Do you ‘Google’? That’s a “duh” question, right?
Did you know that besides “googling,” Google provides an entire suite of free tools that enable smart businesses to locate and engage with customers and prospects? If they had to create these on their own, most small business owners couldn’t afford it. See how many of these modern, cloud-based tools and platforms can benefit your business.
Here are 25 smart ways businesses are using Google for greater efficiency:
1. Email through Gmail is completely free to set up and use for you and your employees.
2. Google Drive allows you to store up to 15GB documents, presentations, spreadsheets, photos, or whatever you like, for zero cost. You can always buy more storage as your needs grow. Better yet? Sharing and setting up permissions are easy!
3. Google’s YouTube is an understated Internet hero. Search, view, edit, host and distribute videos to the world! With over 1 billion users and 300 hours of video content uploaded every single minute, YouTube is a rich media resource.
4. Calendaring and event scheduling is free and powerful with Google Calendar:
- It works on or offline.
- It can be shared with others.
- Directions and maps are built right in.
- Documents can be attached to each event.
- The calendar can be accessed across your devices.
Never forget an appointment or phone call again! Even event texts and email reminders are easy to set up.
5. Google’s free, downloadable AdWords Editor is a powerful tool that helps you identify, build and target your audience.
6. Use Google Sheets to create, edit, compute and calculate formulas from simple to sophisticated. Charts, graphs, pivot tables and more are all free.
7. Google+ Hangouts can be used to share your screen and conduct conferences – with or without video. The videos can be recorded and replayed as a “webinar” presentation later!
8. You can build websites using Google Sites. Google will help you become an expert in no time!
9. You can manage, edit & share your photos with Picasa.
10. You can Create Memes. Upload a picture to Google+ and get easy access to photo editing and enhancement tools!
11. Project Management using Google tools is available through the Google Apps Marketplace which offers free and paid apps.
12. Google Ad Words’ Ad Purchasing & Development allows you to get your ad on Google today.
13. Google Analytics gives you powerful tracking tools for your website and lets you know how customers (and potential customers) are finding you.
14. Blogger is Google’s free blogging platform where you can share your business with the world. Blogger can even help you monetize your blog using Google’s integrated AdSense tools. Very cool.
15. Your customers, guests, patients, patrons and clients have to know where you are – and how to find you! Why not make it easy by sharing your pinpoint with them via Google Maps?
16. Slideshare Presentations can give your pitches and presentations that professional polish in no time and it’s downloadable in a variety of formats. Smart businesses use multimedia tools like this to communicate timely information with customers and associates in relevant, meaningful ways.
17. Use Google Translate to translate written text to another language – it supports 90 different languages. An invaluable service if you work or do business with people who speak languages foreign to you.
18. Google Wallet can make your life simpler. Use it to save your gift and loyalty cards in one place, pay online, pay in store, and send money vendors.
19. Search! Google revolutionized the search engine. Do you remember what life was like before we could just “Google” something?
20. Google’s Custom Search Engine helps visitors search your site for exactly what they want using a custom search box.
21. Use Google Docs for sophisticated, free word processing.
22. Surveys, event registrations, and real time collaboration are available with Google Forms.
23. With Google Voice you get your own phone number, call forwarding and voice mail transcription. Plus, you can block or screen callers and manage your calls and messages across your devices.
24. Create client invoices using Google Sheets (and send them via Gmail or even Google+).
25. Collaborate with associates on word processing in Google Docs in real time.
Believe it or not, this is not all Google has to offer businesses. Just imagine how effective your business might be if you leveraged the entire integrated Google platform.
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