Social Media Tools for Planning

Social media is one of the cornerstones of today’s online marketing, presenting your brand and products to a wide audience, easily reaching new customers and directly contacting existing ones. Presentation on the largest social media platforms is an absolute necessity in most industries at some stage of company development.

However, conducting extensive social media marketing is very demanding. Each social media platform is governed by its own rules – with slightly different user profiles, emphasis on different elements and different technology, which means the marketer has to adapt to the prevalent mode of communication. On TikTok or Twitter we usually don’t post the same content (at least not in the same form) as on Instagram or LinkedIn. That’s why we have to generate a lot of customized content running company profiles on various sites.

In addition, we have to use separate applications for each medium, and sometimes we have to switch between several profiles on a single platform – all this in real time, in order to respond to customers’ questions and react to current events as quickly as possible. There’s no denying this poses a huge logistical challenge.

Social Media Tools

With help come platforms that manage profiles on many social networking sites within one tool thanks to integration of API (Application Programming Interface). Using one “tool”, we can – depending on the functionality offered by a given product – plan automatic publication of posts, respond to comments, talk to users via private messages, and analyze statistics on reach, engagement or number of subscribers and generate reports. What are the most popular tools and what do they offer?

Hootsuite

Hootsuite, in addition to the basic functions, also allows you to set an alarm that will notify you of an unusual increase in activity on your profiles: instant reaction allows minimizing possible crises. Hootsuite also allows us to analyze frequently used words in a given situation, so we can properly formulate the necessary messages. Setting the right parameters also allows us to plug in and conduct advanced analysis of the effectiveness of posts in Google Analytics.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration with over 20 social networks – including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter
• Post publication scheduling
• Receive and send private messages for some portals
• Graphs about the reach of individual posts, summary charts and comparing with competing fanpages
• Built-in link shortener
• Integrate with advertising systems
• Mobile applications for Android and iOS

Postplanner

Postplanner connects to the most popular portals and allows you to schedule posts using a convenient calendar. The integration with Canva also makes it easy to create graphically friendly content.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration with 5 social networks: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest
• Planning, editing and targeting of posts
• Sort posts by reach, number of comments or reactions
• Displaying the most popular posts on a given topic from different platforms as a guide and inspiration
• File hosting
• Create graphics with Canva
• Algorithms to evaluate the potential of a post

Loomly

In addition to a publishing calendar, Loomly analyzes the effectiveness of your posts, gives ideas for new posts, and allows multiple users to use the tool.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn
• Scheduling posts in a calendar
• File hosting
• Image library for publishing
• Social media ad management
• Performance analytics
• Post ideas generated based on current industry trends
• Reply to comments

Later

A content publishing tool focused mainly on Instagram, but also compatible with Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest. As one of the few, it allows you to plan Stories (in the form of sending the material to your phone and a reminder to publish it – the Instagram API currently prevents the automatic publication of accounts).

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Drag&drop calendar
• Hashtag suggestions
• Suggestions for when to publish based on data
• Image editor with filters
• Post effectiveness analysis
• Buffer
• Like the Later tool above, Buffer also schedules Instagram Stories as content uploads and publication reminders. Buffer will also highlight any unanswered comments on Instagram.
• Highlights:
• Integration: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn
• Analytics module
• Mobile app for iOS and Android

Planoly

A tool dedicated to Instagram and Pinterest, in a limited form also working with Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter. In addition to a publication calendar connecting several platforms, Planoly also offers other modules, including a post creator with various functions for their visual modification.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration with platforms: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat (to some extent)
• Extensive analytics module
• Built-in basic post templates
• App for iOS and Android

Postify

A basic post planner for several social networks – apart from the most popular ones, it also integrates with the Russian platform Vkontakte. On Facebook, in addition to publishing posts at the appointed time, it can automatically change the background photo on a fanpage.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Vkontakte
• Graphics editor
• Suggestions and inspiration for posts
• Built-in link shortener (for Twitter and LinkedIn)
• Analytics module

NapoleonCat

The Social Inbox feature will allow you to handle all messages coming into your business in a single inbox. NapoleonCat also allows you to manage your ads (Facebook/Instagram) and Google My Company profiles.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Messenger, YouTube, Google My Business
• Analytics module
• Ad moderation (Facebook and Instagram)
• Multiple users – team coordination
• Reports in .pdf

SkedSocial

A tool mainly focused on Instagram support, but following the principle “Instagram first does not mean Instagram only” also working with Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business and LinkedIn.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Publication calendar
• Multiple users
• Graphic editor
• Analytics module
• Canva integration

SproutSocial

SproutSocial is a multiplatform social media calendar that also allows you to analyze and compare your statistics with competing profiles.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest (post publishing), Reddit, TripAdvisor, Glassdoor (monitoring)
• Analytics module
• Graphics editor and template library
• Algorithms that suggest the best time to publish a given post
• Multiple users
• Mobile application

Kontentino

An easy to use social media organizer, especially useful with a large number of profiles and a large team. It’s especially useful for marketing agencies thanks to the module that allows easy content approval by a client.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest platforms
• Solutions to facilitate team communication
• Mobile application
• Analytics module
• Ad management

Sendible

A tool designed for larger teams and marketing agencies. It can be especially useful for monitoring specific phrases, allowing you to always be there when a brand is mentioned.

Highlights in a nutshell:

• Integration: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google My Business, as well as a number of blogging platforms (WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr) and instant messaging (Slack)
• Solutions to facilitate communication within the team
• Mobile application
• Analytics module
• Ad management