# How to Switch from Hootsuite to DunSocial with MCP

> Switch from Hootsuite to DunSocial without missing posts: dump your queue to Markdown with Perch MCP, recreate it with DunSocial MCP, then check the calendar.

- Published: 2026-09-14
- Last updated: 2026-09-14
- Author: Sanju (Founder & CEO @ DunSocial)
- Topics: mcp, migration

---

<script>
	import { CodeSnippet } from '$lib/components/content';
</script>

You already live in Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini, or Copilot. Hootsuite ships [Perch MCP](https://mcp.hootsuite.com/perch) for content planning and publishing. DunSocial ships a hosted MCP with **53 tools**. That means you can switch from Hootsuite to DunSocial by treating migration as an agent-to-agent handoff you can review: dump the planner queue to Markdown with Perch MCP, recreate drafts with DunSocial MCP, test one small prompt yourself, then check the calendar the next day.

This guide is for solo founders, indie makers, and small content teams on Hootsuite Standard (or similar) who primarily need writing and scheduling. The path is Hootsuite Perch MCP → Markdown → DunSocial MCP: reviewable drafts, human confirm before publish, then a next-day calendar check. Start a [14-day free trial](https://app.dunsocial.com/login) when you are ready to connect accounts and run the test.

For side-by-side context, skim [DunSocial vs Hootsuite](/compare/dunsocial-vs-hootsuite) or the [Hootsuite alternative page](/alternatives/hootsuite), then come back here for the move. The Buffer sibling follows the same pattern at [switch from Buffer to DunSocial](/blog/switch-from-buffer-to-dunsocial).

## The smart path: Hootsuite Perch MCP → Markdown → DunSocial MCP

There is no silent black-box import here, and that is the point. You get a reviewable Markdown dump, a test run, and human confirmation before anything goes live:

1. **Connect Hootsuite Perch MCP** at `https://mcp.hootsuite.com/perch` in Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Copilot, or Gemini. Hootsuite documents Perch (plus Nest, Lumen, and Parliament) on their [MCP integrations page](https://www.hootsuite.com/integrations/mcp).
2. **Ask the assistant to list profiles and dump the upcoming planner/queue** (and drafts you care about) into Markdown. One post per file works well: profile or network, scheduled time, body, media notes.
3. **Connect DunSocial MCP** at `https://api.dunsocial.com/api/mcp` in the same client. DunSocial’s hosted MCP ships **53 tools** and is included. See [DunSocial MCP](/mcp).
4. **Point the assistant at those Markdown files** and recreate drafts and schedules through DunSocial. Keep human confirm on before publish.
5. **Run a small test prompt** (one or two posts), open the app, then check the calendar the next day before you deepen the cutover.

MCP plus Markdown is the intentional path: the agent does the heavy lift, you keep the gates. You do not need a single-click Hootsuite CSV import. Nest MCP and Lumen MCP are separate Hootsuite products and are not required for a publish-queue dump. Use Perch for planner and publishing content.

## Fit check before you move (30 seconds)

This cutover is for founders and small teams whose live Hootsuite queue sits on networks DunSocial covers: **X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube Shorts, Discord, and Slack** (TikTok in limited beta). A human confirms before publish.

**Price while you overlap:** USD 20/mo or USD 192/yr, with a 14-day free trial, 1 seat in the base plan, and extra seats at $8/mo. See [pricing](/pricing).

**MCP:** 53 tools, included. Endpoint: `https://api.dunsocial.com/api/mcp`.

**Hootsuite pricing snapshot (14 September 2026):** Standard ~USD 99/user/mo annual, Professional ~USD 199, Advanced ~USD 399, per [Hootsuite pricing](https://www.hootsuite.com/pricing). Flat USD 20 for a DunSocial workspace is why many founders run a short overlap and then cut over.

**Stay on Hootsuite when inbox, listening, or suite routing is the primary job.** Nest (social inbox and customer care), Lumen (listening and insights), and Advanced approvals or auto-routing are genuine Hootsuite strengths. If that is your day job, keep Hootsuite for those workflows. This guide assumes you are moving the overlapping publish calendar into DunSocial.

