I can recall when I first heard about social media platforms. It was around 2005, and I was working in public relations. I was having coffee with a friend of mine who was also in the communication industry. He was telling me about something called Myspace that “all the kids are using” – he didn’t specify who he meant by “kids,” and I didn’t ask. He said it was all the rage because the “kids” wanted to see who could get the most “friends.”

“But… don’t they have friends?” I asked.

“Well, yeah, but they haven’t met some of these friends in real life. It’s all about getting friends to follow you.”

“Okay. I get it.” (Not really.)

Social Media Today

Little did I know that social media would become deeply intertwined with our modern lives, so much so that tools would be invented to help us manage them. More than 70 percent of marketers report that social media not only increases visibility, but also creates loyal fans. Customers also flock to social media to review services, and a poor recommendation on sites such as Yelp, Google+, Facebook and Trip Advisor can have a devastating effect on profitability. Fortunately, companies can use social media as a complement to marketing programs already in place. Keep in mind, however, that the key to being successful with social media is consistency. New material should be posted daily so that your pages are fresh and engaging.

Thankfully, there are plenty of social media tools out there to help you. Following are four tools we love to use:

The Social Tools We love

Sprout Social

This software allows you to schedule posts throughout the year for several different locations. As of now, Sprout Social integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. This tool also has a reporting feature which provides useful insights on follower demographics, popular posts and trends.

Canva

Remember that perfect inspirational quote someone shared on your Facebook page? The one with the beautiful mountain background? The one you couldn’t wait to forward to your friends? For social media to be effective, posts must be highly engaging and sharable. Canva is a perfect online graphic design tool for those who aren’t necessarily graphic designers. It allows you to easily create amazing graphics and images sized for sharing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and several other social media outlets.

Canva offers a lot of free features, but for one dollar each, you can purchase a greater variety of images. This tool also offers a subscription service that integrates your branding with these designs.

SlideShare

SlideShare is a great online service that allows you to easily share your presentations with clients, customers or followers. It’s a great tool for creating a slide show focusing on the most important points of your latest blog or creative strategy. It’s also search engine optimized, able to track views, and super easy to use. What’s not to love?

Facebook Blueprint

With more than 50 free online courses, Facebook Blueprint can help you get the most out of your ad campaigns, taking your clients—and your skill set—to the next level. The learning modules are available 24×7 through your desktop or mobile,

There’s a lot to love about social media. It’s an incredible benefit for your customers, patients and anyone whom you’re targeting for your services or products. But to be effective, social media sites need to be consistently updated with new and information that is relevant and highly shareable. These four tools will help you succeed in doing just that!

Established in 2000, Proclaim Interactive is a think-out-of-the-box digital marketing agency located in Wilmington, NC. Proclaim Interactive provides website design, social media management, SEO and general marketing services designed to amplify clients’ messages. For more information, visit www.proclaiminteractive.com or call 910.795.4143.