Tools

7 Best Graphic Designing Tools [Free and Paid]

By Ashutosh Jha → Thursday, December 24, 2020

Graphics designing is one of the hottest jobs in the world. Especially as the way of working is changing and so the marketing, the design has become a major factor for every business. No matter whether it is a simple logo design to design a website or a corporate brochure. The demand for the best graphics designer is increasing.

As per the report of CollegeGrad, the median annual wage of a graphics designer is $52.1k and this varies heavily as per the niche. Below is the category wise wage for graphics designer-

• Advertising, public relations, and related services - $54,320
• Specialized design services - $54,150
• Newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers - $43,950
• Printing and related support activities - $41,290

Sometimes hiring a full-time in-house graphic designer can be too costly, especially if you’re a startup and don’t have a great budget. As per the report by Freelancer.com, below is the cost associated with having a full-time graphics designer- 

Instead, you may outsource the work as well. There are a lot of companies working dedicatedly in the field of graphics designing that can fulfill all your graphics needs in less than 1/10th of what it costs for hiring an in-house designer.

One such firm I use personally for my business projects is Penji. Penji is a leading graphics design platform where the world’s top designers complete your project. The best thing is, they have a flat monthly rate where you can get unlimited designs developed. The monthly plan costs just $399 per month for graphics design where you can get unlimited graphic designs.

Following are some of the benefits I found while working with Penji-

• There are no restrictions on how many brands you have, how many tech design projects you have, or how many revisions you need.
• You can also get Illustration and UI/UX on a plan that costs $499 per month
• There are no contracts or hidden fees and we also offer a 15-days money-back guarantee
• The designers at Penji are pretty quick and deliver your project in between 24-48 hours
• You will have 100% ownership of all the original files used

7 best graphic designing tools

Now let’s talk about some of the best graphic designing tools that are being used to design some amazing graphics for your work. Some of these are free graphic designing tools while others are premium. And depending on the need and complexity of the project, you can choose from these.

#1 Adobe Photoshop

I believe the best graphic designing tools can’t be completed without the mention of a great design tool - Adobe Photoshop. It is one of the most popular photo editing software tools in the market with robust packages to make graphic design fun. Adobe Photoshop offers-

• Design tools for both mobile apps and web
• Creative cloud for active synchronization with features like Content-Aware Crop, Face-Aware Liquify, Artboards, and more
• Targetted workspace layout, Motion, 3D, Painting, and Photography

Adobe Photoshop also comes as an open-source GIMP software that means you don’t need to pay a penny if you don’t want to. Just make sure to install Adobe Photoshop on a good configuration system to avoid lags. The paid plan starts at $29.99 per month. You can find more details here.

#2 Adobe InDesign

Another tool in our best graphic design tools is also from Adobe with a product called Adobe InDesign. Adobe InDesign is another must-have tool for graphic design if you deal in business publishing.

It can be quite helpful if you’re willing to design magazines, info sheets, and brochures while easily exporting them to PDF or HTML. Adobe InDesign is pretty easy to use and requires a low learning curve to get started. This is definitely an edge on Photoshop which requires some good training to get started.

• Adobe InDesign uses AI-powered Sense technology that allows automatic sizing and image rearranging.
• It has a feature called InCopy which designers can leverage to work with other members of the team by sharing text, colors, and graphics.
• It combines text and graphics for easy streamlining and file optimization

Adobe InDesign costs $20.99 per month. You can find more details here.

#3 Canva

If you’re not looking to do everything from scratch and are more interested in the drag and drop interface, then Canva is for you. There are getting a lot of buzzes these days among freelance graphic designers. The major reason behind this is that many features are already built here that you might have to develop in Adobe Photoshop or InDesign.

Canva has an easy to use interface and so anyone can get started with it easily. You don’t need any heavy training to get started. Here to get started with the design: You can layer images, colors, and create impressive typography in a number of ways. Canva is available for Web, Windows, and MAC.

• Canva gives you thousands of templates to get started quickly
• Lots of free and premium items are available to make your graphics interactive and impressive

It is a freemium tool that means you can use the basic version for free. The paid plan starts at $12.95 per month. You can find more details here.

#4 CorelDraw graphic suite

The next on our list of the best graphic design tools is CorelDraw. It offers some amazing advanced features keeping it easy for anyone to use. CorelDraw comes with multiple applications that help you edit the graphics in a better way.

In the CorelDraw graphic suite, you get many products including- CorelDraw main tool, Corel photo paint, CorelDraw app, Corel font manager, capture, Aftershot, and more. These tools make CorelDraw a perfect platform for end-to-end graphic design.

• Corel offers an online digital library called Content Exchange, which provides thousands of high-resolution photographs and digital images.
• The desktop UI can be customized as per your requirement, making it convenient to work efficiently.
• You will be getting an option to select GPU over your CPU to make the functionalities fast and efficient.

CorelDraw offers 15-days of a free trial. The paid plan is available for $474 which is a one-time payment. They also have a monthly plan at $16.5 per month and yearly at $198 per year. You can find more details here.

#5 Sketch

The next tool in our bucket is Sketch which is a digital design toolkit. It allows you to create, prototype, collaborate and bring your ideas to life with the design platform. One of the best features I personally liked about Sketch is the scaling power.

Once you have developed a design and want to scale for other clients, you can do it very easily. Sketch allows you to add extensions like Cluse, Pexels, Chart, Overflow, and more to make your design stand out.

• The sketch is great for mobile and web where it leverages grid, snap to grid, snap to pixel, and more
• The sketch is a vector-based design tool and so offers a library of artboard templates for iOS developers and responsive web design layouts.
• Allows sharing and collaboration through the cloud, making the job for developers easy

Sketch costs $99 per year in their personal license segment. You can find more details here.

#6 Affinity

Affinity is a product by Serif and is a leading professional creative software. It also has a series of products for different purposes. For example-

• Affinity Designer- for creating concept art, paint objects, logos, icons, UI designs, mock-ups, and more.
• Affinity photo- It’s an image editing tool that also allows you to retouch images, creating full-blown multi-layered compositions, and more.
• Affinity publisher- It’s a powerful tool to combine images, graphics, and text to make an amazing layout for books, magazines, and marketing materials, to social media templates, website mock-ups, and more.

