At Tribal we use a ton of tools – some are free and some we pay for. We’re huge advocates of both Buffer and Hootsuite – amazing tools that allow you to schedule, share and listen (in the case of Hootsuite) for content.
However, the platforms are understandably pushing their paid products which means it can be quite difficult to find their free platforms. That’s why I wrote this blog. I’m fairly sure you’ll love the value so much you’ll upgrade anyway, but you’ve got to get started somewhere, right?
What Is Hootsuite & Why Do We Love It?
Hootsuite is a social media management tool. It allows you to connect your social media accounts, publish to those accounts, engage with people and listen out for conversations. It has some sophisticated filters where you can use geo-tagged listening which is superb if you’re in sales (but that’s another blog).
Whilst the dashboard can look a bit frightening at first, it’s simple to use once you set it up correctly. You can setup streams of activity from listening out for content to engaging with your Twitter followers. If you’re active in Twitter Chats, this is a great place to orchestrate those conversations.
What Is Buffer & Why Do We Love It?
Buffer is a super-fast content scheduling tool. Once you’ve setup an account (which is a bit of a pain because you must do a paid free trial and cancel it) and you’ve installed the Chrome Extension, you’re good to go!
Buffer allows you to create a queue so you just ‘Buffer’ content into the next available slot in your queue. Then Buffer will publish that content at pre-defined times set by you. What’s even better, you can set different publishing times for Twitter vs LinkedIn – something you can’t do on Hootsuite!
What’s more, you can download the app to your phone so when you’re sat on the train you can still be buffering content to you queue.
Hold On, Are Hootsuite & Buffer The Same Thing?
Well, kind of in that they both can schedule content to your social channels. However, Hootsuite offers basic social listening allowing you to find content and engage with others on social media.
Personally, I use Buffer to schedule my content. I use Hootsuite (or TweetDeck – an alternative) to listen for content, engage on Twitter and take part in tweet chats.
What Are The Key Differences Between Buffer & Hootsuite?
- Buffer only works on Google Chrome or Firefox. Hootsuite supports all major platforms including Edge, Explorer, Firefox & Chrome.
- Buffer is great for scheduling content but doesn’t offer any listening capability like Hootsuite does. So if you want to monitor social and publish, Hootsuite might be better.
- Buffer allows you to set the publishing schedule. Hootsuite has an AutoSchedule feature that picks a best time to publish. Both also allow you to publish instantly or at a time set by you.
How Do I Get To The Free Version Of Buffer?
Good question – for years it was easy to access Buffer as a free tool, but all these social media platforms need to monetise their business so they’re naturally encouraging people to take the paid product. However, in this video I show you how to sign up to a trial and then revert to the free product straight after you sign up. It’s a little convoluted but it works.
The free version includes:
- 3 social profiles (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
- 10 Scheduled Messages
- 1 user
How Do I Get To The Free Version Of Hootsuite?
Another good question. Trying to find the “Sign Up Free” page on Hootsuite is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Hootsuite came from a place where it was primarily a free product for end-users. Naturally, it’s harder to get end-users to part with their money so it’s now shifted its focus to become a more enterprise platform. That said, there is a free version of their product – it’s just a little harder to find.
Click here to sign up to the free version of Hootsuite
The free version includes:
- 3 social profiles (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
- 30 Scheduled Messages
- 1 user
So, there you have it – hope that helps you access the free tools. Enjoy listening, scheduling and engaging with these two tools!