The 10 Best Social Media Management Tools - In-depth Analysis

Are you tired of manually managing your social media accounts and feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending demands of content creation, engagement monitoring, and response management? The good news is that you're not alone.

Many businesses struggle with the same challenges in today's fast-paced and constantly evolving social media landscape.

That's why we've put together a list of the 10 best social media management tools. This list will help you streamline your efforts, boost your productivity, and unlock new opportunities to connect with your target customers.

Whether you're a small business owner or a social media manager for a large enterprise, our top picks are designed to help you make the most of your social media marketing strategy and achieve your goals with ease.

So why wait? Join us as we explore the most effective tools for businesses looking to up their social media game!

What is social media management?

What is a social media management tool?

Why are social media management tools so crucial?

The 10 best social media marketing tools

1. Sprout Social

2. Hootsuite

3. AgoraPulse

4. Meta Business Suite (Facebook)

5. Buffer

6. CoSchedule

7. Semrush

8. TweetDeck

9. Crowdfire

10. Zoho Social

What is social media management?

Social media management is the art of managing a company's social media profiles. It includes tasks such as creating and publishing content, monitoring and responding to comments and messages and running promotional campaigns.

A well-executed social media management strategy can help a business build its brand, connect with its customers, and drive sales.

To be successful in social media management, you need to understand the different platforms and how to effectively use them.

To make this process easier, there are various tools and software programs available to assist with the management of social media accounts.

These tools streamline the process by scheduling and posting content, tracking analytics, and engaging with your audience, saving you time and effort.

Social media management is a critical part of any social media marketing plan or branding strategy. This allows you to control your online reputation, connect with your target audience, and increase brand awareness.

At its core, social media management involves these key elements:

• Content curation: Finding and sharing relevant content from other sources to supplement and enhance the company's content.

• Content optimization: Ensuring that content is optimized for search engines and social media algorithms for maximum visibility and engagement.

• Community management: Monitoring and responding to comments and messages, building relationships with the audience.

• Campaign management: Planning and executing promotional campaigns on social media.

• Analytics: Tracking and measuring the success of social media efforts and making data-driven decisions about future strategy.

• Streamlining: Automating and streamlining tasks to save time and increase efficiency.

• Reputation management: Monitoring and managing the company's online reputation and brand image on social media.

• Brand building: Building the company's brand identity and creating a consistent image across all social media platforms.

• Influencer marketing: Partnering with influencers to reach a wider audience and promote products or services.

• Integration: Integrating social media with other marketing channels and technologies for a seamless and cohesive marketing strategy.

• Targeting: Reaching the right audience at the right time with tailored messaging and advertising.

Social media management is crucial to growing your business, as it helps you expand your audience, increase engagement, and drive sales. However, it can be time-consuming.

Fortunately, a social media management tool can simplify this process, making it more efficient and helping you increase your following with ease.

When choosing a social media management tool, consider factors such as the type and number of accounts you manage, the price, and the features each tool offers.

The more features, the better, as it will make social media management smoother and more streamlined.

What is a social media management tool?

A social media management tool is a software application or platform that helps businesses and individuals manage their social media channels and activities.

It provides features such as scheduling, content creation and management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking. This allows users to easily monitor, publish, and analyze their social media visibility across multiple platforms.

The goal of social media analytics tools is to help organizations and individuals effectively reach and engage their potential customers, increase brand awareness, and measure their social media success.

With a variety of social media tools available, it can be difficult to determine which one is right for your business or organization.

However, it's crucial to select a tool that aligns with your specific needs and budget to streamline your social media efforts and improve your overall social media performance.

Why are social media management tools so crucial?

Social media tools are crucial for businesses and individuals because they help them effectively manage their social media profiles and activities.

They provide a range of features that allow users to:

• Schedule and publish content across multiple social media platforms: This helps save time and ensures consistent visibility on social media.

• Monitor and analyze social media metrics: This provides insights into audience engagement and performance, which can be used to refine and improve social media strategies.

• Track and manage social media conversations: This helps users respond to questions and comments in a timely and organized manner, improving customer service and building stronger relationships with followers.

• Streamline social media activities: Social media monitoring tools simplify the process of managing multiple social media accounts and allow users to manage their entire social media visibility from one central location.

• Save time and resources: By automating certain tasks and streamlining processes, social media tools help businesses save time and allocate resources more effectively.

• Improve brand reputation: Social media tools help businesses monitor and respond to negative comments and reviews, reducing the risk of damage to their brand reputation.

• Monitor competitors: Social media tools provide insights into what your competitors are doing on social media, allowing you to stay ahead of the game and identify new opportunities.

