Tools every social media manager needs!

I use 20 tools to run my social media agency!

I can still remember the days when I started, and all I needed was Facebook & Instagram and maybe excel. I never use to design any of my own images (yip, I used them from google), and then I would just use excel to keep track of my contacts.

How my life has changed!

Now I have a tool for almost everything. Yes, this list will still increase as I grow and scale my business.

If you would ask me which are my favourite, I would probably say that you cannot ask a Mom who is her favourite child. These of my tools is part of my business coz they add value and help me stay more organized.

And what is even great is even though the list is so long, I am not paying for most of them. Let’s work through my list and what I love about each tool:

1. Canva – I am on the pro version

Canva is amazing for all my social media needs, Facebook banners, social media posts, blog covers, lead magnets, and really helps me bring my brand to life.

2. G Suite – I pay for this but not sure how much

What would I do without it! I use G Suite to host my emails and all my documents for Sociale Media Agency & my clients.

3. Later.com – Social media scheduling tool

I schedule all my content and my client’s content with Later.com. I even do a short training session with my students on how to use Later.com. I do pay for Later.com, which is only because of the paid features I need in my business. The free version is just as good, and you can post up to 30 posts free every month.

4. LastPass – I do not pay for

Here I save all my passwords on my phone and laptop so that I don’t have to walk around with lists and lists of usernames and passwords. This is also great to get passwords from clients.

5. Toggl

This tool has been so amazing with tracking how much time I spend working on projects, and I use this for EVERYTHING from client work to creating TikToks and Reels. You will very quickly learn how much time you spend on things that are a waste of your time.

6. Wave Accounting

LOVE, LOVE Wave accounting. I can schedule reoccurring invoices for my clients, and the mobile app is very user-friendly. I always feel like I have my accountant in the palm of my hand.

7. Wix

I decided to create my website with Wix purely coz I found coding and WordPress to be a nightmare for me. I like my website, and I think it is very unlike and me. Yes, I can get someone to help design one on WordPress, but then every time I want a change, I would need to work with someone again; I will just bugger it up.

8. Zoom

I use Zoom for my monthly client calls and my monthly group coaching calls. I also like to use it when I do discovery calls with potential new clients. With some of my clients being as far as China, it does add a personal touch that I can see them, and they can see me.

9. MailerLite

This is one of my favourite email marketing tools. I have tried so many, and a lot of them are so overpriced. I pay $10 per month, and I think it is so worth it. The feature I love the most is the fact that I can automate emails. Yes, you can do this with other email marketing tools, but I could not find one that did this on their free version.

10. MemberVault

As a new course creator, I wanted to use one of the more well-known course hosting platforms, but I could not afford the fee that some of them were charging. Other options include saving your videos on YouTube and using google docs for the pdf files and homework sheets, but I wanted it to look like it is worth the money. And I do not pay MemberVault a cent.

11. OneDrive

I do not ever have to worry about saving content and files on my laptop as I have everything in my OneDrive.

12. Screenflow

This is one of my newest tools, and I paid a once-off fee for this. I used to use Loom, but they have changed a lot of their free features, and I just got frustrated. I did my research and found that a lot of course creators in my niche use Screenflow. I am still figuring it out, but I am sure I will love all the features very soon.

13. Tubebuddy

I use Tubebuddy as an extension to YouTube; this helps me see the keywords that YouTubers are using in their videos, so the day I start creating my own YouTube videos, I will be able to optimize my channel.

14. Asana

What would I do without Asana? I have boards for everything I do for my own company and for my clients. I am not on the paid version but have noticed that I would love to use something that I cannot…so with that being said; I might just have to upgrade this one.

15. LinkTree

LinkTree has become a good friend of mine. I used to use the link in bio option that comes with Later.com, but because I have so many areas that I want to drive traffic to, it just did not work for me as the link was changing with every post. Now I have all my links listed on LinkTree, and I have my brand design included. There is a free version, but I am on the paid version so that I could update the design.

16. Calendly

This has been like having a personal assistant! I simply email clients my link, and they book a time slot with me. Calendly is linked to my calendar and zoom, so when a client books a call with me, they will get a Zoom meeting link, and I will get a calendar entry. No more going back and forward, trying to find a time that is best for everyone.

17. Bitly

I like using Bitly links to track how many clicks I get on a CTA. I have noticed that if I use a Bitly link in MailerLite, it will pick the link up as spam so just be sure to check this out. However, I prefer using a shortened link in my social media posts so that it does not look so messy.

18. PayPal

I use PayPal for all international payments and to automate the process for my group coaching program. When someone signs up for my group coaching program, I have it automated that when they pay with PayPal and the payment is approved that MemberVault sends them a welcome message with their log in details.

19. Grammarly

If you do not use Grammarly, you are going to make mistakes. I am not on the paid version but let me tell you how many times this has saved me from sending out content with spelling or grammar mistakes.

20. Dollar Eighty

This is also a new one, and I love it! Is it necessary – nope, but it saves me time. This is based on Gary Vaynerchuk $1.80 strategy and helps with Instagram engagement. What I love is that it is all in one place, and I don’t actually have to think about engagement too much.

This is my current list, and I am sure by 2021, it would have changed, and some of these might no longer be on my list. The one thing I know is that these tools have made my day to day so much easier.

I can recommend that you start sooner than later; while you are small, you still have the time to see what works for you and which tools you enjoy working with.

And as a freelancer having these tools can also become an income source for you, as the majority of these tools offer affiliate programs.

To try some of these tools for yourself you can go to my tools list and find the links here: https://bit.ly/2Ibgllt