10 Best Social Media Management Tools in 2024

Most business will have a presence on social media in some form or another. But not every business is able to handle the pressures of managing multiple social media platforms – which includes posting regularly, engaging with followers, creating high-performing campaigns, and tracking results.

Regardless of your business size, needs, or budget, the best social media management software can help make social media extremely manageable.

These tools help you schedule posts, monitor mentions, analyze performance, and much more across multiple social networks. The right social media management platform can save you time and massively boost your social media success.

Why now?

Why is now the right time to be thinking about a new, improved social media management tool? There are plenty of reasons why you should be prioritizing social.

First of all, our recent study revealed that brands only initiate about 1% of conversation that occurs about them on social. As a business, you should be on top of all that conversation. Whether you're looking to protect your brand reputation and avoid crises, answer questions consumers have about your product, or share educational and engaging content that drives positive brand perceptions, you need a good social media management tool.

Second of all, there are whole new trends emerging in the social media sphere that make ensuring your social presence is on point. Think about how social media search is changing how people find brands and products, or how direct sales on social media are taking off on platforms like TikTok Shop.

If you're not happy with your current social media management tool, or are looking for your first one, you've come to the right place.

Picking the perfect social media management tool can be tricky. You’ll want to focus on a few key areas to find your ideal match.

Your use cases

First, think about what you need most. Do you want to schedule posts? Analyze your performance? Listen to what people are saying about your brand? Find influencers to work with? Understand how your competitors are performing? Make a list of all the must-have features, and think about how you want to scale your social program. You'll want to pick a social media management tool that scales up with you.

Your size

Next, consider your budget and team size. Are you a small business or a big company? Some tools work better for smaller teams, while others shine for large enterprises. Again, do consider a tool's scalability. If you're planning to increase your social media team headcount, you'll want a tool that allows for easy collaboration.

Don’t forget about the platforms you use. Make sure the tool works with all your social media accounts, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or other platforms you might use.

Key questions to ask your vendor

You'll want to ask the right questions of your vendor to ensure that you're getting what you need.

Here are some helpful questions to ask when you're comparing social media management tools:

If my team, client base, or scope grows, can the tool scale up with my business?
What level of insight on my audience, market, and brand can the tool provide?
What does the onboarding process look like?
What kind of support can I expect?
Are there educational materials or an academy I can use to help me get the most from the tool?
How does pricing work? (You don't want to be caught out by surprise payments).
Can I access insights on my competitors' social media performance?
Am I able to discover and manage influencers with this platform?
How many channels can I manage?Does this social media management tool have the collaboration features I need?

Take your time to compare different tools. Many offer free trials, so you can test them out before committing. With a bit of research, you’ll find the perfect fit for your social media management needs.

About these tools

The aim of using these tools is to keep abreast of your social platforms, track the interactions you’re generating, understand how this affects brand reputation, and make strategic choices based on the data and insights you get. The range of tools is extensive and can sometimes bleed into other areas of marketing and sales.

As with all things in life, the best social media management tools come in all shapes and sizes. Each have their merits in putting you on the path to social media success.

You'll find plenty of tools with features like post scheduling, analytics, team collaboration, and much more. Some social media management tools are great for small teams and businesses, while others can handle big enterprise needs where there are hundreds or thousands of social media posts and channels to consider at once.

Some focus on analytics, while others excel at content creation or customer service – it’s important to pick a tool that fits your specific needs. Think about your goals, budget, and the social platforms you use most, as well as where you want to go with your social media accounts in the future.

Many of these tools offer free trials or demos so you can get an idea of what will work best for you.

Remember, the best social media management tool is the one you’ll actually use and get value from. Look for a user-friendly interface and features that match your workflow.

1. Brandwatch

Brandwatch offers a powerful social media management tool that can take your online presence to the next level. It offers a wide range of features to help you engage with your audience as well as to monitor and analyze social media mentions across multiple platforms.

With Brandwatch, you can track mentions of your brand, competitors, and industry keywords in real time. This means you can stay on top of what people are saying about you online and respond quickly to any issues or opportunities.

Illustration of Brandwatch's social media management tool

The tool’s analytics capabilities are impressive. You can easily visualize your social media performance and spot trends across your owned social media accounts as well as the conversation at large. This data can help you make smarter decisions about your content strategy and campaigns.

Brandwatch also offers benchmarking features to analyze your performance against competitor brands, influencer marketing capabilities that span the full workflow from discovery to payment, and an advertising module to manage paid posts.

The tool integrates with many other platforms, making it easy to incorporate into your existing workflow. For example, you can connect it with your CRM ecosystem with Brandwatch's Salesforce integration.

