Sendible - Social Media Best Practices for Brands

16 Best Collaboration Tools for Social Media Management in 2025

Written by Freya Laskowski | Dec 11, 2024 12:15:09 PM

Time is among the most valuable resources for social media marketers. 

When it comes to social media, you can spend as much or as little of it as you wish—but the time you invest doesn’t necessarily lead to better results. Success in social media management hinges on planning, efficiency, and team collaboration.

The tools you use play a pivotal role in maintaining a productive social media workflow, especially when it comes to teamwork.

The best collaboration tools empower teams and clients to work together seamlessly. They eliminate clunky communication, encourage individual and group action, and streamline workflows.

In this article, we’ll explore what social media collaboration tools are, how they benefit your business, and what to look for in the best tools for 2025. We’ll also provide an updated list of 16 top tools to help you make the right choice.

Let’s dive in.

What is a social media collaboration tool?

A social media collaboration tool is a platform or software designed to help teams and clients work together, manage, plan, and execute social media tasks.

At its core, a collaboration tool should simplify workflows and enhance efficiency through every phase of your social strategy. 

Collaboration tools have several features and integrations that allow multiple users to plan, create, edit, schedule, and approve content for social networks. Furthermore, they facilitate multi-user collaboration and enable smooth communication within a shared workspace. 

Hitting the right notes with your social media strategy typically requires a team effort, even if one person does most of the heavy lifting. At some point, you’re likely to need a designer, and for many marketers, getting sign-off from management is needed before a post can go live. 

A collaboration tool not only makes this easier and more time efficient but also opens up further opportunities for social media use. If you’re part of a remote team, a collaboration tool is essential. 

Why you should consider a collaboration tool

Teams and individual social media managers can benefit from collaboration tools. 

The advantages of a quality collaboration platform for a team are obvious, from the remote communication opportunities to approval workflows. Individuals can juggle multiple clients and work alongside designers, freelancers, and contractors with relative ease. 

Getting your hands on a collaboration tool is an astute investment worth serious consideration. Let’s take a closer look at why it could be worthwhile for you. 

  • Shared content creation: The collaboration portal allows teams to collaborate on projects through shared folders, content libraries, and extensions. This makes large volumes of content more manageable, ensuring quality and consistency at scale as the brand grows.
  • Remote connections: Collaboration tools allow you to bridge sticky gaps between the creative and management sides of social media, streamlining content creation and publishing processes. 
  • Simplified approvals: A key benefit of a collaboration tool is the built-in approval system. Team members can be appointed specific roles, including final sign-offs. Approval functions lead to clearer and more streamlined workflows, reducing delays, and ensuring all posts hit the mark before publication. 

 

  • Improved efficiency and speed: The centralisation of shared tasks enhances productivity by reducing redundant steps and manual actions. This speeds up the content creation and scheduling processes. 
  • Reduced errors: With all team members working from the same dashboard, you minimise mistakes. Centralised communication and shared workflows make spotting errors and maintaining quality easier. 
  • Enhanced customer relationships: A byproduct of the combined benefits of using a collaboration tool is that you can respond to your audience faster, resulting in stronger relationships and improved brand loyalty. 
  • Better feedback: Collaboration tools breed improved communication at all levels, from team functionality to stakeholder feedback. Review processes, in particular, give upper management access to content for easier reviews and feedback. 

What to look for in the best collaboration tools

Marketers are spoilt for choice when it comes to collaboration tools. However, they’re not all on an even playing field. Some tools are far more suited to certain teams due to the perks and features on offer. 

So, to answer the question: "Which is the best collaboration tool?" - there isn't one.

Choosing the right collaboration tool depends on your precise needs and budget. Often, social media managers don’t need a platform with an abundance of features. What should stand out are the core elements. 

While no two platforms are identical, the best collaboration tools share similar core features. Here are some of the most important things to look out for.

