Buffer is one of my favorite “go-to” services when it comes to managing my social profile on the internet. In this post, we'll explore the advantages of using Buffer and the BufferApp and how you can get the most value out of the currently available set of features.
But before we dive in, let's talk about why there's a need for a social media management tool in the first place, or more importantly, why YOU need one.
Social media is clearly unavoidable for anyone conducting business on the internet today. The problem most people face, is that there are so many social networks out there, it's difficult to decide the best social media websites we should invest our time on. We need to make efficient use of our time and find out where we can get the most bang for our buck so to speak.
That's where a service like Buffer is worth it's weight in gold, because you can connect more than one social network and keep track of who, what, when and where people are engaging with your content. The analytics features in Buffer give you a quick overview of account activity.
Staggering your Tweets and posts to Facebook and LinkedIn are critical to staying “top of mind” with your potential readers and customers. No one wants to see a constant stream of information from any one user, and staggering your posts keeps you from being ignored.
[shadowbox]Now you can Buffer your Google + Page posts![/shadowbox]
Automatically Buffer a blend of your own content along with content you curate using a service like Scoop.it to keep your followers engaged and you'll be seen as the thought leader and “taste maker” in your field. You'll see an increase in engagement and your Klout score will rise as well.
Get the Most Out of Using Buffer As Your Social Media Management Tool
Take a look at this screenshot which shows the analytics from a Facebook Post I did on my Page. This post encouraged people to vote for the blog in the Small Business Influencer Awards last year.
As it turned out, Basic Blog Tips was named a Community Choice Award Honoree and came in #2 in the total number of votes for that category. One of the reasons is because of the support I received from fans of the Facebook Page and the stats found in my dashboard helped demonstrate how important it is for me to engage on Facebook – even on those days when I might have my doubts.
It's important to note that if I went into my Facebook Page Insights, this information would be gone because more than 90 days has past. Yet, it was quick and easy for me to scroll through my analytics and find this on Buffer, over six months after I made the post!
Overview of the Currently Available Feature Set in the Bufferapp
Buffer is constantly evolving and getting new features added but here's what you can do with it in it's current state.
- Schedule your Social Media posts to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and App.net in advance
- Get analytics and rate the performance of individual posts
- Manage multiple accounts for yourself and your clients
- Manage multiple Social Media networks
How to use the BufferApp and Extension for Chrome
Watch the video and you'll discover how to:
- Install the Buffer extension and Bufferapp from the Chrome Store
- Share a post with the Buffer extension
- Use the Tweet button on someone's blog to share a post with Buffer
- Find tracking analytics for your posts including: clicks, likes, favorites, retweets and shares
- Choose a link shortener (Find out why I decided to use bit.ly here)
- Set your time zone and schedules for each one of your social media accounts
- Curate content using Scoop.it's Buffer integration
The Guys Behind the Scenes Giving Support
Leo Widrich and Joel Gascoigne founded the platform back in 2010 (you can see one of Leo's first Leo's first guest posts about Buffer here) and they haven't stopped building and innovation since. They even took the reigns as the owners of the Digg Digg social sharing plugin last year and continue to rise to the forefront when it comes to young entrepreneurs and successful start-ups.
They have built an awesome and very knowledgeable support team, and if you're really serious about taking your social media engagement to the next level, Buffer needs to be integrated into your strategy.
If you are taking on social media tasks for your clients, I strongly advise you to consider using The Awesome Plan for working with teams and accessing countless social media profiles and unlimited posts.
Have you tried it yet? If so what do you think about Buffer?
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