vs.

The #1 SOCi alternative that HQ and local operators actually use

PromoRepublic delivers the same brand control, but with 3x higher adoption rates, and a mobile app with trained AI that activates local teams.
Built for networks that need local marketing execution, not just dashboards.
Talk to us
PromoRepublic users say:
Good for centralized management
HQ and local teams actually use it
Simple for non-marketers
Gets results fast
No hidden add-ons, core features included
SOCi users say:
Good for centralized management
Too complex for local operators
Many features go unused
Steep learning curve
Core features sold as add-ons (boosting, review automation, etc.)
Both score 4.5/5 on G2.
But only one gets used daily
Jacqueline A.
Leasing Consultant, Real Estate. Used the software for: 1-2 years
Unnecessarily restrictive
“Disappointing. Restrictive. Not the best for marketing and building client relations.”
Dee M.
Garden Center Manager, Retail
Awkward at best
“SOCi is almost awesome. For some businesses, perhaps smaller ones, SOCi would make posting across apps simplified. For my multi-location purposes, however, SOCi doesn’t quite do all of anything, resulting often in frustration.”
Joe C.
Owner, Health, Wellness and Fitness. Used the software for: 1-2 years
Not easy to use
“Not great. Multiple times with support to say it’s set up correctly but notifications and response not working correctly.”
Verified Reviewer
Social Media Manager, Retail. Used the software for: 1-2 years
Not ready for prime time
“If you are competent with social media management it can be a useful tool, but as opposed to how they market the product this is not for beginners. It’s clear that Soci wasn’t initially designed for the retail industry and that it was absolutely not designed for companies that do not already employ trained marketers.”
Verified User
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
Not All Features Work
“The social calendar was the only feature that work.”
Verified User
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.), Marketing and Advertising
Not All Features Work
“Customer service is not there. This is not an industry-leading platform, so what they need to compete with other platforms is to lean into the service component of the offering and less on technology. If customer support is important to you, I would not recommend Soci.”
Why chains choose PromoRepublic as their SOCi alternative for growing same-store sales
Area
Adoption rate

75-80%

30-40%

Time to ROI

30-60 days

90+ days

Built for

Control + local execution

Control only

Multi-Brand Architecture

Built for multi-brand groups

Single-brand focus

Core Modules

Social, Listings, Reviews, Analytics

Social, Listings, Reviews, Ads, Chat, Local Pages

Social

Centralized campaigns, brand-safe templates, local execution

Centralized campaigns

Campaign orchestration

One campaign hub for all brands/regions, with a simple “join & localize” flow, bulk scheduling and boosting

Strong central push tools with Smart Groups, bulk publishing, and localized Boosting campaigns.

AI & Automation

AI Assistant (mobile-first coaching, insights, content creation), AI Composer, AI Agents

SOCi Genius (automation in dashboards, issues with recommendations for Service Area Businesses)

AI-Generated Content

Context-aware, brand-guided

Generic automation

Reviews, Monitoring & Response

AI tone matching, rule-based automation, saved replies

Automated templates

Governance

Multi-brand governance, brand-safe AI tools, approval workflows, roles & permissions

Enterprise permissions & roles, approval workflows

Data & Analytics
  • Advanced Analytics with Leaderboards, Scoring, and Benchmarks;
  • Reporting across social profiles includes posts made outside of platform;
  • Executive dashboards with adoption %
  • Data warehouse integrations (GA4, GSC, CRM, POS, BI)

Cross-module reporting, limited adoption tracking, and no visibility into social posts made outside of the platform

Support

Dedicated CSMs, activation programs, and onboarding, 24/5 tech support

Enterprise CSM, tiered support

Mobile Experience

Social posting, AI Assistant for on-the-go local marketing coaching and generating review replies

Partial

Centralized brand control
plus local freedom that works

Stop manually policing every post. PromoRepublic encodes brand rules directly into templates, workflows, and AI, so local operators execute confidently without breaking guidelines.

Pre-set brand kit (fonts, colors, logos)

AI that keeps content on-brand automatically

Multi-brand governance for franchise and buying groups

The AI assistant 80% of your local operators will use

SOCi Genius automates from dashboards. PromoRepublic AI Assistant lives on mobile: coaching local teams to take action daily, not just posting for HQ.

Available 24/7 in the mobile app—check it like Instagram

Knows your brand rules and performance data

Included free in every plan

From kickoff to ROI
in under a month

Most platforms take 90+ days to show value. PromoRepublic activates 75-80% of your network in under 30 days through tiered rollout, brand-specific onboarding, and mobile-first tools operators actually want to use.

