Doel International CRM News Connecting the Globe with CRM Insights.
Dear readers, are you struggling to manage your customer interactions on social media? Do you want to streamline your customer relationship management process and enhance your customer experience? If yes, then you have landed on the right page. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the best social CRM tools available in the market. Whether you are a small business owner or a marketing professional, this guide will help you choose the best social CRM software that suits your business needs.
What is Social CRM?
Before we dive into the details of the best social CRM tools, let’s first understand what social CRM means. Social CRM refers to the practice of managing customer relationships through social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. It involves monitoring and responding to customers’ queries, complaints, and feedback on social media channels to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. Social CRM tools help businesses to automate and streamline their customer relationship management process on social media platforms.
Why is Social CRM important for businesses?
Social CRM has become a crucial aspect of modern-day businesses due to the increasing use of social media platforms by customers. According to a report by Statista, there were 3.6 billion social media users worldwide in 2020, and this number is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025. Therefore, businesses cannot afford to ignore the importance of social media platforms in their customer relationship management process. Social CRM tools help businesses to:
- Monitor and respond to customer queries and complaints in real-time
- Engage with customers and build brand awareness
- Collect customer feedback and insights for product/service improvement
- Track customer sentiment and measure the effectiveness of social media campaigns
- Collaborate and coordinate with team members for efficient customer relationship management
Types of Social CRM tools
There are several types of social CRM tools available in the market, each with its own set of features and functionalities. Some of the most popular types of social CRM tools are:
- Social Media Listening Tools
- Social Media Monitoring Tools
- Social Media Engagement Tools
- Social Media Analytics Tools
- Social Media Management Tools
The Best Social CRM Tools in 2021
Now that we have understood the importance and types of social CRM tools, let’s take a closer look at the best social CRM software available in the market. We have listed the top 5 social CRM tools based on their features, user-friendliness, pricing, and customer reviews.
| Tool Name | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | Unified social media management, analytics, team collaboration, content planning, customer engagement | Starting from $19/month |
| Sprout Social | All-in-one social media management, customer engagement, analytics, team collaboration, CRM integration | Starting from $99/month |
| Zoho Social | Social media management, customer engagement, analytics, team collaboration, CRM integration | Starting from $10/month |
| Salesforce Social Studio | Unified social media management, customer engagement, analytics, team collaboration, CRM integration | Custom pricing based on business needs |
| Socialbakers | All-in-one social media management, customer engagement, analytics, content optimization, influencer marketing | Custom pricing based on business needs |
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is one of the most popular social CRM tools used by businesses of all sizes. It offers a unified platform for managing all your social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. With Hootsuite, you can schedule and publish posts, monitor and respond to customer queries, track social media campaigns, and collaborate with team members. Hootsuite also offers a range of analytics and reporting features to measure the impact of your social media efforts. Moreover, Hootsuite integrates with several CRM tools, such as Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics, to provide a seamless customer relationship management experience.
Pros of Hootsuite
- User-friendly interface and easy to set up
- Offers a free plan with basic features
- Supports all major social media channels
- Provides detailed analytics and reporting features
- Integrates with several CRM tools
Cons of Hootsuite
- Customer support can be slow at times
- Some advanced features are available only in higher-priced plans
- No direct Instagram scheduling
Sprout Social
Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management tool that helps businesses to streamline their social media efforts. With Sprout Social, you can manage and publish content, monitor and respond to customer queries, track social media campaigns, and collaborate with team members. Sprout Social also offers a CRM integration feature that allows businesses to manage customer interactions across all channels. Moreover, Sprout Social’s robust analytics and reporting features help businesses to measure the impact of their social media efforts and make data-driven decisions.
Pros of Sprout Social
- User-friendly interface and easy to set up
- Offers a free trial with all features
- Provides a CRM integration feature
- Supports all major social media channels
- Provides detailed analytics and reporting features
Cons of Sprout Social
- Higher-priced than some of its competitors
- No direct Instagram scheduling
- Some features are available only in higher-priced plans
Zoho Social
Zoho Social is a social media management tool designed for small businesses. It offers a range of features, including content scheduling, social media monitoring, and analytics. With Zoho Social, businesses can manage their social media channels, engage with customers, and track social media campaigns. Zoho Social also integrates with several CRM tools, such as Zoho CRM and Salesforce, to provide a seamless customer relationship management experience.
