Crank up the WOW factor.
Today we are going to talk about some of the latest apps you can find on your phone or tablet, specifically as it relates to your marketing related needs. Let’s just be honest with ourselves for a second. We are all already spending a decent amount of time in the App Store anyway - From our workout tracking apps, to news outlets, to streaming services and more, there is an app available for almost every aspect of our day-to-day life.
But I bet you didn’t realize how many apps are currently out there to help with creating social media content, or even your everyday marketing materials. If you go under the Social Networking category in the App Store, there is even a sub-category called Tools for Creators (that’s YOU). I’ve had the opportunity to test out quite a few of them. After all, what type of designer would I be if the only software I utilized was Photoshop?
Here is a list of just a few of the apps that in my opinion can help anyone to look like they are a pro when it comes to their marketing related content. Ready to dive in?
Adobe Spark - Hands down, this is my go-to app for my social media content when I need to put something together quickly. It is about $10/month, which for many might not seem like a necessary expense. However, if you are already using the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, this add-on is more than worth it. First off, my favorite feature within Spark is the ability to create branded content. What does that mean exactly? Well, I’m glad that you asked. This means that you can upload your logo, add specific colors, and can also upload the fonts that you utilize regularly within your business so that your social media posting is consistent with your overall brand. There are many different templates available to choose from as well. This includes social media posts, stories, and ads, flyers, resumes, invitations, presentations, videos, portfolios, business cards, brochures, posters, menus, newsletters, and much, much more! Plus, I love the fact that this isn’t just available in app format. I can also log-in to my account on my computer if I need to link photos that I have saved somewhere besides my phone.
Canva - If you don’t want to spend the money on Adobe Spark, Canva is a great alternative. When I first started utilizing this app, they actually didn’t have half as many templates as you can currently find when you log-in. The Canva team has done some serious upgrades over the past year. Templates now include social media posts and stories, logos, flyers, event invitations, business cards, infographics, brochures, letterhead, resumes, and so much more! The template styles range from modern to traditional, and you can create your own templates as well. I also use Canva to make templates for another app GoodNotes, which is where I take notes on my iPad.
PANTONE Studio - This is a free app that I personally think is fantastic when you are trying to pull together a color scheme quickly. Say for example that you are looking for colors that compliment a color that is completely out there - like a neon green. Once you choose this color, it will then bring you to a page that shows you that color with an assortment of color variations that work nicely together based upon the initial HEX # that you chose. When I have a base color that I’m working with, I always check this list for possible complimentary colors. Often it leads me to use a palette that I wouldn’t have otherwise explored. It is worth checking out, especially when you are looking to add a new color combination to your design.
Hootsuite - Social media management is a necessity for any business that posts frequently on social media. Hootsuite is just one of the many options that are available, and it happens to be the one that I use most frequently. However, there are many other softwares out there including Buffer, Sendible, Social Pilot, AgoraPulse, and many more. Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to utilize the free version if you have three or less social media accounts connected. For the most part, all of these apps are quite similar, but depending upon how many accounts you are connecting, how many users need access, and the level of analytics that you are looking to receive, will determine which one makes the most sense for your business. A social media management system allows you to schedule your posts well in advance. For those of us who are creating content schedules a year in advance, this gives us the opportunity to essentially “set it and forget it”. The management system will also allow you to be able to check engagement rates and other analytics, while giving you a dashboard to review all of your current social media feeds in once place (rather than having to open up Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. individually).
Ripl - This is a neat app that allows you to create branded videos and images within minutes. There are hundreds of pre-made templates that you can choose from or you can create your own. A convenient feature within Ripl is the ability to share the content to all your social media right from this app, and it also allows you to schedule out your content for future posts. Much like what I mentioned with Adobe Spark, Ripl allows you to upload your logo, color and font preferences so that you can create content that is consistent with your brand. Ripl is a subscription-based service. If you are looking for something similar that may not have all the same bells and whistles, I would recommend checking out Video Boost, which has a free and premium option.
Constant Contact/Mail Chimp - If you are not currently utilizing an email marketing software to engage with your clients or customers, I guess my only question would be what are you waiting for? The two that are most widely utilized are Constant Contact and Mail Chimp. The biggest takeaways include the user-friendly interface, the reasonable price point, the customer service, and the ability to manage both email campaigns and event registration in one place. You can either choose from the pre-designed templates that are available for free, you can create your own, or Constant Contact will create a template that is specifically tailored to your brand for a fee. There are a variety of other available email marketing software on the market, and at the end of the day, the one that you choose really comes down to what best suites your needs as a business.
I’m pretty sure I could add at least 10 more apps to this list, as there are so many to choose from. At the end of the day, do not be afraid to try new things. That should really be our goal for 2020. Whether you are a marketing professional, or you are a small business owner or office manager looking to increase your overall brand presence, I think the above list has something for everyone. Some of these tools just will not fit your needs or you might not like the interface, and that is okay. Because for every app that you don’t like, there are at least fifty others you can take for a test drive.
