Zoho Social vs Hootsuite
What To Choose?
Hootsuite, started in 2008, is a well-known tool for managing social media accounts. It helps businesses and agencies handle multiple profiles easily with a simple design and connections to all major networks. Over the years, it has become popular for planning posts, tracking results, and working with teams.
Best Suited For: This platform works best for teams or businesses managing multiple social media profiles. It makes assigning tasks, checking progress, and keeping everything organized much easier. Hootsuite is a practical option for handling a growing social media presence.
With its easy-to-use features, Hootsuite helps save time and keep social media activities consistent. It’s a dependable choice for anyone who wants to improve how they manage their social media.
Zoho Social is part of the broader Zoho suite, a set of tools designed to help businesses manage their operations efficiently. It was created to simplify social media management while seamlessly integrating with Zoho’s CRM platform. This makes it a natural fit for businesses that already rely on Zoho’s tools for their daily operations.
Zoho Social is particularly useful for small to medium-sized businesses, as it offers features that are easy to use but still powerful enough to manage multiple accounts. Its ability to link social media interactions with customer data in Zoho CRM provides a distinct edge. Businesses can track how their social media efforts connect directly to customer relationships and sales outcomes.
In my experience managing client accounts, Zoho Social is highly effective for companies looking to streamline their workflows. It allows teams to manage campaigns, track engagement, and view insights without needing to juggle multiple platforms. This integration with Zoho’s ecosystem ensures smoother collaboration and better results.
For businesses already using Zoho CRM, the added benefit of combining social media insights with customer data is invaluable. It creates a holistic approach to understanding customer behavior and improving engagement strategies. Zoho Social stands out as a reliable and practical choice for businesses aiming to grow their social media presence.
Overview
Choosing the right social media management tool is critical for businesses and individuals looking to enhance their online presence and streamline social media marketing efforts. With numerous tools on the market, it can be difficult to decide which one offers the best features, pricing, and support. In this comparison of Zoho Social vs Hootsuite, I’ll share my experience with both platforms to help you determine which one is the most suitable for your needs.
Zoho Social vs Hootsuite: User Rating
| Rating Categories | Zoho Social | Hootsuite |
| Star Rating (Out of 5) | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Meets Requirements (Out of 10) | 8.8 | 8.3 |
| Ease of Use (Out of 10) | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| Ease of Setup (Out of 10) | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| Ease of Admin (Out of 10) | 9.2 | 8.5 |
| Quality of Support (Out of 10) | 8.7 | 7.9 |
| Business Partnership (Out of 10) | 9.0 | 8.3 |
| Product Direction (% positive) | 9.2 | 7.3 |
Zoho Social:
- – Rating: 4.6/5 on G2 from over 2500+ reviews.
- – Users love Zoho Social’s detailed reporting and how it integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM, but some mention that the interface can feel a bit overwhelming for beginners.
Hootsuite:
- – Rating: 4.3/5 on G2 with over 4,500 reviews.
- – Hootsuite is praised for its easy-to-use interface and extensive integrations. However, some users feel the analytics could be more advanced for businesses with complex reporting needs.
Zoho Social vs Hootsuite: Feature Comparison
| Features | Zoho Social | Hootsuite |
| Pricing (per month in USD) | $10 | $149 |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms Supported | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, YouTube, TikTok | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok |
| Bulk Scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| RSS feeds | No | No |
| Recurring Posts | No | No |
| Social Inbox | No | Yes |
| AI Content Generation | No | No |
| Hashtag Storage | No | Yes |
| Caption Customization | No | No |
| AI Images | No | No |
| Advanced Analytics | No | No |
| White Label Reports | No | No |
| URL Shortener | No | Yes |
| Unlimited Workspaces | No | No |
| Team Management | No | No |
a. Scheduling and Automation:
The scheduling feature is easy to use, and I particularly liked how you could create a social media content calendar that syncs seamlessly with the rest of the Zoho suite. The SmartQ feature suggests the best time to post based on past interactions and audience behavior. Hootsuite’s AutoSchedule is a popular feature, which helps in scheduling posts based on an optimal time. However, I found that it doesn’t offer as much customization in terms of timing compared to Zoho Social’s SmartQ, which takes historical data into account.
b. Supported Social Media Platforms:
Supports major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google My Business, and YouTube. I found the integration with Google My Business especially useful for local businesses.
Similar to Zoho Social, Hootsuite supports a variety of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. However, Hootsuite supports a broader range of third-party integrations, which is useful for businesses that use other tools like Slack, Shopify, or WordPress.
c. Analytics and Reporting:
Zoho Social offers in-depth analytics with features like detailed social listening and performance reports. For example, I used it for a client who needed to track customer sentiment across different channels, and the platform made it easy to track engagement metrics.
While Hootsuite also provides analytics, I found it less detailed compared to Zoho Social. The reporting tools are more basic, which might not be ideal for businesses requiring in-depth, customized reports. However, it does integrate well with Google Analytics for website tracking.
d. User Interface and Experience:
The interface is intuitive and clean, which is perfect for users who need to manage multiple profiles and campaigns efficiently. However, it may take some time to get used to all the features and integrations, especially if you’re new to Zoho’s ecosystem.
Hootsuite is known for its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy to jump right in, even for beginners. The dashboard is clean, and everything is visible at a glance, making it ideal for fast-paced teams. However, the simplicity sometimes comes at the cost of deeper functionality.
Pros and Cons of Using Zoho Social
Pros
- Great integration with Zoho CRM.
- SmartQ for optimal post timing.
- In-depth analytics and social listening.
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations.
- Learning curve for new users.
Ideal Use Cases:
Zoho Social – Best For:
- – Small to medium-sized businesses already using Zoho CRM.
- – Social listening and customer engagement tracking.
- – Businesses looking for detailed analytics to improve their social media strategy.
For instance, if you’re a local business using Google My Business and need to track customer sentiment, Zoho Social is the ideal choice.
Hootsuite – Best For:
- – Agencies and teams managing multiple social profiles.
- – Businesses that need third-party integrations for tools like Slack, Shopify, or Salesforce.
- – Larger teams that require team collaboration features like task assignments, approvals, and more.
For example, if you’re an agency managing campaigns across multiple client accounts, Hootsuite’s team collaboration features can make managing approvals and assignments much easier.
Conclusion of Zoho Social vs Hootsuite Comparison
Both Zoho Social and Hootsuite offer excellent social media management solutions, but they cater to different needs. Zoho Social is ideal if you’re already using Zoho CRM and need in-depth analytics and social listening features. It also works well for smaller businesses that want a more affordable solution.
On the other hand, Hootsuite excels if you need a user-friendly interface, team collaboration features, and third-party integrations. It’s the better option for larger teams managing a wide range of social profiles.
Ultimately, choosing the right tool depends on your specific needs and budget.
If you’re looking for something more cost-effective and flexible, RecurPost is another solid alternative. I found RecurPost particularly beneficial for businesses needing affordable social media scheduling with a focus on content recycling and advanced analytics. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with multiple social media channels.
