Success in today’s world relies more and more each day on our ability to navigate and utilize social media. But as addicting as using social media can be, there are still only 24 hours in each day. Social media might help you generate leads and referrals, but it’s not the only thing that pays your bills.
To make sure you’re getting the most benefit possible from social media, without compromising your ability to get your other work done, check out the following time saving social media apps and tools:
1. Flipboard
You’ve probably heard of Flipboard and its content generation capabilities. But not only does this tool help you make magazine-style compilations of the content that’s most likely to interest your audience, it can also be used to view up to 12 social media accounts at once.
2. Twibble
If you find yourself struggling to keep your social profiles pre-loaded with interesting content, you need Twibble. This is one of the social media apps that allows you to automatically tweet new content from a specific RSS feed – including the photo and introduction text.
3. ScheduGram
While Instagram has yet to release the API capabilities other social media tools require to manage profiles from a central dashboard, ScheduGram allows you to schedule posts from within Instagram’s backend. It’s a must-have if this visual network represents a big part of your social media strategy.
4. IFTTT
IFTTT takes lifestyle and tech integration to a whole new level. From tweeting your favorite SoundCloud tracks to getting an email every time the White House photographer posts to Instagram, the possibilities are endless with this system of formulas based on the simple structure of “If that, then that.”
5. SpoutSocial
SproutSocial is one of the social media apps that allows you to tailor your social media experience towards interacting with and analyzing customers and clients. In particular, check out the tool’s recommended-to-follow list and social follower cleanup features.
6. Edgar
Though a little pricey by some standards, Edgar allows you to set routines for republishing your past content. It sorts your content into categories that can each be set on a different schedule, making it a great way to ensure you get the maximum possible value out of all your past content.
7. Hootsuite
One of the more well known social media management options, Hootsuite has earned a spot on this list. This is one of the popular social media apps that allows you to connect with over 35 popular social networks and publish content from over 80 apps straight from the app’s central dashboard.
8. BuzzSumo
A new leader in web-based analytics, this app saves users hours of time identifying the hot new stories in their industries in order to inform their content creation efforts. Essentially, BuzzSumo offers a quantitative answer to the question of which content pieces are most popular on a particular topic at any given time.
9. Social Count
As simple as its name, Social Count enables you to find the most shared content on the Internet. Once you enter the URL, the tool will rank content shared for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. Use this tool to curate content for your own social profiles or to decide what content pieces to create next for your brand.
10. Narrow.io
The Narrow.io app helps you build a targeted community of engaged users on Twitter. To do so, it identifies users who are talking about the topics that are most relevant to your brand, making sure that you only follow those users that are likely to be interested in you and your business.
11. Buffer
Another one of the popular social media apps, Buffer lets you schedule your social media posts with ease. Of particular interest is its pre-loading feature, which lets you set a posting schedule and then load posts that’ll be automatically sent out to your profiles.
12. Social Oomph
An app that allows you to schedule posts and follow those who follow you, the brilliance of Social Oomphcomes from its ability to help you manage your messages and avoid wasting time sorting through the crushing amount of spam you’ll find on many social networks.
13. Dlvr.it
Similar to Buffer, this tool allows you to schedule and pre-load your social media messages. However, while Buffer requires some hands-on time up front, Dlvr.it works well for those that want a “set it and forget it” tool.
14. Zapier
For those interested in app integration and automation to the extreme, this is your answer. Zapierfunctions the same way IFTTT does, but allows integration between apps many people haven’t even heard of yet.
15. PostPlanner
In addition to its clean RSS feed automation and custom audience targeting, PostPlanner offers many features that set it apart, including its “post link as image” feature or its status idea engine.
16. SumAll
As the name states, SumAll is one of your best bets when it comes to seeing everything social on one dashboard. SumAll allows you to take a CEO-type look at all your social accounts, with space for everything from Facebook and Twitter to FitBit and Shopify.
17. SocialRank
One of the best social media apps for analyzing Twitter and Instagram followers, SocialRank has started getting some attention from some pretty big names. Recently, the Red Cross announced that it has used the software to drive followers to nearby blood drives.
18. PicMonkey
This simple image editing program easily transforms pictures for use on your favorite social sites. Going beyond the ability to simply edit photos, one of my favorite features of PicMonkey is the option to use your images to make a collage. After creation, one click posts it to your feeds.
19. PageModo
If you’re interested in building a brand on Facebook, give PageModo a try. This app gives your Facebook page an extreme makeover, paying special attention to the cover photo space and the overall functionality of the page.
20. Flare
Don’t make your website readers do extra work to share your content. A good social sharing toolbar makes disseminating your content easy, and Flare by Filament.io is the best of the bunch.
Managing all of your different social media accounts can take a lot of time, but these 20 apps take some of the sting out of the process. Give them a try and start saving time that’s better spent on your higher priority tasks.
What social media apps do you use?
Image: Flipboard