Social media is great for personal use, but it’s also essential for businesses that hope to increase their exposure to potential clients.

However, many businesses still struggle to manage multiple social media accounts. When several team members are managing social media, it can get even more complicated. Each account needs to include frequent updates, interaction with fans and followers, and helpful or unique links. These 8 tools can help streamline social media management for both businesses and individuals.

Featured image by Daniel Iversen / Flickr (CC)

HootSuite

HootSuite allows you to manage numerous social networking accounts. It’s especially useful for businesses with more than one person managing social media accounts. The admin can create individual permission levels, and the whole team can track activity within those social networking sites. Monitoring brand mentions, engaging in conversations, and scheduling posts can be done across a variety of social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+), all from one dashboard. HootSuite also offers analytics reports for you to track your social activities. It has a free version and a professional version that comes with more features (such as access for multiple team members).

Buffer

The biggest plus of Buffer is the ability to schedule posts to be staggered throughout the day. Using the Chrome browser plugin, you can schedule content to be published on your social networks without opening up the app. Buffer also lets you track your success with analytics, create permissions for team members, and post to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The basic features are free, but paid options let you add more accounts.

SocialOomph

SocialOomph can be used for a variety of social networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even your blog. You’re able to schedule updates, publish photos, update groups, and more. You can also use it as an analytical tool to track keywords. There are free and paid professional plans available, depending on the features you need.

SpredFast

For business owners and managers who want to analyze everything, SpredFast is a great social networking app. Virtually every aspect of social media can be tracked with this tool. You can easily determine which posts are the most popular and which are getting the results you want. You can determine how many people are retweeting, clicking through to your content, etc. You can also compare the interaction between social networking accounts.

TweetDeck

TweetDeck can be installed onto your desktop as opposed to other apps that are browser-based. With TweetDeck, you can manage Twitter and Facebook from the same place. Similar to Hootsuite, you can schedule updates, see real-time updates, and use filters to get right to the valuable content. TweetDeck features app integration for most mobile devices as well, so if you want to be able to touch base while you’re on the road, this is a fantastic app for you.

eBuddy

The eBuddy app is a little different from the social network manager apps in that it allows you to log quickly into your instant messenger platforms for Facebook, Google Talk, AIM, and more. It’s a quick way to communicate with your friends, followers, and connections easily and when you’re away from your computer. This is ideal for businesses with teams, as you can connect easily and quickly from one platform.

Pinspiration

The growth of Pinterest makes it an important website to be a part of, especially if you want to reach a wider base of potential customers and increase your leads. It’s a great option if you have fantastic pictures of your work or product that individuals can share easily. Pinspiration integrates with your Pinterest account and allows you to pin images, comment and like other people’s images, and browse through the most popular pins at any given time.

Sprout Social 

Sprout Social is a social networking manager – much like TweetDeck or HootSuite – that offers you the opportunity to manage up to 9 different profiles. You can publish and schedule updates across your entire line of social networking profiles. There is no free option with this app, and the professional option is less than $10 per month. It’s a great way to save time and with the analytics, you can determine the social networks that get the most engagement from your followers.

Each of these applications offers convenience and saves time by allowing you to interact on your social networking profiles from your mobile device and on one platform. Take some time to check out the apps and find one that best suits your social networking needs. If you want to increase business connections, reach a wider customer base, and save time, these apps are a great way to accomplish those things.

This is a post by Kerry Jones, who is a freelance writer and online marketing consultant living in Tampa, FL. She covers a wide range of tech and marketing topics, like great apps for small business owners, engaging Facebook content ideas, fixing social media PR disasters, and how to compare cell phones.

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