With the COVID-19 pandemic putting the world at a standstill, several big and small companies (including SEO agencies in Los Angeles) have asked their employees to work remotely so they can continue serving their clients. The work from home set-up has boomed in the last decade, and the current crisis is making it even more popular than it was before. After all, the flexible work arrangement gives marketers a huge advantage since it allows them to perform critical tasks anywhere—even in the comfort of their homes.
Productivity is a must when you’re working from home, meaning you still need to stay on top of your tasks and deliver what’s required of you. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways for you to streamline your workflow and get the job done even if you aren’t at the office. Here are seven useful tools you’ll need for remote work:
1. Pipedrive
This popular CRM platform is a stand-out among its peers: it’s made for salespeople, by salespeople. Pipedrive’s co-founders kept activity-based selling in mind when they first developed the software, and its features reflect this.
With Pipedrive, you can manage potential leads and deals, track communications, automate your tasks, and take a deeper look at custom metrics. You can also use the software on mobile devices and integrate it with other sales-boosting apps you’re using.
2. Hootsuite
Hootsuite offers a more comfortable way of scheduling your social media posts, as well as handling other social media-related activities. It’s a user-friendly and streamlined social media management tool for your company that lets you manage your brand’s Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other social networking accounts without any hassle.
Some notable features on this platform include content curation, versatile assignment and approval workflows, and social media security. It also supports 250 tech partners and apps so that you can work on your posts effectively.
Hootsuite comes in handy during the current climate as users are spending more time on social networks, meaning you’ll need to manage your accounts properly.
3. Buffer
Recognized as one of the best and most reliable social media management tools by marketers, Buffer works just like Hootsuite: it lets companies schedule social media posts. The software also allows you to connect multiple accounts and manage different social platforms, which is perfect if you’re working with a lot of clients.
Buffer is packed with helpful features for social media managers, including collaborative management, performance analytics, and browser extensions. Plus, it boasts a social media calendar that lets you plan your postings in advance. And if you’re creating media-rich posts, this software supports videos and GIFs.
4. Google G Suite
When you’re working from home, you can enjoy fewer face-to-face interactions with clients and teammates. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t collaborate with them. Google’s G Suite offers many tools that you and your team can use for remote collaboration, such as Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides.
G Suite lets you create, share, access, evaluate, and edit files in real-time. It also features Google Drive, a cloud-based storage platform where team members can view updated files. Google Drive automatically saves and stores new file versions on its ecosystem.
You can also provide your teammates with feedback on important documents, share calendars, and create work emails to keep your communication lines open. That’s why users consider this Google platform an online version of Microsoft Office.
5. Trello
Trello is a popular collaborative task management tool among remote teams. It’s simple dashboard helps you assign, track, and organize daily tasks or projects. With this intuitive tool, team leaders and managers can give team members critical tasks and track their progress. On a similar vein, it also lets users post instructions for specific tasks and updates them when teams have finished their assignments.
6. Slack
Staying connected with your teammates or co-workers while working from home is essential, and Slack is a useful messaging app that lets you do this. It’s perfect for initiating one-on-one chats or group conversations in real-time.
But that’s not all: Slack has extra features that make communications much easier. These include organizing chats by subject, making calls, and starting video chats. You can even share important files and connect other platforms to the software.
7. Zoom
Many companies hold virtual meetings with clients and employees on Google Hangouts, Skype, and other video conferencing apps. But if you’re looking for an alternative to these tools, Zoom might be the one for you.
This intuitive app for desktop and mobile lets you schedule, launch, and record virtual meetings with your team. To join a meeting, you can use a PC, smartphone, or a dial-in phone. Zoom also has a screen-sharing feature that allows your co-workers to view your work or presentations.
And if that’s not enough, the software can accommodate up to 1,000 participants and 10,000 viewers in one video. This feature makes it stand out from the usual video chat apps that limit the number of people that can join in on a call.
