7 FREE Tools To Get The Edge Over Your Competitors In 2016
Getting the edge over your competitors is hard, especially online. So we have combed the internet and come up with a few simple tools that you can implement for no or a minimal cost to get a better performing website in 2016.
We would love to hear from you if you have any other tools to recommend.
1. Canva
What’s Canva? Only one of the most awesome tools on the internet! Canva is a step down from Photoshop. It is an easy to use content creation suite that allows you to easily create slide show banners, social media posts, facebook ad’s, pretty much anything and everything today’s modern marketer might need in a hurry.
They have millions of images, hundreds of fonts, photo filters, and pre-made designs for you. Not only is it made in Australia by some cool Aussie's who are taking it to the world, but it is FREE! Some images or layouts you might have to pay $1 for but most things are free to use and download. Give it a go.
If you want details on how to use it with your PowerSites website, keep your eye out here because we will soon be posting up a step by step guide article.
SITE: www.canva.com
COST: FREE
2. Google Adwords Keyword Planner
Even if you are not using Google Adwords for advertising you should still check out the keyword planner to understand how your customers are searching and what they are searching for. Using this tool will enable you to understand your customers more and plan your content so you can write blogs, social media posts, and website content around these search terms.
SITE: adwords.google.com.au/KeywordPlanner
COST: FREE
3. Google Analytics
This is not mind blowing most of you have used Google Analytics, but it still has to go on our list as it is one of the most insightful tools on the internet to understand who is coming to your site, and what they are engaging with. If you haven’t checked it out for a while make sure you login and turn on some of the newer features like demographics and geographic tracking.
If you have a PowerSites website and can't remember how to access your website statistics give us a call on 02 4967 7255.
SITE: www.google.com.au/analytics/
COST: FREE
4. Hootsuite
This tool is a simple way to manage your social media channels from a single platform. See all posts, mentions, and dicussions about your business on all the main stream social media platforms from a single dashboard. Use this tool to improve your social media management, and get better engagement. The free verision provides 90% of the features for a single user, and paid plans start from only a few dollars per user per month.
SITE: www.hootsuite.com
COST: FREE (Most feautres)
5. The Readability Text Tool
It might sound basic but easy to read text for your users and search engines is important. This tool gives you a readability test for each block of text and suggests changes for you to make. It is easy and quick and I would recommend you give it a go for most web content.
SITE: read-able.com
COST: FREE
6. TinyJPG
This site takes your images and applies on online compression to your pictures to optimize for size while still maintaining quality. It is great for all web content, it helps you still have amazing looking images while reducing page load speed and improving optimization.
SITE: tinyJPG.com
COST: FREE
7. Rapportive
This is an extension for those of you using Google Apps for Work. It is a Gmail add in and will search the web for information about the person you are sending or receiving mail from. It finds their linkedin, Google+, and Facebook data to show you their picture, and other information like phone number etc. It also shows you the most recent emails from that person and has quick links to connect with them on social networks.
SITE: rapportive.com (download it in the Chrome or Mozilla marketplace)
COST: FREE