Later Review: Helping Brands With Visual Breakthroughs

Later Review: In-Depth

Later is all about helping clients express themselves more vividly and visually online. The platform assists with online scheduling, organization, and marketing. Their goal is to bring customers a fresh approach to managing their online accounts so they can make more sales and interact with more people.

Key Features

This software is all about organization and making online marketing and branding as seamless as possible. Clients can see everything clearly, thanks to neat visuals and an intuitive design.

Later Review: Background Information

The company was founded in 2014 by Matt Smith, Cindy Chen, Ian MacKinnon, and Roger Patterson as Latergramme. It was initially meant to be an Instagram post scheduler. Now, it’s a visual marketing platform for not only Instagram, but Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, too. Every year, over two million people use Later, including brands like Mashable, Patagonia, and Swell. The program is an Instagram Partner and Pinterest Marketing Partner. They’re headquartered in Vancouver, Canada and run by a core group of 50 employees who are located around the globe.

Interesting Stats & Facts

This company offers much more than meets the eye. Check out some of their highlights here.

• Content ads on the platform are user-generated
• Includes streamlined content organization for photos, videos, and posts
• The innovative system allows customers to see their Instagram schedules visually
• Labels make for convenient content categorization
• The platform can sync across multiple devices
• Users can monetize their Instagram posts

Service Features & Technical Details

The primary functions of this platform are data analytics and scheduling. They also have a unique Linkin.bio capability that is meant to drive sales and gain more traffic. By adding links and tags to their posts, clients can snag more clicks and page views than ever before.

Social Media Marketing Features

Promoting brands online is what Later does! They can start by helping companies grow their vision and engage with their target audience. With their professional analytics, customers can see their results as soon as they happen, and work on perfecting their schedule.

1. Auto Publisher

Later helps individuals find the best times to share content on their channels, so they get the most engagement out of their audience. The platform will keep everything queued up and ready to post whenever the client decides.

2. Content Manager

Whether it’s a photo, video, or even a carousel post, Later will organize everything neatly and with great visibility. Now clients never have to worry about missing a post or mixing up their content.

3. Insights

Expert analytics means that customers can get a better reading on what their audience likes and doesn’t like. Insights save time and energy but allowing users to respond to comments and messages on Later.

4. Social Media Scheduler

Perhaps the crown jewel of Later is their schedule manager. It will keep everything organized and ready in the queue to go online when clients give the go-ahead.

5. Team Accounts

With professional plans, teams can work together and collaborate from different accounts. This is perfect for collaboration and effortless communication.

Key Features in Detail

Online marketing is where Later shines. Their analytics are in-depth so customers can see what’s getting the most engagement and what’s lacking. This will help them drive sales and boost website traffic. In addition, the scheduler and calendar make life simple and keep everyone on the same page.

1. Visual Calendar & Scheduling

One of the great parts of this software is that it makes it so easy to track schedules and calendars. This keeps everyone on the team on the same page and lets them know what’s coming up next.

Having a content calendar set up is actually a big deal because, without it, brands can lose their voice and consistency. Consumers want to be able to resonate with a company, and if they keep their messaging the same across all channels, it helps a lot. Content schedules assist with making brand voice match on all platforms so that clients feel that they can trust the company.

This schedule also makes it simple to plan future posts because the team can see everything that is going online in the next few days. When they can see it all laid out visually, they can make sure that everything they post has a nice flow to it. It’s similar to when a brand’s Instagram feed looks put together and part of a larger vision, rather than a mish-mash of photos. This company probably has a content calendar or scheduler helping them out.

With this feature, clients can see their week or month in advance. It also works with videos and written posts, as well as pictures. Whether someone is working alone or as part of a group, all users can have the same accessibility. This makes collaboration a breeze. In addition, the drag-and-drop tool is user-friendly and allows for more efficient use of time. The intuitive design really does make a difference compared to like-minded competitors.

• Weekly or monthly calendar view
• Drag-and-drop capability
• See scheduled posts, pictures, and videos at a glance
• Manage groups and multiple accounts

Analytics & Engagement

It’s amazing what great difference analytics can make. This platform is committed to finding out what’s resonating with viewers and what’s not working as well. It serves as a market analyst or researcher so that brands can get to the root of the issue and eradicate it. That kind of attention to detail is invaluable, especially when trying to compete against all of the companies out there.

