Social media apps have become a mainstay in marketing, but with 300 apps created every day, it’s not easy to know which ones are worth your time. To help you weed through the “App Amazon” we compiled a list of social media apps that small brands prefer to use in their marketing efforts.
BuzzSumo
Do you ever wonder what content is performing best in your industry? That kind of information could guide and inspire the content you create. Well, now you can find that answer with BuzzSumo.
BuzzSumo is a social tool that gives you insight into the content world. You can search for high-performing content by keyword, brand name or URL. You can also see who shares your content and identify your biggest influencers.
Brandon Seymour, owner of online marketing firm Beymour Consulting, uses the tool to help his clients.
“Sometimes you take on a client that works in an industry that you know absolutely nothing about. This is where BuzzSumo can help,” he explains.
“We had a client that was trying to rank for queries like ‘How to unlock your iPhone or Galaxy.’ After running some of their target keywords and search queries through BuzzSumo, we were able to see the top content for their niche.”
Here’s a snapshot of the information that Seymour got when he used BuzzSumo to help his tech client:
The results helped Seymour brainstorm content ideas that fit his client’s needs.
BuzzSumo has both free and paid plans available.
Viraltag
Are you Pinterest pro? If part of your brand’s social media strategy includes Pinterest, you may want to check out a Pinterest management tool, Viraltag.
Viraltag is a Pinterest scheduling tool that functions like the “Pin It” bookmark. With this tool, you can select a picture that you want to pin, assign it to a certain board, add a description and schedule it to appear when you want.
Rachael Nichol, the social media manager at National Builder Supply, says she uses this tool to keep pins popping up at strategic times.
“We can have pins publishing on nights and weekends when our followers are most likely logged in without having to pin in real time,” she says.
“As the sole member of the social media team, this tool allows me the time to concentrate on our other social accounts.”
Viraltag runs about $30 a month, which Nichol says is one of the more affordable Pinterest schedulers on the market.
SnapChat
SnapChat isn’t just a tween phenomenon; brands have found a way to use it as a marketing tool as well. It’s a social media app that allows you to send photos and videos that disappear after they have been viewed. The app also allows for live video chats, similar to FaceTime.
Kintner Homes, a modular home builder in the Pennsylvania area, uses SnapChat to communicate with a younger audience. Mike Wintermute, head of public relations for the company, says the company’s SnapChat usage is evolving.
“We started out by sending videos and photos of houses being built, with timestamps to show how quickly our structures go up,” he says. “Then, as we became more comfortable using the app as a way to communicate with a younger audience, we decided to take photos of quirky things that happen at work or in the field.”
While Wintermute says while it takes time to build an audience on SnapChat, it’s a worthwhile effort for the brand, and it’s free.
“The smallest reaches of interpersonal communication can be the most important steps to building a relationship with the consumer,” he says. “The way we see it, we’re building a memorable and interactive relationship with the next generation of homebuyers.”
Other social tools brands are buzzing about:
Buffer. A social media management tool that allows you to schedule and post to your social sites.
Pheed. A social networking app where you can share voice notes, video, text and photos.
Flipboard. An app that curates news and updates based on your interests.
Are you using a new social media app or tool that you can’t live without? Share it in the comment section below.