Peers still comparing price can skim [best Hootsuite alternatives under $50](/blog/best-hootsuite-alternatives-under-50).

## Setup (once)

Do these four steps once. After that, the prompts below reuse the same connectors.

### Connect Perch MCP

Add a custom MCP connector pointed at `https://mcp.hootsuite.com/perch`. Complete Hootsuite OAuth. Confirm the assistant can list publishing profiles and see scheduled or planned content. Setup notes for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini are on the [Hootsuite MCP page](https://www.hootsuite.com/integrations/mcp). Nest and Lumen MCP are separate; you only need Perch for a planner/queue dump. Verify tool names in-client before a bulk dump.

### Start DunSocial and connect accounts

[Log in or start the trial](https://app.dunsocial.com/login), then connect the overlapping networks in the DunSocial app first. MCP needs those accounts in place before it can create drafts against the right channels.

### Connect DunSocial MCP

In DunSocial, open Settings → MCP and add `https://api.dunsocial.com/api/mcp`. Approve workspace scopes. Posts created through MCP are tagged with source “MCP,” which makes the migration trail easy to audit. Details and **53 tools** coverage are on the [MCP page](/mcp). Prefer the CLI? The same workspace works with the [DunSocial CLI](/cli).

### Save brand voice before bulk-recreate

Set AI Memory and a Voice Preset before you recreate the queue. The test prompt should prove voice and scheduling, not just that a draft appeared.

## Migration checklist

Work the list in order. The test step and the next-day check keep you from double-posts and gaps.

### 1. Dump Hootsuite/Perch queue to Markdown

With Perch MCP connected, paste **Prompt A**. Ask for the next 14 days (or your live window). Aim for `./hootsuite-export/` with one Markdown file per post: profile or network, ISO scheduled time, body text, media notes or “needs re-upload.” Do not delete or edit anything in Hootsuite during the dump. Verify Perch tool names in-client before the full export.

### 2. Review the Markdown (human gate)

Skim every file. Keep, drop, or rewrite. Prioritize posts on networks DunSocial covers. Note media that needs a fresh upload. Flag Nest inbox or Lumen listening items; those stay on Hootsuite if care or listening remains the job. The assistant exported the queue; you decide what is worth recreating.

### 3. Test the prompt (before the full queue)

Paste **Prompt B**. It should create drafts for the first two posts only, match network and time as closely as DunSocial supports, and tell you what to open in the app. Do not publish yet. Review those drafts and confirm the schedule. If the test fails, fix voice, media, or channel mapping before you scale.

### 4. Recreate the rest via DunSocial MCP

When the test looks good, paste **Prompt C**. Prefer draft plus schedule over publish-now. Attach media through DunSocial when URLs alone are not enough. Keep human confirmation on. Ask for a short summary of what it created and what it skipped.

### 5. Pick a handover date and avoid doubles

Choose a cutover day. New work lands in DunSocial from that point. Cancel matching Hootsuite items that should not fire. A short overlap is fine if you are deliberate about which calendar owns each post.

### 6. Check the next day

The morning after: open the DunSocial calendar (and Hootsuite if still live). Confirm yesterday’s test or early cutover posts went out once, previews matched, and nothing failed silently. Only then deepen the cutover.

### 7. Cancel Hootsuite last

After the next-day check passes, disconnect or cancel Hootsuite (or keep Nest/Lumen if those remain your strengths). Export any analytics you still want. Cancelling earlier is how people create gaps.

## Copy-paste prompts

Use these as written. Adjust the date window or folder name if needed, but keep “drafts first / no publish without confirmation.” Tune against live Perch and DunSocial tool names before a full cutover.