Affinity designer is considered as one of the best alternatives to Adobe illustrator as well due to the powerful features. Designers can make use of dynamic on-screen guides to ensure objects and designs are laid out with accurate measurement and alignment. Affinity designer is a cheap tool and is available at $59.99 as a one-time payment. You can find more details here.

#7 Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is another leading tool for graphic designers from the Adobe family for illustrative artwork, page layouts, corporate logos, website mock-ups, and almost anything as per the requirement. The best thing about Adobe Illustrator is, it is considered an industry benchmark when it comes to vector design.

Adobe Illustrator is highly customizable through multiple preset layouts along with many others. You can also rearrange the panes to make them align as per your convenience.

• Adobe Illustrator offers in-panel editing that allows designers to edit multiple artboards in parallel.
• It is pretty compatible with various devices and so you can work without thinking about the device.

Adobe Illustrator costs $9.99 per month for personal use and $33.99 per month for the enterprise. You can find more details here.

Conclusion

These were the best graphic designing tools for everyone. Depending on your proficiency and work, you can select any of these and create stunning designs. Which tool you’re using for your graphic design need or getting outsourced?

Tools

5 Top Cross-browser Testing Services

By Ashutosh Jha → Sunday, December 20, 2020

Are you a web developer looking to test your application on different platforms? Then this article is for you. Here we are going to talk about the most popular cross-browser testing services.

Cross-browser testing platforms will help you test your application in different browsers and operating systems. Such platforms are highly helpful as they provide an opportunity for cost reduction and easy infrastructure management.

For example, if you or your developer is working on Windows 10 and using Chrome browser for major application development, then when you roll out the product to the market, you can’t control what platform your users will be using it. So, you need to ensure your product is compatible with all major OS and browsers.

Although there are various cross-browser testing services and platforms available in the market, you should be careful while selecting. Whenever you’re going to use any cross-browser testing platforms, make sure you are able to test following KPIs:

• CSS, HTML, XHTML page validation with or without JavaScript
• Font size, font family, special character, and Unicode support
• Responsive page layout and image responsiveness in different resolutions
• Zoom in and out functionality
• Same look on different operating systems and browsers

When it comes to the cross-browser testing platforms, both paid and free platforms are available. Also, these paid platforms often offer you a free trial which you can use and if found the platform suitable, you can go ahead with the premium plans.

5 Top Cross-browser Testing Services

Now let’s review the top services for cross-browser testing. You can try them and see the one which suits best for your needs.

1 Browserling

The #1 in our list of best cross-browser testing platforms is Browserling. I have personally used this platform on multiple occasions in the last four years. You can check my earlier post on Browserling review to know more. When it comes to a live and interactive cross-browser testing platform, Browserling can be first on the list. What I especially like is that it requires no registration. You can just go to the homepage of Browserling and start testing in 5 seconds.

Browserling is the oldest platform with most experience for testing your applications on different browsers and operating systems. It offers solutions for individuals as well as companies. It supports all the major OS - like Windows Vista, XP, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10 can be accessed as well. Mobile platforms and operating systems include Android Marshmallow, KitKat, and Lollipop. MacOS, iPhone (iOS), and Linux platforms are coming soon.

Browserling features:

• It’s the simplest platform without complex terminology that lets you immediately get started with one click.
• It offers live interacting sessions and you can interact with browsers lively and not just the screenshot.
• It works like a real-browser on your computer and not just the emulators or fake simulators.
• Browserling always includes the new browser and so you can be sure about the latest updates in the market.
• You don’t need Java, flash, or any plug-in to use Browserling. It just uses JavaScript and HTML5.
• Browserling also helps you identify bugs and design issues with your pages instantly and using just a single click you can create bug reports for your team.
• It also offers Live API using which you can embed browsers in your own app on demand.

Browserling Pricing

Browserling offers free and paid plans. In the free plan, you can use limited 3 minutes sessions which is good for getting started. If you need all features and unlimited testing, subscribe to the paid plans which start at $19 per month. If you are a team and looking for a team solution, subscribe to the team plan which costs $29 per month.

2 Browsershots

My next favorite service is Browsershots. It’s a platform for verifying static browser compatibility in many browsers and platforms at once by selecting checkboxes. It is not interactive as Browserling above but it’s very easy to use to fulfil the testing needs. Browsershots gets you multiple screenshots of your site and it’s being used at large scale due to its quick user interface.

While testing your applications, you can also select multiple operating systems (Linux, Windows, mac, BSD) and customize browser features, such as color depth, JavaScript status, and system properties, such as screen size. This will help you test your applications from all perspectives. With the simple interface, you just need to put the website URL and you will get a grid of testing results. The only drawback I don’t like is the time it takes to show you the result when multiple browsers are selected.

Browsershots features:

• It’s a simple platform that gives you screenshots.
• It’s quick and easy to select which browsers you want.
• Browsers can be customized (JavaScript enabled or not, browser color depth, etc.)
• Systems can be customized (screen resolution).
• Supports the most number of various browsers - Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera, Safari, SeaMonkey, Arora, Dillo, Epiphany, Konqueror, Lynx, Luakit, Rekonq, Midori, and many more.

Browsershots pricing:

Browsershots is free to use

3 CrossBrowserTesting

The third in our list of the best cross-browser testing platforms is CrossBrowserTesting. It helps you make every web experience perfect on any browser or mobile device. With CrossBrowserTesting you don’t need to have a huge infrastructure for your testing and design experience teams. With this, you can easily run manual, visual, and selenium tests in the cloud on 2050+ real desktop and mobile browsers.

CrossBrowserTesting offers four products for different testing works - live testing which is for interactive and manual testing, visual testing for automated screenshots and comparisons, automated testing for selenium and Appium test automation, and record and replay for automation testing.

