11 Apps That Help Me Manage My Social Media Life

I use my iPhone to do most of my connecting through social media. I guess that trend is common since mobile device use is up while use of laptops/desktops is down worldwide. This chart illustrates how that trend is expected to continue.

Retrieved: http://digiday.com/media/mobile-overtaking-desktops-around-world-5-charts/

Social media has been transformational in my work as an educator. The connections I've made and the ideas I've encountered have pushed me to grow and learn in ways I never could've imagined.

But I also don't want social media to take over my life. I work very hard to maximize my productivity and get the most out of my online work without compromising other important areas of my life.

These are 11 apps I've used that I've found most beneficial to managing my social media life. They aren't in any particular order, and they serve a variety of purposes.

1. Twitter-I use the Twitter app to read tweets and post to multiple accounts (school and personal/professional). I sometimes even participate in Twitter chats using my iPhone. 

2. Buffer-This app is fantastic for scheduling tweets and managing multiple social media accounts. I like to read and share relevant content to my followers. I've found Buffer is the best way to do this. One of the things I like about it is the ability to follow RSS feeds within the app. It brings some of my favorite content right into the app so I can review and share.

3. Facebook Pages-I help manage content for our high school page, and I also have a Facebook fan page for my blog. I can take care of both accounts through this app's interface. It works great!

4. Nuzzel-I use Nuzzel to read the hottest stories from my Twitter feed. Basically, it ranks articles that have been shared the most by my friends. I always find content here I want to share with others. It also works with Facebook. You just have to connect your accounts to the app.

5. Evernote-Anything I don't want to forget goes in Evernote. It's a great app for taking notes and staying organized. I keep a list of possible blog topics here also so I always have something to think and write about.

6. Juice-This app is another way I get content to read and share. It analyzes my Twitter and then generates new articles to read every 24 hours. I don't think very many people know about this one, but I really like it.

7. Flipboard-I use Flipboard semi-regularly, but it often frustrates me. It's supposed to aggregate relevant links and stories based on my interests. It's algorithm is supposed to learn my preferences and habits. The problem is I don't find helpful content there as often as I'd like. Am I doing something wrong? 

8. Vanillapen-This app is great for making quick and easy quote images. I like to share inspiring images or quotes and this makes it a breeze.

9. Pexels-You might share this app with your students too. It's a great online platform for finding Creative Commons licensed photos to use in projects and presentations. You don't want to violate copyright laws by choosing any photo from a Google search. The photos on this site are free and there are new pics added daily. 

10. Canva-I use Canva to create images for blog posts or to share on social media. Some of the graphics and images are fee based, but I use it often and rarely pay for anything.

11. TweetDeck-This tool is my favorite way to participate in Twitter chats. The simple column view allows users to monitor multiple accounts or hashtags all at once. For a chat, I typically have a column for the hashtag and one for my notifications so I know when someone has mentioned or tweeted at me.

I always enjoying new apps and have really benefited from the ones I've shared in this post. Having the right app is like finding the right tool in my shop. It makes every project turn out better!

Question: What are your favorite apps right now? I'm curious what works well for you. You can leave a comment below or respond on or .