No matter who we are or what we do, content is part of our everyday lives. We watch it, we read it, we hear it – content is everywhere. Content is available 24/7/365 through every search engine and social media platform out there. Fortunately, tools are also everywhere to help people filter, organize and share content. These are three content tools you’ll want to use.
1) HootSuite
HootSuite allows its users to manage their most popular social platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and G+, all in one place. People find it’s easy and efficient to post in real-time or to schedule posts for different times of the day when they use this tool. HootSuite also offers an effective scheduling option known as AutoSchedule, which lets the user “automatically queue messages for optimal times from within the dashboard.” Many businesses of all sizes choose Hootsuite as their tool of choice to manage their content because of its effectiveness and reliability for their social media management needs.
2) Buffer App
Many people like using Buffer App to schedule and post content throughout the day. A free version exists, but a $10/month subscription seems rather affordable when taking the tool’s capabilities into consideration. The paid subscription is ideal for a business or social media manager who manages multiple accounts. Like Hootsuite, the tool posts content a subscriber sets up for Twitter, Facebook and/or LinkedIn accounts – up to 12 accounts for the $10/month subscription. Buffer App offers additional online functionality since a user can install it as an extension on Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. As well, the tool ties in with content curation platforms such as Scoop.it.
3) dlvr.it
Bloggers and publishers may be interested in a content tool known as dlvr.it. This tool lets publishers automatically distribute their own content to social networks including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and G+. It works by monitoring the bloggers’ RSS feeds at certain time intervals and then re-posts anything new. There are no scheduling capabilities, however, so the user lacks control over the posting times.
Are these content tools you’ll want to use – or maybe already do? I’d love to hear your thoughts, as well as suggestions for any others you prefer.
Thanks for the information Jen. I hadn’t heard of the third tool. I am wondering about Hootsuite. Doesn’t it take the same amount of time to do it all manually? How are these optimal times determined? It seems good for all platforms but Facebook with its built in scheduler. Since I started from Facebook and not Twitter, I am just now feeling the need for using this tool. Am I on the right track?
Thanks for your comments, Veronica. I’m glad to pass along information which is helpful for me and hopefully helpful for others, too.
Regarding Hootsuite, I understand there is a way to schedule tweets in bulk, by loading them via a spreadsheet. The scheduling for the tweets can be configured manually, as well as the automatic tweet feature. There’s some sort of algorithm Hootsuite uses regarding your number of followers and the times they tweet – but the metrics, etc, are over my head. 🙂
My favorite is BufferApp for scheduling. I would recommend it to you or anyone who is new to Twitter and scheduling. It’s very user-friendly, in my opinion.
Good luck, and I look forward to seeing you more often in the Twitter stream!
Hi Mandy & Jennifer
I absolutely love Buffer. I’ve tried using Hoot Suite a couple of times and just can’t seem to get into it although it’s a highly rated program and used by thousands if not millions.
Thanks for your comment, Tom! Buffer is probably one of the most versatile tools out there…it’s not only great for scheduling and posting, but it integrates well with a lot of other programs, like Scoop.it – I’m definitely a Buffer fan. Regarding Hootsuite, there are plenty of people out there who aren’t using it. Some prefer Tweetdeck, for example. Plenty of options – and something for everyone, I say. Thanks again!