Buffer VS Hootsuite

Social media management is a modern-day juggling act for businesses. In fact, in today’s digital world, every tweet, story post, and pin can make or break a brand's reputation. That’s why social media marketing has become an inevitable part of marketing strategy. However, the balancing act of content creation, scheduling, engagement, and analytics can easily overwhelm even the experienced digital marketers. So, businesses are turning towards social media platforms to handle their social media marketing efforts.

Buffer and Hootsuite are among the most popular SMM software that promises to be your digital eyes, guiding you through complex networks of tweets, posts, and stories with ease. But when it comes down to the wire, which one truly stands tall as the champion in this duel?

While both platforms aim to simplify social media management, they differ in terms of features, pricing, and user experience. Let's dive into a detailed Hootsuite vs Buffer comparison based on multiple factors so that you can surely decide which tool you should choose to streamline your social media marketing ideas.

Hootsuite and Buffer: Overview

Buffer and Hootsuite are leading social media management software designed to assist businesses in scheduling, publishing, and analyzing social media content across various platforms.

Buffer is well-regarded for its user-friendly interface and straightforward scheduling features. It emphasizes simplicity and offers intuitive tools for content scheduling and analytics, making it a preferred choice for small to medium-sized businesses and individuals.

Hootsuite, on the other hand, is known for its comprehensive suite of social media management tools which cater to businesses of all sizes. It provides advanced features such for social listening, team collaboration, and extensive analytics, making it suitable for large enterprises and agencies.

Buffer and Hootsuite: Pros and Cons

• When it comes to content creation, Buffer has basic content creation tools, and Hootsuite offers built-in Canva integration, AI-powered caption and hashtag assistance.
• Buffer has a simple interface which is perfect for beginners, whereas Hootsuite is a feature-rich platform and has a steeper learning curve.
• Buffer has a user-friendly queueing system for optimal posting times. Whereas Hootsuite requires more manual scheduling.
• Buffer is affordable for large teams with unlimited users on higher plans. It also has a free plan for users making it a good choice for budget-conscious users. Whereas, while Hootsuite is a feature rich platform it doesn't offer any free plan to their users.

Buffer vs. Hootsuite: In Terms of Features

Both Buffer and Hootsuite differ from each other when it comes to post scheduling, social listening, content creation, collaboration, integrations and more. Here is a comparison of Hootsuite vs Buffer in terms of features:

• Supported Platforms: Buffer focuses on core social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook (profiles, pages, groups), LinkedIn (profiles, pages), Pinterest, and recently added Instagram. However, Buffer may not be ideal if you are working with niche social media platforms like GoodReads, Twitch, Quora, etc. On the surface, Hootsuite supports a wider range of platforms including the ones offered by Buffer, plus TikTok, YouTube, and additional niche platforms. It is a better choice if you need to manage a diverse social media presence.
• Content Scheduling: Content scheduling is one of the main features of social media management tools. Buffer automatically suggests publishing times for each platform based on historical data, to maximize engagement. Furthermore, the queue scheduling feature can schedule posts in advance and Buffer will automatically distribute them throughout the day/week at optimal times. However, it has less control over scheduling compared to Hootsuite and has limited bulk scheduling options. Hootsuite on the other hand, offers more granular scheduling options. It also provides a visual overview of your scheduled content across platforms. Moreover, the robust bulk scheduling option can schedule multiple posts at once, including specific dates and times.
• Social Listening: Social listening refers to monitoring online conversations to understand brand perception, industry trends, and customer sentiment. Buffer offers limited social listening capabilities. You can track mentions of your brand name or keywords. Whereas Hootsuite provides a more comprehensive social listening suite. You can track mentions, analyze sentiment, identify influencers, and monitor competitor activity. Overall, Hootsuite is the clear winner for social listening. Its advanced features offer valuable insights into brand perception, customer feedback, and competitor strategies.
• Reporting and Analytics: Buffer offers basic analytics on post-performance, including metrics like reach, engagement (likes, comments, shares), clicks, and website traffic. It also provides insights on the best times to post for each platform. Users can create custom reports with details like campaign info for a more holistic view. On the other hand, Hootsuite and some other Hootsuite alternatives have more in-depth analytics features with a wider range of metrics like followers’ demographics, sentiment analysis, and brand mentions. The reports are customizable for specific goals (e.g., brand awareness, sales, website traffic).
• Inbox and Messaging: Buffer has a limited functionality as it only allows replies to public comments on Facebook and Instagram. You cannot respond to direct messages sent to your social media profiles through Buffer. On the contrary, Hootsuite offers a powerful unified inbox. You can view and respond to comments and messages from all connected social media platforms in a central location. This streamlines conversation management and saves time switching between apps.
• Content Creation: Buffer and a few Buffer alternatives have a built-in AI assistant to help users with content creation. Buffer's AI assistant provides suggestions for posting content, hashtags, and even repurposing existing content. It also features post inspiration and provides you with an unlimited supply of post ideas according to your brand. Hootsuite's AI assistant is known as OwlyWriterAI. It helps generate captions, hashtags, and post ideas by using prompts. You can also repurpose existing blog posts and web content into social media snippets. However, OwlyWriter’s content sometimes requires a lot of editing to make it clear and concise.