CrossBrowserTesting features:

• It fits right in your CI process and integrates with tools like Jenkins, TeamCity, GitHub, Jira, and more.
• You can use real Android and iOS mobile devices for both manual and automated testing.
• Intuitive REST API allows you to access almost all the features of CrossBrowserTesting using the command line.
• Your team will be able to automate and scale the project testing easily.

CrossBrowserTesting pricing:

For open-source projects, you can use CrossBrowserTesting for free. For a freelancer, it costs $15 per month, and then product-wise plans are also available. Live testing costs $29 per month, automated at $78 per month, and unlimited at $100 per month.

4 LambdaTest

LambdaTest is a cross-browser testing cloud platform where you can perform live interactive and automated testing on real browsers and operating systems online. More than 300k users are using LambdaTest to test their applications.

LambdaTest also provides similar features to CrossBrowserTesting and have launched the following products: automated testing, live testing, and screenshot testing. Compared to other services, you can also use LambdaTest on your mobile phone.

LambdaTest features:

• Integrated developer tools to help the debug issues in live testing.
• Test locally hosted pages. This will help you ensure browser compatibility before you take your application to production.
• Geography location testing feature is available.
• You can integrate LambdaTest with the major productivity tools like Slack, Asana, and Trello.

LambdaTest pricing:

LambdaTest offers the lite plan which is free for lifetime where you can have 60 minutes/month realtime testing. If you need more options and more time, go with the paid plans which starts with $15 per month when it will be billed bi-anually.

5 TestingBot

Last but not least in our top cross-browser testing services is TestingBot. TestingBot offers similar features to previous services and primarily offers automated and manual testing. Additionally, it offers performance testing, headless testing, and testing on real-devices.

Overall, it allows you to test your applications on 2600+ browser and device combinations. Many top organizations like Microsoft, Grammarly, and Fox News are using this service to do cross-browser compatibility testing.

TestingBot features:

• It allows visual testing with screenshots on all browsers.
• You can compare the screenshot results (similar to Browsershots) and quickly see defects in the design.
• Support for real-devices to run automated tests on physical iOS and Android devices.
• Stress and performance testing websites and mobile apps.
• You can integrate TestingBot in your existing setup with Jenkins, Bamboo, Jira, and Azure.
• More than 6 million tests are performed each month on TestingBot.

TestingBot pricing

TestingBot has separate pricing for browser testing and mobile app testing. Browser testing starts at $30 per month while mobile app at $49 per month. Depending on your need you may look for a higher plan also.

Conclusion

These were the 5 top cross-browser testing platforms that you can use for your testing projects. Out of all, Browserling is my all-time favorite as I have been using it for so long and it always gives me good results, but you may try them all and pick the one that fits your needs.

Tools

Best Reliable Data Eraser for Windows and MAC- Magoshare AweEraser Review

By Ashutosh Jha → Saturday, December 5, 2020

Millions of computer consumers are quite afraid of losing their data. And this becomes even more important when you’re selling your old computers. In such cases, you may want to erase everything from the computer.

In this post, we are going to share the best reliable data eraser for windows and MAC. The tool we are going to review from Magoshare’s AweEraser. In this Magoshare AweEraser review, we will share the features of the tool, how to erase data permanently from windows, and more.

Usually, you might have seen technicians who can get the data back from hard drives even if you delete it. So, it becomes important to not leave any footprint on the data. This way you can ensure your data is not getting exposed anywhere.

Magoshare AweEraser Review

Let’s start with the Magoshare AweEraser review and check its features, how it works, and more.

What is Magoshare AweEraser?

Magoshare AweEraser is a leading product by Magoshare which is known for the tools like data cleaning, disk eraser, disk cloning, and other utility software. The AweEraser tool is dedicated to reliable data erasing which helps you permanently shred files, erase hard drive, wipe unused disk space maintaining the certified data standard.

Also read: 7 best hosting providers

Magoshare AweEraser Features

There are many features of the Magoshare AweEraser which you should know before you buy the tool. Here are some of the major features-

#1 All in one file shredder and disk wiper

Magoshare AweEraser is an all-in-one file shredder and disk wiper. It provides a flexible data erasure solution to help you permanently erase data under different scenarios. Along with data shredder, it can also erase hard drive, wipe free disk space, and many such data clearing features. It can do-

1. Erase files- It can delete files/folders permanently and securely without leaving any footprint.
2. Erase hard drive- It can delete all the data and files of the hard drive as well
3. Erase free space- Get the unused space using the tool by erasing free space
4. Reporting- The tool provides you full erase history as well for you to review

#2 Powerful uninstaller

Magoshare AweEraser also offers an uninstaller tool that can help you uninstall unwanted software and programs from your system. You can uninstall either one by one or in a batch. Eventually, this will also help you get the free space back.

#3 Secure privacy cleaner

If you don’t want anyone to know what you’re browsing and using for commercial uses then this tool is for you. Secure privacy cleaner can help you remove every footprint of your browser history. This includes browser history, cookies, passwords, caches, logs, junk files, etc.

#4 Flexible data eraser modes

Magoshare AweEraser offers 3 modes for data erasing-

Mode-1: Erase files and folders

In this mode, you can selectively and permanently erase files and folders. All you have to do is, just add files and folders to the erasure list and click on the erase button.

Mode-2: Erase hard drive

In this mode, you can format and wipe out the hard drive to permanently erase all data available on the drive.

Mode-3: Erase free space

In the mode-3, you can wipe out the free disk space of the hard drive to permanently erase all the deleted or lost data on the hard drive. This operation in no manner impacts the existing data on the drive.

#5 Supported device

Magoshare AweEraser offers the service for both Windows and MAC. You can download the respective software for your operating system. There are hundreds of storage devices in the market and so you might be thinking if Magoshare AweEraser can work or not.

The simple answer is simple- if windows and MAC can detect these storage devices then Magoshare AweEraser will support this for sure.

This includes but not limited to- Computer (desktop, laptop, PC), Hard drive (HDD/SSD), External hard drive, USB flash drive, Memory card/SD card, Digital device like camera, Server system/RAID, and Other data storage device.

#6 Hardware requirements

For windows, the requirement is very simple. Below are the minimum hardware requirements for using Magoshare AweEraser.

