In today’s fast-paced business environment, using time efficiently is of the utmost importance - so we love anything that saves us time and energy - especially in social media.

For those new to or skeptical of social media, it's a great way to keep in touch and engaged in your community. Social media is for providing value, delivering customer service, and being accessible.  What social media isn’t (or shouldn’t be used for), is a marketing tool directed at making sales. However, by being engaged and participating in the conversations that clients, partners, and others are already having, you are strengthening your position and increasing your visibility, which (in our opinion) is key to long-term success.

Now, you may be thinking, “Between back-to-back calls and meetings each day, I’m lucky to find the time to check and reply to emails! How am I supposed to find the time to make social media posts to a variety of sites, too?!”  

We hear you. That’s where the following apps (we did say we love things that save time and energy) come in:

• Hootsuite: If the thought of daily posting to social media is daunting, this may be the tool for you. Hootsuite allows you to schedule posts in advance to save you time throughout the week. Having a time dedicated to social media will enable you to prep and schedule posts for future times when you know you will be too busy. Conversely, for those who work better on the fly, you can schedule future posts whenever a free moment presents itself.
   
• Buffer: If you like the sound of Hootsuite but need a little more, then Buffer might be for you. Buffer allows you to schedule posts in advance, just like Hootsuite, but will also analyze your audience and recommend the best times to post, while keeping your funnel full of a steady stream of content. These additional features are why we recently switched from Hootsuite to Buffer.
   
• Mention: Have you ever felt like people are all talking about you? Mention will let you know if your paranoia is warranted. Mention monitors not only social media but also the rest of the web for mentions of your brand. If someone’s talking about you, you get an alert. You can even integrate it with Slack, so the notifications show up right in your channel. Don’t use Slack? We do, and we love it.
   
• Little Bird: While this tool is expensive, it can be worth subscribing to in order to get a handle on the influencers in your niche. By entering keywords and other information, you can uncover influencers and the communities they are influential in.

Now that you know the tools you need, go forth and connect!!

Don’t forget to keep in mind: “Automate content, not engagement”. Conversations mean liking other posts and interacting with social media users, which may mean a little "people power" will be necessary - Hey! Have you heard about Admin Slayer?