Buffer vs Hootsuite: Which Is the Best Social Media Management Platform?

SocialBee vs Buffer & Hootsuite: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Buffer vs Hootsuite: How to Choose the Best Social Media Management Software

Selecting the appropriate social media tool is critical for any business, yet with such an abundance of options it can be difficult to discern which one best fits your company’s objectives. Choose the one that compliments your social media strategy best.

Here is what to look for in social media management platform:

1. Supported social media platforms
2. Content creation features
3. Social media planning and scheduling
4. Social media analytics
5. Social inbox and engagement tools
6. Team collaboration features
7. User experience and ease of use
8. Integrations
9. Pricing
10. Customer support

1. Supported Social Media Platforms

To truly maximize the potential of your social media campaigns, a management tool that seamlessly integrates with all your favorite channels is necessary. There are plenty of social media sites out right now. Do Buffer and Hootsuite feature them?

Later has the upper hand here as it also your Google Business Profiles, Mastodon, and Shopify social media accounts. However, it’s important to note that it doesn’t support YouTube like Hootsuite does.

2. Content Creation Features

Crafting captivating content is the backbone of successful social media efforts, therefore, it’s critical that you are aware of the content creation features in your chosen tool before you proceed. Do some research and ensure that the tool of your choice has everything necessary to create awesome social media posts.

Both Hootsuite and Buffer help you create content via their Canva integration and AI assistant. 

With the Buffer AI Assistant, you can quickly generate fresh ideas and repurpose your existing content for use across multiple social media platforms. It helps you repurpose posts for various social media channels. It also gives you ideas for your upcoming social media presence.

Hootsuite boasts several impressive features for content creation, including the post composer which enables users to create, schedule posts, and publish them from one place. Additionally, the platform offers content library templates that simplify the publishing process by providing pre-approved templates from your organization’s content library.

3. Social Media Planning and Scheduling

Buffer offers marketers the chance to plan and schedule posts from a clean and simple dashboard. You’ll be able to create a publishing schedule and tailor your posts for each social media platform you plan to post to. Keep in mind that TikTok videos and stories cannot be published automatically but only via mobile reminders.

Manage multiple social networks and schedule posts with Hootsuite’s social media calendar and planner. It will allow you to manage your online presence more efficiently. This social media management software helps you plan and publish new content for your social accounts, as well as map out new campaigns, all from one centralized dashboard. 

4. Social Media Analytics

Reporting and analytics tools are mandatory, especially when you want to see exactly what works and what doesn’t in terms of your social media efforts.

Buffer’s analytics dashboard will help you get a quick look at how your current social media strategy is performing. Access boosted post insights, audience demographics, and profile analytics for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

With Hootsuite analytics, social media managers have access to a range of robust reporting tools that provide valuable insights into your social media performance. These social media tools can provide data on social engagement, impressions, likes, shares, website clicks, top-performing posts, and much more. 

Additionally, Hootsuite’s pre-made report templates enable you to quickly generate visually compelling reports that showcase your social media engagement in a visual way.

5. Social Inbox and Engagement Tools

Seeing all of your social media conversations in one place can help you interact with your audience in a much more meaningful way. With Buffer, you can reply to your comments directly from your desktop via a unified inbox. If you’re an Instagram user, you’ll find their grid comment feature most helpful.

Alternatively, Hootsuite’s social inbox helps you stay connected to your audience via social media monitoring, allowing for instantaneous and on-brand replies with automated messages. Additionally, the platform provides insight into edifying conversations about your brand and industry by providing users a means of monitoring mentions across all popular social media platforms.

6. Team Collaboration Features

Make sure that your next social media campaign is top-notch with Buffer’s collaboration feature. Social media managers will be able to leave and receive feedback points on any drafted posts, review posts with the help of a content approval workflow, and share access to multiple accounts.

Meanwhile, Hootsuite helps you with managing multiple social networks. Send your team members messages whenever something comes up, share your feedback with them, and allow them to stay on top of all social media networks without having to share passwords.

7. User Experience and Ease of Use

User experience is important when deciding between two softwares. Most Hootsuite reviews praise the platform as being user-friendly and easy to use. Rather similarly, Buffer is also an example of a social management platform that relies on simplicity more than anything else.

8. Integrations

Curious to get a comparative look of Hootsuite and Buffer’s integrations? Let’s compare the two social media tools.

9. Pricing

Let’s explore the associated costs of both platforms and determine which one is the most cost-effective for your business goals.

Hootsuite is currently offering a 30-day free trial for their Professional and Team subscriptions. Buffer also offers a free subscription for up to three social channels connected. Also, keep in mind that the social media scheduling tool prices are per each social media account.

10. Customer Support

Hootsuite’s customer service has been met with a rather polarizing reaction; many are pleased while far too many feel let down by the slow email support they have faced. The typical Buffer review features customers who were let down by the lack of customer service.

When to Choose Buffer

Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that can help you schedule posts on various social accounts. It’s also worth getting a Buffer account if you need to analyze the performance of your posts and engage with your audience.

Here’s when you should choose Buffer:

• If you are managing several social media accounts for either your business or personal brand
• If you would like to save time by scheduling your posts in advance
• If you want a customizable and affordable price
• If you prefer to create and publish your social media content from a single, centralized platform
• If you work with a team and need to collaborate on social media content creation and publishing

When to Choose Hootsuite

From managing social media accounts to scheduling posts in advance, Hootsuite is a versatile social media scheduling tool that can help you stay connected and organized. It’s a great Buffer alternative.

Here’s when you should choose Hootsuite:

• If you manage multiple social media accounts
• If you want to schedule posts ahead of time
• If you want to leverage the Hootsuite app directory
• If you want to monitor social media mentions and engagement
• If you collaborate with a team on social media
• If you want to analyze your social media performance

What Is a Good Buffer and Hootsuite Alternative?

Chances are that you’re still confused about which tool would complement your social media marketing strategy. Guess what? That’s perfectly fine. It means that you’re looking for the best tool out there. There is a Hootsuite and Buffer alternative you might not know of.

If so, you’ll be pleased to find out more about SocialBee, an outstanding social media management tool and scheduling tool for entrepreneurs, content creators, agencies, and businesses of all sizes.

Here are the features SocialBee has over Buffer and Hootsuite:

1. AI post generator
2. More social networks supported
3. Evergreen posting
4. Content categories
5. Content category analytics
6. Affordable pricing
7. Hashtag collections
8. Hashtag generator
9. Client workspaces
10. First-class customer support

1. AI Post Generator

Enhance your content creation process with SocialBee’s AI post generator. Through its state-of-the-art AI technology, SocialBee’s social media post generator tool can support you in creating top-quality posts in less time and with less effort. This is a great AI-powered Buffer alternative.

Generate high-converting captions and ideas with SocialBee’s free AI post generator!

Start your 14-day free trial now!

Unlock the potential of AI to craft a virtually limitless amount of post descriptions with just one compelling prompt.

In the beginning, you can take advantage of our ready-made templates for your go-to platforms, such as LinkedIn or Instagram, and very specific prompts for various industries, such as social media marketing agencies or lifestyle coaches. With this power in your hands, you can create high-converting content faster than ever before.