Social media can be time consuming. When a new task consumes precious resources, you write it off as too much trouble.
Social media is an enormous marketing tool. It is essential you find a realistic solution to getting it done. Here are 3 social media automation tools I use to keep my profile streams flowing.
- BufferApp – A long time favorite of mine. BufferApp has a free and inexpensive paid version. It connects to Facebook profiles, pages and groups; Twitter profiles, LinkedIn profiles, pages and groups; Google Plus pages, and App. Buffer also does some work for you making suggestions of posts you can add to the queue based on the content you typically post.
- Hootsuite – Since 2008 Hootsuite has been helping businesses save time engaging in social media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Foursquare and WordPress.com can be connected to your account. They also have free and paid versions; prices vary based on quantity of profiles.
- Klout – This is a new service for Klout and I am finding it very useful. Currently both Facebook and Twitter are available profiles to automate. What I like about Klout, is they curate content from places I do not see anywhere else. That can be good for engagement. You simply tell Klout the topics you want to post on and they comb the Internet for interesting content for you to share.
Social media does not have to be time consuming to work. Put together a strategy and use the right tools to make the job move faster. Remember, a completely automated social media strategy will not build a thriving community. You have to be involved manually to have conversation. Conversation is communication and that is what social media is all about.