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Best Practices for On-Page SEO that Every Business Needs

In online marketing, the goal of every marketer is to get as much traffic as possible. The more traffic a webpage has, the higher the chances of getting more paying buyers. All in all, getting the right traffic to your website is never easy. There are, however, a couple of things you can do in in-depth page optimization.

The purpose of this post is to focus on the best tips for on-page SEO.

Before you publish a page, it is important that you consider the on-page optimization factors. These are important to your overall search engine ranking. Start by understanding Google’s ranking factors.

Below are the key things you need to do to boost your overall ranking.

Fix the 404 errors

The HTTP 404 Not Found Error will cost you a lot of traffic and also impact your online reputation. This is an error that tells your visitors that the page they are trying to reach couldn’t be found on the server. It tells them that the page has either been moved or removed.

This error often happens when the URL was not changed properly when relocating your website.

Fixing 404 errors can help maintain your good ranking. If pages cannot be accessed and had already being indexed by search engines, your reputation with Google will be impacted.

Since Google will not be able to notice that a page has been deleted, the number of customers who click away from the 404 error page will be conceived as a high bounce rate. This is not good for SEO.

Ensuring that deleted or changed pages are properly changed will help prevent this error. You should also keep track of all your pages to ensure they are all working properly.

Picking an easy to type and remember domain name will keep customers from landing on the wrong websites.

Title tag

For better search engine ranking, you have to pay more attention to the title tags. Start by creating titles with keywords. A keywords planner will help you do a better keyword research to find the ones that rank well. Use the keywords at the beginning of the title tags.

Numeric digits are good for creating unique titles. Try using dates to make Google think yours is the latest content.

This is a good thing to do if you publish content on a daily basis. You should also update your sitemap as frequently.

In summary, when optimizing your title tags, do thorough keyword researches, place keywords at the beginning of the title, make use of numerical digits, and avoid unknown symbols. Last but not least, you need to keep up with the trends on title tag SEO.

Using permalink

Links are important in search engine optimization. They are what Google uses to determine the quality of your webpages.

However, to rip the benefits of this option, you have to keep the permalinks short. You should also only use keywords in the URL to boost ranking. Don’t use other words.

Meta tags

In on-page optimization, your pages will need Meta tags. This is the search result snippet that helps Internet users determine whether your page contains the information they need or not. The description needs to be short at no more than 156 characters else it will not be displayed in full.

Although this will not directly boost your ranking, it will surely compel people to open your website if the description grabs their attention.

The snippet you create should contain a relevant keyword and should also be relevant to the content or what your page is about.

External and internal links

The links that point to you and the ones that point to other websites will have an impact on your online reputation. If the websites you are linking to have a bad reputation, chances are your reputation will also be tarnished.

It is therefore important to be careful of whom you link with.

Learn how to make use of the no-follow Meta tags. These are rules you add to your website asking the search engine robots not to follow specific links. You can do this for the low-quality external links.

However, before adding this rule, confirm that the link is not as valuable.

Don’t forget to use internal links. These links signal the search engines that another page within your website is also equally important.

More quality links on your website will add more quality to your site and help it get better ranking.

Page content

One thing you can never ignore in in-depth on-page optimization is your web content. In addition to making sure that your content is of high quality and relevant to your audience, you should consider publishing lengthy content. Well defined topics are great for users.

This is one of the reasons Wikipedia pages rank first on search engine results. However, this does not mean you fill your content with unnecessary information. The idea here is to describe your topics as extensively as you can.

The titles need to be wrapped with H1 tags. These play a crucial role in SEO. In addition to that, you need to embed multimedia content. This includes videos and graphics.

They will help with your ranking.

Page speed

Last but not least, the speed of your page will determine how well you rank. If your pages take long to load up, there is a good chance visitors will click away.

This is perceived as bounce rate by Google and this will impact your ranking. The goal is to ensure that your page loads up within 5 seconds or less.

Reducing the number of elements on your page, optimizing image sizes and using ALT tags will boost the load speed of your website. You also need to think about leveraging on browser caching.

