Ready to take control of your social media presence and streamline your online strategy? You may want to explore Hootsuite – one of today’s most popular social media management platforms.

In this article, we’ll tackle how to use Hootsuite and discuss the ins and outs of the platform’s versatile toolkit. We’ll also look at ways to make the most out of its features to boost your social media presence.

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Now, let’s dive into the practical steps of leveraging Hootsuite’s capabilities.

Step 1: Sign Up for Hootsuite

Hootsuite interface

The first step in our how-to-use-Hootsuite guide is to sign up for an account. Go to Hootsuite’s website and click the “Start your free trial” button to begin the sign-up process. At this stage, you can choose between a Professional plan for one user or a Team plan for three users. 

Fill in your email address, create a password, and choose your role. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the registration process.

Some users would want to know more about the platform before investing time in learning how to use on-demand services. If this is the case, you may also opt to schedule a demo first before signing up.

Step 2: Connect Your Social Media Accounts

Hootsuite interface

To learn how to use Hootsuite for social media, you’ll need to add your social media accounts to your Hootsuite dashboard. You’ll be prompted to do so after signing in.

Select the social media platform you want to connect to (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). After that, follow the prompts to authorize Hootsuite to access your social media accounts.

Repeat this process for all the social media accounts you want to manage within Hootsuite.

Step 3: Schedule Posts

Hootsuite interface

To make the most out of the platform, you need to know how to use Hootsuite to schedule posts.

Click on the Composer button in the left-hand sidebar. Select the social media profiles you want to post to. Compose your post, add images or links, and select the date and time for publishing. You can also tag products.

Here’s a how-to-use-Hootsuite-for-beginners hack: use the tool called OwlyWriter AI. This AI writer can create on-brand and compelling captions in seconds, helping you schedule posts in a few seconds. 

After setting up the post, you have two options. You can either publish the post immediately by clicking the “Post now” button or queue the post by clicking the “Schedule” button.

TIP: Make every social media post count. Learn how to create a brand style guide to have a cohesive strategy. You must also use high-quality images that boost your social media branding.

Step 4: View Your Post Calendar

Hootsuite interface

To oversee and handle your scheduled posts, navigate to the Planner section in the left-hand sidebar.

Within this feature, you have the capability to generate fresh content, as well as arrange, modify, or remove previously scheduled posts directly from the calendar.

You can also assess and control your planned content through multiple perspectives, including a list format, a weekly display, or a monthly calendar view. When you click on a specific time slot within the calendar, you can initiate the creation of new content slated for publication at that chosen time.

Step 5: Monitor Conversations

Hootsuite interface

Here’s a crucial part of our how-to-use-Hootsuite guide: monitoring conversations. When followers comment, mention, or message you, responding promptly shows that you value their interaction. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive brand perception.

To monitor your social media conversations, navigate to the Streams tab in the left-hand sidebar. Here, you can view your customized streams to see mentions, comments, and messages.

Beyond this, you can leverage streams for various purposes, including:

  • Engaging with your audience directly within the Streams interface.
  • Sharing stream content to your social channels.
  • Using boards as a means of stream organization.
  • Making edits or removing previously published content directly from the Streams section.

By harnessing the potential of Hootsuite streams, you can amplify your social media management capabilities, enhance engagement, and streamline content monitoring with ease.

Step 6: Analyze Performance

Hootsuite interface

Here’s another integral part to make the most out of the platform: how to use Hootsuite analytics.

Click on the Analytics tab in the left-hand sidebar and select the social media profile you want to analyze. Here, you can review key metrics such as engagement, reach, and follower growth.

Analytics provides valuable insights into the performance of your social media efforts. It allows you to measure the impact of your content and strategies, helping you understand what’s working and what needs improvement. Here are a few ways you can make the most out of this feature:

  • Evaluating Your Top-Performing Posts. Discover which of your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok posts garnered the most engagement, such as comments, reactions, likes, or clicks.
  • Determining the Optimal Posting Times. Instead of relying on generic industry and social network posting times, leverage your own data to determine the ideal moments for posting. Head over to the “Best time to publish” view, where you can see personalized recommendations.
  • Creating Reports. While Organic reporting provides an overview of post-performance, users can delve deeper into insights with reports. Opt for either pre-built template reports (templates tailored to track performance by goals or social networks for beginners) or custom reports (personalized reports, selecting the metrics you wish to include and analyze).

Tips and Tricks for Hootsuite Power Users

Here are a few techniques that will help you make the most out of your Hootsuite subscription:  

  • Utilize Bulk Scheduling to Save Time. Hootsuite allows you to schedule multiple posts at once through its bulk scheduling feature. Prepare your content calendar in advance and use a CSV file to upload and schedule hundreds of posts across different platforms. This is particularly useful for planning out campaigns or content themes weeks or months in advance.
  • Customize Your Streams for Efficient Monitoring. Beyond the basic streams for mentions, messages, and timelines, customize your streams using keywords, hashtags, or specific search queries. This enables you to monitor brand mentions more effectively, track campaigns, or keep an eye on industry trends without leaving your dashboard.
  • Leverage Hootsuite Insights for In-depth Analysis. Use Hootsuite Insights powered by Brandwatch to dive deeper into social listening. Track brand sentiment, identify key influencers in your industry, and monitor conversations relevant to your brand across the internet. This can inform your content strategy and help you engage more meaningfully with your audience.
  • Automate Tasks with Hootsuite’s App Directory. Explore Hootsuite’s App Directory to integrate third-party apps and services. Automate repetitive tasks, such as sharing new blog posts from your RSS feed directly to your social channels, or integrating with CRM tools to enhance customer relationship management.
  • Use Hootsuite’s Team Features to Collaborate Effectively. If you’re working with a team, take full advantage of Hootsuite’s team features. Assign posts or responses to team members, track response times, and manage approvals for posts to ensure consistent messaging and efficient workflow.
  • Optimize Posting Times with Hootsuite Analytics. Analyze your social media performance data within Hootsuite to identify the best times to post for each of your social networks. Tailoring your schedule based on when your audience is most active can significantly increase engagement rates.
  • Continuously Learn with Hootsuite Academy. Stay on top of the latest social media trends and best practices by taking courses from Hootsuite Academy. From advanced social media strategies to platform-specific training, these resources can help you and your team stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

And there you have it! A comprehensive guide on how to use Hootsuite with tips for success. Remember, social media is a dynamic landscape, and success often comes with patience and persistence.

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