How to Post on Social Media Channels: Native Platforms vs. Third-Party Social Media Tools

Applies To

• Business owners and affiliates new to managing social media 
• Driving school owners looking to automate and streamline social media efforts
• Marketers and entrepreneurs who need a structured approach to posting

How to Plan and Schedule Social Media Posts Efficiently

To manage social media efficiently, create a structured posting plan and use scheduling tools. This saves you time and helps maintain consistency. A well-planned approach lets you publish content regularly without putting in daily manual effort. 

Posting Natively vs. on Third-Party Tools

There are two ways to post on social media. You can post natively, which means using the social media platform itself to create and share the content. Or you can automate posts by using a third-party tool like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Loomly.

Posting natively:

• Gives you access to all platform features (e.g., stickers, interactive polls, tagging, reels)
• Allows you to tag other brands and business pages easily
• May provide some limited scheduling options (only on certain platforms)
• Requires a hands-on approach and daily effort

Pros: Free to use, full access to platform features, easy to tag other businesses

Cons: Must log into each platform separately, no centralized scheduling for multiple accounts

Posting with third-party tools:

• Allows you to create posts across multiple platforms from one dashboard
• Lets you schedule posts to go live at a specific date and time
• Provides centralized analytics and performance tracking
• Has features useful for businesses managing multiple accounts
• Allows you to see the scheduled content across all platforms in one place, which makes it easier if you have multiple people posting

Pros: Saves time, provides scheduling flexibility, includes analytics

Cons: Some tools require a subscription, may not support all platform features, and tagging other businesses may not work as smoothly as native posting

Using Native Platforms to Schedule Posts 

The following social media platforms allow you to schedule posts ahead right in the native platform, so they go live at a specific date and time without the use of third-party tools:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook and Instagram, via Meta Business Suite
• X (formerly known as Twitter), via X Pro 

TikTok does not include native scheduling features. You must use a third-party scheduling tool.

Social Media Scheduling Tools

If you prefer automation, here are some popular scheduling tools:

• Sprout Social
• Buffer
• Hootsuite
• Loomly
• ContentStudio
• Later

Each tool offers scheduling features, analytics, and team collaboration options to streamline your social media strategy.

Recommended Posting Frequency by Platform 

Posting regularly on social media is a great way to keep your business top of mind among your followers. But you have to strike the right balance. Post too little, and you risk being overlooked. Post too much, and you risk annoying or alienating your followers. If you’re not sure where to start, try with these industry standard recommendations: 

Consistency matters more than frequency. If your competitors aren’t posting, even 80% effort is better than nothing. Just be sure to assess the risk vs. reward and make sure the time you’re spending on social media is providing a return on investment (ROI).

Managing Comments and User Engagement

Once you start posting, you’ll get engagement from followers. This means comments and direct messages (DMs). 

It’s smart to monitor your inbox and comments, at least periodically. Try to:

• Respond positively
• Acknowledge positive feedback with a thank you reply
• Handle support requests professionally by directing users to a support page or email link in your profile