You know that having top-notch systems in place are an integral part of your success. But you probably don’t have time to try out multiple tools and “hope” they work. You’re a busy professional that would like to be introduced to the best systems, but just don’t have time to do all the research.
You want to know what works well and what’s been proven to help other professionals, like yourself, supercharge the results of their work. In this article, I’ve compiled my top nine tools to take your marketing and communications to the next level.
1. Social Media Management: Buffer
I use Buffer everyday and it’s my go-to for planning and scheduling content across social channels quickly and easily. It also has some handy built-in analytics features that let me view my best and worst performing posts in a snap based on clicks, comments, likes, shares, and reach. Buffer is extremely user-friendly and the price points make the platform affordable for businesses of any size.
2. Social Media Management: Tweriod
There’s been a lot of research on the best times to post on social media, but the truth is that it depends on your audience and will likely vary from one organization to the next. Tweriod analyzes your tweets and your followers’ tweets to determine what times are ideal for you to tweet out each day of the week. And it syncs directly with Buffer so with one click you can import your new posting schedule directly into Buffer – very convenient!
3. Email: MailChimp
I’ve worked with many email marketing systems and MailChimp is the winner because it has the perfect combination of being both feature-rich and very user-friendly. MailChimp’s drag and drop email builder works better than most and lets you customize the various elements of your email easily. The system also comes with a g selection of professional and sleek looking templates, lets you A/B test your emails to maximize open and click-through rates, send automated and triggered emails, and comes with advanced analytics. It also includes Litmus Inbox Preview, which is a tool where you can test your email across up to 40 different email clients, as well as multiple browsers and device types, before it goes out.
4. Analytics: Google Analytics
Successful marketers track and measure the results of their work and use that data to improve. In addition to using Google Analytics to view key website data, like pages on your site most visited, how long visitors stay on each page, where your website visitors are coming from, and much more, you should be using Google URL Builder to track URL clicks to help you measure the success of your campaigns.
5. Graphics: Pablo
Sometimes you need a quick, text-based image to go along with a social media post. With Pablo, you choose what social channel your post is for, pick a background image (or upload one yourself), type your text, and you have a great-looking image that is the perfect dimensions. Buffer owns Pablo which means that with a few clicks, you can add the image right into your Buffer queue, without having to download it or open a new browser.
6. Graphics: Stencil
When I’m looking for an image tool that’s a little more feature-rich then Pablo, I use Stencil for social media, ads, headers, or any other type of graphic. The system comes with a variety of templates, backgrounds, icons, and quotes, and you have the ability to add watermarks. Stencil is used by organizations like Coca-Cola, Intuit, and NASCAR. Along with the other tools I’ve mentioned in this article, the user experience design is top-notch. Within a few minutes, you’ll be using the system like a pro.
7. Video: VideoScribe
Video doesn’t have to be expensive and if you think you have to spend thousands of dollars on a whiteboard video, you might want to think again. With VideoScribe you can very easily create professional-looking custom whiteboard videos in-house. I’ve used other whiteboard video software and VideoScribe has the shortest learning curve.
8. Surveys: Typeform
Think filling out a survey is boring? It’s not with Typeform. The system lets you design attractive and engaging surveys, quizzes, and forms. Typeform integrates graphics and buttons that makes your survey stand out and draw people in. And all this equates to a better user experience and higher completion rates.
9. Content and Influencer Research: BuzzSumo
With BuzzSumo you type in a topic (for instance, “public relations”) and the system will pull up the top performing content on the web in terms of Facebook engagements, social media shares, and number of links to the post. You can also view the backlinks as well as the people who shared a given piece of content. This type of intel helps you to discover content that resonates with different audiences and who key influencers are. And this, in turn, can be important in shaping your content strategy.
There are some excellent, business-building tools available to help you amplify the results of your work. If you don’t have the time or energy to research and test the myriad options available, I hope this article has helped you discover some great systems, from analytics to email to video.