17 Best Social Media Monitoring Software Reviewed In 2024
10 Best Social Media Monitoring Software Shortlist
Here’s my shortlist of the best social media monitoring software:
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Social media monitoring software is a valuable asset for any company—but not every tool will be the best fit for your team. Luckily, there are lots of tools that offer various features at different pricing options to help your team track brand sentiment or monitor competitor activity.
Using my experience with reviewing software for business needs, I tested and compared several of the top social media monitoring software available. From there, I compiled my results into detailed reviews to help you find the best software for your needs.
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Best Social Media Monitoring Summary
This comparison chart summarizes pricing details for my top social media monitoring selections to help you find the best one for your budget and business needs.
| Tools | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Agorapulse | From $79/user/month | Website |
| Sendible | From $29/user/month | Website |
| Buffer | From $6/user/month | Website |
| Mention | From $41/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Keyhole | From $79/user/month | Website |
| Meltwater | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Awario | From $30/user/month (billed annually) | Website |
| Talkwalker | Pricing upon request | Website |
| Emplifi | Custom pricing upon request | Website |
| Brand24 | From $79/month (annually) | Website |
Compare Software Specs Side by Side
Use our comparison chart to review and evaluate software specs side-by-side.
Compare SoftwareHow to Choose Social Media Monitoring Software
Complex feature lists and pricing structures can make it hard to determine what you’re getting from any given social media monitoring software tool. To help you stay focused as you work through your software selection process, here are some factors to keep in mind:
| Factor | What to Consider |
| Free offer scope | Check if the free plan includes core features like monitoring, basic analytics, and limited searches. |
| Scalability | Make sure the software grows with your team. Consider user limits and data capacity for larger needs. |
| Integrations | Ensure the tool integrates with your team’s existing platforms, such as CRMs and analytics tools. |
| Ease of use | Opt for software with an intuitive interface, so your team can get started quickly without extensive training. |
| Reporting | Look for tools with flexible report options, allowing you to share insights with stakeholders easily. |
| Data accuracy | Check if the tool provides real-time, accurate data—essential for timely brand and audience monitoring. |
| Customization | Ensure the software lets you tailor your dashboards and alerts to match your specific tracking goals. |
| Customer support | Assess support availability for free plans, so help is accessible if your team hits any snags. |
Best Social Media Monitoring Software Reviews
Below are my detailed summaries of the best social media monitoring software that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a detailed look at the key features, pros & cons, integrations, and ideal use cases of each tool to help you find the best one for you.
Agorapulse is a social media management tool designed to help teams manage and analyze content while engaging with their audience across various social media channels. It’s particularly suited for organizations that need organized, efficient workflows for social media tasks and automated monitoring features.
Why I picked Agorapulse:
Agorapulse includes features like a shared content calendar, which allows team members to see upcoming posts and stay aligned on schedules. Team collaboration is enhanced by assignment tools, making it easy to delegate tasks within your social media management workflows. Customizable reporting tools also help teams track social media performance metrics and generate valuable insights. These functionalities make it a practical choice for small teams that rely on structured collaboration and oversight.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include social inbox management, which lets your team respond to all comments and messages in one place. You can set up automated inbox rules to organize incoming messages, saving time for repetitive tasks. Agorapulse also offers in-depth analytics, allowing you to measure engagement and track key performance indicators over time.
Integrations include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Analytics, Canva, Dropbox, Slack, and HubSpot.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Effective filtering for irrelevant comments
- Automated inbox rules for quick organization
- Access to historical customer interaction data
Cons:
- No direct Instagram DM management
- Limited Boolean search capabilities for filtering
Sendible is a social media management tool tailored for businesses and agencies that want to manage multiple client accounts and maintain a consistent posting schedule. It’s designed to streamline the process of content creation, scheduling, and performance analysis across platforms.
Why I picked Sendible:
Sendible excels in post scheduling, offering a customizable content calendar that lets your team organize posts for multiple accounts from a single dashboard. The platform provides an automated queue feature, helping you maintain a steady posting cadence without needing to reschedule manually. Sendible also includes a content suggestion tool to keep your posts engaging and timely. With advanced scheduling options and a drag-and-drop calendar, your team can create, organize, and optimize posts efficiently.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include a unified inbox that lets you manage comments, mentions, and messages across all social platforms in one place. You can also monitor keyword searches, allowing your team to stay on top of relevant conversations. Additionally, Sendible offers white-label reporting, so you can customize and brand reports before sharing them with clients.