• Disk Space: at least 60MB
• RAM: at least 128 MB
• File system: FAT 12/16/32, NTFS, NTFS 5, EXT 2/3, exFAT, HFS, etc.

Magoshare AweEraser Pricing and Downloads

Magoshare AweEraser gives you a free trial and you can try it and see if this is working great for you. Once you have tried it, you may go ahead and buy the paid plan.

Magoshare AweEraser offers two pricing plans and the prices are the same for both Windows and MAC-

1. Personal lifetime license costs $29.95
2. Enterprise lifetime license costs $199

You can download the free trial using this link.

How to use Magoshare AweEraser on Windows 10?

Once you have downloaded and installed Magoshare AweEraser software, follow the below steps to erase the files and folders on your Windows 10.

Step-1: Launch the software and select the option from the left pane. If you want to erase files, select that and then click on the add button to add files or folders. If you erase the hard drive or free space, select the respective options accordingly.

Step-2: Once you have selected files/folders then select the file and click on the erase button.

Step-3: It will ask you for confirmation in the form of a pop-up notification. If you’re sure click on the continue.

Step-4: And done! You will get a notification for the successful completion of the operation.

Conclusion

These were all about the Magoshare AweEraser review where I talked about the best reliable data eraser for Windows and MAC. You can even use the software as a trial and get the basic work done. Although there are limitations of the free trial where you can get a maximum of 20 files erased. The best thing is the lifetime deal is available for just $29.95.

Try the tool and share your feedback if you find it useful.

Tools

6 Must-Have Gaming Accessories [Updated]

By Ashutosh Jha → Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Australia has a reputation for being the smallest continent in the world. The country is also well-known for a lot of things such as big deserts, glorious beaches, and the Outback. A report by Digital Australia 2020 said that video game playing is prevalent among two-thirds of Aussies. So it is no surprise that an online computer store Australia is the perfect hub to get gaming accessories from.

[Image Source: Lenovo]

The Australian gaming industry has been at the forefront of innovation since The Hobbit adventure game came out in 1982. The development of games did not stop there. From the classic video games to apps and personal computers, the games continued to progress even up to this day. An online computer store in Australia helps to enhance the complete gaming experience with the following must-have peripherals.

Must have Gaming Accessories

Here are some of the must have gaming accessories which every gamers should have. I have selected these best gaming accessories based on my experience and you can have these in your bucket as well.

#1 Gaming Headset, Microphone, and Holder

When you play a game, you get engrossed in what you are doing. So you use a padded,
comfortable headset to hear the game directly and privately without bothering anyone else in your household. The best headphones are the ones that filter unnecessary outside noise yet possess high sound quality. A microphone – built-in or otherwise – can put your communication skills to the test while you are in the game. Lastly, it would help if you had a headset holder so that you can quickly grab your gear when a game is about to start.

Image Source: Alienware

#4 Gaming Keyboard

There are two types of gaming keyboards–

1. 1. the regular one, and
2. 2. a mechanical keyboard

Some people prefer the conventional type because they use a different accessory for the game controls anyway. And some like the mechanical ones best because it is customizable by changing the control keys and its colour. It is a matter of preference, but equally important when playing a game.

Image Source: Amazon.com

#5 Gaming Mouse and Mouse Mat

Gone are the days when a roller-ball mouse roamed your mouse pad. Nowadays, mice are either optical or laser. Nevertheless, even if your favourite game is a PC-based, Australian-made Fruit Ninja, you would still need a mouse to control your sword. A mouse is essential to PC gaming as air is to humans. Speed is critical in gaming.

Image Source: Razer Viper

So, the higher the DPI (Dots Per Inch), the faster your cursor’s reaction time will be. Pair it with a desk-length mouse mat that helps you – and your character – move without thinking about the boundaries and sudden stoppage in the middle of your game.

#6 Gaming Chair

Games take up much of your time. What may seem like five minutes could easily turn into five hours, so comfort is the name of the game. Get a comfy gaming chair to avoid the back-breaking pain due to prolonged sitting time.

#7 Gaming Glasses

Prolonged exposure to radiation from your computer screen can make you dizzy and nauseous. It is worse if it leaves you with poor eyesight. If you feel that you cannot leave your game after you start, then it is best to get yourself some gaming glasses to protect your eyes.

#8 Wheel and Pedals

Are you a fan of racing games? Or are you just preparing for when you can drive a real car? When a mouse cannot cut it, buy a gaming wheel and pedals for the ultimate car chase enjoyment.

Wrapping it up!

Whether you are a Pac-Man fan or a sucker for the Australian-created QWOP, gaming accessories are a must in PC gaming. Get the most out of your game play by completing your accouterments before getting your game on.

With all these must have gaming accessories, I have also included the list of some products. If you would like to buy, you can check those and buy accordingly.

Also, if you are a gamer and know better gaming accessories then do let me know in the comment section.

Tools

Why You Should Have a Text Message Platform for Your Business

By Ashutosh Jha → Sunday, April 28, 2019

Are you running a business and want to take advantage of the most useful technology out there? Do you want to stay in touch with your co-workers and customers as easily as possible?

If so, you're in luck, because we happen to know a beneficial platform for your business: text messaging. This form of communication makes it easy for people to send and receive messages, which can lead to better business for you.

The easier access that your staff and consumers have to information, the better decisions they can make that can lead to more money in your pockets. With our tips on written communication, you will be able to satisfy as many people as possible.

Here are the reasons why you should have a text message platform for your business.

1. Being Mobile Friendly

Technology determines how people do their shopping, and the easier it is to use the gadget, the better time people will have interacting with your business. Making your company's communication mobile friendly makes this process a piece of cake.

Smartphones have become a reliable tool for making purchases over the years, no matter the items. People can go on their phones and place orders on the bus to work, on a lunch break, or while out to dinner with friends.

If your customers can buy your products with the tap of a button, you'll see money come in throughout the day. This comes in handy when you're trying to manage other parts of your business.

Your website should be designed to make phone numbers easily accessible. This helps if customers want to ask questions before they make a purchase.

