apps Archives - Social 'n Sport

If you work in athletic communications, I understand time and resources can be half the battle when it comes to social media. Here’s the good news; you can create compelling content with a limited budget, time, resources, etc.

Yes, it’s true… you can create visuals like the one below with just your phone:

During the 2013 CoSIDA Convention I shared the apps / platforms I use to create compelling content, like the graphic above. I’ve had several people ask me what they were, so I thought I would go ahead and compile a list for you all. So, without further ado, here they are…

Apps I use to create graphics with just my iPhone (please keep in mind it’s almost always a combination of apps):

PicFrame (.$.99)- This app lets you combine multiple photos into awesome collages.
SnapSeed ($4.99)- There are four great filters on this app- Grunge, Vintage, Drama & Tilt Shift. In addition, the app is great for basic editing (crop, rotate, etc.) and fine-tuning your image. You can really make colors pop with this app.
PhotoToaster ($1.99)- This app is great for textures (canvas, old paper, antique, concrete, etc), vignettes and adjusting light.
Over ($1.99)– Add beautiful typography and artwork to your photos.
InstaFonts ($3.99)– Add text and filters.

Additional content generation resources / platforms:

Infographics– Check out Piktochart, Easel.ly, Info.gram if you’re looking to create infographics with little to no graphic design experience.
ThingLink– This app / platform offers an online tool to create interactive images. To create the image, you simply upload a picture, identify hot spots, and add text and links. The best part? The tool is integrated with Twitter.
Storify– Storify is a social network service that lets the user create stories or timelines using social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

I try to live by a golden rule: Thou shall not post to Facebook without a graphic or photo.

Yes, I’m a firm believer that content is an extremely powerful tool when it’s engaging, shareable and tugs at the consumer. Studies and statistics have proven that visual content is king. Here’s proof— & more here— in case you need it.

As community managers, there are several hurdles we often face when it comes to creating content. Whether we don’t have enough time, the right programs or a background in graphic design, it’s much easier to throw up a link than to go through the hassle of creating a graphic. Let me tell you a little secret:
You can create great content on a whim, without Photoshop or any background in graphic design.

Yes! The ability to create share-worthy graphics is right at our fingertips, thanks to the smartphone. See the picture I’ve created a picture below:

I’m sorry the picture isn’t brand related, but is my cute pup, so hopefully that makes up for it. I also went overboard on the editing (know it can look a lot more professional than this) just to give you an idea of the possibilities. So what’s the secret? For me, it’s the apps below:

My essential apps for creating great graphics are Snapseed, PhotoToaster, Instagram, PicFrame & Instafonts. Once you download the apps, just remember:

They all have different capabilities, so I rarely create a graphic using just one app. Multiple filters from multiple apps can make a pretty interesting graphic.
There’s also no exact science or step-by-step process to creating the perfect graphic from your phone.

I challenge you to download the apps, play around and see what you can create.

I have a lot more thoughts about creating content, especially in regards to sports brands, but we will leave that for another day. Until then, let me know what photo editing apps you can’t you live without below.

Thanks for reading!