It’s been a long time (in social media years) since I posted about cool social media tools and I thought it was about time to update since new social media tools emerge all the time. This list of my favorite social media tools contains a few from last time, along with some new ones. Most are FREE or offer a low-cost option.
Enjoy and feel free to comment with your own favorite social media tools.
Social Media Tool #1: Google Trends
Are you ever stuck looking for something to blog about? Want to drive more traffic with your content? Google Trends is the answer. All you do is enter a topic area and Google will give you the hottest keyword phrases for that topic. While it doesn’t write the post for you, Google Trends certainly helps narrow the topic down to the most productive subtopics. That’s why it’s my #1 social media tool.
Social Media Tool #2: Analytics
OK, so this isn’t a single social media tool, but analytics are your best friend. Analytics gives you the tools you need to understand your target audience, gauge what they like (and don’t like), estimate how much Google love you have, know where to post and share content …. Got the idea? My dad used to say “measure twice, cut once” when he was doing projects around the house and it stuck. Measure, measure, measure. Don’t waste your effort doing things that don’t work. And, how do you know what’s working? You got it — measure.
Social media analytics tools include Google Analytics for your website, Facebook Insights for Business, Pinterest Analytics, Webmaster Tools, and loads more.
Social Media Tool #3: RSS
Again, not a single social media tool, but a group. So, sue me!
Social media should balance content creation (webinars, slides, podcasts, infographics, posts, etc) with content curation. Become the go-to source for information about your chosen topic. Grab the RSS (really simple syndication) feed on your favorite blogs and share great posts with your fans and followers. Pin great stuff, too.
Social Media Tool #4: Tweriod
The free version of Tweriod works for me, although they have a premium version if you want more information.
I use Tweriod periodically to see when my Twitter followers are online. This allows me to optimize when I Tweet — you wanna be there when your followers are listening.
Social Media Tool #5: Hootsuite
I love Hootsuite because it’s easy and powerful. I use the little Hootlet in my navigation bar to grab bits of the internet and share them with my fans and followers. It has powerful analytics if you pay a little for the upgrade, and you can add a stream for all your RSS feeds to do content curation. I even have 50% off discounts for the Pro version of Hootsuite University, if you’re interested.
Social Media Tool #6: Quora
Quora is a great site for building your reputation and I wish I had more time to spend answering questions on the site.
Social Media Tool #7: AWeber
Email marketing is an important link between your social media efforts and results. You’ve worked hard to attract users to your sites, don’t let them slip between your fingers. Keep them up-to-date with what’s going on and be there as their solutions when they have a problem. Just remember, provide value or you’ll lose subscribers and waste your efforts.
I happen to like AWeber because it’s easy to create professional emails and it’s relatively inexpensive. I use MailChimp and it’s OK, but harder to create attractive newsletters, but it’s FREE. Lots of other vendors sell email marketing. Just be careful because new FCC regulations make it difficult to move your list to a new email vendor. So, choose wisely.
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Angela, Thanks for your update on cool social marketing tools. Having spent most of my career using traditional advertising methods it hasn't always been easy to step out of my comfort zone! It is absolutely necessary now and I am really enjoying the challenge as I put together media plans for clients.
Thanks. Glad you’re finding value. If you need more help, feel free to include us in your proposals.