There are plenty of articles out there that talk about what social media reports should look like or what you should include in your report. Most of that depends on your specific needs, your industry, or whether you are an in-house social media manager or working for an agency. 

Nearly everyone who needs to create social media reports, uses some sort of social media tool to compile and analyze data and to present it in various charts, graphs, and tables.  Finding the right tool can be challenging, since what many articles don’t tell you is what reporting functions a social media tool should offer you so that you have everything you need for effective reporting. In reality, reporting on your social media activities requires a flexible tool that allows you to present different data in different ways.

For this reason, this article will highlight 7 key functions and capabilities that social media tools should have when it comes to reporting. Whether you are an in-house social media manager or working for an agency, your reporting needs can be different, can change over time, and require constant adaptation. Therefore, you should look for a social media tool that offers a number of core reporting functions.

Functions of the Best Social Media Reporting Tools

There are, of course, several different theories out there about what social media tools need to do. Instead of talking about the best social media tools in general, we will focus on what these tools should offer in terms of social media reporting functionality. 

Here are 7 core areas that social media reporting tools should excel at:

1. Efficient Report Setup
2. Report Automation
3. Shareability Options
4. Allow for Different Reporting Formats for Export
5. Visual and Highlighting Options
6. Metrics: Reporting What You Need
7. Unlimited Data Sets: Dashboard and Profile Tracking
8. Integrated AI Analysis and Chart Descriptions

1. Efficient Report Setup

Social media marketing reports may be presented on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. However, different aims call for different types of reports. There may, in fact, be some weeks when you want to highlight follower growth in your reporting and other weeks when you want to focus on engagement and post interaction. This variety requires a number of changes to be made to the reporting output, and your social media reporting tool should allow you to quickly and efficiently update what metrics you want to highlight. 

For this reason, social media reporting software should enable the report to be able to be easily created, updated, and changed with just a few clicks. You should also have the option to quickly change the various graphs, tables, and charts you are using for reporting. Perhaps the key metrics you want to highlight are best presented in a table to provide a quick overview. Alternatively, you may think that line or bar graphs would show your progress most clearly. Whatever your focus, you should be able to adjust your reporting output quickly and efficiently.

2. Report Automation

Having the ability to produce automated social media reports is a must, especially in the fast paced world of social media management. Just the task of generating reports, exporting them, and sharing them can cost you time. For this reason, the ability to automate report creation, export, and delivery can be extremely beneficial.

Automation features should allow you to automatically generate and deliver reports at set intervals (e.g. weekly, monthly). Ideally, this automation feature should include the option to create automatic email delivery once the report is pulled. Of course, these reports should be able to be tailored for different reporting needs as described above. 

3. Shareability Options

Social media monitoring reports are often circulated not only within a social media team, but also across a larger marketing team and can even be seen by management. This can usually be done through a direct export and then emailing to those who need to see the report. But is this really that efficient to do every time? Probably not. 

In reality, it is helpful when the social media reporting software you are using has shareability features that enable sharing outside of those who are paying for a subscription to the social media tool. For example, being able to generate a link (with the option of password-protecting it) to share directly with others would be a helpful option to have.

4. Different Reporting Formats for Export

Social media marketing reports are diverse and, depending on who you are reporting for, many need to be presented in different formats. Some social media managers prefer to present their results in PowerPoint, others in PDF, and others perhaps even in Excel.

Social media report exports should have all these options so you can decide how to best present your results in the format you want.

5. Visual and Highlighting Options

When you are creating social media monitoring reports, there is almost always a story that you are trying to tell. Having visual and highlighting options for your data can help you get your point across.

Because of this, your social media monitoring reporting tool should provide you with editing features for the report. This includes the highlighting of rows, columns, charts, and other data points within the report itself, so you can illustrate the progress you need. This also includes the ability to adjust various backgrounds colors to suit your needs, as well as having the option to upload your company’s logo for a branded report. 

6. Metrics: Reporting What You Need

We are not going to tell you what metrics you should track, since that depends on what you need to look at. Social media analytics reports should, however, come with capability to let you track and report on dozens of metrics across social media channels.

