What to know before you choose a social media monitoring tool

Does the tool provide good customer service? What analytics does it offer? Can more than one person access the tool? You need answers to these questions and more before you purchase.

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There is no shortage of social media monitoring tools. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when trying to find the best one for your business.

Since each business’s needs and goals are different, there’s no one-size-fits-all template for the perfect social media monitoring tool. However, I’ve conducted a ton of research on various tools. Here are some important questions to answer before you invest in any product:

1. What are my goals for a social media monitoring tool?

If you just want a tool that will help you monitor online mentions of your brand or topics related to your brand, establish that up front. Then you know you don’t need to invest in a tool with publishing capabilities, robust analytics, a customer relationship management function, influencer identification, etc.

2. How many people need access to the tool?

Many social media monitoring tools offer pricing options that depend on how many user seats you need. Determine right away how many people need access to the tool, as it will impact your final cost.

3. Which online channels are the most important to monitor?

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