On-page optimization is important if you want to stay ahead of the competition. However, for this to happen, you need to keep up with the SEO trends and ensure you follow all the rules.

If you are not sure of what you are doing, don’t hesitate to hire professional help.

Author bio

Derek Iwasiuk runs a national digital search engine optimization firm headquartered in Minneapolis. He also spends a lot of his free time educating the minds of thousands of young SEO’s and top agencies. To gain from his in-depth SEO experience, you can check out his articles at Engage the Crowd.

October 6, 2016
The Grandparent’s Guide to the Internet [Infographic]

If you have grown-up children and they have made you proud grandparents, you will probably have noticed just how adept their kids are at using the internet and their tablet or smartphone, with many preschooler’s knowing their way around an iPad with amazing skill and dexterity.

Being a grandparent is great fun of course, but it also means that you are trying to catch up with the digital age and all that it has to offer.

Smartphones and iPad’s were not words that had been invented and neither had the internet for that matter, which means that you might just find everything associated with the internet and how to use it, a bit daunting.

The Grandparent’s Guide to the Internet is designed to get you up to speed and give you the confidence to explore what the web has to offer and how to harness its ability to make some of your daily tasks easier and more efficient.

The guide takes you through step-by-step, from explaining why you need a web browser, what a window is and how to navigate around a page, to sending emails, uploading or downloading pictures and videos, right through to how to get to grips with social media.

If you want to share your experiences and spend time catching up with what your grandchildren are doing and what they have been doing, the best way to do this these days is to learn how to use Facebook or Skype, so that you can communicate with your family and others in the only way that that really know how to these days.

September 30, 2016
Top Seven Government Mobile Apps

The government of any country is responsible for laying down the policies and guidelines for its citizens in different industries.

It’s the job of the government to protect the interests of its citizens and to provide them with better opportunities to progress, which is why they have introduced various mobile government apps.

Over the past decade, mobile apps have become extremely popular. Today, mobile apps are available for virtually everything: there’s an app for renting a car, another app for hailing a taxi, and apps for getting in touch with a doctor or a serviceman.

Even though most of these apps have been created by private developers, some were also released by the government. Government applications are obviously designed for specific purposes and not just to provide entertainment.

Here are the top seven government mobile apps you should know about.

1. CT Prepares

The CT Prepares app was unveiled by the governor of Connecticut this past August. The app is designed to provide updates and alerts to the residents of Connecticut in case of an emergency situation. For instance, if there are major storms or a natural disaster, the CT Prepares app will provide residents with information on how to protect themselves and what to do. You can send messages to contacts about your safety, check real-time alerts, and also view current and extended weather coverage through the application.

2. Ask Karen

The Ask Karen app was designed by the government to provide better information about food safety to its users. You can ask questions such as how long your food will last if the power fails or how to check if the food is properly cooked. This is an excellent initiative to improve healthy and food standards.

3. National Cancer Institute Mobile

The NCI Mobile App is one of the best government apps out there. It gives users access to the latest cancer research, discussion topics, and lots of other information. In case of a cancer diagnosis, the app also gives advice to patients about which questions to ask and how to deal with the situation.

4. Veterans Affairs Mobile

The Veterans Affairs Mobile app was created by the Veterans Affairs Department and allows veterans to find out information about the facilities available to them and how they can apply for their benefits. It’s an excellent app that makes life easier for veterans.

5. USA Jobs

Designed to target the rising unemployment rates across the country, USA Jobs basically provides users with information about government job opportunities. It was created by the Office of Personnel Management.

6. WISER

Wireless Information for Emergency Responders, or WISER, is a simple app that can help save many lives. It provides information for emergency responders on how to handle particular issues and provide immediate support to the victims.

7. FBI’s Most Wanted

As the name suggests, the FBI’s Most Wanted allows you to view a list of the 10 criminals most wanted by the FBI. You can keep a check on your surroundings and provide information to the FBI in case you suspect that a suspicious criminal might live nearby.