### Prompt A: Dump Perch queue to Markdown

<CodeSnippet
	label="prompt"
	highlight={false}
	code={`Using Hootsuite Perch MCP, list my publishing profiles and every scheduled/planned post for the next 14 days. For each post write a Markdown file in \`./hootsuite-export/\` with profile/network, scheduled time (ISO), body text, and media notes or “needs re-upload”. Do not delete or edit anything in Hootsuite.`}
/>

### Prompt B: Test migrate one or two posts

<CodeSnippet
	label="prompt"
	highlight={false}
	code={`Using DunSocial MCP and the files in \`./hootsuite-export/\`, take the first two posts only. Create drafts in my DunSocial workspace (do not publish now). Match network and time as closely as supported. Tag or note source as migrated-from-Hootsuite. Then tell me exactly what to open in the DunSocial app to review.`}
/>

### Prompt C: Migrate the rest after test passes

<CodeSnippet
	label="prompt"
	highlight={false}
	code={`Using DunSocial MCP and every file in \`./hootsuite-export/\`, create drafts (prefer draft + schedule over publish-now). Match network and time for platforms DunSocial covers (X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, Pinterest, YouTube Shorts, Discord, Slack, TikTok beta). Summarize what you created and what you skipped. Do not publish without my confirmation.`}
/>

## Common mistakes

- **Skipping the test prompt** and dumping the whole queue blind into DunSocial.
- **Publishing from MCP** without human confirm. Keep confirm on until you trust the mapping.
- **Leaving the same post scheduled in Hootsuite and DunSocial.** That is how you get doubles.
- **Cancelling Hootsuite before the next-day check.** Finish the proof, then cancel.
- **Trying to migrate Nest inbox or Lumen listening** as if they were a publish queue. Perch dumps the planner. Nest and Lumen stay relevant when inbox or listening is still the job.

## After the switch

Once the calendar is yours again, DunSocial is set up for how founders already work: Daily Ideas, Memory and Voice Presets so drafts stay on-brand, and MCP so you can ship from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini, or Copilot. The same **53 MCP tools** that helped you migrate stay available for everyday drafting and scheduling, and the [CLI](/cli) covers the same workspace from the terminal.

If you have not started yet, open the [trial](https://app.dunsocial.com/login), connect overlapping accounts, and run Prompt A through C in order. Pricing is on [pricing](/pricing). For comparison context: [DunSocial vs Hootsuite](/compare/dunsocial-vs-hootsuite), [Hootsuite alternatives](/alternatives/hootsuite), and [best Hootsuite alternatives under $50](/blog/best-hootsuite-alternatives-under-50).

## FAQ

### Can I import Hootsuite automatically?

Yes, in a reviewable way: Hootsuite Perch MCP → Markdown → DunSocial MCP. Agent-to-agent migration with human gates, not a silent CSV black box.

### Do I need Nest or Lumen MCP to leave?

No, not for a publish-queue move. Perch covers planner and publishing. Nest and Lumen stay relevant if inbox care or listening remains the job. Those are Hootsuite strengths; keep them when that work still matters.

### When do I cancel Hootsuite?

After the test prompt looks right and the next-day calendar check passes. Cancel matching Hootsuite planner items on the handover date so nothing double-posts, then cancel (or keep Nest/Lumen) last.

### Is DunSocial MCP included?

Yes. DunSocial MCP includes **53 tools** and is part of the plan. Endpoint: `https://api.dunsocial.com/api/mcp`. See [DunSocial MCP](/mcp).

### Can I review before go-live?

Yes. Human confirmation before publish is how DunSocial works. Prefer drafts (and scheduled drafts) during migration, then approve in the app.

## Sources

- Hootsuite MCP integrations (Perch, Nest, Lumen, Parliament): [hootsuite.com/integrations/mcp](https://www.hootsuite.com/integrations/mcp)
- Hootsuite Perch MCP endpoint: [mcp.hootsuite.com/perch](https://mcp.hootsuite.com/perch)
- Hootsuite pricing: [hootsuite.com/pricing](https://www.hootsuite.com/pricing) (Standard ~USD 99/user/mo annual; Professional ~USD 199; Advanced ~USD 399)

Retrieved 14 September 2026.

---

## About this document

This is the Markdown representation of https://www.dunsocial.com/blog/switch-from-hootsuite-to-dunsocial. The HTML version of the same page is at the same URL. You can also request Markdown from any page by sending `Accept: text/markdown`.

Machine-readable summary of the whole site: https://www.dunsocial.com/llms.txt

## Company

- Product: DunSocial, https://www.dunsocial.com
- Legal entity: THISUX PRIVATE LIMITED, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
- Support: support@dunsocial.com
- Open the app: https://app.dunsocial.com/login