5 free tools for making the most of your social media

It’s an all too familiar story for many SMEs out there. You understand the importance of social media for representing your business and so, feeling all gung-ho about it, you get yourself set up. But then the pressures of running a business just get in the way. Now you’re struggling to keep the channels updated frequently, let alone think about your social media management.

Let’s be honest. Just the phrase ‘social media management’ can sound dull and daunting in equal measure. Thankfully, it’s none of these things as long as you have the right tools.

Top 5 Free Tools for Social Media - Lucy Lettersmith

Hootsuite

Allowing you to plug in and track activity across LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and more, this intuitive dashboard is pretty nifty – and it would seem over 6 million users agree. You can also share and schedule posts across multiple networks.

Buffer

If you want something simple – both in usage and design – this is your best bet. Used to preschedule posts to social platforms that you choose, there’s also a metrics dashboard to see what posts are getting the most interaction. It’s great for image posting on the fly too.

P.S. I’m a massive fan of Buffer. I’ve been using them for a while as a business user (an extended version of the free tool, crammed with analytics, which I pay for). It’s worth mentioning that their customer service is absolutely top-notch; the team are super nice and incredibly proactive about resolving any queries.

Twitter lists

There’s most definitely still a place for good old-fashioned Twitter lists. You can organise followers by industry, group or theme, meaning you can keep an eye on them more closely.

Feed.ly

It’s just as important to stay informed on the news and trends within your industry. That’s where Feed.ly comes in. It’s great for collecting rss (content) feeds from blogs or updated websites that are relevant to your industry, and organising them into your own digest website. I have a list on Feed.ly which is relevant to every client I represent. It’s my little bible of constantly updated, topical information for each of their industry sectors.

Rival IQ

Want to keep an eye on what your competitors are saying? Then Rival IQ is for you. Enter your company along with your competitors and they’ll do the rest for you. Expect to see vital info on their website, social media activity and search engine optimisation efforts.

Don’t be afraid to trial all these free tools and see what works for you. Oh, and when you’ve exhausted this starter list, head over to this article, which is a gold mine of free stuff (300 awesome links, in fact!) designed for entrepreneurs like you and me.

What are your favourite business-boosters online? Does your ‘can’t live without it’ resource appear on this list? Is it a free tool or do you pay for it? Let me know – we’ll get sharing!

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