Manual posting nearly drove me crazy.
When I first started my job as a social media manager, I was overwhelmed with content—videos, graphics, and photos—all needing to be posted at specific times. I felt completely over my head.
They had events happening at all hours of the day. I wanted to enjoy my evenings or spend time with friends, but I couldn’t—not when I had to manually post event reminders an hour before they started or get content up right on schedule. I’d be mid-conversation, out to dinner, or relaxing at home when I’d have to pull out my phone and post something—yep, I was that person.
I felt like social media was running me—not the other way around. I was spending more time scrambling to hit “post” than actually building a strategy or making meaningful connections with our followers. It became a constant loop of “just get it out there,” instead of focusing on what really worked.
Since then, I’ve managed social media for five different brands and tested both manual posting and scheduling platforms. After plenty of trial and error, here’s what I’ve learned—the pros, the cons, and the strategy I recommend for using social media planning tools.
Pros of Using Social Media Management Tools
1. Major time-saver
Posting manually every day can quickly become a huge time sink. Scheduling your content ahead of time lets you batch your work, freeing up time for other important tasks. In fact, marketers who plan their content in advance are three times more likely to be successful, so it’s a smart strategy for efficiency and results.
2. Ideal for teams and busy owners
For teams managing multiple creators and approvers, social media tools simplify collaboration. They reduce back-and-forth communication and help keep everything organized, which makes managing social media much less stressful. Check out the past NISM webinar, Project Management in the Social Media Universe, to dive deeper into this topic!
3. Optimized posting times
Many scheduling tools recommend posting when your audience is most active, improving the chance your content gets seen. For example, at a previous job, evening posts performed best—but I didn’t want to be working at 8 p.m. every night. Scheduling using Metricool allowed me to maintain those ideal posting times without sacrificing my evenings.
Cons of Social Media Scheduling Tools
1. Engagement suffers
Most scheduling platforms don’t allow you to respond to comments or direct messages, so you’ll need to check each app regularly to maintain engagement. This is important—The Sprout Social Index reports that “most consumers want brands to respond within 24 hours or sooner.”
2. Limited interactive features
If you want to post interactive content like polls or Instagram Story stickers, these usually need to be posted manually since most tools don’t support those features. While it requires extra effort, it’s crucial for keeping your audience engaged.
3. Less agility for trends
Scheduling content far in advance can make it challenging to react to real-time trends or breaking news. If your content doesn’t reflect what’s happening now, it risks feeling out of touch or irrelevant.
Native Scheduling Isn’t Always Enough
It’s also worth noting that many social media platforms now offer native scheduling features directly within their apps. For those who prefer to avoid third-party tools, this can be a helpful alternative.
While native scheduling solves some issues by keeping everything in one place, the same cons often apply—especially when it comes to engagement and interactive content. So, it’s important to still monitor your accounts regularly and stay flexible.
So What Should You Do?
Use a hybrid approach. Tools like Metricool, Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, and Sprout Social can help you plan ahead. But keep some flexibility in your calendar for manual posts—especially interactive content or timely updates.
And no matter what tool you use, don’t forget to:
- Log in natively to check comments and DMs
- Stay up to date on what’s trending
- Leave space in your calendar for real-time engagement
If you’re strategic, you can get the best of both worlds: a consistent content schedule and an engaged audience.
Wondering what specific social media planning tool to use? We recommend Hootsuite – here’s why.
Final Thoughts
If social media feels like a never-ending task list, you’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right tools—and a strategy that includes both structure and spontaneity—you can take back control of your time and focus on the part that really matters: connecting with your audience.
Whether you’re a solo creator or part of a bigger team, building a sustainable workflow will not only save your sanity but also help you do your best work online.
Author Bio
Alexis Barth is a freelance marketer originally from Kearney, Nebraska, now based in Ohio. She earned her degree in marketing from Cedarville University and launched her own marketing company, REAL Marketing, during her senior year in 2024. Specializing in social media management and strategy, she works with a variety of clients to help them grow their presence and connect with the right audiences. She was a past intern with the National Institute for Social Media, where she began working toward her Social Media Strategist certification. She believes great marketing is really just about understanding people—and making the right connections that leave everyone better off.
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