If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of Google tools! They’ve played a key role in helping me grow and manage my business successfully.
In the late 1990s, Google started out as just a search engine. Before too long, it had a whole range of products and services. Today, Google offers over 270 tools designed to simplify personal and business tasks.
Google tools are used by multi-million dollar businesses, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. Its suite of online tools helps boost productivity and simplify lives.
I personally use several Google products almost every day in my business. Although I may only use some Google products weekly or monthly, they are still valuable additions to my life. In this post, I’ll discuss my top 12 favorite Google tools of the year and how they’ve been key to helping me grow my business.
My Top 12 Favorite Google Tools:
1) Gmail – Emails in the Cloud
Gmail is a free email service that works on any device—phone, tablet, or computer—since it’s cloud-based. It lets you send and receive emails, set up filters to organize messages, and customize notifications. With over 1.8 billion users, Gmail is the most popular email platform.
2) Google Calendar – Online calendar
Google Calendar is a web-based calendar program that allows you to schedule events, create notifications, set up multiple calendars, and share certain calendars with others. I use Google Calendar daily to schedule webinars, meetings, and emails. Learn more about how I use Google Calendar in this blog post on Planning Your Year with Google Calendar.
3) Google Docs – Web-based Document Software
Google Docs is a web-based word processor in the Google Docs Editors Suite. It offers most of the same features as MS Word but is free to use. You can create, upload, and share documents. It also has valuable editing features like commenting and suggesting. For more information about Google Docs, check out my blog post about my Top Tools for Writing Great Blog Posts.
4) Google Sheets – Web-based Spreadsheet Software
Google Sheets is a free web-based application that is part of the Google Docs Editors Suite. Google Sheets enables users to create and edit spreadsheets. It has almost all the same capabilities as Microsoft Excel. One of my favorite features is sharing files and seeing real-time updates.
5) Google Slides – Web-based Presentation Software
Google Slides is Google’s version of Powerpoint. Like Google Sheets, it’s part of the free, web-based Google Docs Editors Suite. You can use Google Slides to create presentations and slideshows. As with Google Sheets, you can share files and see real-time updates.
6) Google Voice – Online phone number
If you’re a business owner, it’s important to have a simple way for people to contact you by phone. Google Voice is an Internet-based phone service that offers many unique features: you can pick up your voicemails from anywhere, have calls go directly to voicemail, or forward them to another number. Plus, Google Voice will transcribe your messages. Learn more about this tool in my blog post An Easy Way for Customers to Leave You a Voicemail.
7) Google Chat – Online Messaging Tool
Google chat is an online communication tool that allows you to message a person or group directly. Businesses use it for daily communication and collaboration within teams. Even if you don’t have a team of people working for you, it’s helpful to instant message your assistant or a colleague. It’s similar to texting.
8) Google Alerts – Online topic monitoring
Google Alerts is a free notification service that allows you to monitor online content containing specific words and phrases you’ve selected. You can use Google Alerts to track topics of personal interest. Many businesses use Google Alerts to monitor what others say about their business online. Google Alerts sends subscribers an email summarizing the search activity for the particular search terms.
9) Google Maps – Navigating to Physical Locations
Google Maps is a web-based product that gives detailed geographical information. It provides traditional road maps and aerial and satellite views of physical locations worldwide. Google Maps can navigate and provide instructions anywhere you want to go. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, you can embed a Google Map on your website to help customers find you.
10) Google Analytics – Website stats
Google Analytics is a free tool for tracking website traffic. It is very powerful and can track large amounts of data related to the number of visitors to your site, bounce rates, and your audience’s demographics. Businesses use these reports to determine site performance, drive traffic, and make decisions based on solid data.
11) Google Search Console – Website fine-tuning
This Google tool may be new to you! Google Search Console (formerly called Google Webmaster Tools) is a tool that helps website owners (and web designers) understand how their site is performing in Google searches. It’s designed to provide data website owners can use to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
12) Chrome – The Google Browser
Google Chrome is a free web browser that enables users to search and view pages on the internet. Like other web browsers, Chrome provides basic features like the forward, back, and refresh buttons, history, bookmarks, toolbar, settings/preferences, and incognito mode. Chrome also has a large library of available extensions.
Final Thoughts…
Google’s tools are powerful. The nice thing is that you can use most of these right “out of the box.” This means you can use the basic features you need and ignore any advanced capabilities or features you don’t need.
I use Google tools daily, which help me be more efficient and productive in my business. In addition, they save me time and money. After all, why pay for a tool or software if a free Google program will get the job done? See all my articles on Google Tips here.
If you don’t have a Google account, the easiest thing to do is open a Gmail account by going to https://www.gmail.com, giving you access to all their tools.
If you already have a Google account, what’s YOUR favorite Google tool?
Love the list! Google Voice is not available in Canada which makes me a little sad. Theother tools are great!
Jan,
If you sell to the USA, then having a US Google Voice number is a good thing. Many folks in the USA don’t have phone service that covers Canada, so you actually may get more business by having a USA Google Voice number. Try it and see! 🙂