Remember when the only thing phones could do was make a phone call? Nowadays, you can literally run a whole business from the palm of your hand. Social media marketing is one of the industries that changed the most thanks to smartphone innovations. The main reason? Downloadable apps. With just the tap of a finger, users can install a brand new program onto their phone and drill even further into their device’s potential. Many of these apps contribute to social media marketing. Here are the top ways applications change the game:

1. App-Exclusive Features. As we have recently seen with LinkedIn’s smartphone-exclusive hashtags, there are certain features of our favorite platforms that are inaccessible on a traditional computer. Another one of these hidden treasures isFacebook Live, which is a live-video streaming service. These devices allow many new opportunities for social media marketers to connect and create.
2. App-Exclusive Platforms. Without smartphones, there would be no Snapchat, Meerkat, or Periscope. Live video would be restricted to webcams. Instagram wouldn’t be nearly as innovative, and the rest of the social media marketing industry would feel quite stationary. Thanks to smartphones, we have even more sites to explore.
3. Location-based services. Facebook’s popular feature, checking in, is all thanks to your Apple or Android device. Obviously, you wouldn’t be able to check in anywhere on a desktop computer besides your own house. There are also features such as Snapchat’s geofilters, nearby interests, and more than rely on being in the right place at the right time.
4. Third Party Apps. Have you checked out the Social Media category on the App Store or Google Play store? There are tons of tools in there! Third party software has helped social media marketers bring new life into their campaigns. Whether you are creative a video through Ripl, adding a crazy filter to a picture on Prisma, or flashing back to the good ol’ days with Timehop, social media marketers can benefit from the plethora of apps available to marketers.
5. Instant gratification. Do you want to try out one of these apps? Download it in a flash. Do you like something you see in an ad? One tap will bring you more information. Starting fresh on a new site? Thanks to the contacts that are already on your phone, you don’t have to do any heavy lifting! You can just start communicating quickly. Smartphones are all about convenience, and they definitely help social media marketers make things easier.

As you can see, social media and technology have a tight relationship. Apps bring this to new heights. As we become continually invested in mobile solutions, we expect to see this list of advantages grow!

What other ways do smartphones help with marketing? Comment below!