When it comes to public relations having propitious tools at your disposal is key in your communications arsenal. Thanks to modern technology you can find a plethora of software available for both desktop and mobile devices.With over 57% of online traffic coming from tablets and smartphones, having an app that can be utilized across multiple devices is vital. For this review, we will take a quick look at the management tool Buffer.
Buffer is a social media management platform with a series of features to meet your business needs. From analytics to sharing, to campaigns and engagement, Buffer will enable you to do more with your busy schedule.
Analytics: studies past data to recognize potential trends so you can adjust to customer needs.
Sharing: compose, manage, and schedule content across your various social media networks.
Campaigns: studies trends within your social media campaigns so you can maximize on future campaigns
Engagement: manage your marketing across all of your platforms
Buffer is easy to use and offers a wide range of price plans (from monthly to annual pricing) to best suit the needs of your business.
Pricing
Free Plan – $0 per month
Allows for 3 social media accounts
Easy use with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram
Schedule up to 10 posts per account
Browser extension
Mobile friendly (iPhone and Android)Image creator
Upload Videos and GIFs
Shorten and track links
Pro Plan – $15 per month
Allows for 8 social media accounts
Easy use with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest
Schedule up to 100 posts per account
Browser extension
Mobile friendly (iPhone and Android)Image creator
Upload Videos and GIFs
Shorten and track links
RSS feed
Analytics
Calendar
Small Business Plan – $99 per month
Allows for 25 social media accounts
Up to 5 additional team members
Easy use with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest
Schedule up to 2,000 posts per account
Browser extension
Mobile friendly (iPhone and Android)Image creator
Upload Videos and GIFs
Shorten and track links
RSS feed
Analytics
Calendar
Advanced analytics
Medium Business Plan – $199 per month
Allows for 25 social media accounts
Up to 10 additional team members
Easy use with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram
Schedule up to 2,000 posts per account
Browser extension
Mobile friendly (iPhone and Android)Image creator
Upload Videos and GIFs
Shorten and track links
RSS feed
Analytics
Calendar
Advanced analytics
Large Business Plan – $399 per month
Allows for 150 social media accounts
Up to 25 additional team members
Easy use with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram
Schedule up to 2,000 posts per account
Browser extension
Mobile friendly (iPhone and Android)Image creator
Upload Videos and GIFs
Shorten and track links
RSS feed
Analytics
Calendar
Advanced analytics
There are additional features available beyond the mere plans shown here ranging from custom PDF exports and white-label reports to in-depth hashtag analytics. However, these features come with an additional cost.
Verdict
Pros
Free plan is available to use
Simple to use
Perfect for those with a small budget or just starting out
Firefox and Chrome extensions make sharing content easy
Great blog posts from the company that provide insightful marketing tips to expand your brand
Cons
Free plan only allows for 3 accounts and up to 10 scheduled posts
Price plans are all over the place
Analytics are only available on a paid plan
Responding to customers or answering customer requests requires a paid plan
Buffer Analyze requires a premium plan at an additional cost
Uploading images on mobile can prove troublesome at times on mobile devices
To use Pinterest requires a paid plan (typical with most apps)
With so many social media management tools available at the touch of your fingertips, Buffer is sure to ease your workload whether you are a new upcoming blogger or an established public relations agency. Their range of price plans make it easy to accommodate what is best for your business needs. If you are looking for a free plan to dip your toe into the management tool waters, give Buffer a try. References: Buffer. (n.d.). Social Media Management Software for Growing Brands. Retrieved from https://buffer.com/ Kreyenhagen, J. (2018, August 30). Why Catering To Mobile Users Is Vital For Today's Services. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/08/30/why-catering-to-mobile-users-is-vital-for-todays-services/#4d73a08736a9 Cover image made on Canva.com