Every business needs social media. Whether large or small, regardless of industry, having a social media account is standard. It’s also profitable. As many as 68% of purchase decisions are based on user impressions of corporate social media. Social media enables customers to engage with your brand. It passes along positive feelings and a sense of connection which leads to shopper loyalty. However, not everyone has a dedicated social media team at the ready. Social media management tools can help give your company a professional look and help you respond to customers. Best of all, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are our choices for the best cheap social media management tools.

The 7 Best Cheap Social Media Management Tools

  1. Loomly – The Best of the Best
  2. Opal – Best for Multilocation Enterprise
  3. Buffer – Best for Startups
  4. Send Social Media – Best for Local Business
  5. SociAlert – Best for Keyword Tracking
  6. Zoho Social – Best for Social Engagement
  7. Friends Plus Me – Best for Freelancers and Influencers

1. Loomly – The Best of the Best

PRICING: From $26/month with a minimum $500 ad budget.

Thibaud Clement and his wife, Noemie, founded Loomly in 2015. Katelyn Sorensen became the CEO in 2022. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Loomly offers inexpensive social media management options for as few as 2 users. The company has worked with many big-name corporations to maximize profit and visibility.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Blog post mock-ups and lists of fresh ideas that will inspire you to create and communicate with your fans.
  • Targeted audience focus using Facebook or Instagram.
  • Works with four big-name social media sites: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Loomly enjoys a five-star client list featuring some of the biggest name brands. Porche, Henkel, L’Oreal, and BBDO choose Loomly for their social media management. The company has revolutionised social media for many of these big companies.
  • Loomly’s more expensive plans include advanced analytics. In addition to likes, shares, and clicks, the app tracks long-term engagement. You can see which followers return and how they engage with your brand.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Loomly doesn’t manage social media hosted on sites other than the few on their list. They don’t work with popular social media apps like YouTube, TikTok, or Snapchat. This could mean you’re not reaching your target market.

2. Opal – Best for Multilocation Enterprise

PRICING: Prices vary by feature.

What do Wendy’s, Microsoft, Chevron, and 3M share? A love for Opal social media management software! Opal is based in Portland, Oregon. It was founded by Matt Oxley and George Huff. The current CEO is Stephen Cobb.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Workflow templates help you manage each stage in your social media campaign.
  • Visual planning and layout options to craft perfect posts.
  • Collaboration features help groups work together.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Opal’s client list is impressive. The company is trusted by Pepsi, Starbucks, Zillow, and General Motors. It even has a NASA contract.
  • Opal allows a team to work on a combined social media campaign together. The tool is ideal for collaboration, letting each person do their part.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Opal is one of the more expensive options on our list. While many features are desirable, companies on strict budgets may want to reconsider.
  • Opal is aimed at larger companies. Small businesses may want a different option.

3. Buffer – Best for Startups

PRICING: From $6/month.

Buffer is all about delivering maximum benefit for the smallest price. The company’s values include transparency, consistency, and looking at the big picture. Buffer has made its name on ethics. It’s an ideal choice for businesses facing some blunders or blemishes on their reputation. Joel Gascoigne and Leo Widrich founded Buffer in 2010 and released the software in 2015. The company was originally started in England but is now headquartered in the United States.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Engagement development with interactive comments.
  • The analytics dashboard covers the effectiveness of posts and articles.
  • Buffer can determine your audience’s demographics and help you aim at the right crowd.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Convenient iOS and Android apps allow you to use Buffer from anywhere.
  • Buffer is trusted by professionals. They count Shopify, the Seattle Times, Microsoft, and Trello among their clients.
  • Buffer is an official Facebook marketing partner. The company has significant experience managing corporate social media on the site.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Buffer lacks some of the advanced features competitors offer.
  • The software is aimed at SMBs, and might not be ideal for larger businesses.
  • The software doesn’t help manage many popular social media sites, like Twitter or Instagram.

4. Send Social Media – Best for Local Business

PRICING: From $49/month for 4 profiles.

Michelle Hummel and Nigel Miller founded Send Social Media. The brand is based in California. Send’s clients tend to be small businesses focused on local traffic. Their method is to create brand loyalty in your region. Something that sets Send apart from others is the integration with many diverse social media apps.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Social listening inbox allows visitors and shoppers to communicate with you.
  • Integrations across many desirable platforms, including those that others don’t cover.
  • ROI calculator lets you measure effectiveness and note your progress.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Send allows you to produce and schedule unlimited posts without additional cost. You’re not charged for volume, so you can plump up your social media profile.
  • Send Social Media works with many top apps and websites. You’ll have a larger reach and expand your influence. From Facebook and Twitter to Yelp, YouTube, and Tumblr, Send reaches out to a wide audience.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Send isn’t the cheapest option on our list. Many of the features can be found for less elsewhere.
  • Send only allows a limited number of accounts. For larger companies, this solution may be too expensive.

5. SociAlert – Best for Keyword Tracking

PRICING: From $9.95/month.

