Some of My Favorite Apps as a Social Media Marketer of Almost Six Years

Allyson Brooks
Dec 16, 2025
4 min read

Tools that simplify content creation, organization, and strategy

Why the Right Tools Matter

If you have ever found yourself juggling captions, graphics, and endless deadlines, you know that social media marketing is part creativity and part time management. The secret I've found to staying consistent without burning out is having the right tools in your corner.

I've tested dozens of apps over the years (hello, shiny object syndrome!), but a few have become non-negotiables in my day-to-day work life. Whether you are a business owner managing your own content or a creative professional supporting multiple brands, these are the tools that help keep my workflow smooth and efficient, without making me want to crash out.

1. Canva

Every marketer needs a reliable design tool, and Canva continues to lead the way (in my opinion). It's intuitive, versatile, and powerful enough to make your content look professional without needing a full design background or training. Adobe is another great option, but more expensive and has a higher learning curve.

Why I love it:

Beginner-friendly and easy to learn
Easy drag-and-drop templates that keep visuals on brand
Shared folders for collaboration with clients or team members
Built-in tools for resizing posts across platforms in seconds
A growing library of stock photos, icons, and videos that save hours
Frequent software and feature updates

Pro Tip: Create a “Brand Kit” in Canva with your colors, fonts, and logo. This is SO helpful and makes designing across multiple projects quick and easy.

2. ChatGPT or a similar AI tool

If you're DIYing your social media or looking for a creative spark, ChatGPT is a game-changer for those who don’t have formal strategy or marketing training. Think of it as a brainstorming partner that helps you find your tone, build captions, or organize content ideas.

How I use it:

Generating ideas for Reels, Stories, Posts, or campaigns
Planning content calendars with important dates and holidays
Drafting engaging captions that sound authentic (Note: You HAVE to train your AI to your brand voice, tone, messaging, etc. if you're going to use it for captions. It still needs to sound like a real human wrote it... but that's just my opinion)
Turning blog posts or long-form content into bite-sized social posts
Researching hashtags and content angles

Pro Tip: Use it for inspiration, then refine the language so it feels like you wrote it. A personal tone always performs better than a generic caption.

Let me be clear: I very rarely get an output from ChatGPT that I don't have to/want to alter. It is obvious when you use ChatGPT if you are not editing caption/sentence structure, tone of voice, emojis, etc., or using brand-specific prompts, feeding it personalized information, or editing and refining it after it produces an output.

3. Rella and Meta Business Suite:

Scheduling tools are a LIFESAVER if you're someone who manages multiple accounts or platforms. Rella and Meta Business Suite are my go-to platforms for managing multiple client accounts, planning feeds, scheduling content, and reviewing analytics.

Why I love Rella:

Simple, intuitive interface perfect for small business owners
Calendar view that keeps posts organized across platforms
Feed planning tool (my favorite part!) so you can obsess over aesthetic
Built-in analytics for tracking performance
Creator tools that help you plan batch content and captions in one place
(Use my referral code when you sign up for a discount!)

Why I love Meta Business Suite:

Direct integration with Facebook and Instagram
In-depth analytics
Ability to schedule posts, Stories, and ads all in one dashboard
Easy access to engagement metrics like comments, saves, and reach

Pro Tip: Schedule your posts at least one week ahead for breathing room to focus on engagement + interacting on your account, instead of scrambling to post every day.

4. Google Drive and Dropbox

No matter how creative your process is, organization keeps everything running smoothly. Both Google Drive and Dropbox are essential for storing, sharing, and backing up files. I personally prefer Google for admin work and file storage, and Dropbox for photo and video storage.

How I use them:

Saving all client assets such as photos, videos, logos, and templates
Sharing large files with photographers, videographers, and team members
Keeping all caption and content drafts in one folder for easy access
Creating client folders and storing strategies, meeting documents, branding, and other relevant files

Pro Tip: Create a shared folder for each client or project. Inside, include additional folders for photos, branding, account notes, etc. It makes collaboration effortless and prevents last-minute chaos when searching for files.

5. Asana: The Workflow & Team Harmony Hub

If you’re juggling multiple clients, campaigns, or creative projects, you need a system that keeps everyone aligned. Asana is the powerhouse that turns scattered tasks into a clear, organized workflow so nothing gets lost along the way. (And has personally allowed me to scale and optimize mine + my team members' time!!)

Why I love it:

Clean, visual project boards that make planning simple and intuitive.
Task lists that sync beautifully with Google Drive, Slack, and other daily tools.
Timeline and calendar views that keep due dates visible and manageable.
Easy collaboration through comments, file uploads, and approvals, all in one place.

Pro Tip: Create recurring tasks for weekly routines such as “create content outlines,” “review client analytics,” or “send weekly updates.” This keeps your workflow consistent and frees up your mental load.

Bonus: Other Helpful Tools Worth Trying

CapCut (TikTok) or Edits (Instagram): For quick, professional video edits.
Notion: Great for creative brainstorming and content planning.
Later or Metricool: Alternatives for scheduling and visual planning.
Google Analytics: For understanding website traffic from social channels.

The Social Edit: Social Media + Content Support for Small Business Owners

At The Social Edit, we help small businesses and creative entrepreneurs elevate their social media presence through thoughtful systems, aesthetic visuals, and branded messaging. If you are ready to simplify your content planning process and create a strategy that feels effortless, we would love to help you.

Let’s make your social media feel organized, creative, and sustainable.

Reach out to The Social Edit today.