September 27, 2016
Everything You Need To Know About Screen Printing

When a layer of ink is applied over a screen in order to produce a design, it is known as screen printing. Each end result requires a specific design to be made and this method of printing has multiple uses. Screen printing has seen it’s popularity soar in recent years because it’s a cost friendly method of printing while there are an increasing number of applications for this form of printing. Essentially, any surface that is flat can be used for printing. Not only can screen printing be done on a wide variety of surfaces, but it also allows you to use a range of printing materials, which means the creative possibilities are endless.

Origins

The technique of screen printing was first invented by the Chinese approximately 2000 years ago. They stretched human hair across a wooden frame, forming a screen. On this, a stencil made of leaves was attached, stuck on in different shapes. In later years, the Japanese used the same process, but using woven silk to make the mesh while lacquer replaced leaves to make the stencil. In fact, the silk screen printing machine gets it’s name from the Japanese use of silk in screen printing all those years ago!

In 1907 Samuel Simon was the first man to patent the first industrial screen printing process. Today, thanks to technology, the process of screen printing has become far more advanced than the original methods and screen printing is commonly used for printing a wide range of objects including CD covers, tee shirts, advertisements on buses, printed fabrics, signs and advertisements on flyers. Even the dial on your watch has been screen printed.

Screen printing in the mid-20th century.
Source: Fast Codesign

Growing business

According to IBIS World’s research, the custom screen printing market is a growing one and since 2012 especially, it has been booming. Most firms in this sector tend to be small, regional operators which means that there is no one company that is the leader in this particular market. In fact, the research suggests that in 2015, the top companies in the custom screen printing industry accounted for less than 5% of total revenue.

Uses of screen printing

Fabric

One of the biggest applications of screen printing is in the textile industry, printing tee shirts with designs on them, for example. Screen printing can be used to print graphics and designs on fabrics such as silk, polyester, cotton and organza. Once printed, the fabric is then converted into the final product such as shirts, dresses, skirts or children’s clothes. Any form of fabric that requires some form of printing on it can be used in screen printing. Many small scale startups often use screen printers to produce their clothing.

The process in fabric screen printing requires the design to be created and then used on screen printing. Other fabrics that can be used for screen printing include curtains, linen, cushion covers, bed sheets and upholstery.

Paper

Another industry which makes extensive use of screen printing is marketing and advertising. These sectors make use of posters, flyers and other forms of advertising that require graphics. Since advertising requires limited edition printing, it makes use of screen printing because printing electronically or digitally on a small scale are much higher than screen printing.

Souvenirs

In the sports industry, when souvenirs and collectibles are manufactured, screen printing is used. Tee shirts with the logos of sports teams are especially popular products as are key chains, caps, mouse pads and sweatshirts with graphics or team logos.

Healthcare

The strips that monitor blood sugar levels (glucose) are made using the screen printing process. The strips contain electrochemical biosensors that helps with personal glucose testing at home. Since these strips help diabetics avoid potentially life threatening sugar conditions on a daily basis, the electrode strips have to be of an extremely high quality. These single-use electrode strips are made using screen printing technology where printing is done on simple thick-film and is also called a or vapor deposition process. The process involves printing patterns onto the surface of the strip.

It only takes a quick look around you to realize several items that you come across in everyday life are made using screen printing.

Advantages

There are several advantages of using screen printing over traditional forms of printing. Firstly, because a greater thickness of ink can be used in screen printing, it allows the possibility of creating a variety of interesting printing techniques which would not be otherwise possible. Since the process of screen printing is fairly simple, a wider range of inks as well as dyes are available as compared to other printing methods. Apart from traditional inks, screen printing also allows you to use adhesive, lacquer and conductive silver. An easily adaptable printing method is always a plus for a manufacturer.

Another advantage of using screen printing is that because manufacturers can control various parameters of the process, it enables large quantities of the end result at a low cost.