Earning a Stable Income When Working from Home
Apart from their day jobs, many people have found other ways to earn more. Remote work makes some of these income-generating methods possible, especially in times of crisis. Let’s look at different tasks you can take on (and get paid for) at home, with extra tips on how to make the most out of them.
Blogging
People often share what they feel about different topics by publishing blogs. But in this day and age, these platforms let you do more than writing because they can also be a legitimate source of income. Once you’ve decided what you should write about and how your site should look, you can earn revenue through these methods:
- Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
- Direct advertising
- Sponsorships
- Affiliate sales
- Selling products
- Creating and selling e-books, online courses, or visual art
- Selling memberships, subscriptions, or services
- Freelance blogging
Freelance writing
Love writing? Blogging and creating website copy is a simple yet engaging way for you to earn more. If you’re keen on taking on freelance work, check out these helpful tips:
- Set up your home office: Your at-home workspace can be anything from a spare room to a corner in your living room. You’ll also need a laptop that can run word processing software and initiate video chats, as well as a printer. Other must-haves for your home office include a stable Internet plan and a cloud accounting program.
- Look up jobs on freelance platforms. Many reputable websites will let you find freelance gigs. Portals such as Upwork are the best places for breaking through the field, familiarizing yourself with editor expectations, and improving your writing.
- Build a portfolio. More written articles mean more variety when you’re presenting your portfolio to clients. A portfolio can help you stand out and make it easier for employers to determine what your strengths are.
- Become a query machine. Find companies that hire writers on a regular basis. It helps to send query letters to blogs, magazines, and other content producers that align with your current field of work.
- Be consistent and professional. Always follow through and keep every engagement as civil and professional as possible. It’s much easier to gain your client’s respect and trust this way.
- Know what to charge. Certain factors such as your writing style, niche, expertise, and research skills will help determine your rates. After all, with everyone on the same page, it’s easier to manage expectations.
- Make sure you’re bound by a contract agreement. Even if you’re just freelancing, you’ll need a sense of job security. Your employer should offer you a contract that explains what the company expects from you.
Freelance editing
Stemming from freelance writing, freelance editing is another excellent way to make more income from the comfort of your home. You might want to start looking for part-time or project-based editing jobs first, but you can also try asking around from your freelance writing network if they can refer you to possible editing jobs.
Online job boards and media-specific platforms are the best places to search for freelance editing jobs. Clients often offer the following jobs to prospects:
- Copy editor
- Assistant editor
- Managing editor
- Photo or Web editor
- Manuscript editor
Just like writers, freelance editors need a proper home office, a dynamic network, and a strong work ethic. They should also know how much they’re worth and be driven by the need to perform better.
Creating paid social media posts
Ever wondered how influencers and celebrities earn from their social media campaigns? Facebook, Twitter, and other tech companies have services that let you create sponsored posts on their platforms. For instance, YouTube’s Partner Program allows content creators to monetize some of their videos. Subscriber count and audience demographics translate to money earned from video monetization.
Transcribing content
There is a high demand for online transcriptions. People are now making more and more videos and podcasts, prompting content creators to hire freelancers who can transcribe their audio files. Getting income from transcribing content is easy: all you need are great listening and typing skills. You can even check out legal transcription work if you want to take on more advanced transcription work.
Providing translations
If you’re fluent in foreign dialects or languages, you won’t have to look far on freelance job sites to find a translation job. Clients are always on the lookout for translators who are skilled writers and fluent in different languages. Translating content offers different pay rates, but the general rule of thumb is that the more experienced and fluent a person is, the more cash they’ll get.
Freelance consulting
New parents, as well as professionals who feel restricted in their current job, will feel a lot less boxed in with a freelance consulting job. To kick off your freelance consulting career, you’ll need to be confident in your abilities. Highlight your services and experience on your LinkedIn profile, create a website with more details about your work and testimonials, and create a blog that emphasizes your expertise to attract more employers to your profile.
