As a PR pro, I consistently wish there was more than 24 hours in a day. Between social media content writing and monitoring, pitching to media and client meetings (not to mention travel time), there never seems to be enough hours in a day to get everything done.
Lucky for us, developers have created apps and tools that make our work hours more productive so we can focus and tackle projects more efficiently. However, it can be daunting to know which ones will actually meet your needs. So, with the help of some of my fellow explorers at NST, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best tools and apps that PR pros should use to help them work more efficiently and stay informed in the ever-evolving PR world.
Weave Through the News Clutter
We’re the best-informed generation ever, with the ability to get up-to-date news at our fingertips. However, as news is getting more local and specialized, and more news sources are emerging, it’s becoming harder to weave through the clutter and keep a pulse on the latest news and trends. Thanks to the development of news/RSS aggregators, we’re able to customize what news and trends we’re interested in knowing about. Popular news aggregators among the NST team are Flipboard, which develops a digital personal magazine that collects content based on the user’s favorite topics and social media feeds, and Feedly, which compiles news feeds from a variety of online sources for the user to customize and share with others. Here’s to saving time on content research!
Increase Visual Storytelling
If you’re a PR pro, it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that visual storytelling is becoming more and more prevalent in social media posts, articles and blog posts. Thankfully NST has an amazing creative department, but if we need an image fast for a Facebook or Instagram post, and our graphics team is working on another project, it can put us in a bind. When situations like this happen, a tool our team relies on is Canva, a simple online design platform that gives amateur designers (like myself!) the tools needed to generate compelling and effective images and infographics to use for social posts, blog graphics and other digital needs.
Travel More Efficiently
Traveling to-and-from client meetings, events and media opportunities most likely means spending a lot of time on the road. Being unprepared for traffic jams, construction or other situations can be a drag of your time. This is where the app Waze comes in. Used by a majority of NSTers, Waze is a free app that shares real-time traffic information and live road alerts from other drivers to help bypass traffic – saving you time and money on gas. Sounds like a dream come true to me!
What apps help you get the most out of your day? Tell us on our Facebook page!
