What’s Best for Social Planning: HootSuite or TweetDeck?

There’s no denying that social media plays an important role in how businesses of all sizes communicate with their customers. HootSuite and TweetDeck are two leading tools businesses use for online social planning and networking. But which one works best for you? The answer depends on your choice for favorite social media network.

TweetDeck Is Twitter’s App for Social Media Planning and Analysis

If your business concentrates its social media network efforts on Twitter, then TweetDeck makes a compelling choice for a social planning application. Created by Twitter Inc.’s developers, you can rest assured that the company provides its own app with the most accurate statistics and analytics to help your business to plan, develop, and manage your social media campaigns — albeit those focused on Twitter.

The free application, with versions for Windows and Mac OS X, essentially serves as a Twitter dashboard, with customizable columns and filters. You can manage an unlimited number of Twitter accounts, scheduling Tweets for each of them based on your audience. A convenient alert feature keeps you up to date with any Twitter-based activity related to business or businesses.

TweetDeck is a must download for business owners who rely on Twitter to connect with their customers. You should consider downloading it even if you use other social media networks.

HootSuite Supports Other Social Media Networks

If your business’s social media strategy includes social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ in addition to Twitter, HootSuite looks to be a better choice for a social planning application. The free version of the tool handles up to five accounts with some basic functionality. More advanced features such analytics, security, and unlimited RSS feeds are available with the Pro account, with prices beginning at $8.99 per month. The Enterprise level adds even more features for a still higher price.

Serious businesses with a wide-ranging social media strategy will find that HootSuite is their only real choice, considering its support for social networks other than Twitter. Still, many smaller businesses focused on Twitter only will find that TweetDeck serves their needs perfectly. Since both programs are free — HootSuite only at the lowest level — download both and see which one best meets the needs of your business.

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