Buffer - great entry level social scheduling tool
February 16, 2018
Buffer - great entry level social scheduling tool
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Overall Satisfaction with Buffer
I initially came across Buffer when I was looking for a low-cost solution to implement for a charity I was consulting for. They needed something that was easy to use and that could be quickly implemented and easy to troubleshoot. Buffer fit the bill many times over!
My first impressions were good - it offers a generous 'free' version which meant that I was able to get it set up and then train staff on how to use it, without making a financial commitment. We were very quickly able to attach social profiles and begin scheduling content which meant that the social media element of the job took a lot less time and became more productive.
My first impressions were good - it offers a generous 'free' version which meant that I was able to get it set up and then train staff on how to use it, without making a financial commitment. We were very quickly able to attach social profiles and begin scheduling content which meant that the social media element of the job took a lot less time and became more productive.
- Simple straight-forward interface. The GUI is so much more straight-forward than competitors like Hootsuite and SproutSocial. Their interfaces can easily be overwhelming and take some getting used to whereas with Buffer you can be up and running very quickly.
- The 'free' element is very generous and enables you to become familiar with the software in as short or long a period as you need, across multiple social accounts.
- The integration with Feedly means that content curation is an incredibly simple job for anyone to perform, enabling you to schedule content as you come across it on the web.
- They used to have a fantastic feature that optimised posting times based on previous times' reach and engagement. Sadly this feature was removed which is a shame as it was one of my favourites.
- The reporting functionality is limited and I would like to see a greater ability to report across all platforms, creating white label reports.
- You have to purchase separate tools in order to access an influencer module and an image design module - in many tools these are included.
- For clients that are using it they are seeing an immediate return in terms of productivity - less time spent on social but whilst still achieving the same, if not better, results.
- Better engagement with followers through regular posting which means relationships with customer and fans can be maintained and even enhanced.
I feel that Buffer is very much an entry level product because it lacks some of the additional functionality offered by other tools. In that sense I recommend it only for small companies, or those just starting out with scheduling. In terms of scheduling content it does that incredibly well with good analytics and integration to enable content curation e.g. it links seamlessly to Feedly.
I like the ability to sort posted content by various factors, and also to recycle content.
I like the ability to sort posted content by various factors, and also to recycle content.