Social Media Management

Social Media Management

When I think of social media management, there are a few apps that come to mind. Specifically HootSuite and Buffer. HootSuite is the most popular social media management tool. It helps the user manage multiple social media sites at the same time. It offers a free version or you can upgrade for a small fee. Buffer does the same thing but in a little different way. Buffer also provides analytics about the engagement and reach of your posts. In an article written by Daniel Zeevi titled Social Media Management, he outlines the main differences between the two platforms.  He says “Hootsuite provides a more complete solution that allows you to schedule updates and monitor conversations, whereas Buffer isn’t a dashboard that shows you other people’s content. However, Bufferapp has superior scheduling flexibility over Hootsuite because you can designate very specific scheduling times and change patterns throughout the week. Hootsuite recently introduced an autoschedule feature that automatically designates a scheduling time based on a projected best time to post. This can be effective to use, but doesn’t have the same flexibility as Buffer since you don’t really know when a post will be scheduled till after doing so.” Buffer is better for some users while HootSuite is better for others. If you want an app that will help you become a better “listener” on social media then HootSuite is right for you. If you want to more easily manage scheduling then Buffer is right for you.

If you are a company and are looking to more easily connect with social media and use a streamlined management tool, Jess Ostroff’s article titled Management Tools For Small Business is a great place to start looking. She outlines, “it’s important to make sure you’ve identified why you want to use a management or monitoring platform and what you hope to gain out of it. Using a social media management platform is a commitment and an investment in terms of both your time and your bank account, so picking the right one the first time is ideal.” She goes on to list accomplishments you might want to achieve in your small business and how the use of a social media management tool might help you get there.

http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-tools/favorite-social-media-management-tools-for-small-business/

https://blog.dashburst.com/best-social-media-management-tools/

Organizational uses for social media

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/12/17/how-social-media-can-spur-organizational-transformation/

In this article, the author describes how social media can transform a business. Now “transform” seems like a very big word to be using, but with the points he lays out, and with the right usage, I think social media can truly transform some businesses. He outlines that there are “5 key pillars” to the foundation of future business infrastructure. 

1  . Vision and leadership

2 . Engaged customers

3 . Empowered employees

4 . Collaborative innovation

5. Internal agility in processes, systems, and decision making

These are very crucial to any business and can surely be accomplished through the networking and marketing of social media. He goes on to explain how social media is “homogeneous” to today’s corporations. It is a way for businesses to facilitate a more “person to person” connection with its clients. In fact, there are many business models who promote an almost cult following of their business. For example Siracha hot sauce, it tastes like any other hot sauce you could get at the store but through social media, they have been able to generate a very loyal fan base.

http://skipta.com/using-social-media-to-enhance-organizational-communication/

The next article the author outlines a few key points as to why the use of social media in your organization is vital to its success. He points out that the work force and consumer age is changing. The baby boomers have been the most prominent work force/consumers for the past 50 years. Now that the baby boomer generation is approaching retirement age, the next largest generation is generation Y, also known as millennials. He explains “There are over two billion globally, over 40% of them in the United States are of non-Caucasian descent and they are extremely accustomed to the use of technology. This generation has never known a world without electronic communication, instant messaging and the Internet.  They are referred to as “digital natives” and they expect everything within a matter of seconds and understand that news from an hour ago is ancient.  They are always connected through their smart phones, laptops, and Pad devices.” He goes on to explain that “over 22% of millennials” are on social media every day connection with friends, family, organizations, and businesses alike.