2. Saving Money with a Text Message Platform

Making communication easy can also do wonders for your staff. The easier the access to communication technology is, the better chance you have of solving problems and coming up with ideas.

That's where SMS marketing comes in, as you can send messages about updates to products and sales results to people in other parts of town, or even the world. This can reduce the cost of computers and other hardware.

If there's a problem at the office or any other location, you and your team can text each other about it so that it can be fixed as soon as possible. This can ensure that the issue doesn't get in the way of getting products to customers.

Texting is also a cheaper way to market your services. As helpful as social media can be, websites like Facebook and Twitter charge for ad spots.

3. Receiving Information Quickly

Texting allows you to receive information that can have a positive or negative impact on your business in a matter of seconds. With mobile text marketing, you'll be able to make changes or continue your work quickly.

Physical copies of information such as print are unnecessary, so you don't have to wait for paper ads to print out. Examples such as this platform make sure that you send data to the right people as quickly as possible.

Sending one message to all of your customers can also save time on providing them important information. Such data can include changes to the website, updates to products, recalls, and other situations that can affect your ability to make money.

Smartphone owners also tend to have an easier time opening texts than emails. This will make it easy for them to access your messages.

4. Combining with Other Marketing Tools

Some of the best marketing tools are those that can work with others. That's where texting comes in, as it can be just as helpful when paired with other tools as it is on its own.

You can use texts to push customers to check out your social media sites. This can increase the awareness of your brand, as well as keep up with marketing trends.

Offering rewards for checking out your site and social media platforms can provide extra motivation. Texts can include discounts and special deals on new items.

Because of how quickly people can receive texts, you'll have a better chance of more people checking out other places where your brand is present. This can lead to more money coming your way over time.

5. Establishing Demographics

SMS marketing allows you to better figure out who is interested in your services because of how easy you can contact them. By understanding your fanbase, you will have an easier marketing experience.

Your text marketing app can provide you the contact data of the people who respond to your messages. This will help you figure out what to advertise in the future that they might like.

With texting, you'll know what age group your products are best aimed at. You may be lucky enough to find uses for your products by people ranging from teenagers to senior citizens, the latter of which is slowly starting to catch up to today's technology.

If you appeal to different age groups, you can update how you text your promotions to fit their ways of communication. This can help you expand your marketing techniques.

6. Better Options for Customers

The more power you give customers for their purchasing abilities, the more likely they are to keep providing you their money. Using texting as a platform ensures that they have the freedom to make such choices.

Letting your customers opt-in and opt-out of receiving news through texts will make them feel comfortable about communicating with you. This can appeal to older generations who aren't used to texting, as well as younger audiences who prefer laptops.

This can also save you time and money on trying to gain customers. You can avoid sending messages to customers who aren't interested and use that time texting someone who is.

While some customers may opt-out, they may stick around through emails and social media. Those who opt-in can use texts as well as other platforms.

7. Increased Customer Engagement

The more ways you can communicate with your audience, the better chance you have at developing a relationship with them. Text messages are just another avenue.

It lets current and potential customers know that they always have a way to get a hold of you. They may want to text you about how to use certain products or thank you for what your services have done for them.

Making it as easy for customers to get a hold of you as it is to talk to friends and family also helps keep a connection. You can send each other messages at any time of the day.

Messages that go out to multiple people ensure greater customer engagement. This is an opportunity for people to share ideas that can improve your business.

Our Take- Why need text messaging platform for business

With a text message platform, you will have a reliable way to access your customers. Even if your email newsletters and social media sites are seeing success, having this extra source will make a big difference in your financial success.

You'll be able to answer any questions that customers might have, as well as let them know about changes going on in the company. With text messages, you will be able to establish a connection with your audience, thus leading to a long-lasting business.

Check out more of our marketing techniques today so that you can start your business off on the right foot.

Top 10

7 Top Digital Tools For Students

By Ashutosh Jha → Friday, April 26, 2019

Digital resources keep revolutionizing the education system and make life easier for the students. The following digital tools for students and apps are must-haves for anyone who wants to work smarter and quicker.

In this post we are going to talk about some of the best digital tools for students which will help you manage your study in a better and efficient way. This way, you can also improve your productivity and performances.

7 best digital tools for students

Here are the curated list of 7 top digital tools for students. These are the students productivity digital tools which will help you manage your study in a better way. These are freemium tools that means, for your personal use, you can use these free as they have the free trial.

1. PaperRater

It is a web-based proofreading app that helps you to improve your writing skills. PaperRater is very intuitive. Just copy your text from whichever word processor you use and paste it into the dialogue box. The app will then automatically run the grammar test, spelling and plagiarism check, and will suggest improvements with its amazing vocabulary builder.

The benefits of PaperRater are innumerable. Firstly, it has impressively accurate proofreading capacity that is better than many other proofreading tools available online. Secondly, it is cloud-based, so for checking the content, all you need is a good internet connection. Of course, if the stakes are high and your paper must be impeccable, you may want to consult professional service like MyAdmission for an essay specifically tailored for you.

2. Evernote

It is the most effective platform for collecting notes, images, voice records, doodles, and internet resources – everything across media in one place. One can easily organize all this by topic or by project creating separate notebooks. Students can use this feature to keep separate notebooks for every subject. Tags make it even easier to organize things and cross-reference every note. Now one can link the Google docs to Evernote.

Evernote offers multiple ways to save study materials – voice-record the lectures and use them for revisions, scan notes and keep them as pics without the necessity to copy them by hand if you’ve missed a class, take a snap of a whiteboard and attach it as an illustration to your note, etc.

3. Hemingway Editor

Hemingway editor is an effective tool for people who write often and wish to improve their style. It helps to write in a simple and clear way. App uses colors to indicate errors and undesirable complications such as passive voice, complex words and phrases, long sentences, etc.

Everyone can benefit from using the Hemingway app, but it is especially useful for students. It detects grammar mistakes, removes complexities, and ensures the natural flow of the final draft, thus helping to improve the readability of your writing. A perfect tool to make college essays short, sweet, and to the point!

