Starting an online venture can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure about which tools actually work. When I first started blogging, I wanted to try out various options without being locked into expensive subscriptions. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of “Best Free Apps for Small Businesses” — tools that I’ve personally used and others highly recommend.
This approach helped me explore different options and find what works best for me. Here’s what I discovered!
Start Your Blogging Journey with Bluehost and Free Boot Camp
If blogging interests you, why not turn it into a business? Blogging allows you to share your thoughts, experiences, and expertise on topics you’re passionate about, while also earning money through Google AdSense and affiliate links. With these options, you can make income by displaying ads on your site or promoting products that resonate with your readers.
To get started, check out Bluehost’s Starter Plan. At just $2.99/month—cheaper than a cup of coffee—it’s an affordable way to begin. Plus, you’ll get a free domain name for the first year and 24/7 support, making it easy to launch your blog.
Still unsure if blogging is right for you? Check out free blogging boot camp. It covers everything you need to know before diving in, from choosing your niche to writing engaging posts and building an audience. It’s the perfect way to explore the world of blogging and see if it’s the right fit for you.
Maximize Your Social Links with Beacons.ai
Are you frustrated by only being able to share one link at a time on your social media profiles? Beacons.ai can help! It lets you create a customizable landing page where you can share multiple links all in one place. But that’s not all—you can sell digital products, build a newsletter subscription for your followers, and more—all with their free plan. It’s an essential tool for any small business looking to boost their online presence.
If you’re looking to start an email marketing business without needing a website, check out my post here.
Boost Your Social Media with Tailwind’s Templates and Scheduling
When I first tried Tailwindapp.com, I thought it was just another tool for scheduling posts, but it’s so much more than that! Tailwind helps you create beautiful social media posts quickly with hundreds of ready-made templates. It’s not only great for Pinterest, but also works for Facebook and Instagram, making it easy to manage all your social media from one place.
One of the best features of Tailwind is its smart scheduling. It picks the best times to post, so you can reach more people without having to guess when to share. Plus, you can track your progress with helpful insights that show how your posts are doing.
Tailwind also has a great community where you can connect with other users, exchange tips, and grow together. The free plan allows you to schedule 5 posts per month, which is perfect for small businesses or anyone just getting started.
Boost Your WordPress Speed with Airlift Plugin
If you’re new to blogging, you might not realize how important site speed is for your blog. When your website takes too long to load, visitors may leave before they even see your content. Plus, slow sites can hurt your SEO (Search Engine Optimization), making it harder for people to find your blog through search engines like Google.
That’s where the Airlift plugin comes in. It’s a tool that helps speed up your WordPress site, making it load faster and improving its performance. I’ve personally found it to be a game-changer, helping my site run more smoothly and keeping visitors happy.
The best part? Airlift offers a free plan, so you don’t have to spend anything to start improving your site’s speed. To get started, you can find a simple YouTube tutorial that shows you exactly how to install and use the plugin. It’s a great way to ensure your blog performs well and attracts more readers.
Create Stunning Social Media Designs with Canva
Canva is one of the Best Free Apps for Small Businesses if you’re looking to create eye-catching designs for social media, blogs, or ads. It’s an easy-to-use tool that lets you create professional graphics, even if you don’t have any design experience. Canva offers a large collection of free templates, so you can start with a pre-made design and make it your own with just a few clicks.
Whether you’re designing Instagram stories, Pinterest pins, or promotional graphics, Canva has everything you need to make your business stand out. You can customize the templates by adding your own text, images, and colors, making it simple to create high-quality visuals that reflect your brand. And the best part? It’s free, so it’s perfect for small businesses working with a budget!
Use Google Trends for Market Research
When starting an online business, it’s essential to understand what people are searching for. That’s where Google Trends comes in. It tracks search popularity, helping you find out what’s trending in your industry. Whether you’re thinking about starting a blog, selling products, or offering services, Google Trends will give you valuable insights into what people are interested in, so you can tailor your content accordingly.
Best Websites for Free, High-Quality Blog Images
If you’re wondering where to find pictures for your blog posts, websites like Pexels.com and Pixabay are great places to start. They offer a wide range of high-quality, royalty-free images for every type of content. Whether you’re looking for business-related photos, nature shots, or lifestyle images, these platforms have you covered. Plus, the images are free to use, even commercially, making it easy to enhance your blog without worrying about licensing or attribution.
Create Engaging Product Descriptions with Ahref’s Free Tool
If you’ve ever struggled with writing product descriptions for your online store, you’re not alone. It can be tricky to figure out what will grab your audience’s attention and help sell your product. Luckily, there’s a free tool from Ahrefs that makes this much easier.
Here’s how it works: you simply upload a picture of your product, add a few relevant keywords (the words people are likely to search for), and choose the tone you want for the description—whether you want it to sound friendly, professional, or even funny. Then, the tool does the hard work for you by generating several product description options to choose from.
Not only does this save you time, but it also helps improve your SEO (search engine optimization), which makes your product more likely to show up when people search online. So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create compelling product descriptions that also help you get found, Ahrefs’ free tool is a great option!
Streamline Your Business with Fresha’s Free Booking App
Fresha is a free booking and business management software for beauty and wellness businesses. It helps salons, spas, and other similar businesses manage appointments, track inventory, and process payments. It is the only booking software on the market that offers unlimited usage with no monthly fee.
Create Affiliate Sites with Google Sites
Google Sites is a free and simple tool that makes it easy to create a website without any technical skills, making it perfect for affiliate marketers. You can use it to showcase products and include affiliate links, which earn you commissions when someone makes a purchase through them.
With Google Sites, you can create a site similar to an Amazon storefront, where you list products and share links for people to buy. The best part is, it’s completely free, so you don’t need to spend any money to get started. Whether you’re just starting or want a professional-looking page to promote products, Google Sites is a great option.
You can check out an example page I created on Google Sites to promote affiliate products. It’s a fast, cost-free way to build a site that drives traffic and helps you earn commissions.
If you want to learn more, read my blog post Best Affiliate Marketing Programs for Beginners to discover my top affiliate program recommendations!
I hope you find these Best Free Apps for Small Businesses helpful as you grow your online venture! If you have any favorite free apps to suggest, share them in the comments.
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