  • Direct communication channels: Communication and collaboration go hand in hand. A good collaboration tool should have built-in messaging systems that allow team members to communicate instantly. Commenting features are also beneficial so teams can discuss project-specific details in context. 
  • Ease of use: A comprehensive platform with a host of features is not much use if it’s overly complicated. Your chosen collaboration tool should be intuitive and easy to use, reducing the learning curve and promoting efficiency. 
  • Customisable workflows: Social media strategies can vary significantly from business to business. Ideally, a collaboration tool can be tailored to your needs, allowing your team to work smoothly within a synchronised structure. 
  • Approval systems: Multiple layers of approval are essential components within collaboration tools. All content and projects should pass through the necessary approvals before they are published.
  • Collaboration features: Look out for tools that have specific features relevant to your needs, such as labels, real-time commenting, notes, task assignments, filters, version histories, etc. They can make all the difference in day-to-day operations. 
  • Integration capabilities: Quality collaboration tools integrate with other systems and applications, including your existing CRM software, design tools, shared folders, and photo galleries. Strategic integrations enhance collaboration.
  • Scalability: Ensure that the collaboration tool you work with can scale with the growth of your business. If you envision your team expanding within a few years, it’s important that the tool supports larger groups and more complex campaigns. 
  • Security and permissions: Your tool must have robust security features and permissions to protect sensitive data and limit access to control areas. 

16 best collaboration tools for social media

There’s no doubting the benefits that a collaboration tool can bring to your social media efforts. That said, there are a number of notable providers in the market, making it difficult to know which one is best for you. 

Below, we’ve outlined our best collaboration tools currently available. These reviews will help you find the perfect platform to add to your marketing department. 

#1 Sendible

Sendible is one of the best collaboration tools available to marketers. It was designed for social media managers, agencies, multi-location businesses, and other big teams to deliver first-class content and services to multiple clients and locations at the same time.

Although it’s an all-in-one management tool, the collaboration features are central to Sendible’s suitability for teams of all sizes.

Firstly, Sendible is built with simplicity in mind. The interface is user-friendly, making the features easy to navigate. One of Sendible’s standout qualities is its dashboard, where users have access to virtually all tools in one place, from design inputs to content calendars.

Sendible is compatible with a wide variety of integrations, including Canva, Google Drive, Dropbox, Giphy, and Pexels, making collaboration on content creation convenient and familiar. Teams can collaborate in real-time with built-in commenting and task assignment features. Permissions and roles ensure your team works seamlessly, maintaining consistency and quality standards.

Key benefits:

  • Obtain stakeholder approval. By sending requests for approval either individually or in bulk, you can ensure alignment among clients, account managers, and stakeholders.
  • Enhance content curation efforts. Engage your entire team in curating top-notch content by contributing to the centralised Content Library via drag-and-drop, upload, email, or even Sendible's Google Chrome extension.
  • Facilitate collaboration between designers and social media managers. Use integrations with Canva, Dropbox, or Google Drive to expedite design downloads and save time.
  • Boost customer loyalty and increase conversions. Improve community management by assigning messages and comments to the appropriate team, ensuring followers receive accurate responses promptly.
  • Manage permissions to prevent errors, maintain complete visibility of the final content version, and encourage collaboration. Assign roles to determine who can contribute and who can access saved content.
  • Establish user access tiers. Not every user requires full functionality access. With our custom user permission groups, you can control who has access to specific features.
  • Allow clients to connect their profiles. Create a secure onboarding process by enabling clients to add their profiles to Sendible without sharing credentials or admin access.
  • Empower teams to share website content. Enhance your website with niche-specific social media content. Use our Share Button to enable clients and teams to easily share it on their social channels.
  • Response time reports to measure the team's efficiency and project management performance. These modules allow you to see insights and monitor how quickly tasks are completed and how promptly team members respond to any customer's inquiries or assigned tasks.

Best for: Multi-location businesses, social media agencies, enterprises, and small teams looking for a scalable, feature-rich tool.

