The key to successful social media marketing is the consistent uploading of great content to your social media platforms. There’s a lot of tools out there available for you to use, but you may be wondering which ones are the best. In that case, read on, my friend, read on. These are our top 5 really useful social media tools.
5) Buffer
Scheduling content is the best way to get ahead with your social media marketing. Whilst you can schedule content directly to Instagram & Facebook using the Facebook site, we think the Buffer site and the Chrome extension are one of the best ways to share content to Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram in just one click from anywhere on the internet.
With the old free plan, you could access one account on each social media platform and schedule 10 posts in advance, as well as access guides and tips from Buffer. Now, you do have to pay for every plan, but It’s a great tool for people both new to the social media world and well-versed in marketing!
4) Pexels
Pexels is probably the best free-to-use stock image site. Featuring a host of high-quality user-submitted photographs. It’s useful for all sorts of things, from sprucing up your posts to mocking up a quick design for a client. The site is quick to use, quick to download, and only asks you to consider crediting the photographer.
Other great royalty-free sites are Pixabay and Unsplash. However, we think that Pexels has the edge!
3) LastPass
As a social media marketer, you’re going to have a lot of passwords to remember. LastPass stores encrypted passwords online. The free version of LastPass comes with a website, Chrome extension as well as plugins, apps and extensions for smartphones. The reason we recommend LastPass over perhaps DashLane or NordPass is the ability to store an unlimited amount of passwords with their free plan. LastPass will memorise passwords, help generate stronger passwords, encrypt your data, and keeps it secure under a master password. Top notch stuff.
2) Desktopify
Instagram. Great for showing off your brand aesthetics, your work, inspirational quotes, videos, stories and more. It’s the most unique social media platform out there, and not just because it’s photo-oriented. Instagram has an irritatingly restricted desktop site; you can’t upload any photos! Nightmare!
Hence why recommend Desktopify. It is a Chrome extension that acts as an emulator for Instagram. Essentially, it’s your phone on your computer. It’s incredibly useful for keeping all your work on one screen, as well as uploading things directly from your desktop. The User Interface can be slower than the normal Instagram app, but really, as a tool, it’s second-to-none.
1) Canva
Canva is a brilliant graphic design tool beefed up with a whole host of incredibly simple attributes and features that can assist anyone from any range of skill levels in their graphic design work. The process is simple and the outcome is brilliant.
Canva features free icons, free photos, a range of export formats, and the ability to share your work with anyone, allowing them to edit your project in real-time. Great for team projects, or people working from home.
There are a few premium features. Specifically, a wider range of icons, photos and the ability to resize your project mid-edit. Which, while useful, doesn’t detract from the brilliant user experience of using free Canva!
So there you have it. Buffer, Pexels, Lastpass, Desktopify and Canva. The five horsemen of the social media world to help you at any stage of the marketing funnel. Whilst you can navigate your way through digital marketing without these tools, it is considerably easier to get to grips with them. In contrast, don’t expect them to be the be-all and end-all of social media marketing. For more useful social media tips, management, consultancy and more, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!