Brandwatch's consumer intelligence and social media management software are ideal for medium to large businesses and agencies that need in-depth social media insights. Its robust features and extensive data sources make it a top choice for companies serious about social media analytics, and there's a top-tier support team and Academy to help you get value from the tool quickly.

Overall, Brandwatch remains a top choice for companies that want to dive deep into social media data. Its comprehensive features and powerful analytics can give you a significant edge in understanding and engaging with your audience online.

Next on our list of social media management tools is Sprout Social, which allows you to schedule posts, track mentions, and analyze your performance.

With Sprout, you'll save time by planning content in advance. The calendar view makes it easy to see what's coming up.

You'll also get detailed insights into how your content performs. This data helps you understand what your audience likes so you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

If customer service is a priority, Sprout Social helps you respond to messages and comments quickly. You can assign tasks to team members and track response times.

Illustration of Sprout Social's social media management tool

The tool can work for businesses of all sizes, from small companies to larger businesses and agencies.

Sprout's interface is user-friendly, but it may take some time to learn all the features.

Overall, Sprout Social is a comprehensive option in our list of social media management tools that can help streamline your social media efforts.

3. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is the popular, owl-themed social media management tool that lets you handle multiple platforms from one dashboard. You can schedule social media posts, track mentions, and analyze your performance across networks like Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Illustration of Hootsuite's social media management tool

With Hootsuite, you’re able to plan your content calendar well in advance. This saves you time and keeps your social presence consistent. The tool also offers a content library where you can store and organize your posts for easy access.

Hootsuite’s analytics features give you insights into your social media performance, allowing you to track engagement, follower growth, and other key metrics. This data helps you refine your strategy and create more effective content.

The platform includes team collaboration tools. You can assign tasks, get content approvals, and manage user permissions. This is great for businesses with multiple team members handling social media. That said, stakeholders without a log in may not be able to get the level of access they want.

Hootsuite offers social listening capabilities too. You can monitor keywords, hashtags, and brand mentions across various platforms. This helps you stay on top of conversations about your brand and industry.

One downside is that Hootsuite’s interface can feel overwhelming at first. It might take some time to learn all the features.

Hootsuite is ideal for businesses managing multiple social accounts. If you’re looking for a comprehensive solution to streamline your social media efforts, Hootsuite is worth considering.

4. Buffer

Buffer is another popular social media management tool that helps you plan, create, and schedule posts across multiple social media platforms. You can use it to manage accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and more.

With Buffer, you can easily schedule content in advance. This lets you maintain a consistent posting schedule without having to be online all the time. The platform offers a clean, user-friendly interface that’s simple to navigate.

Illustration of Buffer's social media tools

Like with many of the other tools, you can track how your posts are performing and get insights to improve your strategy – for example, you can see how text, videos, links, and images compare against each other in terms of engagement rate. The tool provides data on followers, engagement, reach, and clicks.

Buffer also offers a free plan, which is great if you’re just starting out. This plan lets you manage up to three social accounts and schedule up to 10 posts at a time.

For teams, Buffer has collaboration features. You can assign roles, get approval on posts, and work together seamlessly. This makes it easier to coordinate your social media efforts.

The tool integrates with various apps and services, like Canva for graphics.

Buffer’s mobile app is another plus. You can manage your social media on the go, making it convenient for busy social media professionals.

While Buffer is strong in many areas, it has some limitations. The platform doesn’t offer as much in terms of social listening or advanced reporting compared to some competitors.

Buffer is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and individuals who are looking for straightforward social media management tools. It’s particularly good if you’re focused on content scheduling and basic analytics.

5. Agorapulse

With Agorapulse, you can schedule posts, monitor mentions, and analyze your performance across different platforms. Just like the other tools on our list, this one supports major social networks like Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and others.

You’ll find this tool easy to navigate and use, even if you’re new to social media management tools.

The inbox feature is particularly helpful. It lets you see all your social media interactions in one place, making it simple to respond to comments and messages quickly.

Illustration of Agorapulse's social media management tool

Agorapulse also offers robust reporting tools. You can generate detailed reports on your social media performance, helping you understand what’s working and what isn’t.

Agorapulse can work for brands or agencies of all sizes and it’s especially useful if you manage multiple social accounts or work with a team – the tool’s collaboration features mean you can assign tasks and get content approved in a smooth workflow.

One downside is that it doesn't offer a comprehensive influencer marketing solution. If this is a priority, you may want to look at other social media management tools on the list.

Zoho Social is designed for businesses and agencies looking to expand their reach online.

