Ohhh where do I begin?
Let me first start by stating that I have tried (or at least researched) nearly any tool you can think of, and more. While this list isn't fully up to date, and won't have everything; I think they did a great job, and it would be helpful for you to see.
Now using a tool for a free trial, isn't quite fully USING the tool I'll admit that. I also have researched far more than I tried. I know for a fact I tried half of that list, and it didn't include things like HelloWoofy or Nuelink, etc that I've also tried.
This isn't for me to brag or anything, but I wanted you to know that I have been through the trenches with these tools. Sure I am a bit picky at times, like I can't stand a tool with a shitty user interface.
However the things that I am looking for in a tool, are honestly way more common and simple to not have. I started out on this journey TEN YEARS ago, when I first started my blog on wordpress. Back then it was just about automating my little blogs. Six years ago I started PolyInnovator, and I really wanted to be able to schedule out Instagram posts (their api was hard to come by). Now it is twofold: I want RSS to social automations, and more importantly the ability to schedule tiktoks, shorts, AND reels all from one place.
Why would you want to use a tool?
I mean do you see how much content I put out? I post at least 4-5 blog posts a WEEK, let alone videos, podcasts, tiktoks, and more. Recently I started posting clips for the PolyCast, and that is at least 5 video clips a DAY.
That sort of thing is just not viable to do manually, and especially when you want to go cross platform. One platform in particular that I really wish I could spend more time creating for is Pinterest, however in my entire history I've only ever syndicated to there. Sending over Instagram pics, or now I'm doing my Shorts there too. Thanks to the tool I am using it is just another checkbox of where I want to send something out to. I would not have made that effort if it wasn't that simple.
Even if your scale is much lower, the process of spending 15min a week scheduling or even just publishing in the moment. It is a lot faster than doing it manually on each platform.
What are some of my gripes?
For the love of "X" some of these platforms need to realize they are not the god tier SaaS tool out there. I love the Buffer team, but their tool on more than dozen occasions lost my text copy I was writing. Either because the page froze, or because I accidentally clicked outside the text box (when that wouldn't be a big deal on other tools).
The tool itself has gotten so insanely expensive too, $5 PER platform if you want to have even the basic ones it is at least $35 a month. Hootsuite has always had pretty crappy user flow in my opinion, and yet their cost is $99 a month. Wtf.
Mind you I'm only looking at the basic or pro plans, so not even their higher tier (pre enterprise) level ones.
This seems to be a trend across the board too. Oneup had some good pricing back in 2021, but they cost way too much for such a simple tool.
My point is that your cost to feature ratio is important, and I get hosting these kinds of SaaS tools CAN be expensive. However as a solo creator I've been thrown to the side by some tools simply because I am not an agency (whales of that world).
You got to be careful with lifetime deals too, in fact I got burned so bad by a couple of them that is made me lose a good one. I tried out Socialmako when that was still a thing, and they imploded on themselves. Good luck using their tool for a long time (I think it is still going for those who paid already, but it is dead in the water). After that I was hesitant, so Ignored the cool looking Publer or Nuelink LTD offers.
Lo' and behold those would end up being some of the BEST options on the market. ofc. Last month I was having a really hard time because I felt like I needed to choose between them. Mind you I've stressed over this need to find the right SMM tool for YEARS. So having it hit me again was so bad.
I came across VistaSocial on Appsumo, and it almost seemed like it would be a good mix of the two aforementioned tools I was debating. Not only was the UI tedious (more metawork just to get to the basic features). They also had the audacity to place BASIC features like labels or posting schedules behind a paywall. Mind you I ALREADY PAID, I even upgraded to Tier 2 on appsumo.
They told me the MAIN feature I was using was something I wasn't supposed to have (the posting times), and was going to be patched out soon. Wtf. Not only is that the wrong thing to do logically, but I literally told you how important it was to me. Maybe work with me a little? Offer me a cheap upgrade cost, something! Nope.
Thus my search started over again, and then I realized Publer had been there all along.
Highlighted Tool of the Week: Publer.io
I realized last week that it would be really good for me to match up the highlighted tool, with the theme of that week. This one being social media management, so I might as well highlight the tool I chose to use. Of course there being affiliate links in this section!
I came to Publer, tried it, didn't feel like it really worked for me. Then I tried the competition, and I went running back to the 'superhero' tool. This isn't a sponsored post by them, I just literally needed something solid that could do the job. Mind you most tools can't even do shorts, reels, AND tiktok all in one (even Later.com!), let alone at a decent cost. So these peeps are who I decided to stick with, and I hope they can be a good fit for you too!
🥡 Takeaways
My mindset on these tools is that they are to help you expedite the process of sharing your links and posts out. Those two aren't mutually exclusive, but all of your posts shouldn't be links. Take Gary V's idea of jab jab jab jab right hook to heart.
One thing I also realized recently too, and this one was hard for me: You're not going to find the perfect tool. No polymathic one size fits all. I used to love Dlvr.it's automations, but after no updating and change of UI it just didn't fit. Nuelink sort of took that place, and if I could pay for Nuelink and Publer both I probably would. Having that mindset of getting the job done above all us I think is helpful.
Bonus, Check out this lifetime deal:
When I tried MissingLettr it was quite a while back, and my main issue was the customizing the campaigns, and lacking other socials. Now in retrospect, those features were better than I expected, and they only have gotten better.
Missinglettr
