Is Your Company Ready to Invest in Social Media Tools? Which Factors Should You Consider?

As your company grows and your social media activity expands, you’ll find that your business needs social media tools to keep up with your social media management.

Of course, you’ll want to find the right social media software that aligns with your needs and goals. In this article, I will explore the factors to consider when choosing social media tools so that your social media marketing strategy has the power it deserves.

What to Look for When Choosing Social Media Tools

As you search for the right social media tool, here are seven factors to consider:

1. Cost and Features

The price range of a social media tool can vary from $50 to $1,600 per month.

Lower-priced options usually offer basic features like follower growth tracking and reporting. On the other hand, higher-priced tools provide advanced features like social listening reports, competitive analysis, hashtag tracking, and more.

(Some tools even offer free versions that give you basic functionality.)

Consider your budget and the specific features you require to make a cost-effective choice for your business.

2. Contracts

Most social media software providers require a year-long contract. However, some options like Sprout Social and Quintly offer month-to-month payment plans, providing flexibility for your business.

Be sure to carefully review the contract before signing so that you know what you’re signing up for.

3. Google Analytics Integration

You’ll want to see if your social media marketing strategy is actually bringing in traffic, so you may want to consider a tool with integrated Google Analytics.

Some social media tools generate reports similar to Google Analytics’ Social Referrer Report. Evaluate whether separate data platforms are acceptable for your reporting needs or if integration with Google Analytics is necessary for your business.

4. Supported Social Networks

Social media marketing is not a one-size-fits-all, so decide which social networks your target audience spends time on.

While platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook are typically included, some tools offer additional integrations with platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and more.

5. User Access

Different social media software packages allow varying numbers of user logins.

Assess the size of your team and the number of individuals who require access to the software. Ensure that the chosen tool offers adequate user access to facilitate efficient collaboration and management.

6. Access to Historical Data

Historical data can help you identify which messages and strategies resonate with your audience. However, not all tools provide access to data that existed before you started using the software.

Nuvi is an exception, offering historical data for X (formerly Twitter).

7. White Labeling

White labeling allows you to customize the software’s branding to match your company’s identity. This provides a seamless integration of the software into your overall brand experience.

While lower-priced accounts often lack this feature, higher-priced options like Nuvi offer white labeling at an additional cost.

Consider whether white labeling is essential for maintaining a consistent brand image across social media management tools.

Now that we’ve covered the key considerations let’s take a closer look at some popular social media software options and their associated features and costs.

Comparison of Social Media Software Options

  • Nuvi: Nuvi offers packages priced at $600, $900, and $1600 per month. Their social media software provides advanced features, including comprehensive social listening reports with advanced sentiment analysis, competitor analysis, customizable threshold alerts, and content management capabilities. It supports multiple social networks, allowing you to monitor and analyze data across various platforms. Additionally, Nuvi offers white labeling at an extra cost for seamless branding integration.
  • Sprout Social: Sprout Social offers a range of plans starting from $59 to $500 per month. The lower-priced plans provide basic features such as follower growth tracking and mentions. As you move up to the higher-priced plans, you gain access to advanced reports, Google Analytics integration, white labeling, and a message approval workflow. Sprout Social supports Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, ensuring comprehensive coverage of major social networks.
  • Quintly: Quintly provides packages priced at $129, $299, and $479 per month. While Quintly may not offer Google Analytics integration or content management features, it does support white labeling. If having control over your software’s branding is a priority, Quintly may be a suitable option to consider.
  • DataPine: DataPine offers packages priced at €219, €399, €699, and €799 per month. Their software includes features such as Google Analytics integration and white labeling. However, it does not provide content management capabilities. Evaluate your specific requirements to determine if DataPine aligns with your business needs.

To get the most out of your social media marketing, it’s obvious you need a tool. Be sure to analyze your target audience and what has worked in the past to identify which tool you need.

There are many options, and most offer free trials, so be sure to try out a few before choosing the tool that will supercharge your social media marketing strategy.

What’s your preferred social media software? Share your thoughts in the comments.

FAQ: What are the key factors to consider when choosing social media management tools?

Businesses and individuals must select an ideal social media management tool based on their goals and resources. Our guide explores key considerations to aid this decision-making process.

  1. Purpose and Goals:

Begin by defining your social media objectives. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, engage with your audience, or analyze data? Your goals will dictate which features and functionalities you need in a management tool.

  1. Platform Compatibility:

Consider which social media platforms you intend to utilize. Ensure the tool you choose supports the most relevant platforms to your target audience.

  1. User-Friendliness:

User interface and ease of use are crucial. Opt for a tool that your team can navigate comfortably, as this will impact efficiency and productivity.

  1. Features and Integration:

Evaluate the tool’s features. Does it offer scheduling, analytics, and monitoring capabilities? Furthermore, check if it can integrate with your existing systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software.

  1. Cost and Scalability:

Determine your budget and select a tool that aligns with it. Additionally, consider scalability – can the tool accommodate your future growth without significant cost increases?

  1. Analytics and Reporting:

Comprehensive analytics and reporting are vital for measuring the effectiveness of your social media efforts. Choose a tool that provides in-depth insights and customizable reports.

  1. Customer Support and Training:

Assess the quality of customer support and training the tool’s provider offers. A responsive support team and accessible training resources can save valuable time when troubleshooting issues.