Integrations include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google My Business, Canva, Slack, Google Analytics, and Pinterest.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Centralized inbox for managing all messages
- Analytics include demographic breakdowns
- Effective team collaboration tools for approvals
Cons:
- Text formatting doesn’t always transfer as expected
- Monitoring only supports a few social networks
Buffer is a social media management platform designed for businesses that want to plan, schedule, and analyze social media content across multiple channels. It’s tailored for teams that need an intuitive approach to managing engagement and tracking performance metrics.
Why I picked Buffer:
Buffer focuses on analyzing user engagement, providing insights into how audiences interact with posts across social platforms. Its analytics feature breaks down engagement metrics, allowing your team to view likes, comments, and shares over time. Buffer also includes audience demographics, giving you insight into who your content reaches. Additionally, the platform provides post insights to identify high-performing content, helping your team optimize future strategies based on engagement trends.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include custom report creation, allowing your team to compile engagement insights into clear, shareable formats. You’ll also find follower demographics, which help you understand audience composition across age, location, and other categories. Additionally, Buffer’s post insights track individual post-performance, helping your team identify top content that resonates with audiences.
Integrations include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Shopify, Pinterest, Google My Business, WordPress, Canva, and Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Custom reports for in-depth performance analysis
- Audience demographics insights for targeting
- Performance overview for long-term planning
Cons:
- Direct posting limitations for certain platforms
- Requires manual confirmation for some Instagram posts
Mention is a social media management tool built for monitoring online conversations and brand mentions. It’s a useful resource for teams that need to track discussions, brand sentiment, and key phrases across various platforms.
Why I picked Mention:
Mention’s real-time keyword alert feature enables you to receive instant notifications for specific terms or phrases relevant to your brand or industry. You can set up customized alerts to monitor topics of interest, keeping your team updated on important mentions. The platform also allows for filtered searches, making it easy to sort results by criteria like sentiment or source. This setup gives your team precise control over the conversations you monitor.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include advanced sentiment analysis, which helps you understand the tone of mentions about your brand. You can also access historical data to track trends over time, providing context for your brand's performance. Additionally, Mention allows you to filter out irrelevant data, so you’ll only see results that matter to your team’s needs.
Integrations include Slack, HubSpot, Google Analytics, Zapier, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Smart inbox filters spam and irrelevant mentions
- Efficient keyword and competitor monitoring
- Allows PDF exports for client-ready reports
Cons:
- Occasionally misses mentions on certain forums
- Lack of white-label reporting customization
Keyhole is a tool designed to help businesses monitor online conversations, with a focus on tracking brand engagement and campaign performance. It’s popular with teams looking to understand social media trends and track audience interactions.
Why I picked Keyhole:
Keyhole specializes in tracking hashtags, providing real-time analytics on engagement and reach for your campaigns. It includes a hashtag volume prediction feature that helps you anticipate when conversations may peak, which is ideal for planning and responding in real-time. The platform also offers historical data analysis to assess long-term trends. With these tools, your team can optimize campaigns based on engagement patterns and make informed decisions about future hashtags.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include real-time hashtag tracking across multiple platforms, which allows your team to view the performance and reach of specific hashtags instantly. With predictive analytics, Keyhole forecasts the potential engagement of your campaigns, helping you strategize effectively. Additionally, Keyhole provides historical data access, enabling you to review trends over time and make data-backed decisions for future campaigns.
Integrations include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Google Analytics, Slack, Hootsuite, Sprinklr, Zapier, and Microsoft Power BI.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Accurate real-time hashtag tracking
- In-depth competitor and sentiment analysis
- Historical data access for long-term analysis
Cons:
- High learning curve for new users
- Some data inaccuracies in sentiment reports
Meltwater is a media monitoring tool designed to help organizations track brand mentions, analyze media coverage, and gain insights across digital and traditional media channels. It’s tailored for teams focused on managing public relations and understanding their media impact.
Why I picked Meltwater:
Meltwater provides extensive reporting options, making it a strong choice for teams that rely on detailed media analytics. You can customize reports to break down brand performance and media reach across various regions and channels. The platform includes sentiment analysis, allowing your team to interpret public perception and trends in media coverage. Additionally, Meltwater’s audience insights let you explore demographics and behaviors, which is invaluable for refining PR strategies based on real-time data.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include real-time audience insights, enabling your team to monitor sentiment and engagement across media channels instantly. Meltwater’s customizable reporting allows you to build shareable, interactive reports for stakeholders, tailored to key metrics and visualized for easy interpretation. Additionally, its crisis management tools help you track and respond quickly to spikes in conversation, offering features like alert notifications to keep your team prepared for any PR emergencies.