This is also tied to having the option to share different social media metrics in different formats such as simple line or bar graphs, matrix graphs, tables, or other charts. In order to get insightful competitor analysis and benchmarking data, you need to be able to study different metrics, over various timeframes, to get the insights you need, and therefore, your social media tool must have strong analytic and benchmarking capabilities.  

7. Unlimited Data Sets: Dashboard and Profile Tracking

A social media reports tool should have the capability to track an unlimited number of profiles, preferably without paying more than your normal monthly rate. While the ability to track an unlimited number of profiles may not be typically discussed with social media reporting, meaningful tracking and reporting may often rely on having a large enough data set to make your benchmarking analysis helpful.

8. Integrated AI Analysis and Chart Descriptions

When it comes to reporting, AI features are becoming increasingly important. One of the most important integrated AI functions for a social media reporting tool that has to do with two main areas: analyzing the data and writing out your analysis of the charts, graphs, and tables.

Many social media managers create multiple tables, graphs, and charts to show their progress and developments in different ways. Sometimes, these can display a lot of data. Analyzing everything can take time, and you may miss some important details. Having an AI integration that helps you analyze all these charts, graphs, and tables can not only save time, but also help you spot interesting or important data points.  

We should also mention that social media managers often must provide explanations or comments on charts, graphs, and tables so clients or management can better understand them. This can mean that you need to create these explanations or comments for several different graphs, tables, and charts. Any social media manager will tell you that this can take a lot of time. Being able to use the analysis that AI provides and use it as descriptions for all your tables, charts, and graphs with just a click of the button can make the entire process much more efficient. This is especially true if you need to create new reports on a weekly basis. 

Finding the Best Social Media Reporting Tools

The quality of your social media performance reports depends on the tool you use to create them. You may already use a platform that helps you analyze performance and visualize data. However, it’s worth asking whether your current tool provides the flexibility, automation, and customization you need. As this article has shown, there are key features that define an effective social media reporting tool.

If you’re missing some of the above-covered functions, or simply want to explore new options, take a look at our list of the top 10 social media reporting tools:

1. Fanpage Karma
2. SocialHub
3. Sendible
4. AgoraPulse
5. Zoho Social
6. Hubspot
7. Hootsuite
8. Brandwatch
9. Buffer
10. Later

1. Fanpage Karma

Fanpage Karma is a professional social media reporting platform built to give teams a complete view of their performance across all major networks. It allows users to generate detailed reports that include engagement metrics, follower growth, reach, best times to post, and more. These reports can be fully customized with different chart types, highlight colors, different backgrounds—making them ideal for both internal reporting and client presentations.

Users can schedule automated reports, compare results over time, and even benchmark their own performance against unlimited profiles. Reports can be exported in multiple formats including PDF, Excel, CSV, and PowerPoint, depending on who the audience is. However, what makes Fanpage Karma really special is the ability to analyze and track unlimited profiles, which greatly enhances the type of analyses you can show in your reports. 

In addition to reporting, Fanpage Karma offers a full suite of social media management tools—including publishing, community management, and research—making it a complete solution for social media professionals. A free 14-day trial is available to explore all features without commitment. You can also join Fanpage Karma´s free weekly webinar to find more about how you can create professional social media reports. 

2. SocialHub

SocialHub includes a built-in reporting feature that helps social media teams evaluate performance across platforms in a clear and structured way. Users can generate reports on reach, engagement, and growth metrics for channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and YouTube—all from a single dashboard. The tool’s interface allows users to easily view trends over time and analyze which content formats or topics are driving the most interaction.

Reporting outputs can be customized to fit different needs, whether you’re reporting to a client, team lead, or marketing director. With options to export performance data and visualize results through charts and summaries, SocialHub supports regular performance reviews and content optimization. These reporting features work alongside its core engagement tools, giving teams both an overview of what’s happening and insights into what’s working.

3. Sendible

Sendible makes it easy for teams and agencies to generate detailed and professional social media reports. The platform includes a customizable report builder that allows users to track key metrics across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Google Analytics. With drag-and-drop functionality and over 250 report modules, it’s simple to tailor reports based on specific needs—whether you’re highlighting engagement, growth, or performance over time.

Reports can be scheduled for automatic delivery on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, saving valuable time for social media managers. You can also add your branding, including logos and custom notes, and export reports in formats such as PDF, CSV, or image files. These features make Sendible a strong solution for social media professionals who need flexible, presentable, and automated reporting capabilities. 