#2 Sprout Social

Sprout Social is one of the bigger names in the social media world. It’s a popular platform with a range of features, including collaborative tools. Sprout Social is known for its intuitive interface and deep analytics, providing quality feedback and insights to take your social media performance to the next level.

There’s no question that Sprout Social is one of the most comprehensive tools out there, combining rich features like social listening, automated reports, and integration capabilities. However, it may take your team a little time to get accustomed to the platform, and customised workflows are only available at higher-tier plans.

Key benefits:

  • Collaboration features, including shared content libraries and approval workflows.
  • Real-time communication to keep your team on the same page.
  • Employee advocacy, which improves content sharing.
  • Team reports that allow you to analyse agent response time to social messages across various time frames.
  • Customer care solutions which help your team deliver efficient social customer service.

Best for: Teams prioritising analytics and social listening to inform strategy.

#3 Buffer

Buffer is widely recognised for its straightforward interface and user-friendly functionality. It’s an excellent option for smaller teams or solo marketers looking to streamline social media management without investing heavily in complex tools.

Buffer focuses on core features like scheduling and publishing, making it perfect for teams seeking simplicity. Collaboration is supported through dedicated project spaces, where team members can add comments and feedback. However, its analytics and reporting capabilities are more basic compared to some other tools on this list.

Key benefits:

  • Collaboration tools that allow you to work together with your team to create content that's high quality, on-brand, and that your audience is going to love.
  • Engagement solution that allows you to respond to comments quickly.
  • An easy-to-use platform for scheduling and publishing posts.
  • Unlimited team members on the Team Plan, ensuring flexibility for growing teams.
  • Mobile app for managing content on the go.
  • Affordable pricing makes it accessible for small businesses.

Best for: Small teams or freelancers seeking a reliable, budget-friendly option.

#4 Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a well-established player in social media management, offering a comprehensive suite of features for teams of all sizes. Its capabilities include advanced scheduling, performance monitoring, and in-depth analytics, making it ideal for managing multiple accounts or high-volume campaigns.

Hootsuite’s collaboration features include approval workflows and the ability to assign roles and permissions, ensuring smooth teamwork. However, some key features, such as advanced analytics, are only available on higher-tier plans, which can make it a pricier option for smaller teams.

Key benefits:

  • Employee advocacy features similar to the ones of Sendible and SproutSocial.
  • Robust dashboard for managing multiple clients or campaigns.
  • Advanced scheduling and automated posting across platforms.
  • Powerful analytics for tracking performance and audience sentiment.
  • Integration with multiple third-party apps for added functionality.

Best for: Large organisations and agencies managing multiple clients and campaigns.

#5 SocialPilot

SocialPilot is a cost-effective collaboration tool tailored for small to medium-sized businesses. It focuses on essential features like scheduling, client approvals, and content calendars, making it a great choice for those looking to streamline their processes without overspending.

The platform’s collaboration features include draft folders, commenting, and client approval workflows. While it may lack advanced analytics and social listening capabilities, SocialPilot excels at delivering value for smaller teams and freelancers managing multiple clients.

Key benefits:

  • Affordable pricing for small teams and freelancers.
  • Client management features, including approval workflows and feedback systems.
  • Visual content calendars to keep campaigns organised.
  • User-friendly interface designed for quick onboarding.

Best for: Freelancers and boutique agencies prioritizing affordability and simplicity.

#6 Monday.com

Monday.com is an adaptable project management tool that integrates seamlessly with social media workflows. It’s especially useful for teams juggling broader marketing campaigns that include social media as a component.

The platform’s customisable workflows and task boards make it easy to assign roles, set deadlines, and track progress. While it doesn’t offer direct publishing or advanced analytics, its integration with tools like Canva and Google Drive ensures smooth collaboration between marketers and designers.

Key benefits:

  • Customisable workflows and visual task boards.
  • Built-in communication and file sharing for collaboration.
  • Integration with third-party tools to support social media processes.

Best for: Teams managing social media as part of broader marketing efforts.