  1. Security and Compliance:

Ensure the tool complies with data privacy regulations and offers robust security features to protect your social media accounts and data.

  1. Reputation and Reviews:

Read user reviews and seek recommendations from peers in your industry. A tool’s reputation can provide valuable insights into its reliability and performance.

  1. Trial Period:

Choose tools with free trials whenever possible to see if they suit you before making the commitment to subscription services.

Selecting social media tools that meet your goals and circumstances is paramount to improve social media strategy and productivity. When selecting an application, it should help enhance both.

Step-by-Step Procedure for Selecting Social Media Management Tools:

  1. Clearly define your social media objectives and goals.
  2. Select your social media platforms.
  3. Prioritize UX design and make sure everything is user-friendly.
  4. List the essential features and integrations required for your social media management.
  5. Determine your budget and consider scalability.
  6. Prioritize tools that offer robust analytics and reporting capabilities.
  7. Investigate the quality of customer support and available training resources.
  8. Ensure the tool complies with security and privacy regulations.
  9. Research the tool’s reputation through user reviews and industry recommendations.
  10. Take advantage of trial periods to test the tool’s suitability whenever possible.

Following these steps will enable you to evaluate and select social media management software that best fulfills your objectives and needs.

This article was updated on September 13, 2023.

Kristi Kellogg is a journalist, news hound, professional copywriter, and social (media) butterfly. Currently, she is a senior SEO content writer for Conde Nast. Her articles appear in newspapers, magazines, across the Internet and in books such as "Content Marketing Strategies for Professionals" and "The Media Relations Guidebook." Formerly, she was the social media editor at Bruce Clay Inc.

See Kristi's author page for links to connect on social media.

Comments (20)
Still on the hunt for actionable tips and insights? Each of these recent Social Media Marketing posts is better than the last!

20 Replies to “Is Your Company Ready to Invest in Social Media Tools? Which Factors Should You Consider?”

Krishti,

Can I get the social media tracking spreadsheet as well?

Virginia Nussey

Hi Jagdish. Thanks for your interest in Kristi’s social media tracking spreadsheet template. Is info[at]webdesignhub.in the email address you want it sent to?

Thanks, Kristi. I’ll check that.

If your business is a non-profit, you can usually get a discount on these rates. Can you actually trick them and say you are non profit? Do they need a proof

Ponju,

This question … where do I even begin? This is dishonest and unethical. YES, Ponju, you would need to prove you’re a nonprofit. And NO, Ponju, there is no reason you should ever be taking advantage of a company’s discount for nonprofits.

Kristi

It feels bad when investing a lot of amounts while investing in social media and it won’t work well. Thanks for sharing such a relevant and useful content with us.

Hey Kristi,
Could you please share your Free social media tracking template link. I’d love to use it for few days.

Thanks in advance.

Hey Ankit! Just emailed you the social media tracking spreadsheet. Hope it’s useful for you :)

Best,
Kristi

I am regular reader of your blog and no doubt it all stuff is awesome. The best thing about your sharing and posting is that you always provide content that is helpful for both the newbie and experts. Looking for more stuff and tutorials.

Aww, thanks Asad! We’re here to help :)

off course social media software will give us thousand of likes by distributing our content and post to millions of user. Purchasing social media software is an good idea.

Well, that would be amazing if that was how it worked, BUT automation is not nearly as valuable as hands-on, strategy. The goal of social media marketing is to REALLY connect with your audience. Meet them where they’re at and provide valuable content to them, whatever the platform is. Automation, on the other hand, only works in small doses. For example, the only automated social media our agency has set up are Twitter feeds that automatically tweet updates from the Google Blog, Yahoo Blog, Marketing Day and Search Engine Land — and that’s because we feel those tweets will be valuable to our audience.

The tools we’re talking about in this post are meant for tracking and understanding how your social media audience is interacting with you. This helps you figure out what’s working, and then you can do more of THAT. :)

Great Post, But Very Costly what should be the ROI ?

It depends. If you’re an agency with many accounts to manage, or a major brand with too much activity to track manually, the cost begins to be justifiable. If you’re a smaller operation, it would be better to start with one of the less expensive tools.

As far as ROI, it simply depends. Organic social media is not usually a monetized conversion, but it can often be part of the conversion funnel. Social media marketing also has tremendous value for other things, like PR, branding, buzz, authenticity and trust building.

Thanks Kristi for nice post! My firm spend about $500 for social media tools. It really cost a lot!

What tools did you invest in John?

Hi Kristi,
Using an automated social tool is totally necessary to get any traction at scale with multiple accounts and multiple niches.
But I’m wondering how long this kind of content will be valued in comparison to organic active users.
As an active user who interacts with a small number of accounts, it’s not hard to spot automated feeds and basically swipe past them looking for more human sources to interact with. I guess this is the challenge for content marketers using automation tools. What do you think?
Thanks
Bren

Right? Automation is immediately obvious to everyone. As I said in another comment, it should only be used sparingly, with purpose. If you’re using social media in an authentic and valuable way, you’ll stand out from the noise of the rest. That’s my intention for Bruce Clay, Inc., and all our social media marketing clients. :)

Its harsh that even after paying x amount one can’t integrate GA in social media tools. Though a limited budget like mine have to be satisfy with this only.

I hear you, Swapnil. But at least you can still access the social referrer report in Google Analytics!

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