Social media offers extraordinary opportunities to entrepreneurs in the digital age. Whether you operate a small Etsy store or are trying to launch the next big thing, social media can help you spread the word about your product and convert online interest into real-life customers.
However, according to social media influencer Jonathan Foley, although it has many advantages, social media can be tricky to handle because of its ever-evolving nature. Here are 10 tools that will boost your social media game and make marketing your product easier.
1. Percolate
Percolate allows the versatile marketer to manage all projects on any imaginable platform. One of the best things about Percolate is its comprehensive, clean-cut, customizable, color-coded planner, which is both aesthetically pleasing and user friendly. If you have a myriad of projects in the air, this planner can be a lifesaver. Percolate also offers a live chat with an assistant at all times, so you can instantly get the help you need.
2. Hootsuite
Like Social Nitro, Hootsuite allows you to manage all your accounts on a single platform. However, while Social Nitro focuses more on understanding your performance, Hootsuite aims to increase connections and boost your online presence in general. It offers state-of-the-art analytics, and its apps function on all operating systems, so you can manage your profiles on the go.
3. Buffer
Buffer’s main mission is to help you schedule content so you can be more efficient with your time. For example, if you know you have a particularly hectic week coming up, you can schedule posts ahead of time and let Buffer handle the rest. There are other tools that do this, but Buffer is special because it lets you create content as well. Their content-creation software, Pablo, is compatible with Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and has beautiful typography and formatting options that allow you to make your vision a reality.
An account with Sprout Social means a myriad of special features at your fingertips. One particularly useful feature is the Smart Inbox, which gathers the messages from all your social media accounts in one place. This means you never have to miss an opportunity for engagement again! Sprout also offers real-time monitoring, customer relationship management tools and bonus features that make collaboration easier. Current users include Stanford University, Hyatt, Ticketmaster and UPS.
5. SocialOomph
What is so special about SocialOomph is that it is 100% geared toward increasing your productivity. It is all about getting more with each post. It works with Tumblr and Plurk, two increasingly popular social media platforms that many other management sites ignore, in addition to the more traditional platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. You can also work with multiple accounts from the same platform, making SocialOomph ideal for the versatile and multitasking marketer.
6. Crowdbooster
While Buffer is built solely on the premise of scheduling and organizing posts, Crowdbooster’s mission is centered squarely on the importance of analytics. Its resources are completely focused on helping you understand your account and performance levels better so you can adjust your marketing strategies as needed. It provides sophisticated data, with an eye on convenience, as is evident in its exportable charts and graphics.
7. IFFTTT
IFFTTT connects your various social media accounts and uses algorithms to sync them. For instance, you can set it so that your Facebook posts will automatically go on Twitter and your Instagram uploads will be transferred to Tumblr. It allows you to move all your contacts to a Google Spreadsheet. IFFTTT is useful outside of your marketer life as well. Lost your phone? IFFTTT can text it to turn up the ringtone volume. Leaving home? It can turn off your phone’s wifi automatically so you can save battery life. The applications are endless.
8. Everypost
Let’s face it: no matter how adept we are at social media, posting is tricky. There are so many factors, such as time, keywords, hashtags and the platform on which you post. And then there’s the issue of content. What works best for you and your audience? Everypost hopes to simplify publishing. It understands the importance of visual content that arrives at the right time in the right place. With resources like content curation, post customization, collaboration tools and social analytics, Everypost works to increase the conversation around you and your product.
9. Oktopost
Another component of social media marketing is connecting with other businesses, also known as B2B. Oktopost focuses exclusively on B2B marketing. It includes features that others also provide, such as analytics and content curation, but it uniquely offers social listening tools that will plug you into conversations with other businesses on the platforms you use. In addition, it provides social advocacy, which empowers your business partners and even your employees so you can achieve your best. This works for companies of any size.
10. AgoraPulse
Deriving its name from the Greek for “market” or “gathering place,” AgoraPulse seeks to put you in the thick of social media engagement so more people can know who you are. Every notification from every platform is compiled in one place. Gone is the need to log out in order to switch between different accounts, as the AgoraPulse dashboard collects them all together. And you can now even be productive in your sleep with automated moderation. It also offers help with running contests or quizzes, which are great ways to increase online traffic and engagement.
