Top 8 Social Media Scheduling Tools [Social Media Automation]

Social media tools are incredibly useful for anyone looking to plan and organize their social media posts efficiently. These tools, particularly the more advanced social media management tools, do more than just let you set a social media posting schedule.

They're designed to enhance the effectiveness of your social media marketing by offering a variety of features to help manage and automate your posts. This guide gets into the world of social media scheduling tools.

We'll explore what a social media scheduler tool is, list some of the best tools available, explain their functions, discuss who benefits from using them, and share our criteria for evaluating them. This information aims to make your journey in social media management smoother and more effective.

What Is A Social Media Scheduler Tool?

A social media scheduler tool is a powerful asset in the collection of any digital marketer, playing a crucial role in executing a comprehensive social media strategy. Essentially, this tool is designed to streamline the process of managing various social media channels, allowing users to plan, organize, and automate the posting of content.

With a scheduler, one can meticulously craft and schedule posts well in advance, ensuring a consistent and strategic presence across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. This is particularly useful in maintaining a well-organized social media calendar, which is key to engaging audiences effectively and efficiently.

By scheduling posts in line with optimal engagement times and audience preferences, these tools help in maximizing the impact of social media efforts, ultimately contributing to the overall success of a brand's digital marketing strategy.

Best Social Media Scheduling Tools

In digital marketing, social media management tools are indispensable for enhancing social media performance and streamlining efforts. These tools not only aid in content creation and project management but also align with a social media strategy, crucial for both large and small businesses aiming to make a significant impact on every social network.

Integrating functionalities like Google Analytics, they offer a comprehensive approach to managing social endeavors. Here are the best social media scheduling tools:

1) eclincher

If you are looking for the best social media tool & scheduler, then look no further than this social media marketing tool. eclincher is equipped with a suite of comprehensive tools to help auto-schedule social media posts, manage posts from its user-friendly social media calendar, curate content with RSS feeds and keywords, and employ social media monitoring with the help of powerful tools and analytics to optimize your social media campaigns for increased effectiveness.

Additionally, this social media management tool makes managing all your social interactions much easier, thanks to its unified social inbox. Overall, eclincher is the best social media scheduling tool I have tested in a long time. It not only makes my posting easier but makes the posts better.

What I liked most about eclincher is probably the fact that you do not need to spend a ton of time learning the tool. It's plain, simple, and very effective - all you need in a social media scheduling tool.

2) CoSchedule

This versatile social media management platform helps you streamline the content-posting process for major social media platforms. You can schedule posts and manage them from a drag-and-drop calendar. You can also track their performance on a specific social media platform with CoSchedule's analytics. It can also act as a social media account finder as well.

Like eclincher, CoSchedule also offers integrations with a plethora of marketing tools. Overall, a great tool if you need to manage multiple accounts.

3) Feedly

Although Feedly's primary use is for content curation, it can still be used as a tool for scheduling when you integrate it with eclincher, CoSchedule, Buffer, or Hootsuite. I love using Feedly for curating content - it saves me a ton of time!

You can easily organize and follow your favorite sources you want to track on social media platforms create collections and build marketing strategies around them. It also offers great collaboration tools - helping your team work more efficiently. Overall, if content curation is your primary objective, then opt for this tool.

4) Sked Social

Sked Social is another great option for scheduling posts on your social accounts. Although Sked Social is designed for Instagram, I used it on Facebook and LinkedIn as well. You can plan and schedule your posts, automate the posting process, and manage all your posts from a single drag-and-drop calendar. You can also monitor social media effectively with this tool!

5) Planable

Planable's streamlined approach extends to team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work together seamlessly on content planning and approval processes. Additionally, its ability to handle multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard makes it an ideal solution for businesses and agencies looking to maintain a cohesive and efficient online presence across various platforms.

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I found that this tool has some of the best team collaborative features - boosting work ethic and reducing miscommunication.

6) Buffer

Buffer stands out for its user-friendly interface, making the creation of eye-catching content accessible even to those new to social media management. It's particularly effective for teams looking to collaborate on content creation and scheduling.

Furthermore, Buffer's integration of advanced metrics and analytics empowers users to tailor their scheduling plans based on data-driven insights, significantly enhancing the potential for increased engagement across various platforms. This makes Buffer an invaluable tool for strategizing and optimizing social campaigns for maximum impact.

7) Hootsuite

Hootsuite is probably one of the tools that offer the most integrations with other apps and websites - I was really amazed by how many platforms offer integration with Hootsuite, this speaks a lot about the credibility of the tool.

Hootsuite allows you to schedule social media posts and manage all your accounts from a single user-friendly dashboard. Additionally, like eclincher, Hootsuite offers security features that help you identify spam and fraud - preventing a scenario where your reputation could be damaged.

