Whether you are going on vacation and need to schedule posts while absent, or you don’t have time to post every single day, it is convenient to know how to automate social media posts.

Best Solutions to Automate Social Media Posts

Later

Cost: Free

Later, formerly Latergram, is a great tool to automate social media posts, especially Instagram. The user-interface is very design-forward, which makes creating a visual story a snap to accomplish. Also, there is a great Help Center to assist with any questions with scheduling posts.

IFTTT

Cost: Free

IFTTT (stands for “if this then that”) facilitates the most common platforms to communicate with one another. This service bridges Apple or Google calendars into actions with social media platforms. Create a hashtag on your calendar, and it will automatically be posted to Facebook. Link your phone to automatically post videos to Instagram. Anything you can imagine could be automated. The personal plan allows 3 integrations for free.

Planoly

Cost: Free

When posting on Instagram, it is important to keep branding at the forefront. This includes a standard filter or color palette. Planoly allows users to do just that. Create a plan for all future posting photos to ensure the profile meets brand standards and flows.

Buffer

Cost: Free

We have shared a lot of Instagram-related tools, however, Twitter is a popular social platform that shouldn’t be ignored. Twitter boasts 330 million monthly active users. Of these, more than 40 percent, or more specifically, 145 million, use the service on a daily basis.  However, Twitter is a platform known for sharing information quickly. Buffer helps queue future tweets as you discover articles you wish to share. There is also a browser extension, so any webpage instantly becomes tweet-ready. Keep on top of the industry with ease.

Hootsuite

Cost: Freemium

It isn’t completely free, but it is important to mention, Hootsuite since it helps a business automate all social platforms. Plus, you can be alerted to engagement with posts or any mentions of your company. It is free for a user to connect three social profiles and schedule 30 posts. However, if your business needs more connected, then it costs $29/month.

Need More Help?

Need more help in deciding the best way to automate your social media posts? Why not reach out today? We offer free strategy sessions to help get your business noticed in all the right ways.

It is important for businesses to have a variety of reviews from different platforms when a potential client searches for your business.  90% of customers say that their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews. This means it is important for your business to get more reviews in order to boost sales.

First, Be Able to Be Reviewed

In order to get more reviews, your clients need to have a location to leave feedback. There are many places to choose from. This includes Yelp, Google My Business and Facebook. It doesn’t hurt to have a profile on all three places. In fact, having multiple links to external sources can help your SEO on your website. However, if you wish to concentrate on one or two, it is recommended to focus on Google and Yelp.

Get More Reviews

Gathering reviews do not have to be complicated, but it needs to be part of your business’ customer service system. Automatic emails sent in a week after purchase asking for a review with a link to whichever profile you wish is a great way to get more reviews. The easier you make this process the more likely you will receive reviews. Want a more in-depth customer experience? Why not turn it into a case study? A case study is how a client used your product or business that allowed their lives to be easier or filled a need they had. This is an excellent way to have your customers speak about your company in their own words and reach other buyers just like them.

Follow the Rules

The first instinct on soliciting reviews may be to provide an incentive for customers to leave great ones. However, do not do this. Many review sites like Google can fine a business if it realizes you hosted a raffle, give away for a review.

So, how do you get more reviews? You can offer a discount if a customer leaves a review. However, they must disclose in the review they received a discount offer. This may seem counterintuitive to sales, however, the more positive reviews a business has the more likely a new client will trust them.

What About Negative Reviews

Many businesses will try to contact Google to remove them or try to ignore these reviews. However, it is better practice to address the concerns in a professional manner. This shows other customers that you care about everyone having a good experience with your company. To do this, first objectively review what was said. Was there anything truthful to the comment? Was customer service slow that day? Did someone accidentally skip cleaning the restroom? Did communications fail with this client? These negative reviews could be opportunities to strengthen your business.

So, how to respond? Acknowledge their comments and promise to do something about it. Make sure to not argue even if you disagree. One wrong word could easily turn into a social firestorm.  67% of people say a customer service interaction is bad because the person they were dealing with was unpleasant. Aim for professionalism and objectivity.

Lastly, don’t wait to respond. A prompt response signals that customer service is a priority. Also, don’t just respond to the negative reviews, but the good ones, too!

More Questions?

Have more questions on how to get more reviews? Reach out to us today for a personalized strategy plan that fits your business model. Contact us here.