Pros of Zoho Social
- Affordable pricing plans
- User-friendly interface and easy to set up
- Provides a CRM integration feature
- Supports all major social media channels
- Provides detailed analytics and reporting features
Cons of Zoho Social
- Some advanced features are available only in higher-priced plans
- No direct Instagram scheduling
- Customer support can be slow at times
Salesforce Social Studio
Salesforce Social Studio is a social media management tool designed for large businesses. It offers a unified platform for managing all your social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. With Salesforce Social Studio, businesses can manage and publish content, engage with customers, track social media campaigns, and collaborate with team members. Salesforce Social Studio also integrates with Salesforce CRM to provide a complete customer relationship management solution.
Pros of Salesforce Social Studio
- Robust social media management features
- Provides a complete customer relationship management solution
- Supports all major social media channels
- Provides detailed analytics and reporting features
- Offers custom pricing based on business needs
Cons of Salesforce Social Studio
- Expensive pricing plans
- Not suitable for small businesses
- Steep learning curve
Socialbakers
Socialbakers is an all-in-one social media management tool that helps businesses to manage social media channels, engage with customers, and track social media campaigns. With Socialbakers, businesses can analyze and optimize their social media content, measure the impact of their social media campaigns, and collaborate with team members. Socialbakers also offers an influencer marketing feature that helps businesses to identify and collaborate with relevant influencers in their industry.
Pros of Socialbakers
- Offers a free trial with all features
- Provides a range of social media management features
- Supports all major social media channels
- Provides detailed analytics and reporting features
- Offers custom pricing based on business needs
Cons of Socialbakers
- Expensive pricing plans
- No direct Instagram scheduling
- Some features are available only in higher-priced plans
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is the difference between social media management and social CRM?
A. Social media management refers to the practice of managing and publishing content on social media channels, whereas social CRM refers to managing customer relationships on social media channels, including monitoring and responding to customer queries, complaints, and feedback.
Q2. What are the benefits of using social CRM tools for businesses?
A. Social CRM tools help businesses to enhance their customer relationship management process on social media channels, including monitoring and responding to customer queries, complaints, and feedback, collecting customer insights and feedback, tracking customer sentiment, and measuring the effectiveness of social media campaigns.
Q3. How do I choose the best social CRM tool for my business?
A. You can choose the best social CRM tool for your business by considering factors such as your business size, social media channels, budget, features, and customer reviews.
Q4. Can I integrate social CRM tools with my existing CRM software?
A. Yes, most social CRM tools offer integration with popular CRM software, such as Salesforce, Zoho CRM, and HubSpot, to provide a seamless customer relationship management experience.
Q5. What are the popular social CRM tools used by businesses?
A. Some of the popular social CRM tools used by businesses are Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Zoho Social, Salesforce Social Studio, and Socialbakers.
Q6. Can social CRM tools help businesses to improve their customer experience?
A. Yes, social CRM tools help businesses to manage customer interactions on social media channels, including monitoring and responding to customer queries, complaints, and feedback in real-time, which enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Q7. How do social CRM tools help businesses to measure the effectiveness of their social media campaigns?
A. Social CRM tools provide a range of analytics and reporting features that help businesses to measure the impact of their social media campaigns, including tracking engagement rates, reach, impressions, sentiment, and conversions.
Conclusion: Choose the best social CRM tool for your business
We hope this comprehensive guide has helped you understand the importance and benefits of social CRM tools for businesses. By choosing the best social CRM tool, you can streamline your customer relationship management process on social media channels and enhance your customer experience. Whether you are a small business owner or a marketing professional, you can choose the social CRM tool that suits your business needs and budget. So, what are you waiting for? Choose the best social CRM tool for your business and take your customer relationship management process to the next level!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this guide is for educational and informational purposes only. The author and publisher of this guide do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Readers are advised to do their own research and due diligence before making any business decisions.
