 to 10 monitors and spend a lot of time monitoring graphs and crunching numbers, Cyfe might be your best social media management tool.

It’s more than a social media management tool – it’s a business intelligence (BI) tool, but it can be easily set up to monitor your social media accounts. They have a lot of customized dashboards, so if you want to check out what monitoring social media accounts is like, you can look over here.

If you need to be more visually oriented or require advanced automation across multiple social networks, consider exploring other tools on this list tailored to content creation and less time-consuming monitoring. It’s best to know your specific needs so that I can recommend a particular alternative.

Additionally, if you prefer lighter aesthetics over dark backgrounds with vibrant graph colors, Cyfe might not be the best fit for you. Take a closer look at its appearance before committing to it long-term.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Multiple Dashboards
• Embedded analytics
• White labeling

💡 About the company

Cyfe was founded in 2012 by Deven Patel and has been featured in the show Silicon Valley. In 2020, it joined Traject, a newly launched marketing technology suite focused on agencies. It doesn’t have a clear public roadmap but posts some updates semi-regularly alongside guides.

⭐️ Rating

Although based on a few reviews, Cyfe scores 4.6 on Capterra and 4.3 (64 reviews) on G2.

Continuously evolving to match the dynamic social media landscape, Crowdfire integrates advanced analytics, AI-driven content curation, and automation tools. This evolution underscores its commitment to empowering users to bolster their social media presence, engage effectively with their audience, and attain marketing objectives in today’s fiercely competitive digital sphere.

Crowdfire’s content discovery tools make finding and sharing engaging content with your followers easy. The platform allows users to schedule posts in advance, saving time and ensuring consistent content delivery. Crowdfire offers detailed insights into post performance, audience engagement, and growth metrics, helping users make data-driven decisions.

🚀 Top 3 Features

• Content Curation
• Scheduling Capabilities
• Analytics Dashboard

💡 About the company

Crowdfire started as a social media management tool in 2010, primarily focused on helping users grow their Twitter following by suggesting relevant users to follow and unfollow. Over time, it evolved into a comprehensive social media management platform, expanding its features to include content scheduling, analytics, and engagement tracking across multiple platforms, including YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more.

While Crowdfire has received positive feedback for its ease of use and content curation features, its reporting limitations have been points of contention for some users.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra and G2, Crowdfire scores 4.3 and 4.0, with fewer than a hundred reviews. It might be a sign that the app needs more traction.

While offering different plans, the platform’s pricing structure may not suit users with more complex corporate needs.

From user reviews, I gather that integration with Facebook for auto-publishing features can be seen as a drawback for users who prefer distinct operational domains for their social media accounts. Some users have encountered challenges setting up automatic Instagram scheduling, which can be a drawback for those seeking seamless automation.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Caption writer for Instagram posts
• Multi-platform scheduling to save time
• Media library for users to store, organize, and manage their visual content efficiently.

💡 About the company

Initially, Later started as a platform with a graphical approach, focusing on visual media first and later expanding to include text-only posts for platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The software has undergone significant improvements, such as adding features like image placeholders, video and story scheduling, in-depth analytics, and a link in the bio tool.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra and G2, Later maintains a 4.5, reflecting a steady rise in popularity.

Despite these drawbacks, SocialBee stands out for its AI-powered content creation tools and extensive integration options, such as the AI co-pilot and caption generator features meant to enhance content creation processes.

SocialBee caters to individuals, bloggers, and teams looking to streamline their social media scheduling and content management processes. While the tool excels in scheduling and content creation, users should be mindful of potential limitations in user experience and interface sophistication. SocialBee offers a free 14-day trial for users to explore its features before committing since there are more affordable options out there.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Content Categories
• AI-powered tools
• Integrations: Canva, Unsplash, and GIPHY for enhanced content creation.

💡 About the company

SocialBee was founded in 2016 by Ovi Negrean. It started with the Nugget app before transitioning to a social media management tool. Since its launch in June 2016, SocialBee has evolved to offer features like social media publishing, inbox management, analytics, content recycling, and team collaboration.

Over the years, the company has grown, with milestones like a customer becoming an investor in May 2017 and Vlad Ardelean joining as COO & partner in October 2018. SocialBee supports various social media platforms and aims to simplify social media marketing for users by providing efficient tools for managing accounts effectively.

⭐️ Rating

SocialBee ranks 4.6 on Capterra, and 4.8 (out of 387 reviews) on G2.

With a strong emphasis on visual platforms, Tailwind provides in-depth analytics, SmartSchedule features, and collaborative opportunities through Tailwind Tribes. However, users should be prepared for a potentially higher pricing tier and a learning curve when first using the platform.

Tailwind specializes in scheduling and analytics for Pinterest and Instagram, catering to visual content creators. Its SmartSchedule feature optimizes posting times for maximum audience engagement.

What stands out from other apps is that users can join or create Tribes to collaborate with like-minded individuals and expand their reach on Pinterest and Instagram.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Planning and scheduling
• Social posts design
• Ghostwriting feature

💡 About the company

Tailwind was founded in 2015 by Alex and Danny to solve their marketing challenges while growing an online business—the first version launched in 2015, focusing on visual social networks like Instagram and Pinterest. By the end of 2018, Tailwind had grown to 35,000 paying members and expanded its services to various business types.