4. AgoraPulse

Agorapulse offers flexible reporting features that help social media teams monitor key performance indicators such as engagement, reach, and audience growth. Reports are presented in a clean, visual format and can be customized to fit different reporting periods or stakeholder needs. Whether you want to track campaign performance, content trends, or community activity, the reporting dashboard makes it easy to stay informed.

Reports can be exported as PDFs, CSV files, or PowerPoint presentations, and can be branded with your logo and preferred layout. You can also schedule reports to be sent automatically, streamlining the process of sharing updates with clients or team leads. Additional features like content labeling and team performance tracking provide extra insights to help you fine-tune your strategy over time.

5. Zoho Social

Zoho Social provides a well-rounded reporting suite that helps users understand how their social media strategy is performing over time. The reporting dashboard includes detailed views of audience growth, engagement trends, and content performance. Users can apply filters, adjust timeframes, and drill down into specific post-level metrics to get a clear picture of what’s working.

Reports can be exported and customized with visual elements such as graphs and charts to support both internal analysis and external presentations. For teams working with clients or cross-departmental stakeholders, Zoho Social also offers scheduled report delivery—making it easy to share results regularly without manual effort. These capabilities make it a practical option for those looking to combine simplicity with strategic insight.

6. Hubspot

HubSpot offers a comprehensive suite of social media reporting tools designed to help marketers analyze and optimize their social media strategies. Within the platform’s “Analyze” tab, users can access detailed reports on metrics such as engagement, reach, clicks, and audience growth. These reports can be customized by date range, social account, and associated campaigns, providing flexibility to assess performance over specific periods or initiatives. 

The reporting features also allow for the creation of custom dashboards, enabling users to save and organize reports for easy access and presentation. Reports can be exported in various formats, including PDF, facilitating sharing with stakeholders. Additionally, HubSpot’s integration with its CRM system provides insights into how social media efforts contribute to broader marketing goals, such as lead generation and customer engagement.

7. Hootsuite

Hootsuite offers a robust analytics and reporting suite to help social media teams track their performance goals. The platform provides a customizable reporting dashboard where users can track important metrics, such as engagement, follower growth, and content effectiveness. Whether monitoring daily trends or preparing a monthly overview, the layout makes selecting relevant data and adjusting timeframes easy.

Reports can be scheduled for automatic delivery and exported in multiple formats, making them easy to share with colleagues or clients. Visualizations can be customized with various chart types and layouts to showcase specific results. These features give teams the flexibility to create clear, actionable reports that support ongoing strategy and performance reviews.

8. Brandwatch

Brandwatch provides social media teams with the ability to create detailed, cross-platform reports with customizable dashboards. With the Measure feature, users can select from a variety of metrics to track performance trends, audience behavior, and campaign results. The dashboards are flexible and can be adapted to suit different reporting goals or timeframes.

Reports can be exported or scheduled for automatic email delivery, making it easy to regularly share insights with internal teams or clients. Additional tools, such as Benchmark for competitive analysis, help you evaluate your results in context and identify opportunities for growth across your digital presence.

9. Buffer

Buffer offers a clear, user-friendly reporting experience that helps you track your social media channel performance. The analytics dashboard provides an overview of important metrics, such as engagement, impressions, and audience growth. This allows users to monitor their progress over time. Data can be filtered by date range and sorted by platform or post to support more specific reporting needs.

You can build custom reports using tables and charts and save them for future use. Reports can also be scheduled for automatic delivery for recurring updates. These features provide social media managers with a straightforward yet effective method of presenting results and tracking what’s working without complicating the process.

10. Later

Later simplifies performance tracking with an analytics dashboard that clarifies your social media data. Rather than overwhelming users with excessive detail, it focuses on core metrics such as engagement, reach, and audience growth, which are presented in a clean, accessible format. Teams can easily filter by content type or timeframe, making the dashboard useful for both quick reviews and in-depth analysis.

Performance reports can be exported or scheduled for email delivery, providing a consistent reporting flow without extra manual steps. Whether you’re sharing updates internally or with clients, the platform provides enough customization to adapt to different needs. For teams that want straightforward insights paired with a user-friendly experience, Later is a practical and efficient solution.