Integrations include Slack, Google Analytics, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, and Salesforce.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Provides detailed daily media digests
- Effective at identifying media coverage spikes
- Customizable, interactive reports for stakeholders
Cons:
- Complex interface with a learning curve
- Limited collaborative tools for team workflows
Awario is a digital marketing tool designed to help businesses track brand mentions, analyze sentiment, and gather insights across the web. It’s particularly useful for teams focused on staying updated on brand perception and quickly responding to online conversations.
Why I picked Awario:
Awario provides instant alerts for mentions, allowing your team to monitor discussions about your brand as they happen. It features sentiment analysis to help you understand the tone of mentions, making it easier to gauge audience sentiment in real-time. Awario’s Reach metric shows the influence level of each mention, so you can prioritize high-impact conversations. These capabilities make it ideal for keeping your team informed and responsive to brand-related conversations as they unfold.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include Boolean search capabilities, which let your team set up precise queries to refine search results for more relevant mentions. Awario’s Reach metric highlights the influence of each mention, helping you focus on high-impact conversations. It also offers customizable alerts and real-time notifications, so you’re immediately updated on important mentions across social media platforms.
Integrations include Slack, HubSpot, Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Quora.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Tracks non-social mentions like forums
- Boolean search allows highly specific queries
- Effective lead generation capabilities
Cons:
- Few automation options for reporting
- No advanced image or video tracking capabilities
Talkwalker is a tool built for businesses that need to track online conversations and media presence across a range of digital channels throughout the globe. It’s well-suited to teams focused on understanding global trends, brand perception, and customer sentiment on a large scale.
Why I picked Talkwalker:
Talkwalker enables global media monitoring by collecting data from various languages and regions, giving your team a clear view of your brand’s reach. It includes custom alert features to help you stay on top of critical mentions or trending topics. With its AI-driven sentiment analysis and brand monitoring, you can quickly gauge the public perception of your social media marketing. Plus, its image recognition technology allows you to track brand mentions in photos, providing a more complete picture of your media coverage.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include AI-powered sentiment analysis, which helps your team gauge public perception across multiple regions. You’ll also find image and video recognition that monitors brand logos and specific objects within visuals, adding depth to your brand-tracking efforts. Talkwalker’s reporting suite automates data-driven insights, allowing you to customize and share reports across your team with ease.
Integrations include Hootsuite, Khoros, Facelift, Tableau, Google Analytics, Slack, Microsoft Power BI, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Sprinklr.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable reporting and filters
- Accurate crisis alerts for brand protection
- Offers granular analysis by region and language
Cons:
- Limited data accuracy in sentiment analysis
- Requires Boolean knowledge for topic setup
Emplifi is a social media management platform that helps businesses analyze, engage, and respond to online conversations about their brand. It’s designed for organizations focused on understanding audience sentiment and driving meaningful interactions across digital channels.
Why I picked Emplifi:
Emplifi provides advanced social listening capabilities, allowing your team to track mentions, keywords, and trends in real time. It stands out among social listening tools for its real-time listening features and sentiment analysis, so you can gauge the tone of conversations and adjust your strategy accordingly. Emplifi’s competitive benchmarking tool helps you understand where your brand stands in relation to others, adding depth to your social monitoring. With Emplifi, you’ll have access to audience insights, making it easy to tailor content that resonates with your followers.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include real-time social media listening with actionable insights, which allows your team to monitor conversations and identify emerging trends swiftly. Emplifi’s Voice of Customer (VoC) tool offers survey management for deeper insights into audience needs and perceptions. Additionally, its AI-driven insights provide automated data analysis, making it easier for you to adjust strategies based on current trends.
Integrations include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zendesk, and Shopify.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Detailed competitor benchmarking options
- Effective campaign performance tagging
- Great for handling large data sets
Cons:
- Reports don’t always sync with dashboard data
- No Google Data Studio integration support
Brand24 is a digital tool designed to help businesses track online mentions, analyze brand reputation, and gather insights into market trends. It’s ideal for teams focusing on brand management and competitive analysis.
