4 Must-Have Social Media Management Tools

The plethora of social media monitoring tools, which vary from inexpensive to exceptionally pricey, is only matched by how functional the tools are for customers. By using one or more social monitoring tools to track your social media presence, you can capitalize on the power of this form of marketing while staying on top of any buzz surrounding your business. Social media tracking ensures your resources are being maximized, which, in turn, leads to sales. After all, marketing online is less of a popularity contest and more about meaningful customer engagement that boosts sales and complements your overall marketing plan. With this in mind, how is one to make a decision as to which one to use? It inevitably comes down to your needs and budget. Take a look at these four popular monitoring tools for your business:

Wildfire

Wildfire, a division of Google, is one of the world’s largest social media marketing software providers, with over 21,000 paying customers worldwide, including 30 of the world’s 50 most valuable brands. Wildfire’s technology combined with Google’s

advertising solutions provides a more holistic way for brands to manage and optimize their marketing efforts, as well as spend across all digital channels, including search, display, video, mobile, and social.

TweetDeck

TweetDeck is a free personal social media management and mon

itoring tool that allows users to control all their social media accounts through a single dashboard. This is an ideal tool for freelancers, community managers, and contractors who need to juggle multiple accounts.  TweetDeck was brilliant to offer service on both mobile and desktop versions, which makes it simple for users to update and monitor feeds from anywhere.

Brand Monitor

Brand Monitor allows users to track across multiple social media platforms in real-time, providing brands with the information they need to become actively engaged in conversations about their products and/or services. This powerful tool lets users identify influencers, track keywords and respond quickly to mentions.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics has been a the go-to metrics measuring tool since its release, and with integrated Google+ activity, users are able to view easy to read infographics showcasing

which social media platforms are directing the most traffic. Another great feature of this tool is the visitor behavior analysis and a monetary evaluation of conversion rates through Google’s Social Value charts.

S. Lynn Cooper is a Washington, DC-based digital strategist and communications expert. Cooper is the founder and director of Socially Ahead, a strategic communications agency that specializes in the creation of social and digital strategies and campaign management. Follow her on Twitter at @sociallyahead .