11 Free & Low(ish)-Cost Social Media Automation Tools

Social media management can be a challenging undertaking! Not only can it consume a lot of time, but it also takes an ample amount of creativity and knowledge on the best times and platforms to use for posting content. It can become a full-time job, if you let it. Social media management also has a tendency to distract many people from doing all the other tasks need to do. As such, this can limit their ability to take care of regular business operations. Finding resources to help you manage your social media is a key step in successfully mastering your social media marketing! In no particular order, here are 10 free or low(ish)-cost social media automation tools to make your life a bit easier!

1. Buffer

This is one of the simpler social media automation tools available. Buffer easily enables users to set their social media posts in a queue across various platforms for up to 25 social accounts at a time (for the top-level paid subscription). Buffer also advises on the best times to post to particular platforms. And in case you’re interested in looking at analytics, this tool can track the progress of each individual post. The interface is extremely clear and uncomplicated. A basic membership is free and allows the user to link three social accounts and create up to ten posts per month. There are three different membership tiers beyond that.

2. SendinBlue Facebook Ads

This particular tool works diligently to help you build rapport with your audience through email marketing. The tool also allows you to automate your Facebook campaigns. Sign up for free to build a customized ad through their easy-to-use interface. After choosing your audience, you can set up your ad parameters and SendinBlue will do the rest! As your campaign progresses, SendinBlue will report back on the ad performance, so you know where to make changes moving forward. As your business grows, this application grows with you, offering four tiers of upgrades, starting at just $25/month.

3. Agora Pulse

Although not exactly the cheapest option we have listed, the Agora Pulse platform offers a broad variety of features to its users, making social media automation easy! This tool links to six different social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube). Subscribers have the ability to publish content and track post performance. They can also create ongoing posts and set them up to reoccur automatically. Although this one is not free, it does offer a 28-day free trial that will help you determine if it’s the right tool for you. You will also be able to collaborate with your team on this platform. After the trial, plans begin around $79/month.

4. Crowdfire

Crowdfire started out simply as a method of tracking followers (and those who began unfollowing your account). However, since launching, they have evolved into something much more. They can link to everything from Facebook and Instagram to WordPress, Etsy, YouTube and more. Crowdfire will offer you personalized tips, tricks and hints to help you grow your audience both automatically and organically! If you find it beneficial to upgrade from the free version, they offer the next tier at only $7.48 per month!

5. Hootesuite

Among the more widely known and commonly used social media automation tools is Hootesuite. This is a diverse application which supports all of the leading social media platforms. Manage your scheduled posts, determine the right time to post content based on their built-in analytics tool, track your brand mentions, reply, search for influencers and do much more! Plans begin at $29/month.

6. NapoleonCat

One of the less known yet worth trying social media automation tools is NapoleonCat. It allows you to schedule social media posts for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google My Business. Most importantly, you can share the same post across all your channels at the same time, adjusting it accordingly to each platform. NapoleonCat also offers different types of social media automation, such as allowing you to reply automatically to repetitive questions on Facebook and Instagram, and delete inappropriate content from comments on autopilot. You can try NapoleonCat for 14 days for free. After the trial, plans start at $21 per month.

7. Post Planner

If you find yourself constantly struggling to determine relevant and relatable content to share, Post Planner is a must-have. Beginning at only $3 per month, this application gives you access to understand what type of stories your audience is engaging with. You will learn what people are talking about, and this saves you the hassle of trying to figure it all out on your own. Give Post Planner some insight as to other websites you’re comparable with and they will take it from there! They go even further by rating each piece of content and automatically posting to any one of your accounts down the line.

8. Later

This free social media automation tool will have you owning your Instagram and Facebook posts like a boss! Schedule future posts and then let the Later app help you polish your taglines, so they get the traction they deserve. Then, sit back and take a break while this tool works on increasing your following.

9. Mailchimp

If email marketing is a part of your business, consider using a platform like Mailchimp. This is another free and powerful automation tool. While email marketing isn’t social media, you can integrate this platform with your social media accounts. Here’s an article on publishing social posts when an email is sent out: https://mailchimp.com/help/publish-social-post-send-email/ Mailchimp allows users to build and manage their email lists, send out visually appealing email campaigns, and create landing pages through their simple and straightforward interface. As your email list grows, you can gradually upgrade your membership for as little as $9.99 a month. If you need something more robust, you can pick plans going all the way up to $299 per month (with options in between).

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10. BuzzSumo

Although a bit more expensive than some other applications, BuzzSumo is well worth the money if used strategically. It allows users to better understand the topics and posts that are trending, related to their domain. This tool will also teach you the best ways to make use of this content. Your only job is to provide the keywords relevant to your research. Conveniently, the results that come back can be filtered to further suit your interests. Additionally, this app will link with various social media platforms to track the reach of your content and will help you to find influencers who may be able to build your audience. It also offers a plethora of analytical tools to help you determine the exact content that will get you the results you are searching for. Plans start at $99/month.

11. IFTTT

IFTTT, short for, “if this, then that,” is another free social media automation tool that enables your social media platforms, tools and applications to be in constant conversation with one another. Through this tool, users are able to make rules that will create chain reactions from one interface to the next. This makes it exponentially easier to keep up with your social media on various platforms without having to individually log in and post to each!

Next Steps Regarding Social Media Automation Tools

Now you know about a number of tools to help you more easily master your social media management. And if you do a little more research, you can find plenty of other tools that aren’t mentioned here. The important next question becomes, “What do I do with these tools?” Posting regularly isn’t the only component that will help you build traction in creating a large following on social media! You’ll also have to consider what types of content you need to post to attract your target audience.

There is certainly strategy involved in making social media posts that will drive positive results. Typically, a healthy mix of images, infographics, videos, podcasts and more is helpful in keeping your audience interested and move you onto the fast track to social media success! Keeping your content relatable, creative and on-topic will amplify your results. Check out this link for more ideas on how to increase engagement on social media.

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