Myth vs Fact: What to Know About Hootsuite

Full disclosure: I am 100% confident that I could not/would not provide social media services to my clients without a scheduling platform like Hootsuite (or Sprout, or Buffer… ). So this post is going to biased.

You’ve been warned.

Yup, Facebook offers scheduling, and most platforms are co-linked in one way or another so a post on one can easily be re-posted on another. However. That still requires logging in and posting on separate accounts each time. For me, that would be approximately 24 different social media accounts across 4 platforms for 6 clients that I need to keep up with.

No thank you.

Being able to link all of my clients’ social media platforms in one place (including my own), scheduling all of their posts for the month ahead, and being able to pull analytics every month (or week, if I really wanted to) on post performance is HUGE. In fact, even with everything in one place (Hootsuite), I still can miss stuff (hello, humanness). So I’m able to create separate accounts for the women who work with me so they can log in and manage/monitor specific social media clients alongside me.

When I heard comments by participants in a branding workshop I co-led this week around the pitfalls of using a scheduling service, I heard a record screeching to a half in the background. Hold up. Let’s talk about this. Scheduling platforms are a lifesaver - and not just for someone crazy like me who manages other people’s social media. It’s great for you - the solopreneur as well. Here are 3 reasons why:

MYTH: Posts through Hootsuite (or Sprout, etc.) will show “Published by Hootsuite” and look less authentic.

FACT: Only if you are an Admin on a page will you see who published a specific post. Regular viewers will only see that it was published at a certain time.

Sometimes you may see that a post was “published by Hootsuite or Sprout” (especially on Facebook), but keep in mind that you only see that if you are an admin or editor of that account. Furthermore, if you do see this on an account, what message does that send to you? For me, I don’t blink. It just tells me that this person/business has a lot of accounts and they’re smart about the way they send out their posts. Hootsuite or Sprout isn’t creating the content for you, you still have to write it. Does it matter how it gets published?

MYTH: Posts through Hootsuite are pushed down lower on social media feeds.

FACT: If you have good content with high engagement (and are paying money), you have nothing to worry about.

Who wins on social media feeds? Those with good content (namely videos) that attract engagement from their followers AND those who are paying money for advertising. Social media feeds don’t care if you are posting directly to their channels or through a scheduling platform. If you have a video, they love you. If you are spending money to advertise, they love you more.

MYTH: Only big marketing agencies use scheduling platforms.

FACT: If you are serious about consistently posting to social media (even if just for yourself), and want to track how you are doing on those channels, a scheduling platform will be really helpful.

Look, this isn’t for everyone. Some people just like their system, and they don’t need a scheduling platform. No problem. However, if you need some support in maintaining consistency, and you like the idea of scheduling posts ahead of time - for example, keeping your content out there even when you are traveling or during a very busy time of the year - then consider a scheduling platform. Most importantly, you’ll have all of your social media feeds pulled into one place for reporting. You can see where you’re growing and where you may need to shift your strategy.

Scheduling platforms are not exclusive to big agencies. And beginning at $9/month, they are really affordable. There is nothing to be scared of, honestly. It’s not a scam, and many of these platforms have been around since I began in the industry over 10 years ago, which means they’re not prone to any massive digital upheavals or privacy issues that some newer platforms (or, ahem, Facebook) struggle with. They’re relatively old (in the digital world), but for me - and for you - that means they’re trusted. The real question is, What are you going to do with all that free time?

*Hootsuite did not pay me to write this blog. However, if a Hootsuite representative wants to send me money for my endorsement, they can contact me here. I’m sure we can work something out.