6 Reasons It Might Be Time to Switch Social Marketing Tools

It is no secret that in 2023 social media plays a huge role in a brand’s marketing strategy. With over 4 billion people actively using social media, the potential for brand exposure and, more importantly, revenue is enormous. Because of this, ensuring that you have the right social media marketing tool is crucial to your success, even if you need to make a switch.

How To Know It’s Time to Switch Social Media Tools

Knowing that it’s time to switch social media tools isn’t always obvious, but there are some clear indicators that a switch may be necessary. The following six points will highlight some of the signs that a change is needed:

1. Your Brand Is Shifting Focus or Looking For More Specific Insights 

The social world has changed, and so have brands' social strategies. There is now a significant emphasis on short-form videos such as Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts. As a result, brands need a tool that focuses more on their needs regarding insights for short-form video content, especially those looking to target Gen Z. 

2. Current Features Are Not Delivering Results

Discrepancies between what was promised during your trial and what is actually possible can be incredibly frustrating. Can you easily see your full content calendar for a week or month? Is it easy to connect with influencers? What about monitoring your competitors' performance or creating customized reports? Are you able to scrutinize cross-channel campaigns? If some of the promised features of your current tool aren't there or the solution just isn't meeting your needs, it's time for a switch.

3. Key Features Are Missing From Their Offerings

A social tool that doesn’t offer everything you need can be difficult to navigate. It can also be costly if you add additional tools to supplement the shortcomings of your current one. Not being able to integrate with other software via an API or connect to certain social channels are just some of the hurdles brands must overcome when key features are missing from their current social tool.

4. Poor Customer Service

Having someone who you can rely on for troubleshooting, training, updates, and general assistance is paramount to your success. This relationship will be one of your most helpful as your customer service representative can mitigate stress and workload. Marketers should look for tools that offer CX integrations for tools like Salesforce and Zendesk to streamline their customer support. If you do not have a dedicated customer service representative, or if you find that they are unreliable, it’s time to switch.

5. Price Is Out of Budget

With the current status of our economy, budgets are getting tighter and tighter. Having a ‘pay-per-user’ setup with your social tool not only limits who can access it but also forces team members to pick and choose individuals who will be able to use it. Regardless of which pricing package you choose at Dash Hudson, we always offer unlimited seats for every brand.

6. Product Is Difficult To Use

Regardless of what type of software you’re using, they all require a learning curve. User Experience, or UX, is a massive component when it comes to choosing new software. If you still struggle to use the tool after a certain amount of time, you should consider switching.

How To Choose a New Social Marketing Tool

So you’ve identified it’s time for a change; now what? It doesn’t have to be hard to switch tools. Here are the next steps to help you get this process started! 

Do Your Research

When choosing a new tool, doing your research is crucial. Will the new tool meet all of your needs for e-commerce? Does it integrate with all social channels you currently use? What have other brands said about it? The questions are endless. Utilizing search engines such as Google can be a great place to start. To get even more information, consider checking out G2. G2 specifically showcases business software and systems reviews and is a great resource when comparing and contrasting your options.

Select Multiple Tools That Fit Your Brand Needs

There may not be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ product when looking for a new solution. It can be worthwhile to consider multiple new options depending on what they offer. Perhaps one solution solves 75% of your needs; choosing another tool to meet the other 25% can be viable if it works with your budget. 

What Your New Social Marketing Tool Should Include

There are some non-negotiables when looking for a new social marketing tool. You will be using these things day in and day out to ensure you can do your job effectively and efficiently. Some of these aspects are:

• World-class customer service.
• A product that is barrier-free/easy to use.
• The right price that fits your budget.
• An alignment with your brand’s strategy and goals.
• A tool that meets all of your brand’s needs on social reporting.

Utilize Free Trials

Any great social tool will allow you to trial their product for free. Take full advantage of these offers, as they give you a complete insight into what the software will enable you to do. Once you start your trial, treat it as your only tool. Doing this lets, you discover any pain points or areas where the product may fall short. During your trial, look into what supports are available to you. Do you get assistance from a customer service representative? Is there an in-platform chat feature for quick questions? These are vital things to take into consideration before you make your decision.

Choose Your New Social Marketing Tool

Once you have completed your trial(s), it should be abundantly clear which tool is right for you. Whether the trial is 7 days, 14 days, or even 30 days, by the time it’s finished, you should have been able to test the majority of its capabilities and determine what is or isn’t possible. If this isn’t the case, feel free to ask if it’s possible to extend your trial or set up a call with the team for more clarity. From there, your next step would be to cancel your previous plan and move on to signing your new contract with your new social tool provider!

How Dash Hudson Makes It Easy to Switch Social Marketing Tools

As a leader in the SaaS field, Dash Hudson is an all-in-one social media marketing tool that provides data, analytics, scheduling, and customized reporting for photos and videos shared across (all social channels) TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube. Making the switch to Dash Hudson from your current tool has never been easier — 14-day trials can be started directly on our website with no credit card required. Within minutes, you can connect all your social channels and be up and running on the platform.

FAQs

How do I know which social media tool is right for me?

Some clear indicators that a social media tool is a right choice for you: 

• It helps you save time and stay organized.
• Ease of use.
• Generates reports that actually benefit you.
• Budget friendly.

How do you manage different social media platforms?

Managing different social media channels doesn’t need to be complicated when using the correct tool. A good social tool allows you to seamlessly flip between channels for scheduling, reporting, and analytics. Bonus points if your social tool provides a multi-channel content calendar that showcases what is going live, where, and when.

What are the different types of social media tools?

In short, there are generally four different types of social media management tools. These can be broken down into social listening platforms, scheduling platforms, competitor/influencer analysis platforms, and owned performance platforms. Within these four categories, many platforms offer combinations of some or all of these capabilities. Recognizing what your brand needs most when sourcing a new tool is important. Ensure that your social tool encompasses all of your use cases; if it doesn’t, it might be time to make a switch.