Mobile Social Media: How a smartphone can be your best friend

I read something this week talking about "nomophobia"  and I was a little shocked. Ok, I wasn’t really shocked I was more shocked that someone had to do a study and then create a name for the phobia of being without a cellphone. Mobile social media is why I suffer from nomophobia. I may be unique in this phobia but I doubt that to be the case. This post isn’t about phobias or obsessions, however, it is about how a smartphone can be your best friend when managing social media for your business. Mobile consumption of social feeds is becoming the standard. Facebook is consumed less and less on a desktop browser and more from a mobile app/browser. I have heard many people proclaim that they prefer to consume Google+ on their tablet or phone rather than on the desktop. Our smartphones are becoming the computer we use most. With over 50% of mobile phone users carrying smartphones it stands to reason that there will be a day soon when we will have a smartphone as a desktop (check out the video below). With this in mind you need to learn how to manage your social media from your smartphone and you need to learn to do this now.  So to help I’m listing some of the tools that I use.

HootSuite (iPhone, Android)

Hootsuite is best used for monitoring all of your social media channels. It allows you to create different "streams" that you can monitor for keywords, mentions, posts from VIP’s and more. It also has the capacity to cross post to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more. This can be handy if you need a quick post to all of your networks. Please keep in mind your EdgeRank for these types of posts on Facebook (more on EdgeRank in a post to follow).  Mostly HootSuite is a great utility to monitor your accounts and have quick responses while on the go.

 Facebook Page Manager (iPhone) Seesmic (Android)

These two apps are the best apps I could find to post on an manage Facebook Pages. As an Android fan I must admit that the iPhone/iPad tool is better, and because it’s native it doesn’t have a negative effect on your EdgeRank. Seesmic, however, allows you many of the same controls you get with HootSuite with a much better interface for managing Facebook Pages. So if you need mobile management for multiple accounts on Facebook and Twitter it may be helpful to use Seesmic for your Android device.

Google+(iPhone, Android)

Google+ is an app for both iOSand Android operating systems. In fact it may be the most polished single network mobile app of all. Nearly every function available on Google+ for your desktop is available on the mobile version. It is intuitive on both operating systems and happens to be very easy to consume. I have heard many people say they prefer reading through their notifications on a mobile device rather than on their desktop. This is something you never hear about Twitter or Facebook’s mobile apps. This is also now just recently an option for controlling a Google+ Page.

Facebook App

There’s been a lot of criticism of the Facebook app for mobile devices. When it comes right down to it though, the app is functional and allows you to consume your updates and post your status reasonably well. Being able to post to Facebook when the time is right rather than hoping you remember that witty update when you get home from a job is important and having this app makes it possible if a little cumbersome.

Twitter App

Twitter may have the most third party options of all the networks. There are no shortage of apps to post to Twitter, and iOS allows you to do so from almost anything natively. If you are an avid Tweeter telling you which app to use is going to be a waste of time. The Twitter App for smartphones is useful and easy to integrate with almost any apps on Android and most apps on iOS. Making a specific recommendation to use the Twitter version of Twitter apps is a little like telling you which drink to order at a restaurant. Presumptuous and rude.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has updated their mobile app and it is genius. LinkedIn (if you didn’t know) is the premier business and professional relationship networking option of the social sphere. With such an emphasis on business the app for LinkedIn has nailed it square on the head. It gives you access to your calendars, messages, and keeps you up to date with relevant information based on your stated interests and also from your network of professional contacts. Add to all of that an easy to use sharing feature that links to Twitter as well and this is a very powerful app.

Conclusion

We are consuming social media from a mobile device more and more, this may not be an indication of the busy pace we keep, but it is an indicator of how easy it is to be connected. Take advantage of all of the apps that let you reach your audience and you will find that you can manage social media more efficiently.