As agencies and marketers suit up to compete and thrive well into the future, how we execute and measure our messaging in social environments has become increasingly vital. The question of the right systems and investments is always top of mind.
In our deeply socialized, cross-platform, consumer-driven environment, social media marketing and listening tools have become a mandatory part of this suite. We must have -- or have access to -- the right technology for consumer research and insights, social campaign management and optimization, planning and buying, measurement and analysis, financial administration, and more. All of this is no longer a nice-to-have, but rather a must-have.
However, with this broad set of needs, the list of options for servicing it is obviously no longer a short one. It spans the categories of listening, campaign management, execution, and optimization. Socially focused solutions companies emerge seemingly daily to help agencies and marketers better manage their social media and marketing needs. So how do we decide which tools have real value? That's what this article will explore. And better yet, it will name some names.