Screen printing is a widely used form of printing by several industries and continues to be a popular method used by manufacturers. The process, materials required and low cost are part of the reason for its success, while the creative license that it allows is an attractive factor for many users. When it comes to bringing unique designs to life, you can’t go wrong with screen printing.

Author bio

Ann Neal is a writer with a keen interest in career, business, tech and lifestyle topics. She is passionate about music and loves to play guitar in her free time with her cute pooch listening quietly ;). Tweet her: @Ann_G_Neal

September 19, 2016
All You Need to Know About Solid-State Drives!
Solid-state drives or SSDs have become a lot more common in recent years, thanks to improvements in technology and rising market demands. Despite being better than hard disk drives or HDDs, many manufacturers and consumers prefer HDDs over SSDs.

If you are in two minds about buying an SSD, you’ve come to the right place! This post has all you need to know about SSDs, so read on and decide for yourself if they are worth your money.

What are solid-state drives?

A solid-state drive is a storage device that stores data persistently using integrated circuit assemblies as memory. An SSD carries out the same functions as that of an HDD, but in a more efficient and direct manner.

How Solid State Drives different from Hard disk drives?

Hard disk drives have been the traditional form of computer storage for years, making them relatively ancient technology. They use magnetism to store data on stacked platters that spin around a central axis, called a spindle. Information is read from and written to the HDD via a read/write head that is positioned above the spinning platters.

On the other hand, SSDs use flash memory to store data. They have no moving parts; instead of using read/write heads and platters, SSDs have interconnected integrated circuits with an interface connector.

What makes solid-state drives better than hard disk drives?

Solid-state drives have several advantages over hard disk drives as detailed below.
- Speed: The spinning platters and read/write heads in HDDs make the process time-consuming and mechanical. Data transfer in SSDs is quicker,particularly during small block transfers for transaction processing.
- Latency: Data transfer in HDDs is sequential, which means that the read/write heads must ‘seek’ appropriate points on the platters to execute operations. This seek time can contribute to latency. Conversely, data transfer in SSDs is random access and physical location of data is irrelevant, thus reducing latency and contributing to overall speed.
- Fragmentation: HDDs can suffer from fragmentation when large files are stored scattered around the platters. This can affect read/write algorithms, requiring HDDs to be defragmented periodically. In SSDs, drive performance is not affected by fragmentation, making them faster and eliminating the need for defragmenting.
- Failure Rate: Failure rates for both drives are almost similar, but SSDs fare better than HDDs- mean time between failures in the former is 2 million hours as compared to 1.5 million hours in the latter.
- Vibration and Noise: The spinning platters and read/write heads can cause HDDs to vibrate and emit whirring and clicking noises. SSDs are virtually noiseless as they are non-mechanical.
- Heat Generation: HDDs use more electricity owing to moving parts, thereby generating more heat. As SSDs don’t have moving parts, they consume less power and generate comparatively less heat.
- Durability: The moving parts in HDDs make them vulnerable to damage from sudden jerks, falls, and temperature extremes. SSDs are more durable even when the device is operating. For demanding applications and harsh environments, consider purchasing a drive from an industrial & military SSD manufacturer.
- Reliability: The rapid movement of platters and read/write heads in HDDs can cause head crashes in the event of electronic or power failures, physical shocks or vibration, wear and tear, corrosion, or poor manufacturing. SSDs are more reliable than HDDs as there’s no risk of mechanical failure.
August 31, 2016
7 Effective Tips to Win More Likes on Your Instagram Photos and Posts

It might have started as a brilliant platform to share captivating moments with family and friends, but Instagram today is now more than that. The numbers alone are staggering; as of June 2016 Instagram had 500 million monthly active users (MAUs), 300 million daily active users, 20% of internet users are on the social media network and it is experiencing a 16% monthly growth.

These are numbers that will make any marketer sit up and as a brand you need to take notice. However, you have to appreciate that while it is all easy to create an account and flood it with photos and images, it is the Instagram followers who like it and share who really matter. There are millions of Instagram accounts out there that don’t even have one like, yet they are fronted by brands.

