An Amateurs Online Marketing Toolkit

So, you want to improve your online presence, but you're not ready to shell out hundreds of dollars on fancy software? Here's a list of free tools that any newbie can use to improve your online presence.

1. Canva

Canva is an online application that you can use to create graphics for social media, email newsletters, websites, print media, and more! Canva keeps up with the ideal graphic dimensions for each social media network. Just click on the type of graphic you want to create. You can choose from an array of fonts, free photos, and graphics. Canva also offers extensive tutorials on graphic design.

2. MailChimp

MailChimp is my favorite email marketing client. It's free to use as long as you have less than 2,000 subscribers. With pre-designed templates and a drag-and-drop interface, you can design a beautiful email message for your subscribers. MailChimp even offers a specialized guide for non-profits. If you are not using email marketing to connect with your customers, then you are missing out on an opportunity to build awareness for your organization.

3. Buffer

Perhaps the best time-saving tip for social media marketing is scheduling posts ahead of time for your social profiles. Facebook allows you to schedule posts on your page, but other popular social media networks like Twitter and Instagram do not offer this option. By using a scheduler like Buffer, you can schedule posts for Instagram from your computer and then get notifications on your smartphone when it's time to post!

4. IFTTT

IFTTT is a tool that lets you instigate targeted actions based on an “if this then that” format. It can be integrated with hundreds of different tools and social media networks, which makes it super powerful. If you are looking for some customized automation options for your social media pages or your website, check it out.

5. Grammarly

The Grammarly App is like a super-powerful spell check. I use this in-browser application for email marketing. I receive text from my clients, paste them into Grammarly, and then make minor corrections and adjustments. I even edited this paragraph in Grammarly!

These are just a few of the many applications available for people interested in marketing online. If you need some pointers on improving your brand online, just send me a message. I'd be glad to chat with you!