8) Sprout Social

Sprout Social excels in providing detailed analytics and reporting features, enabling businesses to gain deep insights into audience engagement and campaign performance. Moreover, its robust customer service tools integrate social listening and interaction tracking, making it a comprehensive solution for managing and growing a brand's social media presence effectively.

What Does A Social Media Scheduler Tool Do?

By now, you probably already know what a social media scheduler does. A scheduler tool has a suite of features to help you manage your social media presence more efficiently. These features include:

• Content scheduling - Plan and schedule your posts in advance - saving you a ton of time.

• Automatic posting - Most scheduling tools publish your posts automatically at the set time.

• Content curation - These tools curate content to help you identify trending topics and keywords you can post about to boost user engagement.

• Management - Most scheduler tools have a single dashboard that you can use to manage all your social accounts.

• Analytics - Track the performance of your posts and use the recommendations and insights obtained from the tool to create content that resonates better with your audience.

These are the most common features a social media scheduling tool has. However, each social media scheduling tool will have different features that make it an attractive option to use for your marketing.

Who Uses These Tools?

A wide variety of people use these tools. These people include:

• Individuals who just want to make posting easier
• Influencers
• Businesses
• Organizations
• Freelancers and social media managers
• Marketing teams
• Enterprises

Key Considerations When Choosing A Social Media Scheduling Tool

When selecting a social media post scheduler, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. These considerations are essential for ensuring that the tool you choose aligns perfectly with your social media strategy and goals.

• Compatibility with Multiple Social Platforms: Ensure the social media post scheduler supports a wide range of social networks. This compatibility is essential for managing your presence across various platforms efficiently.
• Ease of Content Management: Look for a tool that simplifies content management. It should help organize, schedule, and publish content seamlessly, saving time and enhancing productivity.
• Integration with Preferred Social Networks: The scheduler should integrate well with the social networks most relevant to your audience. This ensures that your content reaches the right people at the right time.
• Analytical Tools for Strategy Enhancement: Choose a scheduler that offers robust analytics. Understanding the impact of your posts on different social platforms helps in fine-tuning your social strategy.

How We Rate Social Media Scheduling Tools?

When we rate scheduling tools, it is important to us that we first test them as well as keep functionality and practicality into consideration. Therefore we have constructed guidelines we use when rating these tools:

Features - Does the tool offer the necessary features to fit a social media scheduling tool description? How easy are these features to use? What additional features does the tool have to make my job easier? We always love seeing a drag-and-drop calendar, single dashboard, advanced analytics, and content curation on an app.

Accuracy - The features need to be accurate. If not, then it can potentially damage your reputation, and we all know how valuable your name and reputation are.

Price Point - Is the tool priced competitively with the rest of the market? What features does the tool have to justify its price point?

Effectiveness- Will the tool help me reach my goal of ultimately boosting ROI? Or will it just schedule social media posts for me?

Practicality and Functionality - Is the tool easy to use, how long does it take for me to learn its navigation, and does the tool offer mobile services?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best social scheduling tool?

The current best social media scheduler is eclincher. It's easy to use, very affordable, and it makes managing your social media accounts effortless.

What are scheduling tools for social media?

A social media scheduling tool is a tool or platform that is designed to help you manage your social media presence more efficiently by allowing you to schedule, curate, and optimize posts.

How do I automate my IG posts?

By using a social media scheduling tool to help you schedule posts and then automate them to publish at your desired time.

What is the simplest social media scheduler?

The simplest social media scheduler is probably the one the app comes out with. However, if you are looking for the simplest third-party scheduler, then eclincher is your best bet.

What is the best time to post on Instagram?

That depends on what your target audience and time zone. Generally, the best time to post is during work hours or shortly after work hours as well as on weekends.

The Bottom Line

Using a social media scheduling tool lies in its remarkable ability to elevate your marketing efforts. These tools come equipped with an array of features, including social media analytics, which play a pivotal role in enhancing productivity.

By facilitating the management of multiple social accounts, these tools streamline the entire process of social media publishing, making it more efficient and effective. A well-chosen social media planner not only saves time but also ensures the delivery of accurate and insightful data, crucial for informed decision-making.

It’s essential to select a tool that is user-friendly and reliable, one that bolsters your online reputation and credibility without risking any compromise. In essence, the right social media scheduling tool is a game-changer, propelling your digital presence forward while maintaining the integrity and impact of your brand.

eclincher is currently the best social media scheduling tool on the market. If you wish to learn more about how this tool can help your business increase its social media ROI, feel free to contact us - trust me, you won't regret it!