• Enhance collaboration: These tools often provide team collaboration features, allowing multiple team members to work on social media projects together, improving productivity and communication.

• Simplify reporting: Social media management tools generate reports on social media metrics and performance, making it easier for businesses to evaluate the effectiveness of their social media campaigns.

The 10 best social media marketing tools

• Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a social media management tool designed to help businesses and organizations manage their social media profiles and activities.

It provides features such as content scheduling, content management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking. This allows users to effectively monitor, publish, and analyze their social media visibility across multiple platforms.

It is known for its intuitive interface and robust set of features, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.

With Sprout Social, users can save time and resources, improve their brand reputation, monitor competitors, enhance collaboration, simplify reporting, and meet social media compliance requirements.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: It is known for its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

• Robust set of features: It provides a wide range of features, including scheduling of posts, content management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking, allowing users to effectively manage their social media visibility and activities.

• Integrated reporting: It has integrated reporting, making it easy for users to analyze their social media metrics and performance in real-time.

• Collaboration features: It offers team collaboration features, allowing multiple team members to work on social media projects together, improving productivity and communication.

• Strong customer support: It provides excellent customer support, including a comprehensive knowledge base and a responsive customer service team.

Cons

• Cost: It can be more expensive than other social media management tools, which may be a barrier for some users.

• Limited integration options: While Sprout Social integrates with several popular social media platforms, it may not integrate with all the platforms users require.

• Limited reporting options: Some users have reported that the reporting options in Sprout Social are limited compared to other social media management tools.

• Limited social listening capabilities: Some users have reported that the social listening capabilities in Sprout Social are limited compared to other social media management tools.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 8.5 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and more.

Pricing: Starting at $249.

Free option: 30 days trial.

Start your free trial here.

• Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management tool that helps businesses and organizations manage their social media availability and activities.

It provides features such as post scheduling, content management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking, allowing users to effectively monitor, publish, and analyze their social media channels across multiple platforms.

Hootsuite is known for its wide range of integrations, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, with over 18 million users.

Hootsuite streamlines your social media marketing process. This enables you to save time and resources, improve your brand reputation, keep an eye on competitors, collaborate efficiently, simplify reporting, and meet social media compliance standards.

Pros

• Wide range of integrations: It integrates with a wide range of social media platforms, making it easy for users to manage their entire social media availability from one central location.

• User-friendly interface: It is known for its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

• Affordable pricing: It provides affordable pricing options, making it accessible to businesses and organizations of all sizes.

• Strong customer support: Hootsuite provides excellent customer support, including a comprehensive knowledge base and a responsive customer service team.

Cons

• Limited reporting options: Some users have reported that the reporting options in Hootsuite are limited compared to other social media management tools.

• Limited social listening capabilities: Some users have reported that the social listening capabilities in Hootsuite are limited compared to other tools.

• Limited analytics options: Some users have reported that the analytics options in Hootsuite are limited compared to other social media tools.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 8.0 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more.

Pricing: Starting at $99.

Free option: 30 days trial.

Start your free trial here.

Related resources

The Importance Of Social Media Marketing

Top 15 Effective Social Media Marketing Tips For Businesses

The Top 10 Social Media KPIs Every Business Should Be Tracking

Social Media Optimization 15 Tips For A More Engaging Profile

• AgoraPulse

AgoraPulse is a social media management tool designed to help businesses and organizations manage their social media accounts and activities.

It provides features such as post scheduling, content management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking, allowing users to effectively monitor, publish, and analyze their social media availability across multiple platforms.

AgoraPulse is known for its powerful suite of social media management features, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes.

Pros

• Robust reporting and analytics: AgoraPulse provides a range of reporting and analytics features, making it easy for users to track their social media performance and refine their strategies.

• User-friendly interface: It is known for its intuitive interface and easy-to-use features, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

• Comprehensive social media management features: It provides a comprehensive suite of social media management features, including scheduling of posts, content management, analytics, reporting, and engagement tracking.

• Strong customer support: It offers excellent customer support, including a comprehensive knowledge base and a responsive customer service team.

Cons

• Higher pricing compared to other tools: It is generally more expensive compared to other social media management tools, which may make it less accessible to some businesses and organizations.

• Limited integrations: Some users have reported that the integrations in AgoraPulse are limited compared to other social media management tools.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 7.7 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google Business Profile.

Pricing: Starting at $49 per user/month (billed annually).

Free option: 30 days trial.

Start your free trial here.

• Meta Business Suite 

Meta Business Suite (formerly known as Facebook for Business) is a social media management tool designed specifically for businesses and organizations looking to effectively manage their presence on Facebook and Instagram.

