If you work in social media, the names Hootsuite and Sprout Social are no stranger to you. Hootsuite and Sprout Social are two of the most well-known social media management tools and can make a powerful impact on your social media presence when used correctly. Managing all your social media channels in one place can help save your marketing team from the tedious task of updating social platforms one by one. To help guide your decision, we will compare several points between Hootsuite and Sprout Social, brought to you by Leverage IT.
Publishing
When choosing a social media management tool, it is important to consider what social channels you will be targeting and the frequency/volume of posts you will be posting every month.
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social support LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. These platforms are essential tools for social media management, allowing you to post immediately or schedule posts and preview them before publishing. If your company frequently posts on YouTube, you will likely lean towards Hootsuite, as it is the one platform Hootsuite has over Sprout Social.
Both enable the configuration of posts to increase exposure, such as tagging locations on Instagram and promoting posts to a defined audience on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Both tools allow companies to shorten links, tag external companies, attach photos, and automate posts. Sprout Social allows for a higher level of customization, giving businesses the option to change the thumbnail photo of links. Meanwhile, Hootsuite allows you to edit the size of your photo after you upload it onto Hootsuite to fit the specific dimensions of each channel.
Sprout Social allows you to also schedule the first comment of a post along with the caption and image. This is useful when you want to include hashtags in your post but not include them in the caption, as it can take attention away from the message of the post. Hashtags help attract an audience and drive engagement to your post.
Team management
Social media management allows teams to collaborate and
Social engagement
Sprout Social – RSS Feeds to find content to share, Twitter feed retweet and share easily
Both have inboxes, sprout social includes mentions, comments, new followers, and direct messages. Sprout Social shows feed
Hootsuite: comments and private messages
Sprout social smart inbox
Analytics
Customize time ranges, and look at followers, engagement (likes, comments), and page clicks to help guide content marketing strategies.
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- Clicks
- Comments
- Reach
- Shares
- Video views
- Video reach
Cost
There is a significant price gap between Hootsuite and Sprout Social’s starting prices. Plans for Hootsuite start at $29/month, which gives one user access to 10 social profiles, unlimited scheduling, and the ability to directly publish to Instagram.
*Hootsuite’s free account does not allow you to directly publish to Instagram. Instead, it sends you push notifications to publish.
Summary of Hootsuite vs. Sprout Social
| Feature | Hootsuite | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Publishing | ✓ Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest ✓ Automated scheduled posts ✓ Shorten links using Ow.ly ✓ Carousel posts not supported |
✓ Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest ✓ Automated scheduled posts ✓ Customizable thumbnails for links ✓ Shorten links using Bitly One image per post ✓ Carousel posts not supported |
| Content management | ✓ Multiple streams per feed | ✓ Unified stream (one column) |
| Social engagement | ||
| Analytics | ||
| Cost | Professional: $29/month • 10 social profiles Team: $129/month • 20 social profiles Business: $599/month • 35 social profiles |
Standard: $99/month • 5social profiles Professional: $149/month • 10 social profiles Advanced: $249/month • 10 social profiles |
In conclusion, Hootsuite and Sprout Social both have their benefits, and choosing which one your company selects depends on the importance of capabilities for your company, especially in terms of social media management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Hootsuite and Sprout Social help with social media management?
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social are powerful social media management tools that allow you to schedule posts, manage multiple social media accounts, track engagement, and analyze performance from a single dashboard. They support popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Can Hootsuite and Sprout Social help me schedule posts?
Yes, both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer the ability to schedule posts for later, ensuring that your content is published at the optimal time, even if you’re not available to post in real time.
What social media platforms do Hootsuite and Sprout Social support?
Both tools support key social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Hootsuite also supports YouTube, while Sprout Social allows you to customize link thumbnails and schedule the first comment in posts.
How do Hootsuite and Sprout Social handle social media engagement?
- Hootsuite offers an inbox to manage comments and direct messages.
- Sprout Social provides a Smart Inbox that consolidates mentions, comments, new followers, and direct messages, making it easier to interact with your audience.
Which social media management tool offers better analytics?
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer detailed analytics, including metrics like clicks, comments, reach, shares, and video views. Sprout Social allows for more customizable reporting, while Hootsuite offers a comprehensive view of your social media performance.
Are there differences in pricing for social media management tools?
Yes, there is a pricing difference:
- Hootsuite offers plans starting at $29/month for 1 user and 10 profiles.
- Sprout Social starts at $99/month for 1 user and 5 profiles.
Which tool is better for social media management, Hootsuite or Sprout Social?
It depends on your needs:
- Hootsuite is a great option if you require YouTube support, cost-effective plans, and flexible image editing options.
- Sprout Social is ideal for teams that prioritize collaboration, advanced engagement features, and customizable content management options.