Why I picked Brand24:
Brand24 provides extensive features for monitoring competitor activity, including tracking mentions, sentiment, and engagement. It offers competitor benchmarking, allowing your team to compare brand performance metrics in real time. The platform’s analysis tools also include mention filtering, which helps you focus on specific topics or audiences relevant to your brand and competitors. With sentiment analysis, your team can gauge public perception across multiple sources, making Brand24 a solid choice for deep competitor insights.
Standout Features & Integrations:
Features include anomaly detection, which allows your team to identify unusual spikes or drops in mentioned volume. Emotion analysis provides insights into the emotions associated with your brand, enabling a deeper understanding of customer sentiment. Additionally, topic analysis highlights trending topics, helping your team focus on key themes that matter most to your audience.
Integrations include Slack, Google Analytics, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, and TripAdvisor.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Real-time alerts for fast responses
- Effective competitor tracking and insights
- Multi-language monitoring for global reach
Cons:
- Lacks publishing and scheduling tools
- Keyword exclusions can be difficult to manage
Other Social Media Monitoring Software
Here are some additional social media monitoring software options that didn’t make it onto my shortlist, but are still worth checking out:
- Sprout Social
For social media analytics
- Hootsuite
For team collaboration on campaigns
- Muck Rack
For media and PR team insights
- Brandwatch
For consumer intelligence
- Zoho Social
For small business social monitoring
- PhishLabs
For social media threat protection
- Dash Hudson
For visual content performance tracking
Social Media Monitoring Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best social media monitoring software to include in this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like insights on competitor analysis and audience sentiment tracking. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion in this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Monitor social media mentions
- Track brand sentiment
- Report on engagement metrics
- Analyze audience demographics
- Benchmark against competitors
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- AI-driven sentiment analysis
- Integration with other data visualization tools
- Real-time social listening alerts
- Competitive keyword tracking
- Audience growth prediction
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- Ease of navigation across dashboards
- Simple data filtering and segmentation
- Quick access to commonly used metrics
- Intuitive layout for analytics tools
- Compatibility with mobile devices
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Availability of step-by-step tutorials
- Presence of interactive product tours
- Quality and variety of training materials
- Access to customer success managers
- Onboarding support like webinars and chatbots
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- 24/7 support availability
- Response times for technical issues
- Range of support channels (chat, phone, email)
- Quality of self-service resources
- Dedicated support for enterprise clients
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- Pricing transparency and flexibility
- Features included at each pricing tier
- Costs relative to competitor features
- Options for custom plans or add-ons
- Overall satisfaction with cost vs. benefit
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Consistency in rating across review sites
- Mention of ease of setup and usability
- Positive feedback on unique features
- Frequency of issues mentioned by users
- Willingness to recommend
Trends in Social Media Monitoring Software
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different social media monitoring software vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on:
- AI-powered sentiment analysis: Sentiment analysis is advancing rapidly, with AI now able to interpret complex emotions, sarcasm, and contextual sentiment more accurately. This allows companies to capture nuanced audience reactions, making tools like Brandwatch and Sprout Social popular for in-depth analysis.
- Real-time crisis monitoring: More tools are offering real-time alerts for brand-related crises, helping users respond swiftly to potential issues. This is especially valuable for reputation management, as brands can address problems before they escalate. Tools like Emplifi now incorporate crisis alerts to minimize PR risks.
- Predictive analytics: Predicting future trends is increasingly in demand, with some tools offering analytics that project future engagement or brand sentiment. Predictive insights help brands anticipate changes in audience interest and adjust strategy proactively, as seen in tools like Talkwalker.
- Social media intelligence for competitive insights: Advanced competitive analysis is becoming standard, with more tools allowing brands to benchmark against direct competitors in real-time. This trend is helping teams fine-tune campaigns based on industry positioning, with companies like Zoho Social emphasizing competitor intelligence.
- Ethics and privacy compliance: Growing concerns over data privacy mean more tools are building compliance features for data use and consumer privacy laws, such as GDPR. This trend is critical for industries that handle sensitive data, with tools like Meltwater adding user-friendly compliance options for secure data handling.
What Is Social Media Monitoring Software?
Social media monitoring software is a tool that tracks, analyzes, and reports on brand mentions and audience sentiment across social platforms. Marketing and PR teams, social media managers, and customer support teams generally use these tools to understand public opinion, monitor competitor activity, and quickly respond to customer feedback.
Real-time sentiment analysis, crisis alerts, and predictive insights help with keeping brands aware of potential issues, fine-tuning campaigns, and tracking industry trends. Overall, these tools give brands the data they need to make better decisions and improve their social media strategy.
