#AwesomeTools - Social Media Scheduling Tools

One of the best ways marketers have found to reach potential customers is with social media.  When social media first emerged, this was fairly easy because there was really only one platform—Facebook.  But now, there are dozens of different social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and even video formats such as YouTube. 

If you are working in marketing, it can be a nightmare trying to juggle all of these platforms and reach as many customers as possible.  But it doesn’t have to be this way.  There are now apps available that can help with social media scheduling.  Three of the hottest tools on the market are Buffer, Edgar, and Hootsuite. Let’s take a look and see what they have to offer.

Buffer

Buffer is a scheduling tool that allows you to upload your posts and set them to post at whatever time you need.  It also allows you to cross-post to multiple platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest with just the click of a button.

Buffer offers multiple plans for different users including the option to have a single user platform. If you have a big team and need many people to have access, Buffer allows you up to 25 additional team members. You can connect up to 150 different social media accounts which makes managing multiple brands a breeze. Buffer has a free account option which is perfect for people who are managing  just one brand.

                                                                                           

Edgar

Edgar currently only works with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but it offers a range of flexibility.  What makes Edgar so special is the ease of recycling your content. You can set a schedule that makes sense for your platform and Edgar will automatically re-share your content in a loop, so you’re getting the most out of your posts. Edgar allows scheduling for one-off posts too, so you can fill your social media to suit your needs. They keep their pricing structure simple, too with just one pricing option available.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is another option for scheduling your posts to automatically publish on your social media platforms. You can even bulk upload messages to save you a ton of time! Hootsuite supports Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Wordpress. What I love most about Hootsuite is their extensive data and analytics. You can analyze your data in real-time so that you can make better decisions about what material to post to your various platforms. 

Hootsuite also offers a thirty-day trial that allows you to take it for a test run before you purchase one of their many plans.  Chances are, there will be a plan that fits your business’s needs.

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be stressful.  By using the apps and tools that are available to you, you can schedule your posts and save yourself some time and headache, allowing you to focus on other parts of your business.

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars