There's no question that remote work is on the rise. With advancements in technology, it's become easier than ever for people to work from anywhere they choose, from a digital marketing company to a team offering off page services. While this flexibility can be a great perk for workers, it can also present some unique challenges. The last thing remote workers want right now is chores that take up all of their days.
Fortunately, several tools and software programs can help make remote work easier and more productive. These apps and programs are helpful to those who work from home in so many ways, including monitoring their productivity, making simple activities simpler and less time-consuming.
In this blog post, we'll share some of our favorites. So whether you're just starting in your remote career or you've been at it for a while, check out these essential tools and software perfect for your full service digital agency, or any other setup for that matter.
Productivity Tools to Check Your Progress
These tools and software are very helpful in tracking you and your team's progress to see if you are beating deadlines or it's the other way around.
Trello
Trello is a project management tool that uses the Kanban system to easily and quickly organize your projects. With Trello, you can effortlessly stay on top of everything from specific daily tasks to long-term plans. It's also very easy for all team members to communicate and post updates as needed.
Many people choose Trello because it's used across multiple platforms and devices, so you can access it wherever you are. Also, Trello is free to use, with paid Trello Gold and Business Class features available. This is the tool of choice by many teams around the world because it is simple and easy to use.
Todoist
Todoist is a cross-platform app that uses the Kanban system just like Trello. Thousands of users use it to track projects, organize tasks and collaborate with teams. Todoist lets you customize the layout of your task list, prioritize important goals, and set due dates according to different contexts. It's like a much more efficient version of a to-do list (hence, the name) if you want to use a digital approach to check your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.
You can install it on multiple devices so that you can access your to-do list anywhere. Unfortunately, though, Todoist is not free to use. You have to pay monthly or yearly fees for certain features. However, you can maximize the free features, which are generally enough to help you become productive from start to finish.
Communication Tools for Easy Messaging
With these messaging and communication solutions, you'll never miss a message from your teammates.
Slack
Slack has become the favorite of many remote teams. It's a cross-platform messaging app/software that lets you effortlessly stay in touch with your teammates while doing other things such as working or watching your favorite show. With Slack, you can send private messages to one person or broadcast notifications to everyone on your team. You can also use it for instant messaging and file sharing.
Slack is free to use with paid plans if you need more than the basics. The great thing about Slack is that it doesn't require everyone to be on board to get the full benefits. You can still send private messages and set up channels for announcements even if your team isn't using it yet.
Chanty
Chanty is another messaging app that helps remote teams communicate more efficiently. It allows you to chat or broadcast messages, share files and views, and keep track of updates from your teammates all in one place. Chanty lets you see who's available on the team, sends notifications about important updates and tasks, and notifies everyone when somebody joins or leaves the team.
It's free to use for up to 5 members or with paid plans that cost less than $10 per month per person, depending on which plan you choose. With Chanty's clean interface and easy-to-use features, you can collaborate even if your team is spread across different locations.
Workplace by Facebook
If you want a messaging app that's all about making your team even more productive, Workplace by Facebook will be a great solution. This messaging software uses chatbots to let you get updates from the company blog and other news sources without checking multiple websites. In addition, you can also create polls, ask questions directly to your teammates, and reply straight from the app.
You can also add a live chat feature to any Workplace by the Facebook page you create to make it easier for your customers and clients to connect with you. The app is free to download on mobile devices, but you'll have to pay $3 per person per month if you want the desktop version. Although this price might seem like a lot, it's cheaper than Slack or Chanty if you have an extensive team.
Cloud Storage Tools for Your Files
Never lose an important file, document, or presentation with these amazing cloud storage tools that won't consume a lot of space on your computers.
Dropbox
Everyone knows Dropbox. It's one of the best ways to share and store your files, photos, and videos online. Dropbox is popularly known for free space (2 GB), but there are other options that you can upgrade to if you need more.
The service offers a great alternative to other cloud storage solutions if you have transfer or bandwidth limits since it doesn't require a lot of bandwidth to upload and download files. Online collaboration also allows you to create shared folders in which your teammates can add, edit, or share their files.
MEGA
For more free storage space (50 GB), you might want to check out MEGA. It offers the same features like Dropbox and even syncs files across multiple devices. However, there's a downside: The upload and download speeds are slower compared to other file backup solutions. If you need a cloud storage solution with greater capacity, whether it uploads or downloads slowly or swiftly, this is the one for you.
Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft OneDrive is another cloud storage solution that lets you share your files across multiple devices. You can even use it to edit Office documents online so everyone on the team can collaborate easily. In addition, if you need more space, upgrade to one of their paid plans or share links with others so they can download the files for you for free.
Google Drive
Last but not least, Google Drive is another convenient app for storing your files online. It is primarily intended for uploading and sharing documents, presentations, spreadsheets, etc., the same as with Dropbox. You can also share files with your friends, family, and teammates via Google Drive.
The USB port won't be blocked by this tool, too, since it's an online storage solution, so you can still connect other devices to your computer. Most of these tools are free, but you have to create a Google account first. Other plans for paying subscribers are 100 GB at $2 per month or 10 TB for $10 per month.
Tools and Software to Keep the Work-Life Balance
Without giving up any boundaries that can harm you in the future, let these tools and software assist you in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
10to8
If you're concerned about working too much overtime, 10to8 keeps track of your hours, so you know when to stop and take some time off. This great tool is flexible since it works according to your schedule. You can set up the days of the week and the times when you want it to block distracting websites.
Timezone.io
If you work with clients or customers across different time zones, you can keep track of them easily via this app. This tool combines a world clock and a timer that shows precisely how much time it takes for someone to reply to an email or fix a bug. For example, if your customer sends you an email at 10 AM on their time, then you can set the timer to remind you that it's 11 AM in their time zone. This app is very convenient for international work.
Content Creation Tools and Software for Creative Ideas
Lastly, use any tools and software dedicated to content creation for your creatives' needs, from presentations to social media posts that are perfect even for those who are not the best graphic designers in the team.
Canva
With thousands of free and paid templates, elements, and many other things, this is one of the best tools for anyone who needs to create visuals. You can bring your ideas to life with Canva's easy-to-use features and share them via social media or other channels.
You can use Canva for free, but you can get a lot from its Premium subscriptions. For $12.95 per month, you can create an unlimited number of projects with all available features. It also allows easy resizing if you need your Instagram post to be shown as a Facebook ad, and vice versa.
Adobe Spark
Lastly, Adobe Spark lets you create professional graphics, social media posts, and more online. The tool is very easy to use, even if you're not familiar with designing software like Photoshop or Illustrator.
This app has three features: Spark Page (to make stunning web pages), Spark Post (to make awesome social media posts), and Spark Video (to make awesome videos). If you need to create great visuals fast, go for Adobe Spark. Its features are free, but it also has paid plans for more advanced features and additional storage.
Final Thoughts
If you're looking for a way to make your work-from-home life easier, we've got you covered. We've rounded up some of the best apps and software for working from home, so you can get more done in less time. Whether you're looking for a task management tool or an online meeting solution, we've got you covered. With the right tools, you can stay organized, focused, and connected with your team – no matter where you are or what kind of SEO marketing agency you work for.