6 of the Best Tools for Online Marketing
6 of the Best Tools for Online Marketing
I've only been a WA members for about 3 weeks now, BUT, I've been doing marketing, graphic design, self-promotion, etc. for many many years. It's, unfortunately, a necessary evil as a professional musician (which I've been for 15+ years with a Master's in Composition).
I forget that sometimes my knowledge of ad creation, computer program use, and marketing strategy may be useful to some here at WA - so I figure, I'd do my part in adding to the community's virtual library (by writing a blog!).
BEST FREE ONLINE RESOURCES
If you haven't heard of it already, Canva.com is an amazing tool I use for graphic design everyday. They have amazing templates to choose from AND the user interface is very easy to use with numerous options for those who like to get "creative." Nearly all my images on my website are from canva.com and I owe them a huge debt of gratitude. They've made quite a powerful online tool.
Hootsuite.com has saved my butt a number of times. If you're sick of social media management, head on over to HootSuite, because through their online dashboard you can schedule posts to all your social media accounts IN ONE PLACE. This includes, LinkedIN, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Their free account allows you to schedule 30 messages only, but upgrade if you have the money - which I will hopefully soon!
MailChimp.com is one of the predominating email management tools on the internet and if you pay attention to the emails in your mailbox, most likely, many of them were sent by MailChimp.com. They, too, have a free account which includes html codes for email sign up, templates for email campaigns, and tips/tricks for those just starting out.
BEST DOWNLOADABLE PROGRAMS
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Premiere
- Logic Pro Studio X
When it comes to visual hooks, Photoshop is the best tool to have in your back pocket. Adobe's Photoshop (if used correctly) can help you create amazingly vivid and captivating imagery that pulls viewers in. If you haven't any experience with Adobe products, there may be a learning curve, but trust me - it can help you make your website look CLEAN. All my logo designs and vector graphics are done through Photoshop to help create that clean corporate look to my favicons, website logos, etc.
Adobe Premiere is another amazing tool when it comes to advertisement and marketing, because with a few clicks (such as adding video transitions, titles, and simple typography) your videos will act as visual bait to your viewers. It's amazing what a few simple additions can do to your video advertisements to make things look less "home-made" and more professional quality.
Logic X is definitely an audio tool that most don't know about. It's very relevant to me as I create and produce music as a "grab" for my website, but for those who are creating video adds and need some underlying music, I would highly recommend Logic X. It is far more intuitive that Pro Tools (in my opinion) and can quickly take your video's music to the next level. Add a track, add some voice overs, add some quick free sound effects (easily findable online), produce it quickly (by Logic's built in mastering settings - online tutorial videos are plentiful when it comes to this), and VIOLÁ. Your advertisement video will have professionally rendered studio quality music.
THE PERFECT BALANCE
When it comes to drawing in your audience, the imagery and videos associated with your brand makes a HUGE difference. I know everyone says not to "judge a book by its cover," but come on. It's human nature to be instantly judgmental.
So if you want a great hook, line, and sinker, you must have quality in every area of your advertisements:
- image quality (make sure the resolution is high)
- font quality (don't choose "papyrus," everyone and their mother uses this; be unique!)
- video quality (add some nice transitions and unique titles; no one wants to see another Windows Movie Maker creation - people don't trust middle-schooler quality)
- audio quality (MUSIC IS IMPORTANT; I know I'm bias, but don't just choose a quick stock track that sounds "bleh," do some research and find an inspiring track! You might be surprised to find that better music makes its associated video seem better too)
CONCLUSION
I hope this helps. Everyone has their opinions, but I hope mine can stick out because these tools are used by a large percentage of online marketers (I use them practically everyday).
If you want a credibility check, please feel free to judge my site at will :)
Best of luck with all your creations! Let me know if you have any questions or if you have any issues/additions to this article - I'm always open to finding out more when it comes to easy, quick, and high-quality online marketing strategies.
Thanks for reading!
Chase
Recent Comments
16
Thanks for such an inspiring blog. I am intimidated by some of these resources, however, reading this made me feel hopeful that I can use them to improve my site.
Hope to read more posts like this from you ~
stay humble & kind,
riley
Hi rileyroman,
Keep in mind that I've been experimenting with programs on computers since I was a kid - so it does take some time to feel comfortable with programs. But it is worth it! Every minute you spend experimenting is investing in yourself and in your online business.
Good luck with every thing!
Chase
Thank you so much! That means a lot - I've been working hard. Would love to see your site too!
my site is wealthyaffiliateisthe1.com and rileyroman.com, would love your feedback if you have time ~
stay humble & kind,
riley
Ok, so this is just my two-cents. I do like your websites! I would try adding more layers and I always think about it with an artist's approach. The best pieces of art have a few elements we can pull from: contrast, foreground/background, color scheme. Experiment with your sites in creating layers (sections with parallax scrolling perhaps), and make sure the viewers eyes gravitate toward one thing at a time. As far as colors schemes go, my graphic design friends always follow the rule of 3 colors max with only one of them being an accent color.
Your site rileyroman.com is a great example. The eye gravitates towards your photo, but it is of very low-quality! Consider paying a photographer to take some headshots, because the more professional the image looks, the more people will trust that you're committed and professional in your field. My mother has been a professional photographer for 20+ years and she's always noticed all the business people who asked her for headshots were very successful. I would center your photo as well since it is the only thing to look at - symmetry is always more friendly to the eye in my opinion!
I hope this gives some food for thought. :) Best of luck!
Thanks so much, I appreciate it greatly. I forgot we are not to post our website info on here, next time just go to my profile where they are listed. It's considered spamming to do it this way. Hope you have a good weekend.
stay humble and kind,
riley
Oh, I forget how strict they are on potential spamming. I really don't mind! It pertained to the conversation. Have a great weekend yourself - best of luck with everything.
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I am using Hootsuite for my Social Media Accounts. Its really very helpful tool.
I can't wait to be able to afford the full package! It's so powerful.