Here Are 12 Must-Use Apps for MarketersFrom content distribution to social listening, here are the apps marketers need to be using right now.

Mobile apps seem to always get into our marketing conversations these days. Arecent report bytheanalytics firm, App Annieshows the total IOS and Google Play app downloads topped more than 260 billion last year. So what's in these apps for us? The marketer's role has evolved dramatically over the years and is still changing. You need to be constantly forming new strategies and campaigns that will attract your audience. The problem is that you have too much competition. So, you need to make sure it's your voice being heard, every time, no matter where you are. This is where mobile apps can give you a much-needed leg-up.

Whether you're an Apple, Windows, or an Android fan, apps can assist you in every step of your marketing activity. With a few touches, you can have all the information you need -- what's trending, how people are responding to your messages, what are the latest best practices. The right apps are truly the marketer's best friend.

But which apps to choose? Here's a list of the top three apps for each of the four key marketing areas.

Related:10 Great Social Media Tools to Boost Online Success

Content distribution

Making sure your content appears at the right place, at the right time can be a tedious process. These apps will simplify this part of your job.

1. Buffer

An app that helps you share content to social media channels by letting you schedule posts to be published at ideal times. You can even letBufferdecide what time is best.

2. PixxFly

This outbound marketing app automates the distribution and syndication of all your content to various channels across the web with one simple click.PixxFlyalso provides analytics for each post.

3. Pagemodo

Used primarily to set up Facebook business or organization pages,Pagemodohelps you create engaging visual elements and customized features that encourage fan interaction without professional help. It allows you to schedule posts and finds the most relevant content for your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

Social-media management

Managing social media can be a tall order. Most marketers either spend too much time on social or fail to give it the attention it deserves. To strike the right balance, you need the right tools.

Related:How to Make Time for Social Media Marketing

4. Hootsuite

Hootsuiteallows you to manage multiple social media accounts, analyze traffic, track brand mentions, schedule posts, messages and tweets-- all from one interface.

5. Sprout Social

Sprout Socialallows you to schedule, publish and analyze posts across all your social platforms from a single window.

6. Tint

Though not strictly a social media management tool,Tintis an exciting app that can create social hubs to engage audiences. You can pull content from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest onto your dashboard then embed them as custom feeds into websites like WordPress, Wix, or Tumblr, or on mobile apps, social pages, digital displays and video walls.

Social listening

When it comes to marketing in today's social-media environment, it's important to listen to what people are saying. This helps you measure your reach and keeps you informed on what's trending. Social listening also helps you know when you need to act promptly. For example, if not acted upon immediately, a negative comment by an unsatisfied customer can spread like wildfire and damage your brand's reputation. Here are the three top social listening apps to keep you well informed.

7. Buzzsumo

Buzzsumohelps you take a deeper look at what's popular or trending on social media and who's sharing.

8. Mention

Mentionhelps you easily keep track in real time of what's being said about your brand so you can react quickly. It will send you alerts showing your mentions each day.

Related:10 Unique Marketing Ideas to Test on Every Social-Media Channel

9. Cyfe

Social listening can get overwhelming with so many different areas to track.Cyfemakes it easier by allowing you to customize your dashboard to monitor your data all from one place.

Employee advocacy

One of the most powerful marketing strategies is creating brand advocates inside your own company. These apps are designed to help employees share content across their own social-media profiles. We are seeing new players in this space such as social-media giant LinkedIn. There are also up and comers like TrapIt. However, based on experience and time in the market, here are three that you should be using right now.

10. Dynamic Signal

Dynamic Signalis a tool that lets you distribute either your own content or some you've curated from the web to employees who can then re-share it on their personal social-media profiles.

11. SoAmpli

SoAmpliencourages employees and co-workers to be brand advocates though social sharing.

12. EveryoneSocial

With its clean and simple interface,EverySocialis designed to amplify your brand presence by building a team of employee advocates to share your content on their social media accounts.

Related:25 Signs You Need Help Marketing

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