In such cases, the objective is not achieved. To avoid this pitfall, it is important to find out how you can get more likes and followers on Instagram and how this can revolutionize your business.

The story behind the success

Why not start with a brief look at how this success story started? The photo sharing app was launched in 2001 and is the brainchild of Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. The tremendous growth of the app started immediately with over a million users subscribing in a month. The app was to go and win the prestigious iPhone App of the Year Award, which was a precursor of just how big it was going to become.

The mechanics behind Instagram

To get an idea why every other brand is trying to make a mark on Instagram, you just need to look at how it works. Simply, the photo sharing app allows you to share your photos on the platform and then on other social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp among others. Users can follow what others post or like your posts.

Why should your business invest in an Instagram campaign? A recent study by Forrest Research shows top brands that use the platform experienced a 4.21% increase in engagement rate, which is 58 times more than what they experienced on Facebook. The study named Instagram the King of social med and for a good reason, so if you are not on-board it is time to join the bandwagon.

The secret to more likes on Instagram posts and photos

Truth be told, making it on Instagram is not an easy task especially for businesses. If you already have an account and you are not realizing any benefits, it is highly likely you are doing it all wrong. Instagram is tight lipped on how to get more likes just like Google is not ready to help you with your search engine ranking. However, the gurus on the social media platform do share the tricks they use and here are some to get your campaign on its way:

1. Have a theme and stick to it

This is one of the biggest pitfalls especially for brands. It is important to craft a strategy before creating a profile and asking the team what your Instagram SHTICK should be. The most followed Instagram stars focus on specific themes and it is easy for your brand to pick your theme; for instance, if you are selling toys, why not post cute photos of babies trying out your toys? Better still, cats on the toys? Everyone loves cute babies and cats are social media superstars.

2. Amazing content and nothing less

So, your team was out for an event and you have a million photos? Next course of action, upload them all on your brand’s account, wrong move. It is more advisable to have few pictures that are awesome than posting anything random. People use visit social media to get away from boredom and if this is what you are still serving here, they will fly away without even noticing the like button. Look at the content and objectively ask yourself if it tickles you.

3. Leverage interesting hashtags

For your Instagram campaign to kick off, you must be creative with your hashtags. You have upto 30 hashtags for an image and you should go on and make good use of the same though not all. Hashtags are considered the holy grail of Instagram, but it is important to be creative with what you use. Always stick with those that can excite people and also make it easier to be found and liked.

4. Use captions

It is interesting how most brands just post a good picture and fail to maximize its potential through a caption. It is true you have edited your photo and it looks dashing, but don’t fall into this common trap and forget the caption. By giving some insight, you are not only getting viewers more interested but also sharing your expertise in whatever you do.

5. Use a follower and like service

Instamacro.com is an invaluable tool to help you manage your account and keep your account active as you focus on the core business. The software will automatically like, follow and unfollow. It is perfect if you are struggling to create a solid follower base on Instagram. It helps spread your brand while also earning you those elusive likes on your photos and posts.

6. Stick to a schedule

This is another great pitfall with Instagram users especially businesses. It is true your company might not have pictures to share every three hours, but then again you can’t wait for a week before posting the next image. There are many brands that have excited viewers only to lose the steam midway by failing to post and you must avoid this. Make sure you have a schedule to make it possible for followers to anticipate your next serving. This will increase the chances of another like.

7. Engage

This is a great way to reciprocate the love you are getting from your followers. Try checking some of their accounts and like what is really amazing. It might be a daunting task, but at least you are guaranteed they will feel honored and maintain contact with your account.

While all this might sound easy, anyone who has tried managing an Instagram account for a business will tell you different. It requires research and dedication. You have to be consistent, but with development of software to help in Instagram management, you will not find it easier. Go on and get the most out of your Instagram account.

Author bio

Evans Walsh is a marketing consultant focusing on digital media. He boasts over 18 years in the industry and has consulted for both public and private companies. He also writes on trends on social media marketing such as the emergence of instamacro.com.

August 29, 2016
Are Computers and the Internet Helping People With Dementia in Any Way?