In 2019, Tailwind identified new challenges small businesses face in marketing and began rebuilding its platform to support multi-channel marketing. The company introduced features like Tailwind Create for designing on-brand images, an email marketing service, and Replier.ai for drafting marketing copy.

⭐️ Rating

Tailwind snagged a 4.3 on G2 out of 138 reviews.

The tool’s integration with HubSpot CRM and other marketing tools enhances its functionality. It is a valuable resource for those looking to streamline their social media efforts and achieve measurable outcomes. HubSpot’s reputation for providing top-notch marketing solutions further solidifies its position as a leading choice for social media management in the digital landscape.

🚀 Top 3 features

• SEO tools
• multi-language content creation
• segmentation and analytics

💡 About the company

HubSpot, a marketing and sales software solution, was founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, MIT students. The company focused on inbound marketing and expanded to CRM, social media, content management, lead generation, analytics, SEO, and customer support.

HubSpot grew internationally, went public in 2014, hit $1 billion in revenue in 2020, and acquired companies like Kemwi and The Hustle. With 128,000+ customers globally, HubSpot offers Marketing, Sales, Service, Operations, and CMS Hubs, known for simplicity, flexibility, and automation, driving $1,287 million in revenue in 2021.

⭐️ Rating

HubSpot is very present on Capterra, scoring 4.5 (out of over 4,000 reviews) and 4.4 out of a whopping 10,823 reviews on G2.

The tool aims to enable users to make strategic decisions based on concrete data, build their brand using statistics, save time with content scheduling, in-depth reporting, and analysis, monitor multiple profiles from a single dashboard, compare results with competitors, manage conversations around a brand, engage with a community, and collaborate effectively with a team.

Iconosquare boasts a user base of 10,000 agencies and companies, offering supported features like analytics, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting to enhance social media performance across various platforms.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Collaboration tools
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• Smooth post scheduling

💡 About the company

Initially known as Statigram, the platform was launched in 2011 with just 10 Instagram metrics. By 2015, it rebranded to Iconosquare, catering to 10 million registered users and ranking among the top 800 most-visited websites globally. Over the years, Iconosquare has evolved to offer powerful analytics, management, and scheduling solutions for brands and agencies worldwide. In 2022, Wedia Group acquired Iconosquare, integrating its solutions into their software offerings.

⭐️ Rating

Iconosquare has a 4.5 score out of 119 reviews on G2.

However, users may encounter challenges with the platform’s usability, pricing structure, and interface segmentation, which can impact user experience and accessibility for smaller businesses or individuals seeking more budget-friendly options.

Sprinklr’s automation solutions ensure on-brand customer conversations across various digital channels, enhancing engagement and brand consistency.

The platform’s AI-driven planning, publishing, and reporting tools categorize messages by intent, triage them efficiently, and provide optimal responses, streamlining customer interactions. More AI features include Sprinklr Intuition for social media data analysis and Product Insights for categorizing customer feedback and enhancing user experience.

Sprinklr allows users to publish and distribute content across multiple platforms, optimizing brand visibility and reach.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Sentiment analysis
• AGI content creation
• workflows with approval

💡 About the company

Sprinklr, a prominent social media management app, was founded in 2009 by Ragy Thomas, a technology marketing executive. Initially focused on social media management, Sprinklr expanded into customer experience management (CXM) with a suite of products covering social media marketing, advertising, content management, collaboration, customer care, research, and monitoring. The company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 under the symbol CXM.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, Sprinklr Social has a rating of 4.2 out of 5, while on G2, it ranks 4.0 out of 800 reviews, which leaves room for improvement.

However, users may encounter challenges with the platform’s pricing, complex interface, and extensive focus on advanced analytics, which could impact accessibility and user experience for smaller businesses or those seeking more straightforward social media management solutions.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Sentiment analysis
• Trend tracking and prediction based on AI
• Real-time monitoring

💡 About the company

Initially launched in 2006 as a relaunch of Magpie Search and Alert, Brandwatch evolved from a basic search engine service to a comprehensive platform offering social media monitoring, analytics, and market research solutions. The company’s journey includes critical milestones like the acquisition of PeerIndex in 2014, BuzzSumo in 2017, and a merger with Crimson Hexagon in 2018. Brandwatch’s commitment to innovation and growth led to the creation of the Consumer Research platform, a $50 million investment that combines the strengths of Brandwatch and Crimson Hexagon technologies.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, Brandwatch has a rating of 4.3 and 4.4 out of 5 on G2 out of 605 reviews.

Despite its strengths, Khoros may need help with its unintuitive user interface, limited automation capabilities, and lack of transparency in pricing.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Advanced analytics
• Trend monitoring
• Unified platform for multiple SM accounts

💡 About the company

Khoros, formerly Spredfast + Lithium, has a robust history and development trajectory in social media management. The company’s roots trace back to the founding of Spredfast in 2008 and Lithium Technologies in 2001. Over the years, Khoros has evolved into a comprehensive platform offering features like social campaign planning, real-time engagement management, and social impact analysis.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, Khoros has a rating of 4.3 out of 5, while G2 has an underwhelming 3.8 out of 116 reviews.