The analytics portion of this software includes a Media Library that is packed with community content that users can search through. They might find things like Instagram hashtags or high-quality images that will attract a larger following. Moreover, it’s easy to manage all of these elements, thanks to the streamlined interface.

Besides that, there is a messaging aspect to the Media Library that allows clients to ask questions about the content, bounce ideas off of each other, and reply to comments. It’s convenient for when some team members are out of the office, too. The software will also supply recommendations based on the content that the company is already putting out. This also helps with maintaining a consistent brand voice and performing well for the audience.

It all comes together in a way that lets clients track their data and analyze which posts are getting the most engagement. Pro statistics provide a summary of posts and followers, and users can adjust this to see their performance for that day, week, or month. It is a must-have tool for ensuring brand and profile growth.

• Manage everything in the Media Library
• Deep insights and performance tracking
• Conversations feature allows for in-program replies to messages and comments
• Hashtag suggestions and optimization

Landing Page Optimization

These days, when someone logs onto Instagram, they first want to check out a brand or influencer’s story. This specific video recording or photo post is only online for 24 hours, and then it vanishes, so it needs to make an impact. Later helps with visually planning and timing these stories so that the right content goes out at the perfect time.

This optimizes the posts and saves loads of time in the long run. The platform will even send reminders and updates so that teams don’t lose track of their IG stories. The drag-and-drop function is here, too, as well as the ability to resize photos. This not only brings added peace of mind, but it can boost overall online growth and audience engagement.

Besides stories, this feature also assists with adding interactive links in the profile’s bio. This is great for generating sales and more traffic to a company website. Again, the analytics makes it super simple to see ROI and how the business is doing on their goals. The Linkin.bio tool is perfect for posting links or product tags that will get viewers excited and interested in learning more. There is even the capability to add multiple links to a bio page. Furthermore, Later is compatible with Shopify, so users can expertly link their products to their profile bio.

This all adds up to bring more traffic to the company’s landing page. Clients can see how consumers got to their homepage and which IG post led them there. This is perfect for tracking ROI and leads, which can bring on even more success and profits.

• Linkin.bio for greater traffic and sales
• Share multiple links to websites, pages, and posts
• Shopify compatibility so clients can sell right on their feed
• ROI and business goal tracking

Later Plans & Pricing

Whether it’s an individual or an entire team, Later has a plan to suit any budget and size. There’s even a trial plan for those who want to try it out or work solo. Business-ready packages are already put together to meet the needs of small businesses and larger enterprises.

Free Plan

The trial plan is meant for people who want to try out Later, or who are looking to get their feet wet with the program. It lacks features, but it gives individuals a good feel for how the platform works. Plus, it works on all of the channels.

Features: Photo schedules, 50 Twitter posts per month, 30 Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest posts per month, search and re-post

Number of Users: 1

Number of Accounts: 4 (1 per platform)

Scheduling: Photos only

Price: Free

Plus Plan

This package is meant for those who are working solo and need something to help them manage their online marketing. They can schedule all of their content ahead of time and get access to Pro Instagram analytics. There is also a 100-post limit each month for all the channels except Twitter, which is unlimited.

Features: Pro Instagram analytics, 100 Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest posts per month, unlimited Twitter posts, chat, and email support

Number of Users: 1

Number of Accounts: 4 (1 per platform)

Scheduling: Photos, multi-photo, stories, tags, videos

Price: $9/month

Premium Plan

The premium package is the smallest business-sized plan. It’s great for small businesses and start-ups as it allows for two users. There is also more capability with posting, and users can dive deeper into the analytics.

Features: Unlimited groups, Linkin.bio capability, Pro analytics, hashtag suggestions, unlimited media library, 250 Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest posts per month

Number of Users: 2

Number of Accounts: 8 (2 per platform)

Scheduling: Photos, multi-photo, stories, tags, videos

Price: $19/month

Starter Plan

The starter package will appeal to small to medium-sized businesses. Up to three users can work on this plan, and they will have access to a limitless Media Library and scheduler. They also get access to all of the Pro analytics.

