HootSuite vs Buffer

Earlier this month I conducted a non-scientific analysis comparing two social media publication tools: HootSuite and Buffer. To set the stage here are some facts:

• The social media agency that I am a partner of is a paying HootSuite client.
• I use HootSuite (not just for business) to publish to a variety of platforms including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
• I use HootSuite to publish in real time as well as push out scheduled messages.
• I have used the free version of Buffer (sparingly) to send out scheduled tweets.

I scheduled 10 identical tweets on both platforms between the dates of Monday, March 4 2013 – Wednesday, March 6 2013.

HootSuite’s schedule engine heavily loaded the tweets on Monday. Buffer scheduled 4 on Monday, 4 on Tuesday and 2 on Wednesday. Here are the results:

• 4 tweets from HootSuite had no clicks.
• HootSuite’s analytics (unless I’m missing something) didn’t share how many RTs or mentions the tweets received.
• The 10 tweets sent through HootSuite’s scheduled feature received a total of 33 clicks; the highest tweet received 14 clicks and was about Toronto’s Community Managers.
• Every tweet sent through Buffer received at least 1 click.
• The average tweet sent through Buffer received 6.5 clicks.
• The most popular tweets each received 12 clicks (Toronto’s Community Managers, Co-working Spaces in Toronto, and an interview with Gregg Tilston of Flight Centre).
• The Co-working tweet also received 1 RT and 1 mention.
• In total, the tweets sent through Buffer received 2 RTs, 1 mention and 65 clicks

Conclusion:

Use Buffer to send out more than 4 scheduled tweets at once. The platform will ensure they are spread out evenly. What will I do? I will continue to use HootSuite. Scheduling has benefits (as seen above) but I also place a high level of importance on engagement, monitoring, moderating and searching for conversations and topics. These are things that provide me with personal and business value.