Hootsuite vs Buffer vs Later: Best Social Media Tool for Small Business?

February 20, 2023·Nataliia· 14 min read All posts

Small Business Owners: You're Not Alone in the Social Media Struggle

Managing social media for your local business can feel like a never-ending chore. With so many tools available, it's hard to know where to start. In this article, we'll compare three popular social media management tools: Hootsuite, Buffer, and Later. By the end, you'll have a clear idea of which tool is best for your small business.

Social Media Management Stats

71% of small businesses use social media to reach new customers (Source: Social Media Examiner)
The average small business spends 1-2 hours per day managing social media (Source: Hootsuite)
83% of small businesses say social media is crucial to their marketing strategy (Source: Sprout Social)

71%↑

Small businesses using social media

to reach new customers

83%↑

Importance of social media

to their marketing strategy

1-2 hours→

Time spent on social media

per day

45%→

Average number of social media accounts

used by small businesses

Hootsuite vs Buffer vs Later: Key Features

All three tools offer a range of features to help you manage your social media presence. Here's a breakdown of each tool's strengths and weaknesses:

Hootsuite

Buffer-style scheduling: Schedule posts in advance for up to 30 days
Analytics and insights: Track engagement, reach, and clicks across all your social media accounts
Team collaboration: Invite colleagues to manage social media accounts and assign permissions
Support for 35+ social media platforms: Post to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more

Buffer

Simple, intuitive interface: Easy to use and navigate, even for beginners
Scheduled posting: Post up to 24 times in advance, with a focus on Twitter and Instagram
Analytics and insights: Track engagement, reach, and clicks across your social media accounts
Mobile app: Manage your social media presence on-the-go with the Buffer mobile app

Later

Visual content planning: Plan and schedule Instagram posts with a focus on visual content
Collaboration features: Invite colleagues to manage social media accounts and assign permissions
Analytics and insights: Track engagement, reach, and clicks across your social media accounts
Support for Instagram and Facebook: Post to Instagram and Facebook, with a focus on visual content

Bar Chart: Social Media Management Features

Feature	Hootsuite	Buffer	Later
Scheduled posting	30 days	24 times	24 posts
Analytics and insights	Yes	Yes	Yes
Team collaboration	Yes	No	Yes
Support for 35+ platforms	Yes	No	No

Social Media Management Features

Scheduled posting

Analytics and insights

Team collaboration

Support for 35+ platforms

Each feature is worth 1 point, with a maximum of 4 points

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Small Business

Each of these tools has its strengths and weaknesses. Here are some factors to consider when choosing the right tool for your small business:

Time commitment: If you have limited time to manage social media, Buffer may be the best choice due to its simple interface and scheduled posting features.
Visual content: If you focus on visual content, Later may be the best choice due to its visual content planning features.
Team collaboration: If you have a team that needs to manage social media accounts, Hootsuite may be the best choice due to its team collaboration features.

Callout: Get the Most Out of Your Social Media Tool

Tip: Make sure to set up analytics and tracking for your social media accounts to measure the effectiveness of your social media strategy.
Warning: Be cautious when using team collaboration features, as they can lead to confusion and miscommunication.
Example: The coffee shop on Main Street uses Hootsuite to manage their social media presence, scheduling up to 30 days in advance and tracking analytics and insights.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What's the difference between Hootsuite and Buffer? A: Hootsuite offers more advanced features, including team collaboration and support for 35+ social media platforms, while Buffer is more focused on simple, intuitive scheduling and analytics.
Q: Can I use Hootsuite, Buffer, and Later at the same time? A: Yes, you can use all three tools at the same time, but you'll need to set up separate accounts for each tool.
Q: How much does it cost to use Hootsuite, Buffer, and Later? A: Pricing varies depending on the tool and the features you need. Hootsuite offers a free plan, while Buffer and Later offer premium plans starting at $15/month.

DataLatte Can Help

If you're still unsure about which social media tool is best for your small business, DataLatte is here to help. Our team of experts will work with you to create a customized social media strategy and set up the right tool for your business. Contact us today to schedule a free audit and get started on growing your online presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I really need a paid social media tool, or can I just use Instagram's free scheduler?

