Statistics have shown that when posting updates and content to social networks, use of an image will improve your engagement significantly. That's partly due to the fact that 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and visuals are processed 60,000x faster in the brain than text. In fact, according to SimplyMeasured, just one month after the introduction of Facebook Timeline for brands, visual content -- photos and videos -- saw a 65% increase in engagement.

Social media has grown from a curiosity to an integral piece of corporate strategy in the space of only a few years. Nearly overnight, companies have brought on whole teams of specialists to craft effective social media strategies and manage multiplying numbers of social media accounts. Companies are hungry for better social media tools to engage their constituents. Below is a list of five features key to delivering on a social media strategy.

1) Scheduling

Social media doesn't sleep, but that doesn't mean you don't have to! Ensure your social media management tool of choice allows you to schedule messages in advance. So even if you're in New York, you can schedule messages out to your customers in Tokyo during their workday.

If you're a small business website owner, you may often find yourself away from your computer. As long as you have your iPhone with you, you can use the following apps to monitor your website and social media platforms and stay in touch with your business.