4. Coursera

Coursera gives access to the widest variety of online courses thanks to the project’s collaboration with the top universities and colleges. Learning with Coursera is quicker – an average course only takes half the time compared to the traditional courses. Moreover, the learning materials are engaging, include compelling multimedia content, and organized in a manner that makes it easy to track your progress.

Yet the most important thing is that classes taught by the best specialists from leading colleges are free! You might need to pay only if you want a certificate of completion but you can access the knowledge any time.

5. ThingLink

ThingLink is a beneficial resource for visual learners because it allows annotating images. That means you can add notes, videos, audios or clickable hyperlinks to any chosen image. This is a powerful tool for packing large amounts of content into a smaller space.

The best thing about it is that it encompasses all this seamlessly. All background information is there if you want it but it only unfolds on demand, without cluttering the visual space and obscuring the core material.

6. Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a to-do list on steroids. This cloud-based task manager allows you to access your tasks from anywhere whether it is PC, Mac, or mobile device. Being cross-platform is especially important since Wunderlist allows adding team members and promotes remote collaboration.

The interface is very simple and yet it offers powerful features even for a free version. The intuitive drag-and-drop mechanics makes it satisfying to use and allows to organize tasks and assignment lists smoothly. Regular push notifications will remind you about important things.

7. Pinterest

If you think that Pinterest is only good for DIY fans and fashionistas, you are underestimating it. This is the best brainstorming tool to get ideas for art projects or other academic tasks. It works best for visual projects, but it can also serve as citation hub for big writing projects like thesis, because it pins save sources.

Moreover, every project can benefit from colorful images and infographics. Just make a board and save everything you stumble upon online for further reference – wherever and whenever you may need it.

Hope you will find these resources useful. What are some of your favorites that we haven’t mentioned? Share in the comments – spread the knowledge!

For more such tools, you can check our mega guide on best blogging tools.

Tools

4 Nifty Blogging Tools to Save You Time and Grow Your Blog

By Ashutosh Jha → Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Are you a blogger? If you've been on your blogging game for a while, you might be time to spruce things up a bit. Fortunately, blogging tools have come a long way in recent years.

If you're ready to take your blog to the next level, read on. We're here to outline some of the best blogging tools out there.

Who's Hosting? 

Changing up your hosting platform can offer you a lot of new options. This can also help you feel more inspired, if you're tired of staring at your old layout. WordPress is by far one of the most popular blogging platforms, but there are plenty of other ways to host your blog.

If you have considered getting into the e-commerce world, for example, you may want to consider Shopify. Many of Shopify's website templates include a blogging platform. While the monthly fee is considerably higher than you'd see with a platform like Weebly or Wix, you may find that you can easily make up the difference in sales.

Blogging Tools from Google

Yes, good old Google is leading the charge in making it easier than ever for bloggers. Google apps make sharing information between devices easier than ever.

On the go? Type up your next blog post on your computer using Google Docs, then make edits on your phone while you're out and about.

Want to keep records of the brands and contacts you've made so far? Try Google Sheets. This spreadsheet application is just as easy to access on your phone as it is on your laptop.

Use Keywords to Optimize Your Blog

Need a little help with SEO optimization? Google has something for that too. Check out their keyword planning tools to help you get more traffic to your blog.

By using keywords in your blog posts, you can boost your presence as an authority on a given topic. The more of an authority your website is seen to be, the better you'll rank in search results.

Search engine results pages, also known as SERPs, are a key component for getting more traffic to your blog. The more pages you have that use keywords specific to your blogging niche, the more likely you are to be seen.

The more clicks you get, the more clout you'll have in your niche. This boost can help you grow your social media following. If you successfully grow your social media following, you're far more likely to get more sponsored offers from advertisers. This can help you become more of an authority in your niche overall and grow your online presence.

Keep Your Fans Close

If you're using a blogging platform, you likely recognize how important it is to keep in touch with your fans. If you remember MySpace, you likely recognize how social media platforms can wane in popularity.

Keeping a record of who your fans are and how to get in touch with them is the perfect way to ensure you don't lose the following you worked hard to grow. A great example of how you can do this is through hubspot mailchimp.

By using a mailing sign up, you'll have a way to reach your fans no matter what happens to your social platform of choice.

Looking for More?

If you're looking for more great blogging tools, be sure to visit our website. We offer lots of great resources perfect for making your blog the next viral success.

We're here to help you grow your online success. You've worked hard to grow your following, let us show you how to take your brand to the next level.

Writing

10 Ways for Writers to Improve Their Grammar Skills

By Ashutosh Jha → Tuesday, February 26, 2019

It’s hard to underestimate the importance of good spelling and grammar. Studies say bad spelling influences everything from how much you make to whether you get that date. People may even make judgments about you based on the way you write an email or a text.

If you are a writer or want to be one, good spelling and grammar are a must. While you can always team up with proofreaders to watch your back, even they can’t catch everything. Getting it right in the first place is a better plan.

There are some tricky grammatical structures in English. Even the brightest of us sometimes mess it up. That doesn’t mean you can’t strive for perfection.

10 Steps To Improve Grammar Skills for Writers

In fact, you should be striving for the best. If you’re ready to give your writing a real polish, check out some of these ten tips. They’re guaranteed to help you improve your grammar skills.

1. Read, Read, and Read Some More

Great writers are often avid readers too. Reading is a great way to learn proper grammar since most published material is edited and polished. You shouldn't assume every sentence is correct, but most follow the basic rules.

You should read a wide variety of materials. Certain types of materials and authors have different styles. An academic paper might use long sentences, but your favorite author uses short ones.

Either way, you’ll be exposed to a wider range of grammatical use.

Even reading material with poor grammar can help you, since it can show you why something isn’t working.

2. Consult a Grammar Handbook and a Style Guide

Here’s a secret your editor won’t tell you. Your editor isn’t a grammar-correcting robot. They’re looking up most of the trickier grammar too.

You can borrow a page from their book and keep a few grammar handbooks on your shelf. These guides will walk you through the right way to handle different constructions.

If grammar seems like a boring subject to have a book on, don’t worry. Many authors try to make it fun, sometimes by using a quirky theme or pop culture examples.

