Hootsuite offers a one-stop-shop for managing social content without having to log in to multiple social media channels. wHOOT wHOOT! Connecting to your Hootsuite dashboard allows you to link to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc., from ONE location. If you’re working with a limited marketing team or your marketing staff consists of a single individual, meet your new (inexpensive!) social media marketing employee.

HISTORY OF HOOTSUITE

Hootsuite founder, Ryan Holmes saw a need for a tool to manage multiple social media channels. Holmes’ Hootsuite journey started in 2008 with the creation of BrightKit, a management tool solely for Twitter. This later expanded to numerous social media platforms, which later became Hootsuite. Today it is one of the top software options for social media management, implemented in more than 20 percent of  businesses and boasting more than 10 million users.

FEATURES

• Scheduling
  • Manual Scheduling
    Instead of logging in to Twitter to compose your post, go directly to Hootsuite. Once your message is drafted, you will select the calendar icon, then pick the date and time you wish to publish your message. Hootsuite will post for you! Once you’re connected to all of your social sites through Hootsuite, ALL of your social posts can be submitted, scheduled and posted through Hootsuite. If you want additional assurance that everything is posting seamlessly, Hootsuite offers the option to receive an email confirmation when the post goes live.
  • AutoSchedule
    Not sure when the best time is to post? The AutoSchedule option posts your content based on optimal engagement times, your already scheduled content and your AutoSchedule settings saved on your Hootsuite dashboard. To put all these fancy capabilities to work for you, simply set the AutoSchedule toggle button to “on.” It’s really that simple! Hootsuite will do the rest of the job for you and post your messages during prime engagement times. For more information on scheduling review this Hootsuite blog.
    
    
• Google Analytics Integration
  Social media is a powerful outlet to drive traffic to your website. Hootsuite’s Google Analytics Integration allows you to track the behavior of those visiting your site and measure your social media initiatives to see the return on your investment. The first step is creating a Google Analytics account if you don’t have one already. Once that account is set up, you can easily integrate it through Hootsuite’s “Analytics” tab. For more information, check out this Hootsuite Guide.

• Engagement
  Use Hootsuite to engage with your followers! If your followers start liking, sharing and commenting on your posts, it is important to make sure you are following up and continuing the conversation. With all of your social profiles in one location, it’s easier to track reactions and respond quickly.

• Mobile App
  Keep an eye on performance while away from your desktop with Hootsuite’s mobile app. Download it here!

HOOTSUITE PLANS

Hootsuite has several pricing plans, including a free version. The free version allows you to connect to a maximum of three social media platforms and is great if you’re just starting to build your social media presence. The pro version starts at $10 per month and expands your reach to 50 profiles. We suggest starting with the one month free trial of pro to get the full experience and make sure this is going to work for you and your business.

For a visual recap, check out the R&R Hootsuite tutorial!