13 Awesome Tools To Help Get Your Business On The Grid

Tired of wasting your time on simple  social media duties? It's a tedious job to be on every platform 24/day 7 days a week.  Thankfully, there are some tools out there that can make your life a little bit easier. Welcome to the world of automation.

Here are 13 of our favorite tools that help small business focus on the work they need to be:

1. Hootsuite: This website and app will help you to manage your time with social media by scheduling your posts on Twitter, G+ and Facebook in advance.
2. IFTTT: (pronounced like "gift" but without the "g"), it's only about automation, through 100 channels ! This will let you create your own "recipes" that don't typically exist between channels, such as: Setting your photos from Instagram to automatically post to your Facebook BUSINESS page.
3. Instagress: The secret to success on Instagram is being active with other users. If you don't have the time Instagress will like and comment on photos for you.
4. Elance: If you're ready to take the plunge and hire a virtual assistant, Elance is a great place to bid out jobs to possible candidates all over the world!
5. Morguefile: Copyright free images (as long as you give credit to the owner of the images). Don't try and steal photos off Google and get slapped with a lawsuit (see our post about Photo copyright law here).
   You can also use Unsplash, free 10 new high-resolution photos every 10 days - you can use them for whatever you want, even without mentioning the author.
6. Infogr.am: Create infographics and online charts easily and for free.
7. Squarespace: Simple logo creation by yourself, the basic for your business!
8. PicMonkey: Visual content is the most important factor of blog posts and social sharing. You can edit and add text and graphics to images (think mini Photoshop) with this app for free!
9. Rapportive: Here is a magic tool - relationship management for free. This app will add all your social media links to your email signature -for free! y
10. Google trends: It's always a great way to keep up with the current trends online. It will also give you some inspiration as to what you should be talking and posting about.
11. Blog topic generator: When you can't find what to write about, the blog topic generator is here for you.
12. Pocket: You would love to read all those important stuff, but definitely not now? Put them in your pocket! It will save all contents for later.


13. Socialminded Media Group, because sometimes you still can't do it all on your own. We're here to do it all plus more for you! Contact Stephanie at stephanie[at]socialmindedmediagroup.com today!

Image: Claire Belzidsky