Batman has his Batarangs, Wonder Woman has her lasso of truth, and Thor has his hammer. Each of these famed superheroes, although thunderously powerful on their own, also have the tools they need to take on the world. Social media isn’t any different. If you have your own business in 2020, not only do you need to utilize social media, you need to have the right tools to elevate your social media strategy. Today, we’re breaking down the 10 must-have social media tools you need for your business to thrive and jive.
Content Scheduler: Buffer
Posting on the fly always takes longer than you think it will. One of your must-have social media tools should be a content scheduler, especially if you want to maintain a social media content calendar that keeps you organized and ahead of your posts. Content schedulers allow you to pre-plan your social media calendar. Create drafts of posts, rearrange them, and schedule when you’d like them to publish to your social media accounts. Buffer, a popular content scheduling, and social media management tool, allows you to do everything listed above and then some.
Instagram Link Organizer: Link in Profile
Instagram only allows you to have one link in your bio, which can be frustrating when you constantly need to swap out the link for each post you make. With Link in Profile, you can attach links to individual Instagram images. In a matter of minutes, you can create a look-a-like of your Instagram feed that will allow users to click on the image with the link they want to learn more about.
Photo Editor: Snapseed
A picture may be worth more than a thousand words if you edit it right. Edit your photos right at your fingertips with the Snapseed app. This social media tool lets you edit basic features like brightness and contrast to more advanced editing features like healing, double exposure, and pre-edited templates.
Content Creation: Canva
Not the best in the graphic design department? Not to fear, Canva has got your back. Whether you want to create your own designs or if you want to edit premade design templates for Instagram Stories, posters, business cards, flyers, or something in between, Canva makes it super easy to create eye-catching content.
Video Splicer: CutStory
Ever have a video you want to upload to Instagram Stories, only to get super annoyed because you need to splice everything into 15-second clips? Us too. But with the help of CutStory, you can click on the video you want to trim and depending on which social media use you’re needing (Instagram Stories, Instagram posts, Snapchat, TikTok, etc.), CutStory will cut your video into the appropriate time lengths. In other words, if you want to upload your 1 minute and 30 second video onto Instagram Stories, CutStory will split the full video into 15-second intervals so you can easily upload them to your Instagram.
Scheduling Tool – Planly
Planly is an innovative social media scheduling tool that simplifies the process of planning and publishing content across various social media platforms. Designed for businesses of all sizes, Planly allows you to manage and schedule your social media posts from a single dashboard. Key features include a content calendar, insightful social media analytics, and seamless team collaboration capabilities. Additionally, Planly offers a 14-day free trial, with individual plans starting at $15 per month, making it accessible and cost-effective for any business.
Trend Finder: BuzzSumo
Instead of you scouring the internet to see what the latest and greatest craze is on the internet, let BuzzSumo do it for you. BuzzSumo will show you the top trending topics and searches on the internet. Look at trending articles, topics, or browse through influencers that relate to your area of interest!
Link Shortener: Bitly
Say goodbye to horrendously long links with a million and one dashes in the URL. A social media tool must-have is Bitly, a link shortener. Paste the full link and in the blink of an eye, you’ll have a shortened link you can easily copy and paste anywhere you like. The cherry on top? You can also customize the link should you need it.
Analytics: Google Analytics
What is social media without analytics? To see if you’re growing in the right direction and to get a sense of what type of content your audience gobbles up, you’ll need an analytics system. Programs like Google Analytics help keep track of how people are finding you and what areas on your website are the most (and least) appealing to them.
While it may seem easy, the planning and effort that goes into having a killer social media strategy doesn’t come without some sweat equity. With the help of these 10 must-have social media tools, you’ll be on your way to a streamlined process.
