Free software you should know about
Hello, party people! I want to get the word out there about some of the products we use and recommend here at Bold Type. It’s actually pretty amazing how many rock solid basic products are out there to serve basic needs at no or low cost. That said, surely that same amazement can become overwhelm at the exhaustion of picking the right ones for your business. There are new apps and tools coming out constantly, but there are 5 that we’ve been using and recommending for a long time even in the face of fierce competition.
Google My Business: Google My Business is a free online tool provided by Google that helps small business owners manage their online presence. It allows businesses to create and optimize their business profiles on Google, which can appear in Google Search and Maps. With Google My Business, owners can update their contact information, hours of operation, add photos, respond to customer reviews, and even post updates or promotions. It is a valuable resource for increasing visibility, attracting local customers, and managing online reputation. For example, a small bakery can use Google My Business to showcase their menu, share customer reviews, and provide directions for potential customers searching for bakeries in their area.
Google Sites: Google Sites is a free website-building platform offered by Google. It enables small business owners to create simple, visually appealing websites without any coding knowledge. With an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can easily add text, images, videos, and other content to their website. Google Sites offers various customization options, including templates, themes, and the ability to personalize the site's layout. It is an excellent tool for small businesses to establish an online presence, create a professional website, and share important information with customers. For instance, a boutique clothing store can use Google Sites to showcase their latest collections, provide contact details, and display store location and hours.
Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a free web service provided by Google that allows small business owners to monitor and optimize their website's performance in Google Search results. It provides valuable insights about how Google indexes and crawls their website, alerts them to any issues or errors, and offers suggestions to improve search visibility. Small business owners can monitor their website's search traffic, identify keywords that drive visitors to their site, and analyze the performance of specific pages. For example, an online bookstore can use Google Search Console to identify popular search queries related to books and optimize their website content accordingly to attract more organic traffic.
Google Trends: Google Trends is a free online tool that provides insights into the popularity and interest of specific search terms over time. It allows small business owners to understand trends and consumer behavior, enabling them to make informed decisions about their marketing strategies. With Google Trends, owners can explore search trends by region, compare the popularity of different keywords, and identify rising or seasonal interests. For example, a gift shop owner can use Google Trends to identify popular gift ideas during the holiday season and adjust their inventory accordingly to meet customer demand.
Unsplash: Unsplash is a popular platform that offers a vast collection of high-quality, royalty-free images. It is a valuable resource for small business owners who are looking for visually appealing and engaging visuals to enhance their marketing materials, website, social media posts, and other promotional content. Unsplash provides a wide range of professional photographs contributed by talented photographers worldwide. Small business owners can search and download images for free, saving them time and money in sourcing visual content. For example, a coffee shop owner can use Unsplash to find captivating images of coffee, cozy interiors, or latte art to enhance their social media posts and attract customers visually.
Although every business has it’s own unique quirks, we feel pretty confident that the majority of people running a local business will benefit from any or even all of the following software. For a more in depth analysis or maybe even just a conversation about what might suit your needs, reach out to our studio manager at hello@boldtype.is.
Enjoy!
Noelle ✨