SociAlert stands out from the competition with its well-developed analytics dashboard. The software clearly indicates the success of hashtags, keywords, and search terms. Narang Pankaj, Ashish Arora, and Rohit Khariwal founded SociAlert in 2014. The company is based in Rajasthan, India.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Dedicated analytics features for Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
  • The hashtag search engine allows you to find the top trending keywords and use them to redirect traffic your way.
  • Competitor tracker evaluates your competitor’s top keywords. Use the recommendations to win new customers away from other brands.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • SociAlert’s inbuilt hashtag monitor ensures your posts contain the most accurate and frequently-searched terms. While it may seem like two words are equally effective, SociAlert can find the one most likely to bring new visitors to your site.
  • The company helps you establish your brand on big-name social media sites such as Facebook.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • SociAlert doesn’t work on very many social media apps. It may not reach popular apps in your area. Depending on your target market, you may need an alternative.
  • SociAlert doesn’t come with the tools many others offer. There are no automated posts or engagement measurements available.

6. Zoho Social – Best for Social Engagement

PRICING: From $10/month.

Zoho offers a long list of useful applications, features, and services. Their Zoho Social proves to be another valuable business app. Sridhar Vembu, Tony Thomas, and Sreenivas Kanumuru founded Zoho in 1996. Since then, the company has grown significantly. Zoho is based in India and serves clients around the world.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Content calendar and automated posting for a well-developed social media presence.
  • Curated content pipelines let you select posts to share with extensions.
  • Livestream and direct engagement features let you work with your customers.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Zoho offers many popular solutions for all business and marketing needs. You probably already have Zoho products or applications that easily integrate with Zoho Social.
  • Zoho’s listening dashboard lets you hear what customers are saying in real-time. You can easily adapt and respond based on market reactions.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Zoho doesn’t connect to all the social media sites consumers love.
  • Zoho can be difficult to use, especially if you’re not technically inclined

7. Friends Plus Me – Best for Freelancers and Influencers

PRICING: A free plan is available, or $7.50/month.

Alois Belaska founded Friends Plus Me in 2022. The service works mainly with individuals seeking to promote their identity-based brands. Freelancers and contractors can use Friends Plus Me to showcase their work. Customers can view examples of product quality, ask questions, and develop trust before hiring. Influencers, models, and entertainers also like Friends Plus Me.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Linked In. The professional package also includes Pinterest.
  • Post scheduler allows you to send out your blog posts promptly, such as weekly.
  • “Zapier” device allows you to copy and share content from across the internet.

REASONS TO BUY:

  • Friends Plus Me works with Mac, Windows, and Linux devices. There is an Android and iOS app so you can use it anywhere. This makes it ideal for travellers and people on the go.
  • Similar to Pinterest, Friends Plus Me allows you to snap content and repost it. This can add to a sparse social media site and draw more visitors.

REASONS TO AVOID:

  • Friends Plus Me doesn’t connect with all social media sites. Popular sites for millennial buyers, such as Instagram and TikTok, aren’t covered.
  • There are fewer functions such as post calendars and autocorrect. Analytics functions are missing completely, as are engagement options.

FAQ

I own a small business. Should I even bother with social media marketing?

A. Social media has become essential for nearly all businesses, even small ones. Social media allows you to present your brand image and culture to your target market. Customers these days want a personal connection with the companies they do business with. Your social media site shows your company’s culture and values, letting buyers form a bond. This leads to increased loyalty and more sales. You can enhance this effect by treating followers and subscribers to special deals, discounts, or limited-edition items. This gives you even more opportunities to form a lasting relationship with people seeking your products or services. Social media also supports smaller companies looking to expand. You can create a name for yourself and show why your business stands out from the competition. Social media can be used to communicate new locations, special events, and management changes.

Will fans actually interact with my company’s social media?

A. Yes, fans love to interact with their favorite brands’ social media accounts. Loyal shoppers like to feel “in the know”. They’ll be eager to look through your social media site for useful tips, discount codes, and information about upcoming sales. Social media also gives your buyers a voice. Surveys and comments let them tell you what changes they want to see. Blog posts, product updates, and fashion spreads excite shoppers and encourage them to hurry to your location.

My business mainly serves local clients. We rarely ship orders. Why do we need social media management?

A. Even local businesses need a social media presence. Shoppers in your community have options. There may be competitors nearby or within a short distance. Social media, along with other smart business practices, help you reach these buyers. Consumers want to feel they are being listened to and understood. Your knowledge of the local area can help potential buyers want to turn to your company. You can use social media to address local issues. For instance, you might advertise shovel markdowns due to heavy snowfall in your area. Or you might offer coupons to families with children at the local school. These actions help new shoppers forge connections to your business.

Poor social media performance can also turn away local buyers. Sites that look outdated or poorly designed communicate that your shop is going out of business or on the decline. Inaccurate pricing, coupon, or branding information confuses and drives off customers. Social media management tools keep your site looking fresh and engaging. They help you communicate that your shop is open for business.