Hootsuite vs. Buffer: Collaboration

Buffer allows you to add an unlimited number of team members on your marketing project, which is ideal for large teams or social media managers with multiple clients. You can set the permission levels like admin access, full access, and approval-required access. Hootsuite, on the other hand, can assign specific roles to team members, such as admin, publisher, analyst, and advertiser. This provides granular control over user permissions.

Overall, Buffer takes the crown when it comes to team collaboration due to its simplicity, and the option for adding unlimited team members at higher tiers.

Buffer vs. Hootsuite: Integration

Both Buffer and Hootsuite offer integrations with third-party apps and services to extend their functionalities. Hootsuite has a significantly larger library of integrations which offers 140 apps compared to Buffer’s support for around 50 apps. Buffer integrates well with popular productivity tools, content creators, and scheduling apps like Zapier, Sharpring, WordPress, and CoSchedule. On the other hand, Hootsuite offers a wider range of integrations, including social listening tools, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and analytics dashboards.

Buffer vs. Hootsuite: User Interface/ Easy to Use

Buffer has a clean and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to schedule and manage social media content. Its intuitive design appeals to beginners and users looking for a straightforward social media management solution.

Hootsuite's interface is more complex and feature-rich, catering to users with advanced social media management needs. While it offers more functionality, some users may find its interface overwhelming, especially those new to social media management.

Buffer vs. Hootsuite: Pricing

Buffer will cost you at least $6 per month for one social media channel. Hootsuite’s pricing plan starts at $99 a month with one user and 10 social media accounts. The pricing plans are follows:

• Buffer:
• Free: Free to use plan with three channels and planning & publishing tools
• Essentials: Starts at $6/month for 1 channel, and each additional channel will cost $6 extra.
• Team: Starts at $12/month for 1 channel, and each additional channel will cost $12 extra.

• Hootsuite:

• Professional: Starts at $99/month with one user and 10 social accounts, and billed annually
• Team: Starts at $249/month with three users and 20 social accounts, and billed annually
• Enterprise: Available on request

Buffer vs. Hootsuite: Customer Support

Buffer provides customer support through email and a knowledge base. Its extensive documentation and community forums help users troubleshoot issues effectively. Moreover, Buffer also has a live chat feature that can help users anytime if they get any issue using Buffer.

Hootsuite, on the other hand, offers comprehensive customer support including email, phone, and live chat assistance. However, there might be some occasional delays while resolving issues.

Conclusion

Both Buffer and Hootsuite offer valuable tools for social media management, but the choice ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the user.

Buffer is preferred for its simplicity and ease of use, making it suitable for beginners and small businesses with basic social media management needs.

Hootsuite, on the other hand, is favored for its comprehensive features set and advanced capabilities, catering to the needs of larger businesses and agencies requiring robust social media management and analytics tools.