We’ve gathered together some of social media industry’s top experts in their fields, so we can all have our worlds transformed by their wisdom. We wanted to find out their secrets and share them with you, so we asked them what their favourite social media tool are and why. Some have shared what their favourite platforms are, tools that they use to create content and their favourite platforms. We hope you learn something new and get inspired!

#1 Jaeny Baik, Online Video Marketer and On-Camera Coach

JaenyBaikJaeny transforms entrepreneurs from “zero to hero” on video with authentic performance skills. She trains purpose-driven business owners to record engaging video blogs with their cell phones. For a decade, Jaeny crafted stories as a reporter and TV host for the CBC. After hosting “Living Vancouver,” viewership shot up by almost 50%. Her passion? Slaying marketing clichés and revealing the human face behind business through video marketing.

Jenny says, “Don’t get left behind. You can SHINE online!” Check out more about Jaeny on her website.

Jaeny, what is your favorite social media tool?

Answer: The Joby Gorillapod Tripod

Why is this your favorite tool and how can it help other businesses?

“The Joby Gorillapod Cell Phone Tripod is my little buddy. It goes with me everywhere! It’s small enough that I can pop it into my purse or computer bag. In a moment’s notice, I can grab it, slide in my cell phone, and record a high quality video blog. As a former reporter, I love knowing I can capture those unexpected moments! The bendable legs give me the flexibility to get really creative with my backdrop while making sure I capture the right lighting. I’ve attached my cell phone camera to everything from a Newfoundland hydro pole, knee deep in snow; to the hanging light above my dentist’s chair as I was lowered down for a teeth cleaning. It stabilizes the camera when I record ‘walk and talk’ videos. The Joby Gorillapod is a classy and discreet way to record selfie videos—and far less obnoxious than those intrusive selfie sticks!”

#2 Wendy McClelland, Speaker/Author/Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach

0f87ea4Wendy McClelland is a business pioneer; as one of the first small businesses to get online in the mid 1990’s, her first website was chosen by the NY Times as “one of the best biz sites on the ‘net”. She is an award-winning entrepreneur as well as a past nominee for “Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year”. She has spoken to over 10,000 people in live audiences throughout western Canada and the U.S. Today she continues to adapt and innovate, while specializing in helping entrepreneurs find creative success strategies through workshops, presentations and private consulting. Check out more about Wendy at her website.

Wendy, what is your favorite social media tool?

Answer: MorgueFile

Why is this your favorite tool and how can it help other businesses?

“I love MorgueFile.com! It’s my go-to source for royalty free, high resolution photos. We know that social media is very visual—think Instagram and Pinterest—and newsfeeds are filled with memes and photos with famous quotes on them.

MorgueFile.com which is named after an old newspaper term—it’s the place where photos not used in stories were put—is where both amateur and professional photographers upload photos they don’t want to use. So you get a wide variety of subjects—everything from flowers to cars to sunsets and everything in between.

Since many of the photos are quite large, I tend to resize them to 500 x 500 pixels (which is a good size for newsfeed posts). I download a dozen or more photos at one time, resize them and then create the graphics I want using PicMonkey. Then they’re all ready for posting on Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks.”

#3 Brendan Carr, Company Owner and Web Developer

headshot2At Coding Concepts, there is over 15 years of web design experience. They have plenty of experience in database-related programming, WordPress, social network integration, Google-service related consultation, and a long history in customer service. Coding Concepts is based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and offers on-site consultation in the Fraser Valley. They can customize any package to meet your needs and time frame, as well as your budget. They can offer many references and examples of their work, and will always do their best to make the client happy.We love Brendan and use him for a lot of our projects as well. Visit his site at Coding Concepts.

Brendan, what is your favorite social media tool?

Answer: Buffer

Why is this your favorite tool and how can it help other businesses?

“Buffer lets you automate your upcoming posts, for when you’re away or don’t have the time (or resources) to update your social media on a regular basis. It’s useful for sharing through four of the major networks: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. Buffer is free for two profiles and up to 10 queued social network posts. It also comes with a few different browser extensions, making it easy to share things you find on the web directly with your social networks.”

#4 Ricky Shetty, Founder of YVR Media Groupphoto

Ricky Shetty is the owner and operator of the popular family-friendly website Daddy Blogger where he writes about parenting from a father’s perspective. In addition, Ricky is the founder of YVR Media Group (which includes YVR Bloggers, YVR Foodies, YVR Dads, etc.) Ricky is a highly sought-after Conference Speaker and loves building community and strong families.

Ricky, what is your favorite social media tool?

Answer: Instagram App

Why is this your favorite tool and how can it help other businesses?

“Since it’s so hard to manage all your Social Media Accounts, I find the Instagram App for my Smart Phone super useful since I can take a picture and/or video and write a little description with a few hashtags and share it across numerous Social Media platforms simultaneously! Plus, you can tag friends, locations, and the hashtags carry through on Facebook, Twitter, etc.”

#5 Jami Savage, CEO (Chief Exploration Officer), Adventure Awaits

Jami-Savage-1Jami is a family adventure writer sharing stories about solo and family adventures. She is an outdoor enthusiast and you’ll find her regularly hiking, biking or boarding, often with her children at her side. Jami believes in lifelong learning, following her passions and living life to the fullest every day. Jami is also part of Katt Stearns Consulting as a project manager, helping to create strategies and plans for clients. You can read more about Jami in our about section or visit her website.

Jami, what is your favorite social media tool?

Answer: Instagram App

Why is this your favorite tool and how can it help other businesses?

“With everyone competing for advertising space, Instagram has offered a platform where people can connect and represent their brands visually. I like the ability for like-minded individuals to connect, free of ads or any distractions and just share what they are passionate about, whether it is food, family, or travel. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so brands are able to share a lot more in a photo than in a well-written article! And they can share it globally and instantly with the right hashtagging!”

So there are your top 5 social media tools from the experts. We’d love to hear what tool is your favourite. Share with us in the comments below or tweet us on Twitter!