You can also consult what’s known as a style guide. These books are often issued by trusted sources, like the University of Chicago, the Associated Press, or Oxford University. While they go over much more than grammar, they do contain plenty of information.

3. Remember That Practice Makes Perfect

If you want to improve your grammar, one of the very best things you can do is write. It doesn’t matter if you write a little or a lot, but writing every day will help you improve.

This writing practice is a great way to incorporate what you’re learning through other tools. Take what you learn in your reading or a grammar course and play with it during practice writing.

When you’re writing, don’t worry too much about spelling and grammar. This is all for practice, and mistakes help us learn.

Instead, focus on being playful and creative with the language at this stage. Combine sentences or try to mimic your favorite author’s style.

4. Read Your Work Aloud

Once you have a few practice writing pieces, read them back to yourself out loud. Are there places you stumble, or sentences that sound awkward?

This is a great test of your grammar. If it doesn’t sound natural when you read it out loud, there’s likely a problem with the sentence. Read it out loud a few times and see if you can identify the problem.

Once you know where the issue is, you can try fixing it. If you’re not sure why it doesn’t sound right, consult with a grammar book or another resource.

Reading out loud is also a great way to spot errors, such as missing words. Our brains tend to fill in missing pieces in our own work, because we’re so familiar with it. Reading out loud forces us to slow down and consider what’s on the page.

Don’t worry though. You don’t need to have an audience present for your reading.

5. Use the Sentence Combining Strategy

This is a fun game you can play while improving your grammar. Write some short sentences. Then try combining them in different ways.

Some of these combinations will work very well. Others won’t work quite as well.

Take a few minutes and think about why certain sentence combinations sound correct. For those that sound awkward, see if you can identify the reason they sound a little off. It’s usually the grammar.

6. Take a Class at a Local School

If you’re feeling the need to brush up a basic grammar skill, it might be time to head back to class. Refresh your memory on the basics before you tackle these other tactics.

Check out your local college to see if they provide English language classes. There may also be adult education programs offered in your area. These courses may be more affordable.

If you can’t access in-person classes, there are plenty of options on the Internet that you can consider. You may be able to sign up for distance education classes. Another good option is a short webinar or a series of tutorial videos.

Online learning options may also be more affordable. Some are even free.

Finally, taking a class can be a much easier and faster way to gather knowledge. It will probably take less time than trying to look everything up on your own.

7. Use an Online Grammar Tool to Check Your Work

The Internet gives you access to all kinds of free tools. This makes it easier to brush up your grammar skills.

Some of the best ones include browser extensions. There are even downloadable apps. Some free checkers let you copy and paste your text right into your browser, then perform the check.

Others offer innovative services. For example, Virtual Writing Tutor offers a pen pal service. You can sign up and start an online forum for exchanging notes.

8. Play Games to Improve Your Grammar Skills

You’ve heard word games can improve your vocabulary and your spelling. There are some games that can help you improve your grammar too.

We already talked about one kind of game, which is combining sentences. You can take it a step further and map sentences. Another idea is to combine random words into sentences.

Grammar quizzes can also be a fun way to test your knowledge.

You can often play online for free. If you’re on the go, try searching for free Android or iOS apps. Your boring commute to class or work just became a great space to practice your grammar skills.

If you’re in class or have an online group that wants to improve their writing, you can also play games with them.

9. Use Other Online Resources for Improving Grammar

There are still other online resources you can access to work toward better grammar. You could follow a few grammar bloggers to get daily grammar tips.

There are also plenty of YouTube videos and infographics out there. They can walk you through some of the trickier parts of English grammar. If you’re stuck on a particular grammar point, a video might have the answer you need.

There’s also a wealth of online practice exercises. These cover almost every grammar point under the sun. You can often find exercises appropriate for almost any level of grammar too.

10. Ask for a Helping Hand

When in doubt, ask for a helping hand with your grammar. A friend may be willing to look over your work. If you’re in a writing group, ask trusted peers for constructive feedback on your writing and grammar.

Relatives, teachers, and colleagues can also be helpful.

Another option you have is to work one-on-one with a tutor. Although this can be somewhat like taking classes, a tutor will work with you to meet your schedule. They’ll also help you focus on the aspects of language that you struggle with most.

You can always look for a tutor in your area. The Internet offers more options for finding a tutor who may be able to meet with you online.

Be sure to ask for feedback on what you could be doing better. It’s one thing to have someone catch mistakes and fix them. It’s another to have them explain what needed to change and why.

Give Your Grammar a Brush-up

Writers should strive to improve their craft, but they’re not the only ones who benefit from a grammar brush-up. Whether you’re texting a friend or writing a letter to your boss, your grammar skills are important. Good written communication is essential for success, whether you're blogging or writing emails.

Wondering what other skills you need to succeed in the world of business today? Take a look at our blog. Our helpful articles will help you learn about the skills that will lead you to success.

Tools

5 Best Digital Marketing Campaign Tools to Smarten It

By Ashutosh Jha → Thursday, February 14, 2019

While many businesses attempt to create a digital marketing campaign independently of the tools available to aid them, why create your marketing scheme alone?

Digital marketing tools can help you to create a sleek, organized and manageable marketing campaign that you can track alongside your other responsibilities. This guide will reveal the best tools for your needs and how to implement these.

5 best digital marketing campaign tools to lead the online business

Let’s start and see some of the major areas of digital marketing and their respective tools helping you make campaign better.

#1 Search Engine Optimization Tools

Search Engine Optimization is a necessity when it comes to your marketing campaign, and getting onto the first page of Google’s ranking results is important for your brand’s visibility and the amount of traffic to your website. Search Engine Optimization Tools allow you to establish links, track your ranking and can help to improve your content.

These websites also analyze your SEO to fix any problems you may have, such as broken links and poor connections. Tools like these can help to take the pressure from your campaign by giving you a clear and simple insight into the performance of your SEO, and they can even take pains to fix these problems so that you do not need the expertise to fix these yourself.

