Hootsuite announced it’s Global Agency Partner Program yesterday, giving agencies the opportunity to access tools and social media advice from the company in a single, hands-on package.

Through the program, agencies will be given access to tools – such as more robust analytics, security and sales options – typically only available through the company’s Enterprise platform, with the addition of workshops covering how to use those tools and trends in social media. It also includes services, such as a designated resource manager from Hootsuite, who will work directly with agency account teams to understand what their clients’ needs are and how to address them. Hootsuite has more than 10 million users globally.

The first list of partners on the program include FleishmanHillard, M&C Saatchi, Ogilvy Digital Health and DigitasLBi’s Lost Boys. More will be announced as they come aboard.

Kevin O’Brien, VP of partners at Hootsuite, says that while some agencies are already working with Hootsuite, they are all expecting social media to play an ever-increasing role for both brands and agencies. The goal of the program is to provide the tools, combined with consultants and workshops, to help teams manage those strategies better.

“Most agencies are tech agnostic, and we respect that, but at the same time, if they can understand some of the advanced capabilities, that can help them help their clients,” O’Brien says.

Hootsuite isn’t the first social media platform or tool to try and build better relationships with agencies. Facebook, for example, recently brought in Helen Pak as creative strategist, with the goal of fostering better partnerships with creative shops. The social platform works directly with agencies and brands in a number of workshop capacities (such as Commerce or Publishing Garage, to help nail home better e-comm or content strategies), in a bid to increase paid advertising to the site.

While the agency partners will largely be on the receiving end of the partnership, they will also have the opportunity to be part of Hootsuite’s partner advisory council, which will advise the company on issues within the marketing industry and how the company can better address them.

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