Finding Your Social Media Toolkit

What does that home improvement project you’ve been putting off and social media management have in common? You’ll need good tools to do the job right. You can go old school, and schedule, track and analyze everything yourself, but chances are this approach will leave your social performance suboptimal. When you’re gearing up for a new project, picking the right tools is just as important as picking enough tools. Let’s go over a few tools you should consider using to make sure your social media renovation is done well. 

Social Media Optimization

First, let’s consider a few common tools that are used to streamline content creation. From cross-platform publication to competitive campaign analysis, these tools can save you a few headaches and sharpen your posts.

Tool # 1 : Hootsuite

Hootsuite is one of the most popular social media management sites on the market. As of 2021, the company boasted over 200,000 paid subscriptions, and that number has likely grown in recent years. Hootsuite’s core offering is convenient and simplified content planning and post publishing. This scheduling feature allows users to post and track across platforms, all on one centralized website. Hootsuite also offers analytics, tracking data that business owners may struggle to find on their own. One great example of helpful data is industry insights. HootSuite allows user to compare their social performance to industry averages, showing how you’re performing compared to the competition

Is Hootsuite for you?

Hootsuite has two main strengths. First, it’s feature heavy while relatively affordable. HootSuite can help you do all aspects of social media management. The base plan is $99 a month, which is much cheaper than some competitors. Secondly, Hootsuite is well-known for user friendliness.While Hootsuite is relatively affordable, it may still be a little pricey for some small businesses, especially if social media is not a major focus. Another issue with Hootsuite is inconsistent customer support. The company doesn’t offer phone support, and customers often complain about long response times. If you’re relatively new to social media management, but ready to chase some great results and not afraid to invest a little to achieve them, Hootsuite is an excellent tool. 

Tool # 2 : Buffer

If Hootsuite is a little bit out of your price range, Buffer could be a great option for you. Buffer offers many of the same general features as Hootsuite, such as scheduling and analytics. It’s also known for being even simpler to use than Hootsuite, and it even offers a free plan. The free plan is fairly limited, so if you’re looking to post frequently across multiple platforms, you’ll likely need to move towards a paid plan. Buffer’s simplicity is perhaps its most attractive feature. It has an intuitive user-friendly interface that anyone can hop into. While Buffer provides tremendous value and ease of use, it doesn’t have the same level of depth and complexity as Hootsuite, and it offers a bit less control. For example, the analytics reporting can’t give you the same competitor information. Buffer will be less helpful when it comes to refining and monitoring your social strategy.

Why Pick Buffer?

If you need robust, cross-team social media management, with in-depth reporting to help you refine your social strategy, Buffer might not be the tool for you. But if you’re a small business with a very limited marketing budget looking to dip your toes in the ocean of social media, Buffer is a great place to start. 

Social Paid Advertising

Creating content on social media is only half of effective social media optimization. Paid social advertising is a strategy to effectively reach your audience. Let’s unpack some of the advantages and differences between paid social advertising and general digital advertising, by examining Meta Ads, a common social media advertising solution, and Google Ads, a popular digital advertising tool. 

What are Google Ads and Meta Ads?

Google Ads is an advertising solution that is not tied to social media. Instead, it is tied to web users’ search activity and website activity. When people search for your product or similar products  online or browse websites, Google will share your advertisements. Google Ads are a great example of search engine marketing, or SEM.  In contrast, Meta Ads are used on social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram. Meta Ads are an example of SMM, or social media marketing. Let’s compare the different strengths of these services to discover what kind of marketing may be best for your business. 

Reach

Both Google Ads and Meta Ads provide tremendous reach, as billions of people utilize Google and social media on a daily basis. There is a slight edge for general web activity over social media use. However, social media marketing may allow you to tap into niche audiences whose interests align with what your business offers. 

Ad Formats

Google Ads provide a variety of ad options like Search and Video to reach customers across different websites. Meta Ads allow options like Instant Experience, which takes advantage of the immersive nature of social media.  

Targeting Options

Google Ads primarily focuses on web activity and location to find the ideal audience for ads. Meta Ads allow you to target audiences based on interests, and can even utilize purchase history to find potential customers.

Cost 

While cost for both types of advertising vary, Meta Ads tend to generate conversions at a cheaper rate. Meta Ads generally stay under one dollar per click, but Google Ads may be several dollars per click. 

Why bother with paid advertising?

While both SEM and SMM can provide excellent value when it comes to reaching your audience, paid social ads are key for businesses looking to maximize social presence. Paid advertising allows you to expand your reach and target customers interested in your product or service Consider incorporating paid advertising in your next campaign!

The tools make the job

Whether you’re looking to streamline your posting process, understand your audience better or push your product to the top of the feed, tools will help accomplish your goals. Consider adding these tools for your next campaign!