The platform provides a range of features including ad management, analytics, and reporting, allowing businesses to monitor, publish, and analyze their Facebook availability.

Pros

• Native integration with Facebook: Meta Business Suite is specifically designed to help businesses manage their image on Facebook and Instagram, making it a powerful tool for Facebook and Instagram marketing and advertising.

• Advanced ad management features: The platform provides advanced ad management features, including ad targeting, budgeting, and optimization, making it a great tool for businesses looking to run effective Facebook paid ads campaigns.

• Robust analytics and reporting: The platform provides a range of analytics and reporting features, allowing businesses to track their Facebook performance and refine their strategies.

• Easy to use: Meta Business Suite is designed with ease of use in mind, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

Cons

• Limited platform coverage: As it's focused on Facebook and Instagram, Meta Business Suite is limited in its platform coverage compared to other social media management tools that support multiple platforms.

• No analytics and reporting: While the tool provides insights into your target market, it does not provide comprehensive analytics and reporting, which can be limiting for businesses that want to track their performance on Facebook.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 7.8 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook and Instagram.

Pricing: Free.

Create an account here.

• Buffer

Buffer is a social media management tool that helps businesses and individuals manage their social media accounts across multiple platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

With its comprehensive set of features, this tool simplifies the process of managing social media by offering scheduling, analytics, and collaboration capabilities.

This makes it easier for users to effectively manage their online image and improve their social media performance.

Pros

• Multi-platform support: It supports multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, making it an ideal tool for businesses and individuals who want to manage their social media accounts across multiple platforms.

• Scheduling: The tool provides a powerful scheduling feature, allowing users to schedule content in advance and publish it at the best time for their target audience.

• Analytics and reporting: Buffer provides in-depth analytics and reporting, allowing users to track their social media performance and measure the success of their social media strategies.

• User-friendly interface: The tool is known for its user-friendly interface and easy-to-use features, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.

Cons

• Limited advertising capabilities: While Buffer provides scheduling and analytics features, it does not provide advanced advertising management features, which may be a drawback for some businesses.

• No collaboration features: Buffer does not provide collaboration features, making it difficult for teams to work together and manage their social media image

TrustRadius reviews

Score 7.9 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tik Tok and more.

Pricing: Starting at $5/month per channel.

Free option: 14 days trial.

Sign up here.

• CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a full-fledged social media management solution that streamlines the process of managing a company's or individual's social media image on various platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

It provides a range of features, including scheduling, analytics, and collaboration, making it easier for users to manage their social media presence.

Pros

• Integrated marketing calendar: CoSchedule provides an integrated marketing calendar that allows users to schedule and coordinate all of their marketing activities, including social media, email, and blog content.

• Collaboration features: The tool provides collaboration features, allowing teams to work together and manage their social media profile.

• Analytics and reporting: CoSchedule provides in-depth analytics and reporting, allowing users to track their social media performance and measure the success of their social media strategies.

• Customizable scheduling: The tool provides customizable scheduling options, allowing users to schedule content at the best time for their target audience.

Cons

• Steep learning curve: While CoSchedule provides a range of features, its comprehensive nature can make it difficult for users to learn and master, especially for those who are inexperienced in social media management.

• Higher cost: Compared to other social media management tools, CoSchedule may be more expensive, making it a less affordable option for some businesses.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 7.6 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

Pricing: Starting at $29 per user/month. Billed annually.

Free option: 30 days trial.

Schedule a demo here.

• Semrush

Semrush is a comprehensive digital marketing tool that provides a range of features for search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing among most other internet marketing tools. This is by far my favorite social media monitoring tool.

The tool aids companies and individuals in overseeing their social media profiles, tracking the effectiveness of their social media activities, and improving their social media plans.

Pros

• Social media listening: Semrush provides social media listening features, allowing users to monitor and track social media conversations and mentions, and respond to questions and comments in a timely and organized manner.

• Free to use: Unlike the advanced Semrush SEO tool, the social media marketing tool is available for free, making it an accessible option for businesses and individuals on a tight budget.

• Analytics and reporting: The tool provides in-depth analytics and reporting, allowing users to track their social media performance, understand their audience, and measure the success of their social media strategies.

• Multi-platform support: Semrush supports multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, making it an ideal tool for businesses and individuals who want to manage their social media profiles across multiple platforms.

• Integration with other Semrush tools: The Semrush social media tool integrates seamlessly with other Semrush tools, making it easy for users to manage their SEO, social media, and other digital marketing activities in one place.

Cons

• Limited features compared to paid tools: Although the Semrush social media marketing tool provides a range of features, it may not be as comprehensive as paid tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social.

