As we starting looking into how we could improve our client services in 2014, high on our list was a more robust social analytics reporting system. We currently use a patchwork of free and low-cost services, but for the number of clients we’re managing and the level of sophistication we need to reach to take accounts to the next level of outreach and engagement, as well as to increase our internal efficiency and reporting abilities, we did some investigating of some more well-developed social analytics tools.

There are dozens (if not hundreds) of these tool sets available — we investigated five of the highest ranked, most used, and more feature-rich options.

Below is a matrix of the tools we investigated, cost estimates for implementing them, and an overview of the range of services they offer.

1. Sprout

A reasonably priced, fairly comprehensive option with clean graphics and polished interface.

2. Quintly

Tons of data, lots of options. Moderate price point, excellent customer service.

3. Simply Measured

A great service for those with a higher budget. Well rounded, great graphics, and tons of options.

4. Hootsuite

A great tool for managing multiple social media accounts; not as good at reporting, and getting anything but basic data becomes expensive quickly.

5. Cyfe

Designed for large organizations to track across a huge array of customer service tools, Cyfe nonetheless does a great job at social media analytics, especially for the price. The graphics are a little clunky, but this is a superb budget option.

We also investigated several tools designed for more broad media tracking, like Vocus and Meltwater Buzz, which had social media tracking components. While the tracking and analytics for these services was very sophisticated, the pricing (starting at about $1k per month) put them out of reach for anyone who doesn’t have extensive media and social tracking needs.