Video content creation and social media management are essential elements of digital marketing in 2024. As brands aim to attract modern audiences increasingly tuned into rich media and expecting always on social engagement, the tools they choose to meet these demands are critical. Two popular applications, Loomly and Buffer, cater to these key needs but take different approaches. Exploring their features and capabilities head to head reveals how each can play a strategic role.
Video Reigns Supreme
There’s no question video has cemented itself as the content king. 93% of marketers leverage video and 73% say it provides good ROI. With platforms like Instagram and TikTok now hinging on video, brands recognize it as an essential investment as they create social strategies. Loomly and Buffer offer options to fit video into workflows differently.
Loomly’s Video First Focus
As a screen and webcam recording tool, Loomly focuses squarely on making video creation easy, fast, and powerful no matter the use case. Its suite of editing tools, collaborators, tracking, and analytics targets business teams with recurring video needs at scale.
Key Loomly Features
- In-app recording quickly captures webcam, screen, or both
- Team workspace for collaborators and approvals
- Publication and scheduling to YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.
- Analytics showing video performance
For managers overseeing large marketing and sales teams, Loomly provides oversight into video content plans, production, publishing, and optimization.
Buffer Focuses on Overall Social Posting
While Buffer isn’t video centric, its social media management platform supports scheduling video posts. Alongside handling posts with text, links, images, and more, Buffer provides some light editing and can queue videos to publish to key networks.
Key Buffer Features
- Flexible social scheduling for networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
- Analytics with engagement and impression data
- Image and video editing with cropping, filters, etc.
- Team workflows for collaboration and oversight
Buffer’s scope reaches beyond video to give holistic support for brands’ entire social presence. But editing and tracking capabilities focus more on supporting regular posting rather than producing a high volume of videos themselves.
Comparing Key Differences and Use Cases
While both helpful tools, Loomly and Buffer diverge in purpose, functions, and best use cases based on a company’s needs and resources. Let’s compare them across a few key factors:
Video Creation Capabilities
Loomly offers far greater power for recording, editing, and publishing videos en masse. With Buffer, simplicity wins over customization for minimal editing needs for social posts.
Posting Workflows
Alternatively, Buffer provides more post types and robust social scheduling suited for entire posting strategies. Loomly centers solely on video and connecting accounts mainly to push this content out.
| Feature | Loomly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Recording Options | Webcam, screen, both | None (posting only) |
| Video Editing Tools | Transitions, annotations, trimming, filters, music, titles, animation, etc. | Basic trimming, filters, text overlays |
Collaboration Features
Here both provide team accounts with permissions and approvals, but Loomly has more options tailored to video production roles.
Affordability Plans
Loomly offers tiered plans with the lowest being its free version accommodating core recording and editing needs. Buffer’s Pro plan starts at $15/month for one user but the tool focuses more on high volume posting capabilities.
| Plan | Loomly Free | Loomly Team | Buffer Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | $19/month | $15/month per user |
| Primary Users | Individuals | Teams | Social media managers |
Learning Curve
Loomly prioritizes intuitive navigation and editing for all user comfort levels. Buffer has more advanced posting options that reward investing time to master its features.
When Loomly Excels Over Buffer
For brands focused on video content across teams and accounts, Loomly provides smarter creation workflows. With recording, editing, tracking, and sharing from one dashboard, it eases collaboration for video specific efforts.
Loomly best supports:
- Marketing agencies managing many video initiatives
- Businesses focused on video centric strategies
- Teams with dedicated video producers
When Buffer May Work Better
If video plays a secondary role amid an expansive social plan across networks, Buffer supplies the scheduling and analytics needed. Though lighter on custom video features, it still gets the job done.
Buffer fits best for:
- Small business owners or solo marketers
- General social media managers
- Minor supplementary video needs
Brands focused more holistically on community engagement rather than video volumes will find Buffer’s broader posting options valuable, even if some rich editing tools are lacking.
Integrating Both Tools for the Best of Both Worlds
For larger brands juggling both high video output AND robust social posting across networks, Loomly and Buffer can complement each other when used in tandem. While not yet featuring direct integration with shared workflows, their respective strengths play major strategic roles.
With Loomly recording, editing, and approving videos en masse, Buffer then extends their reach by scheduling ongoing posts around additional content. This mix of capabilities creates an encompassing solution – albeit across two tools. But for willing teams, it checks all boxes on video demands AND social posting needs enterprises often require today. Loomly supplies creation efficiency so Buffer can focus simply on sending polished videos out at scale. Shared analytics dashboards give full oversight while keeping tasks focused.
The Video and Social Posting Tools Market Still Evolves
As demands accelerate for more video andAlways-On content across channels, vendors recognize gaps exist between optimized creation and publishing workflows. Brands shouldn’t have to cobble together makeshift solutions using multiple apps. Future converged tools aiming to bridge video and scheduling demands may arrive to displace Loomly and Buffer alike. But for now, their respective specialties balance out limitations to collectively check all the boxes for modern social strategies. Unless one tool dramatically shifts direction or a new entrant combines strengths, both Loomly and Buffer look poised to each keep evolving potentially in partnership rather than competition.
Conclusion
Determining Loomly vs Buffer as better video or social posting software depends wholly on the content needs, resources, and strategy of each unique brand. At their cores, Loomly tackles video creation for mass production while Buffer supports expansive social distribution.
Their divergent approaches can be complementary for companies requiring both strength – but smaller teams may need to choose which priority takes focus. Understanding specific use cases, budgets, and capabilities allows accurately aligning with the tool providing the right fix. As video and social continue commanding attention across markets, expecting vendors to collide and consolidate seems imminent. But for now, the Loomly and Buffer split sees each improving to double down on their respective categories. Savvy brands will take advantage of both tools’ maturation in the meantime to lighten workloads and reach more audiences.
FAQs
Can Loomly automatically post videos to social networks on a schedule?
Yes, Loomly has scheduling features to automatically publish completed videos out to accounts connected to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more on chosen dates.
Does Buffer allow detailed video editing like trimming multiple clips or adding animated text?
No, Buffer only supports very basic video editing functions to lightly crop, filter, trim, or overlay minimal text onto single video files.
Can I create videos longer than 10 minutes in Loomly?
Yes, Loomly supports creating videos up to 30 minutes in length with all editing features and exports for free accounts. Paid plans allow publishing videos up to 60 minutes long.
Is there a way to collaborate with a team on video projects in Buffer?
No, Buffer does not have features specifically built for collaborating on a single video project. It focuses more on allowing team members to coordinate social media posting schedules.
How many social media accounts can I manage with a Buffer paid plan?
Buffer’s paid Pro plan allows you to connect up to 25 social media accounts to schedule posts. Higher tier Agency and Business plans support managing unlimited connected accounts.