Dementia is referred to as a chronic disease that causes a decline in a person’s cognitive and mental abilities. These changes are way more than just forgetting why you entered a room or not being able to recall a certain word in a conversation.

But instead are severe enough to impact a person’s day to day life, preventing him or her from leading a normal life.

According to stats, it was estimated that by 2015 the number of people suffering from dementia will be 850,000 in the UK alone, moreover, only 44% of those people will ever receive a diagnosis.

While it may be true that dementia is on the rise, and the cure for this disease has not yet been found, different measures have been taken to overcome or prevent the symptoms of dementia by professionals in different industries.

However the technology sector takes the lead when it comes to figuring out ways to combat this disease. This is where different apps and innovations are devised to aid the care taking and other processes associated with dementia patients. Mentioned below are ways computers and internet are helping people with dementia.

1. Reducing memory problems

Since we are all well aware that decline in memory persists in most dementia patients and is one of the main syptoms when it comes to dementia. Specilists came up with different usues of computers to overcome that problem.

According to a recent study by the Mayo Clinic, using computer can actually reduce memory problems in the older population way more than knitting or socializing can. 1,929 people, above 70 were reported to be involved in the study.

At the beginning of the process, they were classified as having ‘normal memory and thinking’ skills. The study followed those people until they developed mild cognitive impairment or remained problem free on average. This was usually four years per person.

Mild cognitive impairment was said to be found in 193 out of 1,077 people which is 17.9% in the group who used a computer. It was also found that 263 out of 852 people, which totals up to 30.9% in the group, did not report computer use.

2. Different apps are designed to tackle different symptoms of dementia

As mentioned above, dementia consists of wide variety of symptoms, which further varies within different patients. Hence, different apps have been introduced for that very reason such as Living map of ageing population by Nesta, gives a quick guide to some of the most exciting things going on in the world of senior citizens.

This is so that dementia patients can keep in touch with their surroundings.

3. Convenient solutions to complex problems

Tablets are said to be much more intuitive to use than conventional computers, and avoid the complexity associated with a keyboard, mouse and operating system which may stop older adults from using technology.

Tablets give people with dementia the opportunity to remain connected with their family and friends and sharpen their various mental skills through games and puzzles.

Tablets can be used for a wide range of activities such as gaining access to the internet, conversing with family and friends online, using apps to paint pictures, create music using simple touch controls and much more.

4. Helping caretakers understand the disease better

Applications such as ‘House of Memories’ has been devised to help caregivers understand dementia better.

Although this app is mainly aimed at dementia patients, it can still be used by anyone. Designed by National Museums Liverpool, this application helps people with dementia revisit memories from the past, bringing them back to life virtually.

The exciting feature where elders can create their own memory tree can be very beneficial for dementia patients. They can save their favorite memories in different media forms such as videos and pictures, these can also be revisited any time in the future.

This helps them keep a firm grip on their memory. Furthermore, the privacy policy of this application only lets the user share their memories with specific people only if they wish to. This digital reminiscence therapy gives a new dynamic to traditional way of recalling memories.

It may encourage people with dementia to talk about their memories and stimulate conversations with their loved ones or caretakers, allowing them to understand the disease better.

There is quite a lot of evidence to bolster the benefits associated with reminiscence for older people, not just for those living with dementia but people around them as well.

Research shows that using reminiscence therapy creates a stronger bond between caretakers and their loved ones within a care home setting. Through this therapy, caregivers report a reduction in stress and improved knowledge of their loved ones along with helping them to relive family moments and events.

5. Applications to give confidence to caretakers

Another application called Alzheimer’s and other Dementias Daily Companion – an extension of the book: Confidence to care is created by Home Instead Senior Care for the sole purpose of giving ease and confidence to dementia care takers.

This application includes tips and advises on how to take care of dementia patients, in relation to their behavior and other situations they would normally have to go through on day to day basis. This application also gives 24/7 care giving help via phone or email.

