e SOCIAL MEDIA PUBLISHING TOOLS OVERVIEW

2 Instead of separately logging in to every social media network each time you, the administrator, want to post an update, you can use a publishing tool that stores passwords for several networks. These tools allow you to post updates as well as view incoming messages from a convenient web-based dashboard. What are the benefits? •  The right toolkit lets you become more efficient at publishing online content. •  Ability to target the audience more accurately. •  Maximise the reach of updates through the ability to adjust frequency and timing. •  Many tools have built-in reporting / analytics enabling you to keep track of impact. •  Opportunity to collaborate on social media content with others.

Why use social media publishing tools?

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3 •  Buffer App •  HootSuite •  SocialOomph •  Agryle Social •  Hootsuite Case Study

Content

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4 http://bufferapp.com

Buffer is one of the simplest and most straight-forward publishing tools, allowing scheduled updates for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The user cannot choose a specific time for every update, but can set up a preferred frequency – same time every day. Updates added to the Buffer are then posted automatically. Buffer has built-in analytics free of charge and allows you to collaborate on posting with several team members .

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5 http://bufferapp.com

$10 per month for unlimited posting (otherwise restricted)

Select the times and frequency of daily updates

Add team members to collaborate on the schedule

Shortening links with bitly.com enables you count the number of people engaging with content (clicks)

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6 HootSuite helps organisations use the social web to launch marketing campaigns, identify and grow their audience and distribute targeted messages across multiple channels.

Hootsuite http://hootsuite.com/

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7 Each social network you connect with has a ‘tab’ showing all your interactions in a logical, easy-to-view format.

Hootsuite All social channels in one browser window

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8 Key free features: •  Set up alerts and track keywords in the public

Twitter stream. •  Schedule tweets •  URL shortening allowing to track clicks •  View @mentions & retweets with no need to visit

the Twitter webpage •  Twitter “DM” (direct message) organizer. Paid features: •  Automatically re-follow users who followed you •  Automatically send DMs to new followers •  Automated new Twitter friends search using

keywords.

Pricing: SocialOomph Professional - $17.97 bi-weekly Twitter Advanced Scheduling

http://socialoopmh.com

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9 http://socialoopmh.com

Scheduling blog updates straight from the dashboard

Includes analytics and monitoring

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10 http://argylesocial.com

Argyle Social is an advanced tool combining social media publishing with Google Analytics, blog management and content planning. Interesting features :

•  Argyle allows collaboration on social media content and differentiating users’ access to the social media channels.

•  A function allows you to easily get a social media update approved by a decision maker.

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11 http://www.agrylesocial.com

Monthly starting price - $300; 30 days free trial available.

•  Includes an interactive

content calendar template.

•  Automatically schedules and posts created blog updates from different accounts to maximise reach.

•  Acts as your organisation’s own publisher. Using tools such as HootSuite, the Facebook updates

will appear as sent “via Hootsuite.” This can have a negative effect on the Facebook Edge Rank – reach (see SoMazi’s Facebook engagement presentation for details). When you use Argyle, it will automatically act as your company’s publishing tool, posting updates “via [Company Name]”.

12 The Pivot Conference, hosted by The Tomorrow Project, was as an exclusive two-day event for top brand managers who aimed to bridge the gap between their brand and the rising Social Consumer. The purpose of Pivot was to deliver the context and understanding needed to redirect marketing dollars, create authentic interactions, and map a strategy of successful engagement with this powerful new market Objectives & Goals The proposed campaign was twofold. One part was building audience engagement for and during Pivot Conference 2011 through trivia, polls, conversations, and research teasers. The second part was converting followers into attendees through strategic call to actions. The Pivot team also wanted to: • Increase followers • Build brand attention • Increase registration for the event • Enhance social media relationships with partners and speakers • Improve click-through rates • Distribute research surveys and results • Increase blog following As a startup, the team’s resources were limited, and these traditional forms of communications were taking enough effort without much result. Pivot established a presence on Twitter long before using HootSuite, but found out how much time could be saved, switched over. By using HootSuite, they were able to craft and deliver their messaging at optimal times. They also used HootSuite to listen and track social conversations, to interact with their followers, to schedule and post Facebook content and to analyze key metrics. A major benefit to using HootSuite was also their ability to collaborate internally on Twitter, while working remote.

Pivot Con event used HootSuite to build a conference audience

(Source: HootSuite, 2011)

13 Results The Pivot Conference not only reached campaign objectives, they achieved success beyond their expectations. Comparing selected initial objectives: •  Increase followers With the same number of employees and resources, @pivotcon’s following increased by 1,000 new followers over the course of one month. •  Build brand attention During October 17th & 18th, Pivot tracked over 6,000 tweets through several HootSuite streams. At one point the conference started trending on Twitter, and HootSuite’s platform allowed them keep up with the conversation through quick stream creation. •  Enhance social media relationships with partners and speakers Using the list functionality, Pivot was able to create separate lists for each group of participant (sponsors, advisors, speakers etc). This enabled them to track and participate with their community more effectively. •  Improve click-through rates Prior to using HootSuite, the team was not tracking CTR’s effectively. While using HootSuite, @pivotcon received on average 36.25 clicks per day during September and October. •  Distribute research surveys and results Stats and Research Results was the most retweeted when Pivot started using HootSuite. •  Increase blog following 23.5% of site referral traffic came from Twitter efforts this month. In the month before, this percent was only 16.04%.

Pivot Con event used HootSuite to build a conference audience

(Source: HootSuite, 2011)

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14 THE SOMAZI EFFECT

This presentation is a part of the SoMazi Social Media Resources series. For more presentations, reports and learning materials, go to http://www.somazi.com/resources/ . SoMazi has offices in London, New York, Bergamo and Geneva. We’d love to hear from you. E-mail: contactus@somazi.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SomaziWW Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SomaziWW Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/Somazi

Authors

Ewa @Ewajoan

Marlies @MsSpijker

Clementina @CGZatSomazi