Two of the most popular social media monitoring tools are TweetDeck and SproutSocial. They both have their pros and cons, so which one is the best?
To answer this question, we need to look at the features of each tool and how they compare.
TweetDeck is a free tool that you can use to manage your Twitter accounts. It’s easy to use and has many features, such as the ability to create custom timelines, schedule tweets, and track hashtags.
SproutSocial is a paid tool that starts at $249 per month. It’s aimed at larger businesses and has features such as social media reporting, tasks, and team collaboration.
So, which one is better for social media monitoring? TweetDeck or SproutSocial?
Let’s take a closer look at each tool to find out.
Table of Contents
Basics of Social Media Monitoring
Every business can benefit from being on social media with the right tools in hand. It’s a great way to connect with customers, promote your brand, and increase social media awareness.
But once you’re on social media, you need to start monitoring what people say about you and your business. That’s where social media monitoring comes in.
There are a lot of different tools you can use to monitor social media, but two of the most popular are TweetDeck and Sprout Social.
So which one is better? The answer depends on your needs and preferences.
TweetDeck is an excellent choice if you want a free tool with basic features. Sprout Social is a good option if you’re willing to pay for more advanced features and your focus is much deeper than just Twitter.
In this article, we’ll take a look at each platform’s features and look at the pros and cons of each to help you decide which is best for you.
First, let’s set the tone by defining social media monitoring.
What is Social Media Monitoring?
Social media monitoring is the process of tracking, listening, and analyzing online conversations to gain insights about a brand, product, event, or individual. It helps organizations track their reputation, identify and reach out to customers and prospects, and understand what people say about their industry.
There are many social media monitoring tools available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
TweetDeck is a popular choice for many businesses because it is free and easy to use.
However, SproutSocial offers more comprehensive features and analytics, making it a better choice for larger businesses or those who want more detailed insights.
Why is Social Media Monitoring Important?
Social media monitoring is important because it allows businesses to track and measure their social media performance. It also gives businesses insights into what customers are saying about them online. Additionally, social media monitoring can help businesses identify and resolve negative customer sentiment.
Let’s take a look at both platforms, starting with TweetDeck.
TweetDeck
While both SproutSocial and TweetDeck offer features that can help you monitor your social media activity, TweetDeck has some distinct advantages.
For one, TweetDeck offers a simpler, easier-to-use userface. You can customize your dashboard to display the information that is most important to you, and the platform is less cluttered than SproutSocial.
TweetDeck is more affordable than SproutSocial. If you are on a tight budget, TweetDeck’s free pricetag may be a better option than SproutSocial’s Professional plan.
Ultimately, deciding which platform to use for social media monitoring depends on your individual needs and preferences.
However, if your focus is on Twitter and you are looking for a user-friendly platform with comprehensive data tracking capabilities, TweetDeck is a great option to consider.
TweetDeck Overview
TweetDeck is a more basic tool, but it’s still very effective for social media monitoring. It lets you see all your Twitter activity in one place, so you can easily keep track of Mentions, Direct Messages, Lists, and more. Plus, it’s free to use!
TweetDeck is focused ONLY on Twitter. It offers an interface that allows you to view all your Twitter activity in one place, making it easy to keep track of conversations and @mentions.
TweetDeck also includes essential features for managing your Twitter account, such as the ability to schedule tweets and view detailed analytics about your followers.
If you want a more comprehensive platform with many features, SproutSocial is an excellent option. But if you’re looking for a simple tool to help you keep track of your Twitter activity, TweetDeck is a great choice.
TweetDeck Features
While TweetDeck is the more basic of the two options, it definitely still offers a ton of great features and functionality.
- TweetDeck offers a more streamlined and simplified interface, making finding and tracking the information you need easier.
- It also offers a broader range of customization options to tailor your experience to your specific needs.
- The platform provides users with real-time updates on what is being said about their brand or product online, which can be invaluable for quickly addressing any negative sentiment.
- TweetDeck also makes it easy to create and manage Twitter lists, which can be useful for sorting through the noise on the platform.
If you need a simple tool that is easy to use and customize, then TweetDeck is a great option. If you need a more powerful tool with detailed analytics and reporting features, then SproutSocial is a better choice.
Pros and Cons
To help you make a more informed decision about whether this tool is right for you, here is a look at the pros and cons of TweetDeck:
TweetDeck:
Pros:
- Offers a more streamlined interface for managing Twitter accounts specifically
- Includes powerful search features for finding tweets and hashtag mentions
- More affordable than other social media monitoring tools
Cons:
- Lacks some of the features and analytics of more comprehensive platforms like SproutSocial
- You can only manage one social channel (Twitter)
Now that you’ve got a better understanding of what TweetDeck can do for you let’s look at how SproutSocial compares.
SproutSocial
SproutSocial is an excellent tool for social media monitoring because it offers a comprehensive suite of features. It has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate, although it is a bigger tool, so there is a bigger learning curve.
