Whether you’re a keen Tweeter, an Instagram obsessive or a newbie getting to grips with Facebook for the first time, it’s rare that social media doesn’t touch at least a small corner of your life. But for the majority of people whose professional career doesn’t revolve around it (I’ve spent more time on social media platforms than I would ever like to calculate or admit), it can be difficult to know about the handy apps and websites that are out there that will help make your social media run that little bit smoother, or get some more of those ever coveted “double taps”…
Apps below are linked to on the Apple App Store, but most are also available on Google Play for Android!
Touch your snaps up with…
VSCO
VSCO, formerly known as VSCO Cam, is a photography mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Ever heard of a “VSCO girl”? This is the origin – the app’s vast and dramatic photo editing tools has the ability to transform a bog standard scenic shot into a trending snap of dreams, thus cultivating a whole generation of “VSCO girls” with a certain Instagram and lifestyle aesthetic. Unhealthy addictions to the app aside, it can really supercharge your Instagram snaps. It’s free to download but a one off annual fee of £19.99 unlocks access to over 200 filters, enough to satisfy even the most hardcore of photographers.
Find the perfect hashtags with…
www.displaypurposes.com
Whilst most hashtag analytic services require a monthly subscription, Display Purposes is a free to use gem if you’re looking to add a little bit more insight to your Instagram hashtags. And, with the optimum number of Instagram hashtags now a whopping 11, it’s important to get them right. Simply type a keyword or existing hashtag into the toolbar and the site will, in real time, populate a selection of the most popular around that subject, making sure to filter out spammy or banned content.
Analyse your followers with…
www.followerwonk.com
To those who say “nothing in life is free”, I present you the humble Follower Wonk. This silly-named site is perfect for those Twitter fans out there who are desperate to understand a little bit more about their follower behaviour. As ever, there are paid for tiers (up to £70 per month) but the basic version is surprisingly robust, allowing one profile to analyse followers, followings, best times to tweet and understand follower activity.
Learn something new with…
LinkedIn SlideShare
For those LinkedIn lovers who are always on a quest to learn more, LinkedIn SlideShare is a great app to boost your knowledge at anytime. As the world’s largest community for sharing presentations and professional content, you’ll find over 15 million presentations, videos and infographics to browse through at your leisure. There’s a handy option to “follow” your favourite categories, offering a personalised, on-the-go learning at its best.
Schedule your content with…
Hootsuite / Sprout Social / AgoraPulse
It can be challenging to keep an active social presence without it taking over a sizeable percentage of your time and attention. For those who churn out a lot of content, or perhaps have a small side business, scheduling can lighten the social media load. There’s over 100 different popular scheduling apps, but the biggest players are most popular for a reason. Though all of them offer significantly better features in their paid for tiers, Hootsuite, Sprout Social and AgoraPulse offer basic free access for a small number of profiles.
Manage pages with…
Facebook Pages Manager
I personally know a lot of people who have set up a small business in lockdown – from Pic n Mix to homemade brownies and face-coverings, it’s a real trend for 2020 and an unexpected positive of COVID. But for people who look after at least one Facebook page, using the app should be a no-brainer. Not only can you create and manage posts for multiple pages in one place, you can view all messages, comments and activity that needs your attention – all seemingly simple requests, but without Facebook Pages Manager, can suddenly become very difficult on mobile.
Nail that selfie with…
Facetune2
Though on a personal level I don’t agree with this (or ANY face/body editing apps) I can’t deny that Facetune2 is the ultimate app for those on a quest for “the perfect” selfie. It ensures that regardless of what you think your facial flaws are, you can use the app to correct them and your family/friends/partner will still recognise you (no “catfishing” here). Whether you want to slim down or fatten up your face, whiten those teeth or remove a pesky shadow, this app can do it all. There’s even a magic camera that lets you add faux makeup as you shoot with live filters. Pretty scary IMO but whatever floats your boat…
Bring your content to life with…
Adobe Spark Post
For anyone wanting to up your content creating game but lacks in design skills, Adobe Spark Post is a super way to create slicker social media assets. Featuring a ton of creative options such as adding and styling text, shapes and other design elements, as well as ready made templates and layouts that automatically adjust when you add content. Adobe Spark Video, its sister app, also offers a super easy way to create and edit videos for social media – especially handing for transforming into hyper engaging IG stories.
Want to know more about social media? Contact our Group Social Media Manager, Jade at jade.margiotta@social.co.uk to discuss our bespoke social media workshops and other social media services.