One of Zoho’s standout features is its advanced scheduling tools. "SmartQ" suggests the best times to post when your audience is most active, something that can help boost your engagement rates.

You’ll find Zoho Social great for team collaboration too. It has built-in features that make it easy to share ideas and give feedback on drafts. You can keep all your discussions organized in one place, which is super handy.

Zoho supports the big social networks, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and more, allowing you to create, publish, and analyze content across these platforms from within the tool.

Zoho Social offers real-time monitoring of your social media channels. You can track mentions, comments, and messages as they happen, allowing you to respond quickly to your audience.

One downside is that some users find the interface a bit cluttered. It might take some time to get used to all the features and where to find them.

For businesses on a budget, Zoho Social offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs and team sizes. It's ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and agencies and useful if you’re looking for a tool that combines social media management with team collaboration features.

Overall, Zoho Social offers a comprehensive set of features that cover a range of social media management needs.

7. HubSpot

HubSpot’s social media management tool is set up for businesses of all sizes and it’s part of their larger popular marketing platform.

With HubSpot, you can bulk-upload up to 300 social posts, which can be useful if you're managing social media accounts. Long-term planners will also enjoy that you can schedule posts up to three years in advance.

Illustration of Hubspot's tool for social media managers

The tool offers content scheduling, monitoring, and reporting features. You’ll be able to track your social media performance and adjust your strategy as needed.

One of HubSpot’s strengths is its integration with other marketing tools. For example, you can easily tie your social media efforts to your CRM tool.

The platform also includes social listening tools. These help you keep an eye on what people are saying about your brand online.

HubSpot’s analytics are robust, giving you detailed insights into your social media performance. You can see which posts are performing best and why.

The tool is ideal for businesses that want an all-in-one marketing solution, although the learning curve for HubSpot can be steep. There are a lot of features to master. But once you do, you’ll have a good tool at your fingertips.

8. SocialPilot

SocialPilot is a social media management tool that prides itself on scaling with your needs. It can help you streamline your social media efforts, especially if you need to manage multiple social media profiles. You’ll find it’s a great option if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution with robust features.

With SocialPilot, you can manage multiple social media accounts, including across popular platforms like Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram, and more. You’ll save time by scheduling posts in advance and analyzing your performance across different networks.

SocialPilot helps you cut down your content creation time and allows you to schedule up to 500 posts in advance. You’ll also appreciate the team collaboration features if you work with others on your social media strategy.

The platform offers a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate. You won’t need extensive technical knowledge to get started. SocialPilot also provides easy reporting, helping you understand what’s working and what needs improvement.

SocialPilot is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses and marketing agencies. You’ll find its pricing plans competitive, especially when compared to some other popular tools in the market.

While SocialPilot offers many benefits, the platform may lack some advanced features that larger enterprises might need. For example, deep social listening and influencer marketing tools aren't part of the solution.

If you’re looking for a reliable, affordable social media management solution, SocialPilot is definitely worth considering. It offers a good balance of features and usability that can help boost your social media presence.

9. Emplifi

Emplifi offers customer experience management, social media analytics, and social media management tools for businesses.

Its tools span publishing, engagement, social listening, influencer marketing, and analytics.

Covering all major platforms, Emplifi can help you with content creation and scheduling at the optimal times. It'll bring your social media messages into one inbox and provides AI assistance for responding to them.

It's one of the few social media management tools on the list, like Brandwatch, that also offers an influencer marketing solution. In Emplifi this includes influencer discovery, campaign management, and reporting.

Illustration of Emplifi's influencer marketing

Emplifi is best suited to medium businesses through to large enterprises.

Its solution is comprehensive, but some find the interface to be non-intuitive. Meanwhile, the social listening element may be more basic than other enterprise solutions.

Overall, Emplifi overs a solid social media management platform for businesses.

Emplifi is best suited to medium businesses through to large enterprises.

Its solution is comprehensive, but some find the interface to be non-intuitive. Meanwhile, the social listening element may be more basic than other enterprise solutions.

Overall, Emplifi overs a solid social media management platform for businesses.

10. Sprinklr

Sprinklr is a social media management platform designed for mid-sized to enterprise-level teams. It helps businesses manage their social media, insights, advertising, and customer service interactions.

With Sprinklr, you can keep your brand's voice consistent across multiple platforms. It's got advanced features for scheduling, publishing, and creating content. This means you can save time and effort when managing multiple accounts.

Illustration of Sprinklr's social media management tool

Sprinklr is focused on creating better customer experiences, and its range of tools are all geared towards this.

It has some great team collaboration features. You can set up approval workflows, ensuring that all content meets your brand standards before going live. This is especially useful for large teams working on complex campaigns.

