Web designers may be on the outer edge; like neglected souls on the latest technology who’re too busy creating websites to give social media content and their tools a second glance. And frankly, social media is probably the last thing on their minds when it has the reputation of being a time consumer. And it’s a challenge in itself when you need to update and publish new posts. It has a real habit of eating into more time than if you were just sitting there posting cute pictures of your kids on Facebook.
But there are master tools available that are time savers, and they need to be investigated. So we’ve gathered the top 10 tools that will reward you for the time it takes to set aside five minutes. It’s a promise. Who knows, what you’re looking for just might be on this list.
1. WeVideo
It was inevitable. To be able to leverage features like voice overs, branding, fast and slow mo video clips and create stunning visuals was all to difficult, not to mention the time invested took more slices than one could afford. WeVideo grabbed the cloud and made difficult and time-consuming tasks quick and easy. This is the tool that enables you to create and edit your videos on your browser or your Android or your iOS. Further, WeVideo has a free package with the basics on offer, 1 GB of storage, a 5-minute video per month with the option to publish in 720p. Want more? Invest in the Premium package and experience more storage and more video time. You can begin there at $20.
2. Photovisi
Is being hailed as The Social Media Content Tool for Web Designers. Web designers love control, and they like nothing more than to be given more control over their creation of collages than has ever been provided by Facebook and Twitter. Photovisi will enable you to show peek views of your stuff on Instagram, LinkedIn and those platforms where business is a priority. Given there is also a selection of different templates for collage making, one has the option to add any graphics, backgrounds, or text to their collage.
Exploration and creativity gives one the freedom to create covers for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. With the premium version of Photovisi, you can have high-res, watermark free photo collages. And there’s a perk attached; Photovisi gives web designers an opportunity to earn some serious money with their designs through Photovisi designer. By uploading a Photoshop PSD to the design market, you share the revenue of which 50% is yours while the rights of the design remain your property.
3. ThingLink
ThingLink is tool that gives you the ability to add multimedia overlays or text on images and videos. It is an interactive tool that allows your clients to hover over photos and link externally and listen to audio or watch videos. ThingLink comes with Facebook integration that increases conversions by adding several calls to action in a single post. The actions taken function within the wall and stream. Again, a free ThingLink package is available giving one the opportunity to test the potential of interactive images. If you’re satisfied, $20 per month will be invoiced annually for access to features, customisation, and analytics.
4. Piktochart
Using Piktochart turns ho-hum commerce stats into engaging visuals and is among one of the best tools designed to give your infographics, images, graphs and charts a spit polish. With the familiar drag-and-drop editor allowing you more time to focus on the details you wish to provide, you can create an infographic on your own. Pick chart has over 400 professionally designed templates that allow you to create quick and effective infographics to share on social media which are shared and liked more than any other form of content. Piktochart has a free-to-use version allowing you to explore and play with all the features and share creations on your preferred social media platforms. With Premium packages starting from $15 a month you might prefer an annual bill of $150. On offer is a greater upload limit, more privacy options, the elimination of watermarks rand high-res exports.
5. YouNow
Live videos have always been very successful on social media mainly due to their engagement and interactive ability properties. YouNow allows you to capitalise on something you may already do. Being able to create and host a live broadcast on different platforms at a moment’s choice is an advantage for business and commerce. YouNow requires an image for which you create a searchable hashtag and then click “Go Live” button. Free to use, you sign up with your Facebook, Instagram or Google + account and you’ve got a guide for beginners. There are no packages on offer with YouNow so just record your footage or go live from your iOS or Android device and you’re done.
6. Qzzr
With a name like this, this social media content tool enables one to make those fun personalised quizzes whereby adding animated GIFs, images, and text to them draws in the curious. Qzzr can be tweaked to match the look and feel of your portfolio or website, and users can also, with the assistance of the experts at Qwizards, create amazing and fun quizzes that you can also appoint in another language. There are hundreds of famous translations, and you have the ability to embed code directly in your website. Sharing is available for LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook and Qzzr’s basic version is popular and free to use. The Premium package begins at $25 a month or $299 annually, and users are given access to advanced customisation, unlimited offer conversions and integrations which is more than is available for the basic offer.
7. Openr
Openr could be one of the social media content tools that web designers haven’t yet heard of. It is a conversation launcher that enables one to engage with social media audiences who are already familiar with your shared content. Openr allows you to create a link that can be used to run a poll, drive traffic, collect subscriptions or ask questions. Through Openr you are able to connect your social media profiles and share the Openr link directly, or use management platforms like TweetDeck, Buffer and HootSuite for the purpose. Openr does not have a basic package but does offer a free trial. Prices start at $39 per month which is billed annually. With the option to brand your Openr message, create campaigns and add links to messages, you get many more features like advanced tracking and vanity URL as the price per package advances.
8. Tagxedo
Tagxedo is for those who post quick visual analyses of their web design services on social media. Creating a word cloud from your blog, website or other content is done via Tagxedo and all you need is to enter the URL, choose a shape, colour and font and you’re away. Word clouds are usually used to display both personal and professional content, and when you add the testimonials and comments, you have received, being able to share them as a new content update means you can link them to the post that received engagement. Images as custom shapes such as a portrait can be used, and Tagxedo is completely free.
9. Edgar
Edgar enhances the content you’ve already posted. It selects your best content and reuses it to attract more interaction. All publications via Edgar are arranged into a library where they are organised into categories such as “Blog Posts”. Edgar can create a schedule that posts from each category to your chosen source automatically sharing the right content at the right time. When and entire category has been published, older updates are re-shared, so users receive new referral traffic on a constant basis of content they maybe haven’t seen before. Edgar’s price for a month-to-month subscription will begin at $79.
10. Babbly
Babbly works on the mantra “share others content to get shares to your content”. It’s the Karma tool and is simple to use. Enter the URL of the content you want to promote on social media; Babbly picks it up giving you an option to share content on multiple networks with a single click. There are options to schedule your posts and auto spread shares to be published in timed intervals. Akin to the workings of Hootsuite, Babbly allows you to sign in with Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn and it’s free to use.
On Closing
It’s a given, social media in and of itself is the greatest exposure tool to ever darken our doors. Populated by a global audience, the entrepreneur was given the liberty to expose the opportunities he had on offer and he was satisfied. But over the years, he began searching for the ideal way to save on time, patience and unnecessary frustration while streamlining his productivity. He now possesses the ability to connect with existing and new audiences with tools that will enhance his business acumen and thus his success.