Here’s 10 channels and 10 tools that are essential for your marketing strategy:

Channels

There are tons of social media networks available today and list continues to grow. Every network may not be right for you, but you must find out which ones are important to your target audience before eliminating them. Here are a few that are essential to your marketing strategy.

1. Facebook: Use customized landing pages, tabs, videos, surveys, and other apps to keep users engaged. Read my previous post, 12 things every marketer should know about the new Facebook timelines.
2. Twitter: Customize your background, hold Q&A’s, and conduct surveys. Don’t forget to tweet often.
3. YouTube: Upload product demos and viral videos and integrate them into your website, Facebook page, and company blog.
4. Instagram: Share pictures of your team, retail location(s), events, products, etc. with iPhone users. 
5. Tumblr: Post pictures, videos, and text, to your customized page. Your posts appear in a timeline similar to Instagram.
6. WordPress: Having a company blog will increase your search engine rankings. You don’t have to use WordPress so long as you are blogging for your business.
7. Linkedin: Connect with colleagues, employees, prospects, and customers via Linkedin. Also, post jobs, screen candidates, and request introductions from mutual contacts.
8. Google+: Business pages are still new in the Google+ community. Share blog posts and get in the same circles as your customers and prospects.
9. StumbleUpon: Share your company’s blog posts and other useful information that can easily be found by other users based on category of interest.
10. Foursquare: Businesses and brands can benefit from Foursquare. Offer deals provide tips and lists, and encourage users to visit your location.

Tools

Managing 10 different social networks daily can seem like a nearly impossible task, but these tools make it easy to relay a consistent message across multiple platforms.

11. Ping.fm: Ping updates your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Flickr, Foursquare, and several other accounts with one app! They currently list 32 supported networks on their website and say they’re “always adding new ones.” Did I mention this tool is completely free? 
12. Vitrue: Vitrue moderates Facebook comments, generates shareable coupons, and provides powerful analytics.
13. Disqus: Encourages interaction from blog readers by allowing them to respond from their email or mobile devices and receive notifications when other users post or reply.
14. Google Analytics: Find out which social network is the source of your web traffic.
15. bit.ly: Shorten URLs and track clicks and shares. You can also track your competitors clicks!
16. North Social: Create custom applications for your Facebook page.
17. Storify: Collect photos, videos, tweets, etc. online and share with your audience.
18. Brandwatch: Tracks your social media mentions.
19. Flowtown: Find out which social networks your customer and/or prospects are active on based on their email addresses stored in your database.
20. Klout: Scores your social media activity and allows you to see who you influence and who influences you on the topics you talk about most

If you want help making social media part of your marketing strategy, then submit a brief!