• Not easy to use: The Semrush social media marketing tool may not be as user-friendly as other tools, and users who are not experts in social media marketing may find it challenging to use.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, and more.

Pricing: Free.

Free option: Yes.

Sign up here.

• TweetDeck

TweetDeck is a social media monitoring tool primarily designed for Twitter users.

It provides users with a real-time dashboard that displays multiple timelines, mentions, and messages in one place, making it easier to manage Twitter accounts and engage with followers.

Pros

• Real-time monitoring: Users can see all of their Twitter activity in one place and respond to tweets and mentions in real time.

• Column customization: Users can create custom columns for specific keywords, hashtags, or mentions, making it easier to track and engage with relevant content.

• Scheduling: Users can schedule tweets in advance to save time and ensure a consistent presence on Twitter.

• Multi-account support: TweetDeck supports multiple Twitter accounts, making it ideal for social media managers and businesses that manage multiple Twitter profiles.

Cons

• Limited platform support: TweetDeck is only designed for Twitter, and it does not support other social media platforms. This means users who need to manage multiple social media accounts will need to use additional tools to manage their profiles on other platforms.

• Limited analytics: It does not offer in-depth analytics and insights, making it challenging for users to track the performance of their social media activities.

• Outdated interface: Some users have criticized the outdated interface of TweetDeck and its lack of integration with other tools and services.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 7.8 out of 10.

Supported platform

Twitter.

Pricing: Free.

Free option: Yes.

Get started here.

• Crowdfire

Crowdfire is a powerful social media management solution that empowers businesses and individuals to efficiently oversee and expand their digital footprint.

It provides users with features such as content scheduling, account analytics, and a user-friendly interface to simplify social media management.

Crowdfire supports multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and offers a range of automation features to streamline social media activities.

Pros

• Ease of use: It is known for its intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to manage their social media accounts.

• Automated content suggestions:  It provides users with automatic content suggestions that help them stay in touch with their audience and avoid posting repetitive content.

• Multichannel support: It supports multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, making it a suitable choice for users who need to manage multiple accounts.

• Advanced scheduling: It provides advanced planning options, allowing users to schedule content ahead of time and ensure a consistent presence on social media.

Cons

• Limited analytics: Crowdfire's analytics and reporting capabilities are limited compared to some other social media management tools, making it challenging for users to track the performance of their social media activities.

• No social listening: It does not offer social listening capabilities, making it difficult for users to monitor and respond to social media conversations.

• Limited team collaboration: It does not have robust team collaboration features, making it challenging for teams to manage social media accounts together.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok, LinkedIn, and more.

Free option: 14 days trial.

Pricing: Starting at $7.48 billed monthly.

Get started here.

• Zoho Social

Zoho Social is a social media management tool developed by Zoho Corporation. It allows businesses and individuals to manage and grow their online presence on multiple social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

It offers conveniences like content planning, performance tracking, and an intuitive interface to make managing social media accounts effortless.

Pros

• User-friendly interface: Zoho Social has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to manage multiple social media accounts from one central location.

• Affordable: It is an affordable option for small businesses and individuals who need a cost-effective social media management tool.

• Multiple platform support: It supports multiple social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, making it a one-stop shop for social media management.

• Reporting and collaboration feature: Zoho Social provides users with reporting and collaboration features that make it easier for teams to work together and share insights.

Cons

• Limited automation features: While Zoho Social provides some automation features, they may not be as comprehensive as those offered by other social media management tools.

• Limited analytics: It provides basic analytics, but users who require more in-depth insights may need to consider using a different tool.

• Steep learning curve: It is a feature-rich tool, and it may take some time for users to get used to all its features and functionality.

TrustRadius reviews

Score 9.0 out of 10.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Business Profile, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and more.

Pricing: Starting at $10 per month billed annually.

Free option: 15 days trial.

Sign up here.

Bonus

• Plann

Plann is a social media management tool that helps businesses plan, create, and schedule content for their social media networks. It offers a range of features such as content planning and scheduling, analytics, and performance tracking.

These features help businesses streamline their social media efforts, increase engagement, and reach their desired audience.

Supported platforms

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and more.

Pricing: Starting at $12 per month billed annually.

Free option: 7 days trial.

Sign up here.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, social media management tools are essential for businesses to effectively reach and engage their target audience.

The 10 best tools mentioned in this article provide a range of features, from planning and publishing posts to analyzing data and managing multiple accounts. Choose the tool that best fits your business needs, budget, and level of experience.

If you need help with social media marketing, don't hesitate to reach out to Tabala Digital Solutions today! We will be more than happy to assist you in maximizing your social media efforts and achieving your marketing goals. 

We are the leading social media marketing agency in Nairobi.