It depends on how many platforms you're managing and how much time you have. Instagram's native scheduler works fine if you're only posting to Instagram and you remember to do it. But it doesn't let you queue posts for multiple days, it doesn't have analytics beyond what Instagram shows you, and it won't help you manage comments or DMs from a single dashboard. If you're running one account and posting 3-5 times per week, save your money. If you're managing two or more platforms, or posting daily, a $15-25/month tool will save you 2-3 hours per week. That's worth it if your time is worth more than $8/hour.

Q: Is Hootsuite overkill for a small business with one location?

Yes, for most businesses. Hootsuite's paid plans start at $99/month for their professional tier, which includes a lot of features a single-location coffee shop or salon will never touch — team collaboration, approval workflows, multiple user roles. Buffer starts at $6/month for one channel. Later starts at $25/month for one social set. Unless you have multiple employees posting from the same account or you need detailed enterprise-level analytics, Hootsuite is probably more tool than you need. I've seen two small biz owners pay for Hootsuite for six months, realize they used 10% of the features, and switch to Buffer to save $900/year.

Q: Can one person manage all of my social media, or do I need to hire help?

One person can manage social media for most small businesses if they have a clear system and realistic expectations. The problem is when the business owner tries to do it themselves while also running the business. I've watched salon owners try to respond to Instagram DMs between haircuts and restaurant owners schedule posts after closing at 11 PM. If you're the owner and you're spending more than 5 hours per week on social media, you're probably losing money somewhere else in your business. A virtual assistant at $15-20/hour for 5 hours per week is often cheaper than the owner's time. Or budget the $25-99/month for a tool that saves you the 2-3 hours of scheduling time.

Q: I tried Later and found it confusing. Should I just give up on social media scheduling?

No, but maybe Later isn't for you. Later is visually focused and works best for businesses where images are everything — salons, bakeries, clothing boutiques. If you're a plumber, a lawn care company, or a B2B service provider, you might hate the interface. Buffer is simpler and more text-focused. Hootsuite is more business-oriented. There's also Planoly, Tailwind, and Sprout Social at higher price points. Try the free trials. If you don't like the interface within one week, move on. The tool should make your life easier, not harder.

Q: How do I know if my social media is actually working for my business?

Track three things: how many people reach out to you (DMs, calls, emails), how many of those become customers, and how much revenue those customers generate. If you can't answer those three questions, your social media isn't working — even if you have 10,000 followers. I had a client with 25,000 Instagram followers and declining revenue. She was posting great content, getting thousands of likes, and zero measurable business results. We stopped all social media for 60 days as an experiment. Revenue didn't change. That told us everything. She now posts once a week to maintain presence and spends her time on Google Ads, which actually drives revenue.

Q: Should I advertise on social media, or just rely on organic posts?

Relying entirely on organic posts is like leaving money on the table. Most platforms show your content to about 5-10% of your followers these days. If you have 1,000 followers, roughly 50-100 people see each post. That's a very small net. A $5-10/day ad budget on Instagram or Facebook can get your content in front of 500-1,000 targeted people in your area. For a local business, that's often a better use of $200/month than a social media management tool. Test $150/month in ads before you spend $100/month on a tool you're not sure about.

One Last Thing From My Desk

I've been doing this for over a decade. I've watched agencies sell small businesses on elaborate social media strategies with content calendars, engagement matrices, and influencer partnerships. And then I've watched those same businesses go back to posting random photos and doing fine. Because the truth is, a coffee shop in Austin doesn't need a 12-week content strategy. It needs regular posts that look appetizing, a way for customers to find them, and someone to respond when a customer has a question.

The tool you pick — Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, or something else entirely — matters far less than whether you're actually tracking what works and cutting what doesn't. I've seen businesses spend $50/month on a tool they barely use and obsess over which plan has the best analytics dashboard. Meanwhile, they haven't updated their Google Business Profile in six months.

Pick the simplest tool that does the one thing you need. Set it up in one afternoon. Spend the time you save on actually talking to customers, improving your product, or — I don't know — taking a real lunch break. If you want to talk through which tool makes sense for your specific business and budget, Book a free consultation. I'll tell you if you need one at all.

— Nataliia

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