Ready, Set, Connect: Seven Social Media Tools That Make an Impression

Level up your brand by getting social

Twenty years ago, GeoCities made its online debut. As one of the world’s first social media communities, GeoCities set the benchmark for future sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Today, there are hundreds of similar platforms from which to choose. To make the most of them, you’ll need to learn how to leverage their unique services, from microblogging to photo sharing.

It’s a lot to master, but the end result is worth the initial investment. These seven social media tools will help you get started.

1) Facebook

Facebook is a classic and for good reason. By the end of 2013, over 750 million users were logging onto the site each day, making it one of the most popular social media sites in the world.

Setting up a Facebook page is the perfect way to create an online community around your business. Think of your page as a dynamic newsletter with different sections and interactive content. It should contain news and updates as well as encourage customers to leave comments and to “like” your services. Facebook is also a great place to share media-rich content, such as videos, podcasts, or Instagram photos showcasing your latest products.

2) Twitter

Most people know Twitter as the social media site that popularized the hashtag. For businesses, Twitter provides a fast-paced way to keep in touch with your target audience.

If customers have any questions or concerns, you can quickly respond with a tweet. Twitter’s mobile-friendly interface makes it ideal for on-the-go businesses. You can provide updates on new products and services as well as conduct contests or polls. Twitter’s 270 million users value messages that are short—140 characters or less—and sweet. It’s a great platform to hone your brand presentation and increase your visibility by tweeting about trending topics.

3) LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the go-to social media tool for job seekers and recruiters. It’s a fantastic platform for professional brand management whether your business has only a few or several hundred connections.

If you’re looking for fresh talent, LinkedIn has you covered with over 300 million registered users. By creating a company page, you can easily advertise job openings or post updates on products and services. A company page is also a logical place to share articles or blog posts that will appeal to others in your industry. Browsing the content posted by your connections can help you stay on top of recent trends in employment or business news.

4) Instagram

Since 2010, Instagram has been the top platform for photo sharing. If you’re looking for a memorable way to tell your company’s story, then Instagram could be the ideal social media tool.

Instagram gives you the ability to construct a visually stunning web presence quickly and easily. You can post shareable images and 15-second videos, which is a great way to highlight products or services that aren’t shown on your website. Another unique idea is to give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your office culture.

Using Instagram filters, you can easily tweak any image so that it matches your brand. Within minutes, you can also link your Instagram page to Facebook and Twitter so that your videos and photographs will reach a wider audience. By adding relevant hashtags to your images, it’s even more likely that they’ll be seen by the customers and followers who matter most.

5) Mention

Many businesses simply don’t have the time to monitor all of their social media accounts. Mention makes it simple by aggregating activity from the platforms you use most, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

With Mention, you can find out who’s talking about your business in real time and react to mentions by instantly posting a response, or if you’re tied up with work, you can save your mentions to share later on another social media platform. Mention also lets you export stats about your online activity as an Excel spreadsheet. This is useful for comparing your business with competitors and tracking your popularity on social media over time.

6) eGrabber

Imagine having the contact information for the top professionals in your industry right at your fingertips. With eGrabber’s Account Researcher tool, you can easily track down the email address and phone number of anyone you’re interested in contacting. As a natural complement to LinkedIn, eGrabber helps you build your professional network and find new business partners.

Being the best in your industry means knowing who your competition is. eGrabber can provide a profile of any small- to medium-sized company even if it doesn’t have a website or digital footprint. This is helpful for discovering the revenue, number of employees, and services of other businesses in your field. You can depend on the eGrabber research tool since it works in real time, meaning you’ll always have the most up-to-date information about potential contacts.

7) Tagboard

Hashtags are a powerful way to communicate your brand. Tagboard makes it easy to track hashtags across different social media platforms, including Tumblr, Twitter, and Instagram.

This well-reviewed service is a seamless way to merge marketing with your social media activity. With Tagboard, you can create a stunning display board based on a specific hashtag, which is useful for promoting a new product or business idea. The boards are interactive, meaning customers can instantly like, retweet, or comment on items you’ve posted. Best of all, it’s easy to embed your tagboard elsewhere on the web, including your company website or a WordPress blog.

Social media tools help you inspire customers and make an impact

Why are businesses flocking to social media? The answer is simple: They love having a genuine connection with their clients.

With the right tools, it’s easier than ever to reach your ideal audience and make an impression. Whether your business has been online for years or is new to the web, now is the time to make your social media presence count.

Ready, Set, Connect: Seven Social Media Tools That Make an Impression