Features: Unlimited posts and schedule, Pro analytics, unlimited groups, chat, and email support

Number of Users: 3

Number of Accounts: 12 (3 per platform)

Scheduling: Photos, hashtags, multi-photo, stories, tags, videos

Price: $29/month

Brand Plan

Here is the big one for companies that want to pull out all the stops. They can have up to five profiles on each of their channels, and up to five team members can work on the account. They will also get priority support from the Later crew.

Features: Unlimited posts&schedules, unlimited Media Library, priority support, Pro analytics, unlimited groups

Number of Users: 5

Number of Accounts: 20 (5 per platform)

Scheduling: Photos, hashtags, multi-photo, stories, tags, videos

Price: $49/month

Price & Key Features Comparisons Table

Individuals should definitely look into the $9 plan, especially if they’re working alone. The price is right, and they won’t have to worry about keeping up with their social engagement and scheduling. Teams can choose from any of the business packages since they all allow for unlimited features.

Terms & Conditions

Of course, when someone signs up for Later, they agree to their Terms of Use. This includes understanding the terms and conditions of the subscription plans. Paid packages are billed on either a monthly or yearly basis. At the end of each billing cycle, Later will automatically renew the plan unless they are notified by the customer. Payments are made via credit card. The service reserves the right to change the subscription fees at their own discretion. When creating an account, clients must provide true and accurate information. Otherwise, they are violating the terms. Later may use links to third parties, which they are not responsible for, nor do they own. They recommend that customers read the terms and conditions of the third parties prior to signing up for the service.

Privacy Policy

The privacy policy was last updated during May 2018. Later collects various types of personal data, including the first and last name, email address, usage and posting data, and cookies. This personal information is used for sending out newsletters and marketing materials, but clients can always opt-out of receiving this content. Later uses session, security, and preference cookies to improve the overall user experience. Customers have the right to request a copy of any personal data that Later stores about them. They should be aware that third-party sites will also have access to this information, such as Google Analytics, Firebase, Mixpanel, Google AdWords, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Refund Policy

If an individual would like a refund, they may contact the service team at [email protected]. For monthly plans, customers have seven days to request a refund. For annual packages, they have up to 30 days. Clients may also upgrade or downgrade their plan. If this happens, they will be charged or credited depending on which package they choose.

Later Customer Support

Email

Customers can get a speedy reply from the company by emailing them at [email protected]. It’s important to provide enough details so that the team can address the question as quickly as possible. This is the email address for refund questions as well as platform support.

Online Chart

Besides email, clients can reach the Later team by going to their profiles. The later company is on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Besides that, the team members have their own individual accounts. These are listed on the About Us page.

Telephone

There doesn’t appear to be a telephone number on the Later website. However, on their Facebook page, they list their Vancouver address: 88 East Pender Street, #500, Vancouver, British Columbia. For clients who aren’t in Vancouver, they would be better off using email or Facebook to contact the company.

Support Center

Later has a robust support center on their website, which contains answers to frequently asked questions and more. The most popular queries are listed on the home page, including getting started, scheduling, using the Media Library, billing, and team accounts. This is also where individuals can learn how to use the mobile version of the platform. There are even video tutorials to make it easier to learn how to make the most of the program. At the top of the page, there is a search bar where people can type in their questions and usually find quick responses. This is where individuals can find information about anything from auto-publishing to reactivating an account, to making a feature request.

Quality of Service

Later is a legitimate service that has a complete website and all of the functionality that consumers would expect from a social media marketing platform. This includes a thorough about page and press kit, contact information, a support center, as well as pricing plan details. There is even a blog where users can get further insights into how to best use Later. Video tutorials and crisp graphics line the pages of their website, showcasing their offerings. They’ve also got the backing of a reputable client base, including GQ and Yelp.

Customer Types

For those who are wondering if Later is right for them, here is some additional information about how different customers could use the software. The odds are that most companies, teams, and individuals could get something out of this program. Take a closer look to see which features best match small, medium, and large businesses, as well as individuals.

Small Businesses

Later is a shining light for smaller companies, since their packages are catered to a handful of team members. Brands that have a small social marketing team, or don’t have one at all, could definitely take advantage of the software. Plus, they can cover all these bases with one platform, since it covers the major social channels.