The tool also excels in customer engagement. You can monitor conversations about your brand and respond quickly to comments and messages. This helps you build stronger relationships with your audience.

While Sprinklr is packed with features, it might be overwhelming for smaller businesses or those new to social media management. Plus, it may not have the depth of social listening and consumer intelligence some enterprise businesses are looking for.

Sprinklr is a good option to explore if you're part of a large organization with complex social media needs.

Different organizations have unique social media management needs, and finding the right social media management software is crucial. Let’s look at some top tools tailored for various business types and priorities.

Best for large enterprises

Brandwatch is a top choice for big companies, especially as one of the leading social media management platforms. It handles complex social media needs with ease. The tool offers advanced scheduling, analytics, and team collaboration features.

Its social listening tools are top-notch, letting you monitor brand mentions and industry trends. You’ll find the workflow and approval processes especially useful for maintaining brand consistency across large teams.

Enterprises can leverage comprehensive social listening tools that can better inform your strategy, and you can manage influencer marketing campaigns all in one place. Brandwatch's social media management solution sits alongside an in-depth consumer intelligence platform that's popular with marketers and analysts alike. This popular combination means enterprises can understand and engage with consumers at the speed of social.

Best for small businesses

Zoho Social stands out for small businesses looking for effective social media management software. It’s affordable and packed with features to help you grow your social presence. You can schedule posts, track mentions, and analyze your performance across platforms.

Zoho Social offers good team collaboration features, letting you work with others on content creation. Its smart scheduling tool suggests the best times to post for maximum engagement.

The platform integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps, making it ideal if you’re already using their CRM or other business tools.

Best for agencies

Many of the social media management tools on the list cater well to agencies, so it's worth thinking about scale and budget before picking a solution.

For large agencies handling lots of accounts, solutions like Brandwatch are a great option. Meanwhile, Zoho and SocialPilot have plenty to offer for smaller agencies.

Regardless of the tool, agencies should look out for optimized workflows, comprehensive or "birds eye" views of what's going on for a particular client, and good reporting features to help them show the value of social media marketing efforts.

Best for budget-conscious users

Buffer is a great option if you’re watching your wallet and looking for effective social media management software. It offers a free plan with basic features and affordable paid tiers as you grow.

You can schedule posts to multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and X. Buffer’s analytics help you understand what content resonates with your audience.

You’ll appreciate the simple, intuitive interface that gets the job done without overwhelming you with features.

Best for comprehensive analytics

If you're looking to go deeper with social media analytics, you'll want to find a tool that goes beyond standard social media metrics.

Look for social media management software that allows for creating, posting, and analyzing social media posts but that also let's you listen to the broader conversation and understand your audience better.

This is where you can really super-charge your social media strategy and start to increase your social media management maturity. Insights derived from social, whether that's about key questions your audience are asking or product improvement data, can have a bigger impact on the organization and really raise social's profile. Building a good reputation for your social team, and visibility internally, can help you secure further investment to grow your social media program and its impact.

With all that said, you'll want to look at a tool with a great background in social intelligence to help support you here and Brandwatch is a great option.

How to get started with Brandwatch's social media management tool

Ready to dive into Brandwatch’s social media management software?

If you're a totally new customer, you'll want to request a free demo. This'll get the conversation started and you'll meet experts that can talk you through your options.

Next up is onboarding. You'll get your account set up and be able to connect your social media channels securely.

Brandwatch offers a whole range of services to help you get the most out of the platform fast. Your onboarding will get you off to a great start, and you can also rely on our on-demand Academy to help inspire your continued success. And, in the unlikely event you run into any problems our dedicated support team will be there to assist you.

Nice milestones to hit early on are to publish your first post and set up your workflows.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different features as you get comfortable with the platform. Our AI-assisted writing tool is a great place to start experimenting, so you can see how it can help you save time while managing your social media channels.

Managing your social media posts and getting to grips with your social media management software is just the first step in becoming an excellent social media manager.

At Brandwatch, we've found that as social media professionals progress in their careers, there's a lack of theory around how best to scale and truly master social media. So we created a social media management maturity model to help.

A short description of Brandwatch's social media management maturity model, including beginner, mid-level, and advanced stages

This model helps you navigate through Beginner, Mid-level, and Advanced stages, taking you from native posting on social channels through to leveraging advanced social media dashboards and operating from a centralized strategy.

Where you use the model or not, it's worth assessing where your company is and where you'd like to go, especially as you're comparing different social media tools that can help you get there.

10 Best Social Media Management Tools to Streamline Your Digital Presence in 2024