Item: Hootsuite
Rating: 8
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I currently use Hootsuite for two of my clients. I specifically use the scheduling and reporting tools. I have also used the premium version of the platform previously for other clients. In total, I've been using it for about 6 years or so. I've also used the app quite a bit.

Pros and Cons

Versioning posts per platform
Easy scheduling
Reporting types

I like the options for reporting but I find the interface really difficult to navigate.
Reporting metrics vary too much per platform.
Scheduling calendar is hard to navigate/preview posts

Return on Investment

Overall, the platform is a time saver.
Reporting is better than native in some ways
some better features, which make my life easier

Usability

I think overall, it's ok. There are better platforms out there, but Hootsuite is definitely a more affordable option so they have that going for them.

There are some annoying parts of Hootsuite that make me give it only a 5. For example, the fact that link in bio is set up per user not per brand is really annoying.

Social Media Impact

Hootsuite is helpful for planning and scheduling posts. Definitely better than posting/scheduling natively. They do lack some features though. For example, scheduling the first comment on IG, scheduling link in bio, etc. Sprout Social offers many of these features, but they are also much more expensive than Hootsuite is.

Alternatives Considered

Sprout Social and Salesforce Marketing Cloud Social Studio (retiring)

Hootsuite lacks many features as i've said before. I think their reporting is also not as great as other platforms. I find the interface really messy and hard to navigate. The metrics also vary a lot between platforms which makes comparing success between channels very difficult for me. Overall, its not the best.

Key Insights

Do you think Hootsuite delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Hootsuite's feature set?

Did Hootsuite live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of Hootsuite go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy Hootsuite again?

Other Software Used

Sprout Social, Salesforce Marketing Cloud Social Studio (retiring)

Likelihood to Recommend

Hootsuite's best feature is how easy it is to vary posts per platform without having to schedule them separately. This is especially nice when I need to tag someone but they have different handles per platform.

Overall, I find scheduling on Hootsuite messy though. There are also features lacking in my opinion.

Ok, but there are better options

Software Version

Overall Satisfaction with Hootsuite