by samThird-party apps let you update multiple Facebook pages, post tweets, or add to the conversation on LinkedIn, and a number of other social platforms, without ever having to log-onto the site in question. This makes sharing across multiple platforms much easier, especially if it is the same content you wish to share. You can edit the message according to each account (the way you interact on Twitter should be different from your Facebook updates), without the hassle of logging into each separate account.
They are not without their drawbacks, however. On Facebook, a system known as EdgeRank is used, determining which updates are shown in fans’ news feeds. EdgeRank can lower the value of updates from third-party tools. For instance, a fan might be annoyed by a particular update from a page that was made using a particular third-party app. It’s possible for the user to hide all updates from that app, regardless of the page using the app. As a result, your updates could be being hidden by fans by virtue of the app you’re using, not the content itself.
All-in-all, though, third-party apps make posting on multiple social networks much more efficient, and are used extensively for internet marketing by social media experts and novices alike.
I will outline a number of third-party apps that can be used for posting on social networks:
Argyle Social:
Argyle features compatibility with three major social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You are also able to schedule posts to be distributed at a particular time and/or date. What Argyle offers that a lot of apps don’t, however, is the ability of placing your own brand name with the update instead of the regular (via Argyle), so our posts will appear as (via Digital Clicks)! Your brand name will also contain a link to your website, pushing traffic even more, and really building a strong brand identity along with your content.
Dlvr.it:
Dlvr.it specialises in blog feed updates on social media platforms – including the regular Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but also on Tumblr, Myspace, and Statusnet. Dlvr.it also provides a feature that Hashtags your tweets for you, based on category information. You can also develop your own short domain (like Bit.ly) for your short-linked shared content, particularly handy for 140 character tweets.
Buffer:
Buffer allows you to post and schedule updates, but also has a tool that lets you set up a scheduling pattern. For instance, you can choose to post every Friday at 5pm, or every first day of the month.
Sendible:
Sendible is a social media dashboard that lets you post and schedule updates on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Myspace, WordPress, LinkedIn, and Blogspot, amongst others. Sendible also comes equipped with a built-in metrics system, which offers a basic runthrough of data on your content – including clicks, interactions, likes, and retweets (depending on the platform).
Hootsuite:
Hootsuite allows publishing on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress, Google+, MySpace, and Foursquare. RSS feeds are also available. You’ll be able to monitor your interactions, and basic metrics. The best part is that it is free for up to five social media accounts.
NetworkedBlogs:
NetworkedBlogs lets you view other blogs, and update your own Facebook and Twitter with your latest blogs, and also lets you add your blog to their network database, increasing traffic. Integration with Facebook lets you see what blogs and news your friends are reading. You are asked to verify that you are the owner of the blog with a widget, or your Facebook friends must confirm this.