6. Improve cognitive skills

Another study suggests that placing a computer screen in the living room can help people with dementia keep a track of the time and date and remember appointments. This helps them delay the effects of dementia for longer.

Lumosity is another application used to help dementia patients. Used by 60 million people worldwide, this app offers a numerous variety of cognitive and scientific games to stimulate the brain.

This application is used by people with dementia to strengthen their ability to pay attention to the right information in a given setting and ignore other irrelevant things in the game as well as in their everyday life.

We are all well aware that dementia is a challenging problem, and one of the most difficult things about dementia is that patients often require care 24/7 along with frequent appointments with specialists. Technology can help meet all these needs.

A group of researchers at the University of California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center has developed something they call a “care ecosystem,” which uses the Internet of Things along with machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, as tools to provide care that’s “more continuous and personalized” than what people with dementia commonly get today, said Dr. Kate Possin, one of the study directors.

August 26, 2016
5 Productivity Tools You Must Use at Work

In recent times, life has become fast paced and it constantly demands us to be on our toes round the clock with full energy and focus. With increased workloads, we are putting more pressure on ourselves to manage more tasks, get more done and deliver results in less time. This pressure driven lifestyle is not just putting our productivity at stake, but also increasing more stress in life.

If your goal is to be productive then you need to have the right tools to make it happen. There are various tools and workzone software available to you, but choosing the wrong ones could lead to more wastage of time.

Your productivity tools must be those that will help you in your work, and you must know how they function and how you can make the most out of them.

So whether you are an entrepreneur, a freelancer or an established business, here are some of my favorite tools that I recommend you give a try.

1. Google Drive

Google Drive is an excellent tool and is readily used at work. It lets you store data, share and upload content and also allows you to easily share a file with clients and colleagues at work who might be collaborating with you on a project without the need for several emails.

Google Drive works perfectly for files that are too large to share via email. The first 5 GB can be enjoyed for free, and then there’s an option to upgrade to 25 GB. Once a spreadsheet or document is created or uploaded and shared, people who have access to the content can edit the documents simultaneously.

2. Asana

Asana allows you to effortlessly track all the tasks you have assigned to your team or the tasks that have been assigned to you, all of them in one place. Asana helps you assign deadlines to deliver results on time, attach files, create notes, share files, view tasks, arrange tasks by priority and send daily alerts for pending to-dos. This tool is very useful for tracking progress and ensuring that your clients get the best results.

3. Minterapp

Do you ever ponder about how much time you spend on writing and answering emails at work and how much time you take to create a report? Why most of the important tasks are not completed in the given time? Well, then Minterapp should be your pick because it can help you manage and organize your time more efficiently.

This tool is best for tracking time spent on numerous tasks. It creates a list of tasks that are to be completed, and allows you to allocate a time slot to finish each of them.

The moment you click the start button, the progress bar begins to run and it notifies you by sending an alert when your time is up. If you want to stop your work to take a short breather, the timer can be paused and then restarted again. The tool also helps you in billing your clients, and creating professional invoices.

4. AirG

A logo maker is a professional logo design tool designed by AirG that can help you create powerful branding for your business in a matter of minutes.

With 6000+ shapes, icons and symbols arranged by category, this tool is used by professional designers and beginners alike to create beautiful logos, with its great collection of inbuilt functionality. Whatever branding you want to create, be it a logo, sticker or label, this easy-to-use app will help you create one in no time.

5. Evernote

Evernote provides you tools you need to keep your work smoothly organized. It offers you features that help you collect, write and capture ideas as notes, checklists, and to-dos.

Take notes in multiple formats including texts, photos, audios, web clippings, videos, PDF and more. Use camera capture to easily scan and comment on a piece of paper, including printed documents and business cards, and keep receipts, bills and invoices organized. Use Evernote as a digital notepad for every thought that comes to you.

Conclusion

Being productive in the 21st century is about using tools and apps to get important things done in your life and work. These 5 productivity tools will help you make better use of your brief time. This list is by no means exhaustive, but will definitely help you get started.

August 19, 2016