Medium Businesses

Even medium-sized business will have a blast with Later because it streamlines all of the tasks involved with social media marketing. It would be a great accompaniment to a social media manager, but it could also work well for a team, too. With a maximum amount of five users, it can keep things accurate and collaborative.

Large Enterprises

Where large companies are concerned, Later may or may not be a good fit. The capabilities of this service are superb, but there could be issues with the number of team members. If a business has a large social media team, then this software might not suffice since the maximum number of users is five.

Freelancers

This is a winning system for freelancers, especially since they are mostly working alone. Later can take on the form of a social media manager or assistant, saving loads of time and energy. It could even save money in the long run because freelancers can score more sales with Later’s help.

Top 5 Later Alternatives

IFTTT

This app lets users get started at no cost, and it helps with social media management and syncing employee calendars. It is meant to organize and manage a person or team’s applications and devices so that everything is more streamlined and functional.

CoSchedule

The organization is the name of the game for CoSchedule. It has a visual upload calendar that clients can use for their social media. The software also keeps employee messages and projects all in one place for easier communication. It’s a more expensive option, so it’s best for established enterprises.

Sprout Social

Sprout Social provides everything a team needs to engage with their audience online, analyze insights, and publishing the right content at the best times. It’s mostly used by the business crowd, so it’s best for those working as part of a collaboration.

Zoho Social

Zoho Social can work for both individuals and businesses. Some of their top features include automatic publishing and scheduling, uploading content in bulk, and team messaging. They also offer CRM results and other statistics for social media marketing.

TweetDeck

As the name suggests, this tool is for Twitter management. It is specifically a dashboard application that can make uploading content and organizing it for publication faster and easier. It can be used on mobile as well as desktop versions.

Later Alternatives Comparison Table

Check out how each program stacks up compared to their key features and capabilities.

FAQ Section

Is Later Free?

Yes, the software does come with a free version, so it is possible for people to use it for months without paying. That being said, the features are very limited with the no-cost plan. It is a great way to get a feel for the program, but individuals and teams would be much better off committing to a paid plan. Plus, the cheapest package is just nine dollars per month, which is super affordable. Clients can also try a plan for free for seven days.

How to Post Later on Instagram?

Customers can use their Media Library to store all kinds of content that they’ll use in the future. The Later platform can help them organize everything so that the right things are going out when they’re supposed to. All users need to do is tell Later when to publish to Instagram automatically, and that’s it The scheduling calendar allows them to drag and drop photos and videos so they can visually see when the content is going online.

Does Later Automatically Post to Instagram?

Definitely, and it’s one of their most convenient features. The content calendar is streamlined and very clean, so it’s easy to see what photo or video is going online next. This makes publishing fun and efficient. Another great capability that users can see a preview of their Instagram feed so that they are sure they love what’s going to be published. It gives them total control while also automating many of the tedious tasks.

How to Create A Hashtag on Later?

When a user is in the content calendar, they can go to the hashtag generator to get suggestions from Later. They just need to type in the hashtag they want to use, and they will receive up to 30 more recommendations that might better match their post. Clients can see the percentage of relevancy, too. There is also the option to save hashtags and organize them neatly so that scheduling and posting are even simpler.

Can You Manage One Later Account With Team Members?

Yes, and this is a feature that is available on the business plans. Clients can have anywhere from two to five team members on a single account, which helps a lot with collaboration and effective communication. Each team member will have access to the analytics, chat and email support, and all of the scheduling capabilities. This way, everyone in the group can see the calendar, the publishing schedule, and keep track of important insights.

Can Later Manage Multiple Instagram Accounts?

Yes, as long as the person is using a business account. Depending on which plan they choose, they can manage between two and five different profiles on each social channel. So, they might have a premium package, which allows them to have up to two users managing two unique Instagram accounts. They will be able to share up to 250 posts each month, too. The same process applies to Facebook and Pinterest. There are unlimited posts for Twitter.

The Final Word

Overall, Later is one of the leading social media management platforms out there, and it has a qualified team of experts behind it. This is a great program for getting clients from point A to point B, no matter if they’re working solo or as part of a company. The Media Library is awesome, and the drag and drop functionality saves loads of time. Pro analytics beat the competition, which the hashtag generator is a useful perk. For a more visually appealing and targeted feed, this one’s a winner.