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As a seasoned chief marketing expert with decades of experience, I'm here to provide you with a comprehensive Hootsuite review. In this analysis, we'll delve into the features, functionality, and usability of Hootsuite, giving you a clear understanding of whether it's the right social media management software solution for your needs.

Hootsuite Review screenshot showing cross platform campaign.
Create cross-platform campaigns with Hootsuite.

Hootsuite Software Product Overview

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that enables individuals and businesses to efficiently schedule, manage, and analyze their social media content across multiple platforms. Targeted primarily at digital marketers and social media managers, it streamlines content planning and publishing, provides insightful analytics, and fosters effective audience engagement.

Pros

  • User-Friendly: Hootsuite's intuitive interface ensures effortless navigation, simplifying social media management for users of all skill levels.
  • Multi-Platform Integration: The platform seamlessly integrates with a wide range of social media networks, consolidating all your accounts in one place and streamlining content distribution.
  • Robust Analytics: Hootsuite offers comprehensive analytics tools that empower users to make data-driven decisions.

Cons

  • Limited CRM Integration: Hootsuite's CRM capabilities are limited compared to some competitors, making it less suitable for businesses that heavily rely on customer relationship management.
  • Advanced Automation Constraints: While Hootsuite offers automation, it may not provide the same level of advanced automation and workflow customization as other marketing software.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Users may face a steeper learning curve when trying to leverage Hootsuite's more advanced features.

Expert Opinion

Hootsuite stands as a solid choice within the realm of social media scheduling tools. Its multi-platform integration and user-friendly interface make it a suitable option for users seeking efficiency. Indeed, however, when compared to some competitors, its CRM integration capabilities fall short.

Hootsuite: The Bottom Line

What sets it apart from similar software is its holistic approach to social media management. It provides a unified platform for scheduling, monitoring, and analyzing content across various social media networks.

Hootsuite Deep Dive

Here are 20 common features of marketing software, along with whether the Hootsuite review includes them:

Hootsuite Specifications

  1. Social Media Management - Yes
  2. Content Scheduling - Yes
  3. Social Media Analytics - Yes
  4. Content Calendar - Yes
  5. Post Automation - Yes
  6. Team Collaboration - Yes
  7. Content Approval Workflow - Yes
  8. Content Publishing - Yes
  9. Social Media Monitoring - Yes
  10. Social Listening - Yes
  11. Social Media Reporting - Yes
  12. Audience Targeting - Yes
  13. Keyword Tracking - Yes
  14. URL Shortening - Yes
  15. Social Media Engagement - Yes
  16. Influencer Identification - Yes
  17. Content Curation - Yes
  18. Ad Campaign Management - No
  19. Email Marketing Integration - No
  20. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Yes

Hootsuite Feature Overview

  1. Social Media Management: Hootsuite review excels in providing a centralized hub for managing multiple social media platforms. It streamlines posting, engagement, and monitoring across various networks, making it efficient for marketers to maintain an active online presence.
  2. Content Scheduling: Hootsuite's content scheduling feature allows users to plan and automate posts, ensuring a consistent and timely social media presence. What sets it apart is the ability to schedule posts for different platforms all within one dashboard.
  3. Social Media Analytics: Hootsuite offers robust analytics tools that provide insightful data on social media performance. Its standout feature is customizable reporting, allowing users to focus on specific metrics that matter most to their marketing goals.
  4. Content Calendar: The content calendar feature in Hootsuite review provides a visual overview of scheduled posts, making it easy to plan and organize content. Users can drag and drop posts to adjust their publishing dates, enhancing flexibility.
  5. Post Automation: Hootsuite simplifies social media management by automating the posting process. Its user-friendly interface makes setting up automated posts straightforward.
  6. Team Collaboration: Collaboration is made seamless with Hootsuite, allowing team members to work together efficiently. The platform's collaboration features enable team members to assign tasks, review content, and provide feedback within the system.

Standout Functionality

Hootsuite Review distinguishes itself from other marketing planning software through its unique and standout features. Firstly, its Content Calendar offers a visual and interactive way to plan and manage social media content.

This intuitive interface enhances content organization and streamlines content planning. Secondly, Hootsuite's "Social Listening" feature sets it apart by providing sentiment analysis and in-depth insights into relevant conversations.

Hootsuite review screenshot showing features.
In this picture, Hootsuite shows its unassigned inbox.

Integrations

The Hootsuite review provides a variety of pre-built or inherent integrations that augment its capabilities. These built-in integrations encompass well-known social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This functionality is especially beneficial for users with a team plan, facilitating collaborative social media efforts.

