I've never been very good at social media: I don't like posting selfies, and I'm way too embarrassed to be seen taking pictures of my food in public! So, when I started working for myself and realized a big part of marketing in the millennial is done through images and over social media, I had a few panic attacks before I seriously considered going back to working for someone.
Thank God I didn't, because these 4 apps have helped to significantly dissolve the anxiety I feel every time I need to post something. Not only does planning my posts ahead of time make me feel more confident about the quality of what I'm posting, it cuts my posting time down by like 50%*, which in turn increases my productivity (though I'm still working on mastering the art of discreetly taking photos in public...).
Buffer
I use Buffer primarily when I am going on vacation or will be tight for time and need a reminder to post. It allows me to queue up all my posts as ahead of time as I need, to customize the exact time I want to post, and then it sends me a notification at that time.
Plann
I love Plann because it lets you save hashtag lists for your social media pages. Once you've figured out the most effective hashtags for your respective content, you really don't want to waste time typing them out every single time. Plann also lets you upload your pictures before posting them on Instagram, which I've found really helps me stick with my feed's "aesthetic." Personally, I only use Plann for the hashtag copy feature; I use Preview (next on the list) to make sure my pictures flow.
Preview
Like Plann, Preview lets you "preview" your Instagram feed. I actually use Plann for one account and Preview for another, since both apps only let you connect one account for free (and I'm cheap like that). The benefit with Preview is that it also lets you edit your pictures right in the app, and it lets you schedule your posts ahead of time.
Over
I use Over to create my quote images. It offers so much flexibility in terms of design and font options. It also lets me add my logo to each image, as well as create collages. Although I use Over for its bare minimum features, I'm sure there's so much more that this app can do (i.e., you can make fancy pictures like the one below).
Many of these apps have very similar features, so I'm sure your pre-posting social media process could be simplified even more, I just have a very abnormal way of doing things. With that being said, these 4 apps have greatly contributed to how little stress I feel every day when it comes time to post content for 3 separate (and completely different) Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages, so I hope they can help you feel less overwhelmed too. Happy posting!
*Literally made these numbers up--I am not a statistician.