#7 Canva

Canva is a go-to tool for social media design, offering teams the ability to create visually stunning content with minimal effort. Its collaboration features, such as real-time co-editing and feedback, make it indispensable for marketing teams that need to generate high volumes of visual content.

Recently, Canva added scheduling capabilities, allowing users to go from design to publishing in one seamless workflow. While it’s an excellent design tool, Canva is best used alongside a dedicated social media management platform for features like analytics and campaign tracking.

Note: Sendible has a Canva integration that allows you to import designs directly to Smart Compose Box and schedule it, tailor it to social media channels, or save it to Content Library as a draft post.

Key benefits:

  • Intuitive design tools and a vast library of templates.
  • Real-time collaboration for team projects.
  • Scheduling capabilities for streamlined workflows.

Best for: Teams focused on creating high-quality visual content for social media.

#8 Asana

Asana is a versatile project management tool that offers features specifically useful for social media collaboration. Its task boards and calendars can be tailored for content scheduling, and its built-in commenting and file-sharing features simplify teamwork.

While Asana doesn’t offer direct publishing or detailed analytics, its integrations with third-party tools make it a valuable addition to a social media manager’s toolkit.

Key benefits:

  • Customisable task boards and calendars for campaign planning.
  • Seamless collaboration through comments and file sharing.
  • Integration with social media and design tools.

Best for: Large teams managing multiple projects and campaigns.

#9 Zapier

Zapier stands out as an automation tool that connects social media platforms with other apps, making workflows more efficient. Its "Zaps" allow teams to automate repetitive tasks like content scheduling, data tracking, or even notifying stakeholders about campaign updates.

While not a full-fledged social media management tool, Zapier is indispensable for marketers looking to streamline processes and integrate their favourite tools.

Key benefits:

  • Automation of repetitive tasks, such as posting and reporting.
  • Integration with hundreds of apps, including Buffer, Google Drive, and Slack.
  • Custom workflows tailored to your team’s needs.

Best for: Teams looking to automate and connect various tools for seamless collaboration.

#10 Notion

Notion is a flexible workspace tool that allows teams to plan, organise, and collaborate on social media projects. It’s especially useful for brainstorming content ideas, creating campaign calendars, and storing shared resources in a centralised hub.

Although it doesn’t support direct publishing or analytics, Notion’s customisation capabilities make it an excellent tool for pre-publishing collaboration.

Key benefits:

  • Custom templates for campaign planning and idea sharing.
  • Real-time collaboration with commenting and file-sharing features.
  • Centralised workspace for team discussions and content planning.

Best for: Teams needing a flexible hub for brainstorming and organizing social media projects.

#11 Loomly

Loomly is a content collaboration platform tailored for social media teams. Known for its simple and intuitive interface, Loomly helps teams create, approve, and publish content with minimal friction. The platform includes tools for brainstorming ideas, building post drafts, and streamlining the approval process, making it ideal for teams focused on content ideation and execution.

Loomly also supports multi-channel publishing, allowing teams to manage campaigns across platforms. With features like post previews, real-time collaboration, and performance tracking, it ensures every step of the social media workflow is organised and effective. While it doesn’t offer advanced analytics or social listening, Loomly excels in simplifying content collaboration and approval.

Key benefits:

  • Content idea suggestions to inspire creative campaigns.
  • Approval workflows to streamline content reviews and feedback.
  • Multi-channel publishing with post previews for accuracy.
  • Performance tracking to monitor campaign results.

Best for: Teams focused on content ideation, approval workflows, and simplified publishing.

#12 Planoly

Planoly is a visual-first tool designed specifically for Instagram, but it has recently expanded to include other social media platforms. Its drag-and-drop calendar makes it easy for teams to plan and schedule visually cohesive content, making it ideal for brands with a strong emphasis on aesthetics.

With features like a built-in content calendar, hashtag suggestions, and integration with Canva, Planoly enables social media managers to design and execute campaigns seamlessly. However, it lacks the more advanced analytics or multi-user approval systems found in tools like Sendible.

