3 Social Media Tips for Your Smartphone

Life isn’t slowing down any time soon.  Information is available at our fingertips; and not only sheer data, but the ability to book appointments, reserve flights, buy movie tickets, etc.  Today, 79% of 18-44 year olds have a smartphone with them 22 hours a day, while over 61% of the total adult population owns one, a percentage that is growing every year in answer to this “new need” to be on top of the game.

“Show Me the Money!”

Social media management is becoming easier as the tech race flies on.  Though I often prefer handling our accounts from my laptop at Cowley’s HQ, mobile apps have become so… well – mobile, that we can access and update both personal and business social media from pretty much wherever we are, increasing engagement, SEO, and website effectiveness.

I put together a short list of tips to help you take better advantage of the social media power your smartphone has to increase the effectiveness of your social media marketing for your business growth.

3 Social Media Tips for Your Smartphone

(Number zero: get a smartphone.  I’m an Apple man myself (sleek, efficient, effective, user friendly); still have the 4 (not the 4S), but the newer the model, the more efficient (kinks are worked out, speed definitely helps).  Enough said.)

 #1: Install Business Social Media Apps and Accounts

This may seem obvious but it’s a necessary pre-req to any company updates.  Facebook, for instance, offers the app “Page Manager” to help you access your admin settings and analytics directly.  Twitter is my favorite, giving you a quick user profile change button on your home screen (I manage 3 accounts directly, this helps a lot).  Other apps (Instagram, for instance), make you log out completely and log back in.  Posting personal stuff on your business page is embarrassing, be careful (I’ve done it several times with Instagram but deleted it immediately).  Vine lets you choose from Twitter accounts you already access, so it’s an easy plug in.

 In short, “get with it.”  Then you can capture that “perfect moment” for your company update on the go.

 #2: Connect Your Accounts

Instagram offers the tool to Tweet or Facebook post your pictures with a push of a button.  I often use the photo collage app “Pic Stitch” which allows you to export a collage to your Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts on the go (instead of photo shopping them later).  Definitely, a time saver; and it makes your posts look “smarter.”  Remember, it’s all about creating an image people can trust.  You’re a company (or organization): be smart and make sure people know you’re smart.  When choosing a lawyer, you choose the smartest; why would customers choose you over competitors if you’re social media marketing looks silly?

 #3: Use ZITE

I’m pretty much in love with this app.  Best thing I’ve got on my phone (except for the phone part, and my music, emails; okay, it’s up there).  I recommend it to anyone and everyone I can: fellow SMM’s, interns at Cowley, kids looking for social media jobs, even friends.

 ZITE is a free app that collects the best, most up-to-date blog posts published across the web and organizes them into user-chosen categories.  I have one for “SEO,”  “Social Media Marketing,” “Advertising,” and “Movies” (I’m a movie nut, in case you didn’t know) – to name a few.

 First off, it’s a great way to keep up on an ever-changing field (internet marketing); and I can use it as a content farm for my social media posts.  There’s nothing more embarrassing than posting an article on your Facebook page from 2009 that includes “4 Facebook Tips for Businesses” that no longer apply as of at least two years ago.  Your credibility just went down the… you know.

 In short, download the thing and play with it.  You’ll have fun reading about your own interests and it will help you be a smarter social media marketer.

 And it will teach you something else: how to blog so people click, read, and share your stuff.  Analyze what titles, pictures, topics, content, and forms “make your cut,” and apply those to your own company blog.  It’s a facelift you won’t regret.

 Information taken from ABCnews.go.com and Mediabistro.com.