Buffer is a Twitter app launched in January 2011 that allows users to schedule tweets and retweets to enhance engagement and reach. It addresses the time-consuming nature of social media marketing by enabling efficient scheduling, helping users increase their click-through rates and social presence. The app also expanded its capabilities to include integration with Facebook and LinkedIn, and it offers both free and paid subscription options.

1. THE BENEFITS OF BUFFER
ENTREPRENEURS ARE MISSING OUT ON
Presented by E.i. Geek
March 6, 2012
Image Source: www.appolicious.com Copyright Mellissa Thomas, 2012.

2. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS BUFFER?
THE NAME: Buffer (or BufferApp)
LAUNCHED: January 2011
WHAT IT IS: a Twitter app
WHAT IT DOES:
allows you to schedule your tweets and retweets (RTs) by “filling your
buffer” for dissemination throughout the day according to Twitter’s peak
times to increase your click-through rates and increase viewer engagement
at your scheduled times, it posts your tweets and RTs for you (including
retweeting other people’s tweets)
Sources:
http://bufferapp.com/about/#what-is-buffer
http://mashable.com/2011/12/15/buffer-shares-from-twitter/
http://www.sparringmind.com/buffer-app/
Image: http://bufferapp.com/press

3. WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT BUFFER?
It meets a key social need for entrepreneurs.
The key challenge with social media marketing and viewer engagement: it’s a huge time suck that requires careful
scheduling.
Without proper scheduling, your tweets are compressed to only a few times a day when you’re online, causing you to miss
visitors or potential customers who may be on Twitter at an entirely different time of day than you.
Is this a current issue for you? You’re not alone. In its first 8 months, social media marketing accounted for over 70% of
Buffer signups.
Here’s how Buffer stands out from the over 1 million registered
Twitter apps now available:
“ With Buffer, you can spend 10 minutes in the
morning and for the rest of the day, don’t
have to worry about your social streams.
According to Co-Founder Leo Widrich, Buffer received its first
paying customer within 3 days of its release
Buffer amassed over 70,000 users by the end of its first year
“...Buffer differs from many current and past Twitter services
Buffer Co-Founder Leo Widrich
that don’t let you queue tweets, or at least, don’t do so easily, and
it’s far and away better with the whole scheduling aspect.”
- Derek Land, web designer and blogger
Sources:
http://www.sparringmind.com/buffer-app/
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2011/10/12/a-month-with-bufferapp/

4. WHAT’S BUFFER’S PRACTICAL PURPOSE?
According to Derek Land of
ThisIsInspired.com, Buffer is great to:
drive traffic and increase link sharing
expand social influence
inform/educate people otherwise unreachable (offline)
increase the consistency of your Twitter presence
solidify corporate presence or brand
Sources:
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2011/10/12/a-month-with-bufferapp/
Image: http://bufferapp.com/

5. BUFFER AND YOUR BOTTOM LINE
You can have a free account with limited features, or a paid subscription with greater flexibility.
Buffer’s Monthly Pricing Plans and Features Buffer’s Annual Pricing Plans and Features
Source:
http://bufferapp.com/pricing

6. BUFFER’S LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
AND HOW THEY’LL BENEFIT YOU
As of December 2011, Buffer’s social sharing
button is already being used on over 1,000 blogs
Buffer has expanded to now worldwide
include Facebook and LinkedIn
integration (with Google+ and
Pinterest integration coming soon)
The very latest: in February 2012, Buffer purchased social sharing
plugin Digg Digg, making the floating social sharing bar available for Also available December 2011, Buffer
its subscribers to add to their blogs for free; and they’re already has an in-Twitter button to help you
exploring what new social media buttons to add to it. schedule your re-tweets of others’
tweets
To find out how to install it as a floating bar, how to add other social
sharing buttons to it, and how to install social sharing buttons within
your blog posts, check out the article:
http://blog.bufferapp.com/buffer-digg-digg
Sources (info and images):
http://fastgush.com/social-media-startups/bufferapp-coming-to-google-linkedin-and-pinterest.html Pinterest icon: http://blog.involver.com
http://mashable.com/2011/12/15/buffer-shares-from-twitter/ Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn icons: http://designrfix.com/freebies/social-media-icons
Google+ icon: http://gpluspics.com Buffer logo: http://bufferapp.com/press
http://blog.bufferapp.com/buffer-digg-digg Digg Digg floating social sharing bar image: http://bufferapp.com/diggdigg

7. WANT MORE?
For more information on Buffer and social media
marketing, visit and bookmark these sites.
Buffer’s official site: http://bufferapp.com/
Buffer’s blog (authored by the two founders): http://blog.bufferapp.com/
Buffer’s blog article announcing the Digg Digg acquisition: http://blog.bufferapp.com/buffer-digg-digg
Blogger Gregory Ciotti’s interview with Buffer Co-Founder Leo Widrich: http://www.sparringmind.com/buffer-app/
Web designer and blogger Derek Land’s personal review of Buffer: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2011/10/12/a-month-with-bufferapp/
Sam Laird’s Buffer article on Mashable.com: http://mashable.com/2011/12/15/buffer-shares-from-twitter/
Blogger Shashank’s interview with Buffer Co-Founder Leo Widrich: http://fastgush.com/social-media-startups/bufferapp-coming-to-google-linkedin-and-pinterest.html
Freelance writer and top-tier blogger Kristi Hines (Kikolani)’s article on tools for Twitter engagement (including Buffer): http://blog.kissmetrics.com/tools-for-twitter-engagement/
Social Media blogger Eric Goldstein’s directory of Twitter apps featured on Social Media Today: http://socialmediatoday.com/eric-goldstein/295232/most-complete-twitter-
application-list-available-2011-edition
Social Media Examiner blog: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com

8. YOUR THOUGHTS?
What do you think of Buffer? Would you give it a shot?
Are you already using it? How has it affected your blog/website/Twitter traffic and
social engagement?
Leave your questions or comments on the E.i. Geek blog article:
http://eigeek.blogspot.com/2012/03/benefits-of-buffer-entrepreneurs-are.html
If you find this presentation helpful, please share, retweet, and/or Buffer the article!
Thanks for your time!
~The Geek