HootSuite is a social media management platform and dashboard that can be used to manage multiple social media channels, schedule posts, track mentions and traffic. It allows businesses and teams to collaboratively execute campaigns across social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.
The business case for using Hootsuite
- The social media management platform now has over 6 million users.
- This growth is largely driven by increased demand among large global organizations.
- It is available in 13 languages and is used by more than 79 of the Fortune 100 companies.
Setting up
- Go to hootsuite.com
- Type your email address, name and password
- Click Sign Up Now
Note: You can also sign up using Facebook
Plans and pricing
There are three different pricing and feature levels:
- Free - This is their entry level/single user account with up to 5 social profiles.
- Pro - Includes 2 users and up to 50 social profiles, enhanced analytics report and unlimited apps from $8.99/month
- Enterprise - 5 to 500,000+ users with unlimited profiles, advanced security, geo-targeting, advanced customer support and Hootsuite University. Pricing is not available.
Adding social networks
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click Add Social Network button
- Select a social network
- Connect your social network
Streams
Once a social network has been added to your account, you can then select which streams you'd like add to your dashboard.
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click Add Stream
- Select a social network
- Select a profile
- Select a stream
Filters
You can filter streams by:
- Keyword
- Klout score
Hashtags
Or if you are attending a conference and want to keep track of the hashtag for the event, enter it in the search box and save as stream.
Tabs
Adding tabs to the dashboard is an easy way to group streams and keep your dashboard organized.
- From the launch menu on the left, click the house (Streams) icon.
- Click the plus (Add Tab) icon located on the right side of your tab row.
- Type your tab name, and then press ENTER.
Sending messages
- Click to select a social network (more than one can be selected)
- Type your message
- Click Send
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
Shrinking URLs
Shrinking a URL will save character space (especially for Twitter) and generate analytics based on the clicks your shortened URL receives:
- Click Compose message
- Click add a link
- Paste or type URL
- Click Shrink
To change the default shortener:
- Click the gear (Advanced) icon
- Click to select your default URL shortener, and then click the X button to close menu
- This setting will be saved even after you log out of your HootSuite dashboard
Scheduling
HootSuite also allows you to schedule messages to be sent later.
- Click the calendar icon
- Select the date for the message to be sent
- Select the time
- Click schedule
RSS feeds
Hootsuite allows you take an RSS feed from any site and update it to your social network accounts automatically.
- From the launch menu on the left, click the paper airplane (Publisher) icon
- Click RSS Feeds
- Under RSS/Atom Feeds, click plus (Add New Feed) icon
- Type the URL
- Click to select the profile that will post the RSS feed
- Click to select how often HootSuite will check for new posts
- Click to select how many posts will occur at one time
- Click to add check mark, to include text from post in messages
- Type text to add to each message; 20 characters maximum
- Click to select a URL shortener
- Click Save Feed
Installing Apps
The App Directory is a library of free and premium third-party apps you can add to your dashboard including Flickr, YouTube, Tumblr, MailChimp, HubSpot.
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click puzzle piece (App Directory) icon
- Click Install App beside the app to add
Mobile
HootSuite is available as an app for your mobile device (iPhone and iPod Touch, iPad and Android), and can be downloaded from your device's app store.
Organizations and teams
Hootsuite for organizations (and teams) are included in the HootSuite Pro and Enterprise plans and provide a solution for social media team management.
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click user profile icon
- Click Create an organization
- Name organization, upload image for organization, (optional) add a social network, and then click Create Organization
Members
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click Invite Members
- Enter email addresses, (optional) add team, and then click Add Users to Organization
Teams
[Image: Hootsuite.com]
- Click Add a Team
- Name team
- Upload image for team
- Click to select members that will complete actions for team (added in step 2)
- Click to select social networks that will be used by team (added in step 3)
- Click Create Team
Permission levels
- Hover mouse over organization [team or a social network], click gear icon, and then select Manage Permissions
- Click to select permission level
Conversations
Users can now communicate internally and in real-time from the Hootsuite dashboard. Conversations are located in the upper right-hand corner.
- Click on the chat-box icon.
- Click the prompt to "Get started now"
- Import contacts from your Gmail and Yahoo address books, or add individual users to your Conversation's Organization.
- Select the users you would like included in your Organization's Conversation. Invited members are included in your Conversation upon their email-acceptance.
Analytics
Hootsuite's built-in analytics and reports gives you access a lot of information, and all in one place:
- Google Analytics - Using Google Analytics and URL parameters, trace revenue and web conversions to your social outreach.
- Facebook Insights - Monitor and measure your fans, likes, comments and page activity.
- Twitter Stats - Followers, following, lists, mentions, and more.
- Ow.ly Stats - Individual and aggregated click stats for your shortened URLs.
- Google+ Page Analytics (Enterprise) - Growth, number of users added to circles, +1 shares, and posts per day.
- Organization Analytics (Enterprise) - Reports based on your Organization's metrics
- Reports - Create quick or custom reports to keep your team up-to-date with results.
Hootsuite ROI
- Education - Destination Imagination, an innovative education program used Hootsuite to share the accomplishments of their students with a world audience including parents, educators, potential sponsors, 38,000 volunteers and 1.5 million alumni.
- Communication - Morris County used HootSuite during Hurricane Sandy to disseminate government information and respond to citizen questions.
- Reach - New York increased the City's digital reach, built and maintained a social media audience of 2.8 million and made New York City a global leader as a digital city.
- Engagement -Major League Soccer successfully improved social media engagement while awarding a player with MLS Allstar status.
The post Hootsuite Guide: One Dashboard to Manage Your Social Media and Teams appeared first on Ahain Group.