#2 Feedback and Research Tools

Feedback and Research Tools can give you extremely insightful information about how your businesses campaign is being received by others, and there are many tools to help you collect this information and understand its impact.

Video Insight platforms can be an exciting and innovative tool to help you to utilize and analyze feedback. Voxpopme allows you to receive direct input and feedback from visitors in an engaging way, and you can even fit these into infographics and filters which can help you to find the information that you need when you need it.

#3 Social Media Tools

Social media tools can do wonders for omnichannel marketing, allowing you to integrate your social media campaigns from many platforms into one. Each social media application has its own personalized software that enables you to produce content on multiple channels and allows you to target your ads more succinctly towards specific users and your target audience.

Facebook’s Power Editor, which allow you to create specialized and highly targeted marketing campaigns individual to your company. Depending on which leading social media platforms you’re using, you may select dedicated software for that.

#4 Content Tools

To analyze the success of the content on your websites, such as your blog posts and articles, most website creators such as Wordpress, which is a great platform for blogs and journalism, have specialized analytics and targeted tools from which you can view your stats. These tools allow you to see who you are targeting, who is subscribing to your website and how many views you are getting, along with tools through which you can tailor your website to your own needs or create your blog from pre-packaged themes.

There are many content marketing tools which help you generate the content, share the content in various platforms and alert when something happens. This even helps you outreach for the link building campaigns which helps in SEO.

#5 Email Marketing Tools

If you’re looking to send the emails, email marketing tools are the solution for you. These tools allow you to send the emails on the verge. That means you can make your email delivery automated and utilize your email list in the best way.

There are email marketing services which you can use for this purpose. Some of these are free while others are paid. If you’re just starting with the email marketing, you may start with the free tools like MailChimp and MailMunch and further can select any premium tools. Even you can upgrade to the premium plan of these free software.

Wrapping it up!

There is a fantastic range of blogging tools that can help you to utilize digital marketing to the best of your ability, making the process quicker and easier. From social media to video insight platforms, these can help you to create a connected and integrated campaign which is widely viewed by your target audience and shows your business off to its best.

Tools

6 Design Collaboration Tools Creative Marketing Teams Need

By Ashutosh Jha → Friday, January 18, 2019

Are you looking for tools to help your design team do their best work? Then you need something that facilitates collaboration.

True collaboration means that your team members are really working together to do their best work. That can't happen if they aren't equipped with the right tools.

While some tools are good in some situations, they aren't always great for group work. So what tools should you be looking for?

You need something that lets everyone work together seamlessly. To help you get started, here are six design collaboration tools you could use. 

1. AND CO

AND CO lets your team work together in several different ways. It's perfect for those who freelance or who work in any industry, really.

Do you need to create invoices? How about keep track of contracts? Then this might be the right collaboration tool for you.

You can even charge your clients automatically and create customized proposals.

Beyond the basics of running your business, this tool allows for collaboration during the design process too.

Plus, you're not limited to working together only while everyone is in the office. All of these features can help your design stage go more smoothly.

2. Concept Inbox

This tool is web-based, so you won't need to worry about taking up storage space with downloaded files. And you won't have much of a learning curve because no coding is required.

With Concept Inbox, your team members will all have access to their project anywhere they have an Internet connection. This makes remote work a lot easier. 

Key features of this program include sending notes, making comments, and updating projects.

The best thing about this tool? Live collaboration.

You won't have to send files back and forth to get the job done. Instead, you can work on projects together in real time.

In other words, you'll really be able to work together as if you were all together, regardless of your physical location.

3. Onehub

Onehub is a great tool if you're looking to share files online. Having those files easily accessible to everyone on your design team is essential for efficient collaboration.

This program uses cloud storage, so you can access your files anywhere. That doesn't mean everyone has access to them, though. Security is a big part of the Onehub experience. 

And security isn't just for keeping outsiders out. It also lets you set parameters for those who should have access. Give your team members the ability to edit or simply view documents according to their roles.

You'll get all sorts of helpful features. These include document watermarking, stealth collaboration, and a customized portal.

Portal customization allows you to cater to your design clients. So not only can your team collaborate well, but they can present their work in a highly professional way using the exact same tool.

4. Slack

You've likely heard of this software. It has seen widespread use — and for good reason. It's a powerful collaboration tool no matter the type of project you're working on.

One great feature it offers is the ability to create multiple, specific conversations. When you have something to ask or say regarding a specific project or design element, you can go to that specific conversation.

You can even create a channel that's just for non-project related work among your team.

These channels are completely customizable. So you can create whatever types of dedicated conversations you want. Plus, they're searchable for easy access to previously mentioned information.

Other features include file sharing, feedback, voice and video calls, and integration with other tools.

5. Mural

With Mural, your team can do all their planning and collaboration in one place. And they'll have a lot of freedom while they're doing it.

Are you a fan of sticky notes? Then you'll love this idea.

Mural provides sticky notes that you can use in creating your masterpiece. It all starts with a blank space where you and your team can work together on your creation. Those sticky notes will help you bring everything together.

This is another tool that allows for remote workers to work together. You don't need everyone in the same place at once. This can be a huge benefit, depending on the setup of your team.

Create several boards, use different file types, and more. However you use it, this program is incredibly helpful when you're trying to design with a team. You'll find different prices depending on the size of your team, so you can find the right fit for your business.

6. Asana

If you love lists, this is the tool for you. Asana helps you create task-based to-do lists that'll help you get your project going, going, gone.

As a major perk, if you run a small business or work with freelancers, this tool is completely free! The limit is 15 users. The free version doesn't even limit you when it comes to tasks and the number of projects.

There are paying features that can be very helpful, but the free version is absolutely usable.

This tool is pretty cut and dried. You can always see what's going on where, and how each project is going. This helps you stay on track and get everything done when it's supposed to be.

Find Success with These Design Collaboration Tools

Each of these design collaboration tools offers powerful features that'll help you get the job done better. Your design team will work more effectively than ever before. All you've got to do is try them out.

Assess your options and choose one that looks like a great fit. You may even have access to some free trials, so don't hesitate to get started today.

Looking for ways to increase the sales for what your design team produces? Click here!