Zoho Social is a user-friendly social media management platform that caters to the needs of small to midsize businesses. It offers a cost-effective solution that focuses on post scheduling, analytics, and social monitoring.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Monitoring capabilities
• Brand reviews and keyword tracking
• Intelligent reporting, SmarQ predictions

💡 About the company

Initially launched as a relaunch of Magpie Search and Alert in 2006, Zoho Social has evolved into a comprehensive platform offering social media management, reporting, and scheduling solutions. The platform stands out for its affordability, robust reporting capabilities, user-friendly interface, and seamless integration between the mobile application and browser version. Zoho Social caters to small-to-mid-range organizations, providing features like scheduling, monitoring hashtags, and keywords, discovering leads, engaging with the audience in real time, and offering customizable and detailed analytics.

⭐️ Rating

On Capterra, Zoho Social has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 3,090 reviews, reflecting user satisfaction with its features and performance.

On G2, Zoho Social scores 4.6 based on 2,560 reviews, and it is recognized as a complete social media management platform for businesses and agencies, providing scheduling, monitoring, and custom creation features.

When I was searching for social media management tools for universities, Agorapulse kept popping up, not only in random articles that list them among other big-name social media tools but also in articles of their own on social media management and marketing for universities, like this one on how to use social media to keep students engaged or this one on how universities can use social media as well as students do.

Users love Agorapulse because they can schedule posts, respond, monitor, and get reporting in the same app. Compared to Hootsuite, another popular university choice, Agorapulse has a better, more straightforward interface with a less cluttered dashboard that makes it easier to quickly find what you’re looking for.

University social media managers also prefer Agorapulse to Hootsuite because it offers much more cost-effective plans. According to this case study, Hillsdale College has saved $100K annually by switching over to Agorapulse from Hootsuite and another tool they used.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Bulk scheduling
• Advanced inbox functionalities
• Robust analytics, reporting, and tracking

💡 About the company

The platform differentiates itself by providing a streamlined workflow, extensive features, and exceptional customer support at an affordable price compared to other popular tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social.

The platform has undergone significant transformations and enhancements, introducing new features and capabilities to meet users’ evolving needs. Notably, Agorapulse has made substantial progress in recent years, with key developments highlighted in 2022 and 2023 showcasing the platform’s commitment to innovation and user satisfaction.

⭐️ Rating

Agorapulse snagged 4.6 on Capterra out of 700 reviews and 4.5 on G2 based on 922 reviews.

With Oktopost’s social publishing tools, you can boost your brand awareness and connect with different audiences, such as future students, their parents, and academic communities. You can also measure the impact of your social media campaigns. And that’s what university social media managers love most: having a unified platform to schedule and publish posts, communicate with students, and measure success. Users also love the drag-and-drop interface of the editorial calendar and Oktopost, which suggests the best time to post.

You can connect Oktopost to your CRM, Google Analytics, and hundreds of other platforms to accumulate more data on your prospective students and personalize your marketing communication for more effective results.

🚀 Top 3 features

• Social media scheduling
• Salesforce/GA integration
• Media library

💡 About the company

Founded in 2013, Oktopost has evolved into a comprehensive social media management platform for B2B businesses. Its offering includes advanced features like AI-powered content creation tools, social media publishing, scheduling, content approval workflows, media library access, UTM parameter attribution, and more. Oktopost empowers users to streamline social media management and optimize their strategies effectively.

⭐️ Rating

Oktopost is rated 4.5 on Capterra and 4.4 on G2.

CoSchedule’s main selling point is its free and comprehensive marketing calendar, which makes it ideal for university teams that need to manage their social media activity and marketing campaigns from the same app. Users love CoSchedule most because it simplifies their workflow and eliminates other apps like Asana, email, and Google Docs since they can see discussions, resources, and task lists associated with each project in the CoSchedule calendar.

Social media managers love seeing who is accountable for each project in CoSchedule, so there is no more confusion over who used an outdated football club logo or who is responsible for a specific campaign. CoSchedule also offers analytics, so you can see how your enrollment campaigns are going, check out student engagement, and find ways to improve projects that aren’t as successful.

CoSchedule is used by Lamar University and University MarComm teams.

Many other social media management tools can work for universities, but I wanted to keep the list short and pick only the ones that seem more geared toward it. You could also check out X Pro (which we discussed at the beginning of the article) for social listening to your Twitter accounts or Juicer for social media marketing.

🚀 Top 3 features

• AI-Powered Marketing Intelligence Assistant
• Headline Studio for content creation
• Suite of Organizers – Calendar, Content, Work, and Asset

💡 About the company

Founded in 2013, CoSchedule has become a leading social media management platform, reaching $6.5 million in revenue by 2023 with 8,000 customers. The platform offers a centralized marketing calendar for organizing marketing activities efficiently, emphasizing focus and discipline in its growth framework.

⭐️ Rating

CoSchedule is rated 4.4 on Capterra and G2.