If you’re a business owner, you’ll be looking for online apps and services that can make running your business easier. Google are always making changes and enhancements to their existing apps, as well as making new ones. Here’s how you can use them to enhance your business and improve your customers’ experience with you.
There Are Millions Of Google Users
If you want to find a platform that has a large user base, then Google is it. Nearly everyone has a Google account, whether they’re using it for Youtube, Gmail, Google Drive, or any of the other apps and tools they have available. That makes it incredibly easy for you to reach them. That means you need to look at how you can use these apps to reach more customers, and make it easy for them to buy from you.
Android And App Users
It’s easy to think that Apple own the app market, but that just isn’t the case. Actually, 75% of smartphones sold are Android based. This makes sense, as Android allows different manufacturers to create different phones, all while using a uniform OS. That means customers can buy and customise their phones just to their liking.
What does this mean for you? Well, it means that if you’re looking to create an app, then you’ve got a huge captive market. If you’re looking to pick between Apple and Android, then you may well be better off with Android. You’ll also need to think of this when it comes to your mobile customers. If more of them are browsing through Google Chrome, you can take advantage of Google’s features to make shopping easier for them.
Putting Your Business On The Map
‘Many companies are struggling because they aren’t instantly showing up on Google’ says professional marketer David Lawton from UK Services Reviews. ‘If a customer can’t find you right away, then they’re going to go to another service instead.’
Google have announced a new initiative that could change all that. It’s called Let’s Put Our Cities On The Map. They’ve created a custom site for virtually town and city across America, and they give businesses directions on how to create a ‘Google My Business’ listing. Their hope is to help businesses get discovered through Google, by giving them the tools they need to get themselves online.
Translation Services
Google Translate is already a powerful service that helps users translate webpages and phrases in foreign languages. It’s been a huge boon to business owners, as their customers can browse and buy their products, even if they don’t speak the same language. With the introduction of in ear translation, as announced earlier this year, your prospects for business will really open up. You’ll be able to communicate with anyone in the world, no matter what language they speak. It brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘global marketplace’.
Google AdWords And Youtube Ads
If you want to get seen online, then advertising through Google has got to be the way to go. There’s thousands of websites that use Google Advertising to keep running, and so you can get the word out about your business everywhere. As well as this, Youtube ads are another way to get your product in front of potential customers. It’s easy to set up ads with Google, and you’ll see they’re out online before you know it.
As well as this, AdWords are a great option for start up businesses if they need to make some cash. ‘Google AdWords has been a lifesaver for many a blogger’ says professional content writer Sandra Archer from Best Australian Writers. ‘It’s very simple to get up on your website, especially if you’re using a Google platform like Blogger. Then, you make money on how many ads are clicked on your page. It’s as easy as that.’
Android Pay
Contactless cards are now ubiquitous in the public consciousness, but phone payments are becoming just as popular. Customers use their phones for just about everything, so why not paying for goods, too? Android Pay is becoming one of the most popular payment options. To pay, all a customer has to do is open the app, tap their phone to your card reader, and they’ve paid. It works very much like contactless cards, but it’s arguably more convenient. If you own a bricks and mortar store, it’s something you want to invest in now.
Organizing Your Workload
Google have a suite of online apps that have been trusted by business owners for years now. It’s easy to see why, when they’re so easy to use and easily accessible. The biggest name in email is Gmail these days, thanks to its automatic spam block feature and tabs option. As a business owner, it’s the best way to stay in touch via email.
As well as this, Google Drive is another service that every business should take advantage of. It works as a cloud service, so you can securely store your documents and data and access them wherever you are. It can also be used just like a regular Office program suite, as it gives you spreadsheets, text editing, and more.
Google Hangouts
There’s a lot to be said for video conferencing these days. You can get in touch no matter where you are, as long as you have an internet connection. Better video conferencing software has enabled many workers to work from home offices, so their job can fit in with their personal responsibilities.
Google Hangouts has become one of the most commonly used video conferencing apps, thanks to the way it integrates with the rest of Google’s apps. It’s simple to use, and helps staff keep in touch no matter where they are.
As you can see, there’s a lot that Google can offer to a business owner. One account controls all of these features, so you only have to keep track of one account when you’re working. If you want to keep up with technology in your business, then you’ll need to get on board with Google and Android.
Rachel Summers has been a social media manager for seven years, working for a variety of companies, both big and small, including Revieweal, a leading custom writing service. In his freetime, Rachel also helps and advices a variety of small and start-up businesses on their social media strategies.