Social Media Scheduling Tools for Busy Business Owners
Consistency is the key to social media success, but consistency is hard when you are running a business. Between serving customers, managing staff, handling admin, and everything else on your plate, sitting down to create and post social media content every day is often the last thing on your mind.
Social media scheduling tools solve this problem. They let you batch your content creation into one focused session and schedule posts to go out automatically throughout the week or month. Here are the best options available right now for Australian small business owners.
Why Use a Scheduling Tool?
Before we compare tools, here is why scheduling is worth the effort:
Time savings. Creating a week’s worth of content in one sitting takes far less time than doing it daily. You get into a creative flow rather than context-switching throughout the day.
Consistency. Scheduled posts go out on time, every time, even when you are busy with customers or away from the office.
Better content quality. When you batch content creation, you have time to think, plan, and review before posting. This leads to better quality than rushed, last-minute posts.
Strategic posting times. Schedule posts for the times when your audience is most active, even if that is outside your business hours.
Peace of mind. Knowing your social media is handled for the week lets you focus on running your business without the nagging feeling that you should be posting something.
Free and Low-Cost Tools
Meta Business Suite
Price: Free Best for: Businesses that primarily use Facebook and Instagram
Meta Business Suite is Meta’s own tool for managing your Facebook and Instagram presence. It allows you to schedule posts, stories, and reels for both platforms from one dashboard.
Strengths:
- Completely free
- Direct integration with Facebook and Instagram
- Includes basic analytics and insights
- Allows you to manage messages and comments
- Offers suggested posting times based on when your audience is online
Limitations:
- Only works with Facebook and Instagram
- The interface can be clunky at times
- Limited planning and calendar views compared to dedicated tools
Our take: If Facebook and Instagram are your primary platforms, start here. It is free and does the job.
Buffer
Price: Free plan for up to three channels; paid plans start at $6 USD per month per channel Best for: Small businesses wanting simplicity
Buffer is known for its clean, simple interface. It makes scheduling social media posts straightforward, without overwhelming you with features you do not need.
Strengths:
- Very easy to use
- Supports Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest
- Clean calendar view for planning
- Good basic analytics
- Browser extension for sharing content you find online
Limitations:
- The free plan is limited to three channels
- Advanced features require paid plans
- Limited team collaboration features on lower plans
Our take: Buffer is ideal for business owners who want something simple and intuitive. The learning curve is minimal.
Later
Price: Free plan available; paid plans start at $18 USD per month Best for: Visually-focused businesses on Instagram
Later was built with Instagram in mind, though it now supports Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Its visual content calendar is particularly good for planning your Instagram grid.
Strengths:
- Visual content calendar
- Instagram grid preview
- Good media library for organising photos and videos
- Link in bio tool included
- Supports Instagram Reels and Stories scheduling
Limitations:
- Instagram-focused (other platforms feel secondary)
- Free plan is quite limited
- Analytics are basic on lower plans
Our take: If Instagram is your primary platform and visual planning matters to you, Later is worth considering.
Canva Content Planner
Price: Included with Canva Pro ($18 AUD per month) Best for: Businesses that already use Canva for design
If you are already paying for Canva Pro to create graphics, the built-in content planner is a convenient bonus. Design your posts and schedule them directly from the same platform.
Strengths:
- Create and schedule in one platform
- Supports major social platforms
- Visual calendar view
- Access to Canva’s design tools and templates
Limitations:
- Basic scheduling features compared to dedicated tools
- Limited analytics
- Requires Canva Pro subscription
Our take: Great as an add-on if you already use Canva, but not strong enough as a standalone scheduling tool.
Mid-Range Tools
Hootsuite
Price: Plans start at $99 USD per month Best for: Businesses managing multiple platforms and wanting detailed analytics
Hootsuite is one of the original social media management tools and remains one of the most comprehensive options available.
Strengths:
- Supports a wide range of platforms
- Detailed analytics and reporting
- Social listening features
- Team collaboration tools
- Content curation tools
Limitations:
- The most affordable plan is still relatively expensive for a small business
- The interface can feel overwhelming for beginners
- The free plan was discontinued in 2023
Our take: Hootsuite is powerful but can be overkill for a small business. It is best suited for businesses with a significant social media presence or a dedicated marketing person.
Sprout Social
Price: Plans start at $249 USD per month Best for: Larger businesses with bigger budgets
Sprout Social offers premium features including detailed analytics, social listening, and CRM integration.
Our take: Too expensive for most small businesses, but worth mentioning for businesses that are scaling up.
Choosing the Right Tool
For most small businesses in Western Sydney, the decision comes down to:
If you only use Facebook and Instagram: Start with Meta Business Suite (free). It covers your needs without any cost.
If you use multiple platforms and want simplicity: Buffer is hard to beat for its ease of use and affordability.
If Instagram is your primary platform: Later offers the best visual planning tools.
If you already use Canva Pro: Try the Content Planner first. If it meets your needs, you avoid paying for another tool.
Tips for Effective Scheduling
Batch Your Content Creation
Set aside one to two hours per week (or half a day per month) to create all your content at once. This is far more efficient than creating posts on the fly.
Plan With a Content Calendar
Before you create content, plan what you will post and when. A simple spreadsheet works fine:
- Date
- Platform
- Content topic
- Post type (photo, video, text, story)
- Status (drafted, scheduled, posted)
Do Not Set and Forget
Scheduling saves time on posting, but you still need to engage with your audience. Check comments, respond to messages, and participate in conversations. Social media is social, after all.
Mix Up Your Content
Avoid scheduling the same type of content every day. Mix tips, behind-the-scenes photos, customer stories, promotions, and community content.
Review and Adjust
Check your analytics monthly. Which posts performed best? What times generated the most engagement? Adjust your strategy based on what the data tells you.
Stay Responsive to Current Events
Scheduled posts cannot account for breaking news or unexpected events. Be prepared to pause or adjust your schedule when something significant happens locally or nationally.
Getting Started This Week
- Decide which platforms matter most for your business
- Choose a scheduling tool (Meta Business Suite is a good free starting point)
- Plan your content for the next two weeks
- Set aside two hours to create and schedule your posts
- Check engagement daily (just five to ten minutes)
- Review performance at the end of the month
The goal is not to automate your social media entirely. It is to make consistency easy so you can focus your energy on creating great content and engaging with your community.
Need Help With Social Media?
At Cosmo Web Tech, we help Western Sydney businesses build effective social media strategies that save time and generate results. From content planning to management, we can take social media off your plate. Get in touch for a free consultation.
Looking to align your web investments with long-term business goals? Ash Ganda covers technology strategy for growing Australian businesses.
Cosmos Web Tech operates under the Ganda Tech Services umbrella, delivering end-to-end technology solutions for Australian businesses.