Features of Social Media Monitoring Software
When selecting social media monitoring software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Sentiment analysis: Measures audience sentiment to help you gauge public opinion and spot trends in real time.
- Real-time alerts: Notifies you immediately of mentions or issues, so you can respond quickly to emerging trends or potential crises.
- Competitive benchmarking: Compares your social performance against competitors, helping to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Audience insights: Analyzes follower demographics, interests, and behaviors, offering valuable data to personalize campaigns and increase engagement.
- Predictive analytics: Anticipates future engagement and trends, helping your team make proactive adjustments to social strategies.
- Influencer identification: Find key influencers in your industry, allowing you to engage with individuals who can amplify your brand’s reach.
- Multi-platform integration: Monitors mentions across various social platforms, giving a complete picture of your brand’s online presence.
- Customizable reporting: This lets you tailor reports with specific metrics, making it easier to communicate key insights to stakeholders.
- Crisis management tools: Includes features to help handle negative mentions or crises, protecting brand reputation with quick actions.
- Historical data analysis: Tracks and analyzes past social media activity, helping identify long-term trends and measure campaign success over time.
Benefits of Social Media Monitoring Software
Implementing social media monitoring software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Improved audience understanding: This helps you learn more about your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors, making it easier to create content that resonates.
- Better brand reputation management: Real-time alerts and sentiment analysis allow your team to address issues quickly, reducing the risk of negative PR.
- Data-driven decision-making: Predictive analytics and competitive benchmarking provide insights that inform smarter social strategies and optimize campaign outcomes.
- Enhanced customer engagement: Timely monitoring of mentions and feedback lets you respond to customers faster, improving relationships and building loyalty.
- Increased campaign effectiveness: Historical data analysis and custom reporting make it easier to measure what works, helping you refine your social campaigns over time.
- More targeted influencer partnerships: Identifying top influencers in your field helps you connect with people who can amplify your message to the right audience.
- Competitive advantage: By tracking competitors’ performance and strategy, you can identify market trends early and make informed adjustments to stay ahead.
Costs and Pricing of Social Media Monitoring Software
Selecting social media monitoring software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in social media monitoring software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for Social Media Monitoring Software
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic social listening, limited keyword tracking, and basic analytics. |
| Personal Plan | $5-$25 /user /month | Multiple platform monitoring, scheduled reporting, and sentiment analysis. |
| Business Plan | $50-$150 /user /month | Real-time alerts, competitor tracking, influencer identification, and custom reporting. |
| Enterprise Plan | $250-$500+ /user /month | Advanced predictive analytics, API access, multi-account management, and a dedicated support team. |
Social Media Monitoring Software FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about social media monitoring software:
How does social media monitoring differ from social listening?
Social media monitoring focuses on tracking and collecting data on brand mentions, keywords, and hashtags across social platforms, allowing you to keep tabs on brand reputation. Social listening goes a step further, analyzing the sentiment and context behind these mentions, helping your team gain a deeper understanding of customer opinions and trends to make informed decisions.
Can social media monitoring help with customer service?
Yes, social media monitoring tools are increasingly used in customer service to identify and respond to customer queries or complaints in real-time. By setting up alerts for brand mentions, your team can quickly address customer needs, improving satisfaction and potentially turning negative experiences into positive ones.
What metrics should I track in social media monitoring?
Key metrics include brand mentions, engagement rates, sentiment analysis, share of voice, and competitor comparisons. Tracking these metrics helps you understand your brand’s performance, identify trends, and measure the success of your social media strategy relative to competitors.
Are there specific tools for monitoring competitors?
Yes, many social media monitoring tools offer competitor analysis features, allowing you to monitor rival brands’ activities, audience engagement, and trending topics. These insights help you benchmark your performance, identify gaps, and adjust your strategy to stay competitive in your industry.
How do predictive analytics work in social media monitoring?
Predictive analytics in social media monitoring use historical data and algorithms to anticipate future trends, audience behaviors, or potential crises. This feature can be especially useful for proactive planning, as it provides insights into emerging trends or areas where engagement might increase.
Is social media monitoring useful for identifying influencers?
Absolutely. Social media monitoring tools often come with influencer identification capabilities, helping your team find individuals or accounts with significant influence in your niche. This feature makes it easier to engage with those who can amplify your brand’s reach and credibility.
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