When it comes to online marketing, Google is sort of like Mary Poppins’ magic purse. There is seemingly no end in sight to the amazing marketing tools and products that stretch beyond the company’s signature search engine. And while we all love Google AdWords, Google’s many analytics tools, Google Reader and now Google+, there are even more valuable tools for digital branding gurus. Here’s five of our favorites that you might not be using. Yet.
5.) Google Trends: Need to know how popular your client’s brand is on Google? Itching to find out what all the kids are yammering about and searching for online? Then Google Trends is your one-stop-shop for the latest in online trend info.
4.) Google Docs: Google’s online version of Word is uncrashable, unflappable and unstoppable. Google Docs continues to get easier to use and beats the heck out of trying to open documents from clients or coworkers using some ancient version of AppleWorks. Plus anybody with a Gmail account can use it!
3.) Google Feedburner: This is an essential tool to help your site and blog expand its audience. Easy to use and to navigate, Feedburner lets your site’s visitors subscribe and receive updates.
2.) Google Groups: This is an easy one to slide under the radar, but one you might seriously consider if you’re working on something that needs collaboration. Google Groups has previously been wrongfully placed in the silly chat room category, but the tool can be wisely utilized by marketers with a vision. Google Groups can easily be transformed into a private-invite-only spot where members can freely post documents, ideas, links and videos. Groups can become an always-open, easily-accessible board meeting without having to have the board meeting!
1.) Custom Search: Google Custom Search is under-used and not talked about for a reason. It’s time-consuming to set up and kind of a pain — not to mention subject to charges and ads from Google. But if the time is taken to create custom searches, the benefits are abundantly clear: Marketers don’t have to waste time on plain old Google with Custom Searches. Plus, now that Google Analytics has gone platinum, users of Custom Search can tap in on all the analytics goodies easier than ever before!
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