Social Media Marketing Tools

Social Media Marketing Tools

When it comes to social media marketing, one thing is for certain, the sphere continues to develop at a hyper growth rate.  Yet, the territory remains largely uncharted and in this current early phase of discovery, cross platform campaign monetization is a challenge for all marketers.  Being in the field for over a decade, it surprises me how often I hear in conversation with C-Suite executives as well as small business owners, “I know we need to do it (social media marketing) but we are not sure how to make money with it?”  With so much optimism combined with the unknown, increasing the base of knowledge, staying on top of the trends, socializing with the influencers in the space, and using the latest and greatest social media marketing tools is essential to achieving quantifiable success.

Social Media Marketing Books

In terms of social media marketing books, there is simply no comparison to the breadth of information that is presented in The Social Media Bible by Lon Safko.  With over 700+ pages, this bible covers everything from social media optimization, social media management, social strategy, as well as a laundry list of social tools and apps.  From Google+ to Twitter, this book leaves no stone unturned.  As a matter of fact, The Social Media Bible is considered the preeminent textbook for classroom and online learning environments that focus on social media marketing.

David Kerpen, author of the social media book Likeable, suggests that successful social media is about listening, responding, entertaining, and engaging potential customers in a way that provides excitement.  David’s concept of being “Likeable” and exuding brand charisma across multiple social platforms paints a picture that is akin to operating in the social world the way one would work a room at a cocktail party. Social media is about human interaction and this book teaches how to be positive and popular in the social sphere.

Social Media Marketing University

From courses and webinars to social media certification programs, Social Media Marketing University (SMMU) provides a comprehensive learning environment.  With core classes that focus on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Business Blogging, Video Marketing, and Mobile Marketing, the range of material addresses the big three social platforms as well as key content creation and marketing mediums.  Furthermore, SMMU offers several elective courses that cover related topics like local marketing, public relations, and search engine optimization.

Social Media Marketing Conferences

Social Media Marketing World which is presented by Social Media Examiner is unequivocally the leading social media marketing conference.  From the propensity of big name brands in attendance to the panel of speakers and the quality of the sessions, for anyone interested in social media marketing, this is a cannot miss event.  With social media influencers like Chris Brogan, Lee Odden, Joe Pulizzi, David Kerpen, and Michael Stelzner among others in attendance, the opportunity to meet the cast of characters and on site knowledge are prevalently present.

In comparison to annual Social Media Marketing World conference, the Social Media Strategies Summit is a multi-city summit that is held at least five times a year.  Given the increased frequency of the events, these conferences are excellent options for staying on top of the latest trends and social media marketing tools.

For those who want to experience an intimate and condensed social media event, the Social Fresh conference is a perfect match.  Conference sessions are 30 minutes long so the information that is presented is concise and informative.

Social Media Marketing Software

Nearly, on a daily basis, the social media marketing software sector is increasingly flooded with new tools and applications.  With so much variety and task specialization software available, determining which software to utilize can be a task in and of itself.  In this section, I will highlight a few of my personal favorites that I would consider to be foundational social media marketing software tools.

Social Media Management Software

While social media is about human engagement, post frequency, scheduling of posts, and managing posts to multiple social platforms can be a nightmare to manage.  My two favorite tools for handling these tasks are Buffer App and Hootsuite.

Social Media Analytic and Find Followers Software

So you have created your Twitter and Google+ accounts.  The next step is to connect with influencial members in your market space.  Followerwonk and FindPeopleOnPlus are software tools that can be utilized to find influencers, connect with them, and analyze your sphere of social influence.

Social Media Promotion Software

Wildfire and Offerpop are my top two choices for social media promotion software.  These applications offer an incredible range of creativity and flexibility to run social promotion campaigns.  Wildfire which is owned by Google is a more comprehensive offering but, Offerpop is incredibly easy-to-use.

It’s Time to Get Social!

At the end of the day, there is no question that every business needs to have a social presence.  While we don’t have all the facts and we are still in uncharted territory, there is no doubting the incredible numbers of people who engage with the various social platforms.  My suggestion is to start with a social media optimization campaign and over time, learn from engaging with your early community members.  From that point forward, use social media software to manage and grow your campaigns to a point of scale.  Stay connected with influencers, attend conferences, and read the latest and great books written trusted authorities in the space.  My advice, be present and ready to strike.