Key benefits:

  • Drag-and-drop content calendar for visual planning.
  • Hashtag suggestions to optimise post reach.
  • Canva integration for creating and editing visuals within the platform.
  • Simplified scheduling for Instagram and Pinterest.

Best for: Instagram-first brands or visually-driven teams looking for easy planning and scheduling.

#13 Trello

Trello is a lightweight project management tool that’s great for visualising content calendars and organising social media workflows. Using its drag-and-drop boards, teams can assign tasks, track deadlines, and manage multiple campaigns at once.

While Trello doesn’t have native social media-specific features, such as direct publishing or analytics, its integrations with tools like Zapier, Buffer, and Canva make it highly adaptable. Its simplicity and flexibility make it particularly popular among small teams or freelancers juggling multiple projects.

Key benefits:

  • Drag-and-drop boards for task and content management.
  • Integration with tools like Zapier, Buffer, and Canva for added functionality.
  • Simple interface that’s easy for teams to learn and use.
  • Customisable boards to align with team workflows.

Best for: Small teams or freelancers looking for a simple yet effective way to organise social media tasks.

#14 Airtable

Airtable combines the structure of a database with the usability of a spreadsheet, making it one of the most flexible tools for managing social media campaigns. With Airtable, teams can build custom workflows, track content production, and manage schedules all in one place.

The platform’s ability to create tailored views, such as calendars or Kanban boards, ensures that team members can work in the format that suits them best. Airtable’s integrations with social media tools and design platforms further enhance its functionality, making it a powerful choice for teams looking to customise their collaboration workflows.

Key benefits:

  • Customisable views, including calendars, Kanban boards, and lists.
  • Integration with tools like Zapier, Slack, and Canva for seamless workflows.
  • Advanced filtering and sorting options to manage large campaigns.
  • Flexible templates to jumpstart social media planning.

Best for: Teams that need flexible, customisable workflows to manage complex campaigns.

#15 ClickUp

ClickUp is a versatile project management platform that combines advanced task tracking with collaborative features for social media teams. Its AI-driven task automation and custom dashboards make it a standout option for teams juggling multi-channel campaigns.

ClickUp supports various views, including calendars, timelines, and Gantt charts, giving teams full visibility into their workflows. While it lacks native social media publishing capabilities, its robust collaboration tools, such as task assignments, real-time editing, and built-in document sharing, make it an excellent choice for managing pre-publishing workflows.

Key benefits:

  • AI-driven task automation to streamline repetitive processes.
  • Custom dashboards to track progress and performance.
  • Multiple view options, including timelines and calendars.
  • Integration with social media tools and design platforms.

Best for: Teams managing complex, multi-channel social media campaigns that require advanced project management features.

#16 Wrike

Wrike is a powerful project management tool that excels in team collaboration for large campaigns. Its custom workflows and detailed task management features make it ideal for enterprise teams coordinating multiple departments.

Wrike’s collaboration features include approval systems, role-based permissions, and shared dashboards. Additionally, its integrations with tools like Slack, Canva, and Google Drive make it easy to centralise your social media workflows. While Wrike isn’t specifically built for social media management, its flexibility and advanced features make it a solid choice for enterprise teams.

Key benefits:

  • Custom workflows for managing complex campaigns.
  • Shared dashboards to centralise team collaboration.
  • Approval systems with role-based permissions for quality control.
  • Integration with design and communication tools like Canva and Slack.

Best for: Enterprise teams managing large, multi-departmental campaigns.

Wrapping Up

As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Smooth collaboration is vital in modern social media management. If you want to create productive synergy among your marketing team, a social media management tool with quality collaboration features is a must. 

Sendible’s management tool competes with high-end providers in terms of features and rivals budget-friendly options with competitive pricing. In addition to collaboration tools, Sendible will give you access to multiple integrations, like Canva, AI assistance, scheduling, in-depth analytics, and more. 

The best part is that you can try it out for free. Ready to get started? Sign up for our free 14-day trial and get started now.