Hootsuite Pricing

The paid plans start with the "Professional" tier at $19/user/month, which provides enhanced scheduling, analytics, and team collaboration features. The "Team" plan, priced at $99/user/month, offers additional features like content approval workflows and a higher number of social media profiles.

For larger organizations, the "Business" plan at $599/user/month provides advanced analytics, security, and compliance features, making it suitable for teams with more extensive social media management needs.

Ease of Use

When assessing the user-friendliness of the Hootsuite review, I observed that the user interface is generally simple and easy to navigate. The onboarding process is well-organized, efficiently guiding users through the initial setup of their social media profiles and post scheduling, ensuring a smooth experience when managing social accounts.

Customer Support

Based on my observations, the Hootsuite review boasts a reasonably thorough customer support framework. They offer various avenues for assistance, including email support and a ticketing system. Furthermore, they provide an extensive collection of documentation and tutorials, ensuring that users, including non-profit organizations, can easily access solutions to frequently asked questions and address concerns independently.

Hootsuite Use Case

Who would be a good fit for Hootsuite?


Hootsuite review is the perfect choice for various users and businesses aiming to optimize their social media management. The most dedicated and enthusiastic Hootsuite review users typically include those who have benefited from Hootsuite Academy, utilize a Hootsuite plan, particularly Hootsuite Pro, and prioritize maintaining an engaging and data-centric social media presence.

Who would be a bad fit for Hootsuite?

Hootsuite review may not be the ideal choice for users or businesses with minimal or no social media presence. If you do not actively use social media platforms, the features and functionalities available through Hootsuite, such as those in the App Directory, integration with Chrome, and Google Drive compatibility, may not offer sufficient value to justify the associated cost and complexity of the platform.

Hootsuite FAQs

What is Hootsuite?

Hootsuite Review is a social media management platform that helps users schedule, manage, and analyze their social media content across various platforms from a single dashboard.

Is there a free version of Hootsuite available?

Yes, Hootsuite offers a free plan with limited features, making it accessible to individuals and small businesses.

What social media platforms can I manage with Hootsuite?

Hootsuite supports major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, among others.

Can I collaborate with my team using Hootsuite?

Yes, Hootsuite offers team collaboration features, allowing team members to work together on social media campaigns, assign tasks, and review content.

Does Hootsuite provide analytics and reporting?

Yes, Hootsuite Review offers comprehensive analytics tools to track the performance of your social media content, with customizable reporting options.

Is there customer support available for Hootsuite?

Yes, Hootsuite offers customer support through various channels, including email and a ticketing system, along with extensive documentation and tutorials.

Alternatives to Hootsuite

  • Buffer: Indeed, Buffer is renowned for its straightforward and user-friendly interface, making it an excellent option for small businesses and individuals looking for easy social media scheduling and management of tweets. It is also accessible on Android devices and holds various certifications to enhance its usability.
  • Sprout Social: Furthermore, Sprout Social provides real-time social media analytics and reporting capabilities, making it the top pick for data-driven marketing teams seeking in-depth insights to fine-tune their social media marketing strategies and enhance their social media posts.
  • SocialBee: Later, SocialBee stands out for its advanced content categorization and recycling capabilities, making it a valuable tool for users who prioritize content recycling and precise content scheduling.

If you are interested in some more options explore some other social media marketing tools.

Hootsuite Company Overview and History

Indeed, Hootsuite helps businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises to large corporations, succeed with social media through its powerful hashtag management and analytics tools.

Later, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Hootsuite has emerged as a prominent player in the social media management sector. Lastly, while the company has seen changes in its executive leadership and board composition, its core mission remains centered on enabling businesses to thrive on social media using the Hootsuite dashboard.

Summary

In summary, Hootsuite Review is a versatile tool for managing social media accounts, serving a wide range of users, from individuals to large enterprises. Indeed, with its user-friendly interface, robust features, and strong industry track record, it remains a valuable choice for streamlining efforts across various social networks and profiles.

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By Stephanie Hood

Stephanie Hood is an experienced marketing professional and Editor of The CMO. With nearly a decade spent as Marketing Manager at Discover Holidays and Executive Editor at VIVA Lifestyle & Travel, she built her career leading editorial and marketing teams and strategies that turn six-figure budgets into seven-figure profits. She now enjoys connecting with the world's top executives to learn their secrets to business success, and shares those insights right here with her community of like-minded professionals. Curious what she’s uncovered? Be sure to sign up for The CMO newsletter.