I created my personal Twitter account (@SchneiderB) in May 2008 and I created my school's Twitter account (@Sewickley) in March 2009 and in that time I've tweeted a collective 47,000 times.
To help me manage the multiple Twitter accounts I've used a number of different tools including Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Seesmic, and Brizzly. I've changed tools frequently searching for the perfect combination of features, value, and function all with an interface that is intuitive and elegant.
I think my search is over!
I've been using Sprout Social to help me manage my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts and there is no looking back. As a result, I'd like to share 8 reasons why I love Sprout Social.
1. Smart Inbox
This is my FAVORITE feature of Sprout Social!
The Smart Inbox allows me to quickly check for Mentions, Direct Messages, Retweets, New followers from Twitter as well as User wall posts, User comments, Private messages from Facebook, and finally it alerts me to keywords that I specific it search for on Twitter and Facebook.
This feature allows me to save a ton of time and alone makes it worth using Sprout Social. Rather than logging into another tool and searching multiple streams or columns I can quickly determine what items have changed for me and deserve a response. As a result, I feel much more efficient and effective with my social media time.
2. Dashboard
Another one of my favorite features is the Dashboard in Sprout Social. The Dashboard allows me to quickly determine how my Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, website, and blog are doing at a moment's notice. I tend to focus more on getting things done and have a difficult time stepping back to assess how my social media efforts are working. I love the Dashboard because every time I log into Sprout Social I am reminded to see how we are doing.
3. User Interface
Quite simply, Sprout Social is a good-looking application. While looks aren't necessarily important the design behind the “looks” is important and Sprout Social is designed in a way that is intuitive, functional, and effective. Everything makes sense to me and works for me, period.
4. Mobile Apps
Sprout Social offers access to their application on the web, on my iPhone, on my iPad, and they even have an Android Application. Each application feels like it was designed for each individual device and similarly to the web user interface, each application is intuitive, functional, and effective. I really like having access to my accounts no matter where I am or on what device I might be using.
5. Discovery
Discovery is a feature that I didn't know I needed until I began to use it. Discovery offers suggestions of people to follow on Twitter based upon who follows me, who has conversed with me, and who has mentioned me. Discovery also allows me to Cleanup the people I follow based upon silent accounts, accounts with irregular usage, and those who don't follow me back.
Also within the Discovery tool is a Smart Search feature that allows you to conduct a search by keywords or for people.
All of these features have been great in helping me to select who to follow, and unfollow, on Twitter.
6. Reports
As I mentioned before, I don't always take the time to check reports on a regular basis but the Report tool in Sprout Social is starting to change me. The Report tool is easy to access, full of great information about the individual social networks as well as some very interesting demographic data and gives me the ability to customize each report.
7. Tasks
This is one feature I haven't used yet but plan on implementing in the very near future. Tasks allow you to manage your social media channels with a team and assign tweets to different team members so they can respond. As we have more people help manage our accounts I plan on using this feature to make sure we don't miss a tweet.
8. Value
I typically look for tools that are free but recently wrote about how I now look for value when selecting tools to use to help me to manage my social media channels. Sprout Social is one of those tools.
Sprout Social isn't free but I feel like I get a lot of value for the money.
But don't take my word for it – I encourage you sign-up for their 30-day free trial and give Sprout Social a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