Week 1-2: Setup locations

Week 3-4: Full network activation with progress tracking

75-80% active immediately after rollout, not 6 months later

Adoption visibility
SOCi doesn’t give you

Track which locations are active, which need support, and where your marketing drives revenue—or talk to your on-brand AI Assistant 24/7 for insights. Trained on your data, connected to your systems, right in your pocket.

Adoption rates and performance tracking per brand/location/region

Content velocity, review response rates, and listing accuracy

Proof of ROI: calls, directions, engagement by location

Why City Wide Switched From SOCi
Kasey Skala
Director of Strategic Marketing, City Wide Facilities Solutions
“Franchisees can easily access information relevant to their specific location and, if desired, compare it to peers with similar tenure, size, or revenue.”
Read full story

FAQs

“I don’t want another tool my franchisees will ignore.”

Neither do we. That’s why we built the platform differently.

Here’s what’s different:

SOCi’s approach: Desktop dashboards, complex workflows, enterprise features local operators don’t need. Result: 30-40% adoption, frustration, tool avoidance

PromoRepublic’s approach: Mobile-first like Instagram, AI coaching in their pocket, simple enough to use daily. Result: 75-80% adoption  

The proof:
City Wide went from 35% SOCi adoption to 80%+ PromoRepublic adoption in 90 days. Same franchisees. Different tool design.

We don’t just promise adoption. We engineer it through:

  • Mobile-first experience (not desktop dashboards)
  • White-glove rollout with progress tracking
  • An AI Assistant that is available 24/7 in your pocket  
  • Week 1-2 onboarding that makes success easy

If your franchisees or local operators ignored SOCi, they won’t ignore this. It’s built for how they actually work.

Why switch from SOCi mid-contract?

Three reasons networks make the switch:

  1. Adoption gap drives real revenue differences
    75-80% executing vs. 30-40% means measurably better same-store growth. Every location not using the platform is revenue left on the table.
  2. Can’t prove marketing ROI without adoption data
    SOCi doesn’t track who’s actually using it. In PromoRepublic, you see exactly who logs in, who posts, and who responds to reviews—by location and region. You can’t fix what you can’t see.
  3. Local teams complaining drains HQ time
    Before the switch, you’re fielding complaints: “Too complex.” “Takes too long.” “I’ll just use my personal account.” After switching to PromoRepublic, Teams stop complaining and start executing. Mobile-first tools they actually want to use. Less friction = less support burden.

What about switching complexity? Won’t migration be a nightmare?

No. We handle it.

White-glove migration includes:

  • Asset transfer (brand templates, logos, content libraries)
  • Calendar migration (scheduled posts, campaigns)
  • Listings sync (all location data, hours, categories)
  • Review the history import
  • Brand guidelines set up
  • Training and onboarding for HQ and pilot locations

Timeline: Most networks are fully operational in 24 days, not 90+.

Our team walks you through every step. You’re not figuring this out alone, we’ve done this 110+ times.

How is your AI different from SOCi Genius?

SOCi Genius: Automates posting and replies from the dashboard

PromoRepublic AI Assistant: Automates HQ tasks AND coaches local teams to execute on mobile

The structural difference:

SOCi removes tasks from local teams (HQ posts for them).
PromoRepublic guides local teams to execute themselves (activation, not just automation).

Why this matters:

Local content gets 2.5× more engagement than HQ-automated content.
Activation beats automation for driving same-store growth.

The emotional shift:

Before: Franchisees avoid the tool, complain it’s too hard, and post from personal accounts anyway.
After: Franchisees open the app daily, ask the AI for help, and feel confident executing on-brand.

Can we pilot before switching our whole network?

Yes. Most networks start with:

  • One brand or region
  • 20-50 locations
  • 60-90 days

Prove higher adoption and better results before full rollout.

Which SOCi alternative actually drives same-store growth?

The one that gets 75-80% of locations executing daily, not just giving HQ control without local activation.

PromoRepublic solves both: enterprise control + local execution that actually happens.

Because dashboards don’t drive revenue. Activated locations do.

Switch from SOCi to the platform
local operators actually use

Get a free leaderboard and a tailored plan to grow your locations’ performance.
Talk to us
Choose what describes your business best:
What do I choose?

Enterprise: for multi-location and direct selling brands. Manage thousands of social media pages of your local distributors, partners, or franchisees.

Agency: for marketing agencies. Manage all your clients’ social media pages on one platform.

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