The Top 6 Social Media Mobile Apps You Need Now

December 26, 2012 by Rachel Thompson 84 Comments

As someone who not only manages my own seven Twitter streams (my author @RachelintheOC, my business @BadRedheadMedia, four promo sites, and @MondayBlogs*), plus several other clients, I’ve had to find social media mobile apps to use on my iPhone that allow me to check in from wherever I am. Not only check in, but also manage, schedule, grow, and most importantly, interact. And finally, these apps are real timesavers which allows me to work on my fourth and fifth books!

I use the iPhone, but many of these are also available for Android or BlackBerry, so check your app store.

I’ve tried practically every app out there. Loved some, hated others. Here, in no particular order, are my current faves:

1) Tweetbot: By far the quickest and most versatile Twitter app I’ve found. Able to manage as many accounts you may have, Tweetbot has all the stuff to make it my top dog (except one — in a moment):

Interact
Follow/unfollow
Edit
Share pix
Lightning speed
Manage/grow lists
Easy to use Search function

For a long time, I used Echofon but found it to be extremely slow lately. Neither app allows for scheduling though, so…Rating: I give Tweetbot a B+ and Echofon a C.

2) Tweetr: This simple app allows you to schedule tweets, again for multiple accounts. Why do you need it? If you’re out and about and want to share something cool but not right at that moment, Tweetr allows you to schedule at any point in the future. It also tracks your last 100 scheduled tweets, so you can change em up and retweet again if needed.** And it shortens links automatically which is very convenient. Rating: I give it a solid B.

**A note about recycling tweets: I never recommend saying the same exact thing twice (and generally, Twitter will reject it anyway), but sometimes you want to share someone else’s tweet or blog post, so this application makes it easy.

3) Hootsuite: I LOVE the desktop application. The mobile is kinda clunky and difficult to maneuver, though recent updates have made it easier to use. I reserve it for scheduling purposes for Facebook or LinkedIn only. Rating: While I give the desktop an A, I give the mobile app a C+.

4) Twitter app: SO much better than it ever was before! I find it easy to use this app, if for nothing else, the Interactions and Mentions button. It’s also easy to share pix and other updates. My only beef is the lack of scheduling option, but since Twitter itself is all about ‘what’s happening right now?’ I doubt they will ever add that option. The other thing that kinda bug is that I keep having to log in when I want to share an update from a site, which is just annoying. Rating: I give it a C+.

5) Facebook Pages: For those of you who want to manage multiple Facebook Pages (not applicable to your personal account), this is a handy app. I find it easier to use this Pages app to stay focused on work and not be distracted by people’s updates on my personal account. I am admittedly not a huge fan of Facebook but there’s no question it’s an invaluable way to connect with readers. Rating: I give FB Pages a B-.

6) Flipboard: By far, the most comprehensive app that has pretty much every social channel possible (with the exception of Pinterest), I’ve just started working with this free app and have to say, it’s pretty darn cool. If I could schedule from it, it would be the perfect app. I’ll be sure to let them know. Rating: too early to tell.

I’ve tried and discarded the following: Tweetings, Twittlelator, TweetCaster, Tweetgram, Tweetdeck, and so many others I can’t count. More power to you if you use any of those and love them! We’re all different and it makes sense there are different apps that please us all.

*If you want to share your latest blog posts on Twitter, use the #MondayBlogs hashtag and if you cc me @MondayBlogs, I’ll RT you! Be sure to RT others as well. Good karma.

Like, ya know, food. Or ice cream.

If you have apps you like, please share here. I love to try new things, and will be happy to report back on my findings.

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Rachel Thompson

Rachel Thompson aka RachelintheOC is a published author and social media consultant. Her two books, A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed are both #1 Kindle bestsellers! When not writing, she helps authors and other professionals with branding and social media for her company, BadRedhead Media. She hates walks in the rain, running out of coffee, and coconut. Buy Now : A Walk in the Snark * Mancode: Exposed

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