SproutSocial provides users with detailed insights into their social media activity. It also offers a wide range of integrations, which makes it easy to connect with other applications and platforms.
SproutSocial Overview
SproutSocial and TweetDeck are both excellent choices for social media monitoring. However, there are some key differences between the two services. Here’s what you need to know about SproutSocial.
- SproutSocial offers a more comprehensive suite of tools for managing your social media presence.
- It allows you to track mentions of your brand across multiple social networks.
- On SproutSocial, you can monitor mentions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, Tumblr, and across the web.
- SproutSocial also provides tools for scheduling posts.
- It allows for analyzing your social media reach and measuring engagement.
- Employee advocacy resources to help your team get involved and spread the word.
- Dedicated training and customer support.
- Engagement features aimed at improving customer service.
SproutSocial is a powerful social media management platform that helps businesses grow their social media presence.
It has some great features for monitoring and engagement, such as the ability to see all your social media in one place, detailed analytics, and team collaboration tools.
SproutSocial Features
SproutSocial is better for overall social media management because it offers more features and integrations than TweetDeck. It also allows you to manage your social media for most major platforms.
- SproutSocial has built-in tools for analytics, reporting, and listening, which can be extremely helpful for businesses trying to track their social media performance.
- SproutSocial integrates with many other business applications, such as CRMs and customer support platforms, making managing customers on social media much easier.
- SproutSocial, provides more detailed insights and analytics than TweetDeck, making it easier to track your progress and measure your success.
- It also offers a comprehensive suite of features, including scheduling, publishing, employee advocacy, and reporting tools.
Pros and Cons
There are a lot of different social media monitoring tools out there, but two of the most popular ones are TweetDeck and SproutSocial. So, which one is better? Here’s a look at the pros and cons of SproutSocial.
SproutSocial:
Pros:
- SproutSocial is another very popular social media monitoring tool that is used by many businesses and individuals.
- Like TweetDeck, SproutSocial offers many features and options for customizing your experience.
- SproutSocial has a more intuitive interface than TweetDeck, which makes it easier to use for those who are not familiar with TweetDeck.
- SproutSocial offers more social media channels and a variety of tools, including employee advocacy.
Cons:
- While SproutSocial’s interface is more intuitive than TweetDeck, it can still be a bit overwhelming for users who are not familiar with using it. There is still a learning curve involved in using SproutSocial effectively.
- Like TweetDeck, the paid version of SproutSocial includes more features than the free version.
Comparison of TweetDeck and SproutSocial
When it comes to social media monitoring, TweetDeck and SproutSocial are two of the clear leaders in the space. Both platforms offer a wide range of features and advantages, but which one is the best?
To start with, let’s take a look at the features offered by each platform. TweetDeck allows users to track up to 200 Twitter accounts and hashtags. It also provides users with real-time updates, so they can see new posts as they happen.
SproutSocial, on the other hand, allows users to track an unlimited number of social media accounts across all major platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This makes SproutSocial an excellent tool for large businesses and marketing agencies.
In addition, SproutSocial provides users with detailed analytics so they can track their performance over time.
When it comes to pricing, TweetDeck is free (for now) and SproutSocial offers free and paid plans.
- Currently, TweetDeck is free. There are rumors, however, that it could become a premium part of Twitter Blue, so stay tuned.
- There is no free plan for SproutSocial, but there are a few free tools you can leverage. If you want to access the actual platform, however, the plans start at $249 per month ($199 if you opt for the annual payment).
So, which platform is better? It depends on your needs. If you’re looking to monitor Twitter accounts and hashtags, then TweetDeck is a great option.
However, if you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution that includes detailed analytics, then SproutSocial is a better choice.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it is clear that social media monitoring is a vital tool for any business.
Both TweetDeck and SproutSocial offer great features and benefits, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
TweetDeck is an excellent option for businesses that monitor multiple Twitter accounts simultaneously. It offers a variety of features, including the ability to create custom searches, schedule posts, and track engagement. However, TweetDeck, while easy to use, lacks some of the more advanced features offered by SproutSocial.
SproutSocial is an excellent option for businesses that need more advanced features for social media monitoring. It offers a variety of features, including the ability to track keywords, create custom reports, and monitor competitor activity. However, SproutSocial can be expensive and overwhelming for businesses with multiple social media accounts.
Both TweetDeck and SproutSocial offer great features for social media monitoring. Which one is best for your business will depend on your specific needs and budget.
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Nice breakdown between both. I loved Tweet Deck until the interface changed a few months ago. Things seemed less intuitive but I still use it daily. Sprout Social would work for someone desiring to dig deep into social media as far as a robust solution.
Yea, SproutSocial is great, but you need some deeper pockets (I don’t have those). I use SocialChamp and TweetDeck personally.