Social media has become increasingly important for businesses to stay connected with their customers and stay ahead of the competition. As a result, businesses have to choose the right social media management platform to help them manage their accounts and presence.
This article will compare two of the top social media management platforms, Sprout Social and Hootsuite, in terms of their features, pricing plans, customer service, integrations, reporting tools, and user interface.
By the end of this article, you should have a better understanding of which platform would be the better choice for your business.
When it comes to platform features, Sprout Social and Hootsuite both offer comprehensive tools to help manage social media accounts. Sprout Social allows users to schedule posts across multiple platforms, provides a detailed analytics dashboard, and offers an easy-to-use content library.
Hootsuite also provides a scheduling tool, but also features team collaboration, an influencer and brand database, and an app directory. Both platforms offer an in-depth reporting suite, allowing users to monitor performance and measure ROI.
They both also provide support for multiple languages, allowing users to manage accounts across different regions. Ultimately, both platforms provide a comprehensive suite of features for managing social media accounts.
In addition to the features they offer, it is important to consider the pricing plans of both Sprout Social and Hootsuite when deciding which platform is best for managing social media accounts. Sprout Social offers three pricing plans from $99 to $249 per month.
All of their plans include unlimited users, access to all features, and social media support. Hootsuite offers four pricing plans from $19 to $599 per month. The plans offer varying degrees of features, users, and support.
Both platforms offer discounts for annual plans, as well as custom pricing for enterprise packages. Ultimately, the pricing plans of each platform should be considered when making a decision.
Building upon the pricing plans of both platforms, it is important to consider the customer service offered by Sprout Social and Hootsuite. Sprout Social offers 24/7 customer service via email and a live chat feature.
They also offer a comprehensive knowledge base with step-by-step instructions and tutorials. Hootsuite also provides 24/7 customer service via email and live chat. Additionally, they offer a range of support options such as an interactive forum, webinars, video tutorials, and a detailed help center.
Both platforms offer dedicated customer support teams who are knowledgeable and willing to help customers with any issue. Ultimately, both Sprout Social and Hootsuite offer excellent customer service that can help users get the most out of their social media management platforms.
Both Sprout Social and Hootsuite offer a variety of integrations to help users manage multiple social media accounts more efficiently. Sprout Social offers integrations with Slack, WordPress, Zendesk, Salesforce, and more.
This allows users to connect their other accounts and easily manage customer service queries. Hootsuite also offers a wide range of integrations, including major social networks, Google Analytics, YouTube, and Dropbox.
This allows users to save time by automating mundane tasks, such as scheduling posts and tracking analytics across different platforms. Ultimately, the choice of platform depends on the user's needs, as both Sprout Social and Hootsuite provide powerful integration options.
When it comes to reporting tools, Sprout Social and Hootsuite offer unique features that meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Sprout Social provides customizable reporting with a range of data points, allowing users to track performance, analyze trends, and easily share reports.
Hootsuite also has an extensive reporting suite, with customizable dashboards, automated report scheduling, and the ability to export data into various formats. Both platforms provide comprehensive reporting features that give businesses the insights they need to make informed decisions.
However, Sprout Social's reporting capabilities are more advanced, allowing for more granular reporting and more detailed data analysis. Ultimately, both tools offer powerful reporting features that make it easier for businesses to track and measure their social media performance.
In addition to their advanced reporting features, Sprout Social and Hootsuite offer intuitive user interfaces that allow businesses to quickly and easily manage their social media accounts. Sprout Social's user interface is designed with a clean and modern aesthetic, offering a simple yet powerful suite of tools to help users streamline their workflow.
Hootsuite, on the other hand, provides a highly customizable dashboard with comprehensive reporting features. Both platforms offer the ability to monitor conversations, schedule posts, and create campaigns. Sprout Social also offers a unique 'Conversations' feature, which allows users to quickly respond to messages and easily collaborate with team members.
Hootsuite has a more complex setup, allowing users to create custom streams and tabs. Ultimately, both platforms offer a user-friendly interface and an array of features to help businesses better manage their social media accounts.
Yes, discounts are available for both Sprout Social and Hootsuite. Sprout Social offers discounts of up to 20% off for annual billing and an additional 10% off for non-profit organizations. Hootsuite also offers discounts for annual billing, with up to 20% off. Additionally, Hootsuite offers discounts for educational institutions, with up to 50% off the regular price. Both platforms have their own sets of discounts, so it is important to check the website for the most up-to-date information.
The long-term implications of using a social media management platform can be significant. The platform can help businesses gain more followers, increase engagement, and generate leads. It can also provide insights into customer preferences and help businesses with their content strategy. As businesses continue to use the platform, they can benefit from features such as scheduling posts, tracking analytics, and creating custom reports. However, businesses should consider the cost of the platform and whether it will be beneficial to their business in the long run.
The amount of time it takes to become familiar with a platform's interface depends on the user's experience and the complexity of the platform's features. Generally, users can become comfortable with the basics of a platform's interface within a few hours. However, learning the more advanced features of a platform and becoming an expert in its use can take several days or weeks of dedicated practice. It is important to take the time necessary to understand how a platform works in order to make the most of its features.