Web site maintenance, website management and web consulting services

Google has always been very good at giving things away to ensure the entrenchment of their brand across the Internet. While some people tend to wax lyrical about how you should boycott Google’s attempts to take over the world, I disagree.

As of this writing, there are 5 excellent (FREE) services offered by Google that are perfect for the micro business:

1. Google Analytics. Good website analytics software could cost you £50-£100. Alternatively, you can have access to excellent software for free. Google Analytics is the easiest website monitoring tool on the market, and it’s constantly improving. Setting up Google Analytics on your website is a bit tricky if you’re a beginner, but I can help you with Google Analytics installations.
2. Documents and Spreadsheets. I recently paid just over £300 for a Microsoft Office license because a client needed me to work on their network with their software. But given the option, I’d rather be using Google’s free, web based word processor and spreadsheet solutions.
3. Gmail. How big is your inbox? Mine is currently just over 7 GB. And it’s getting bigger all the time. If you work from more than one computer and you want to be able to archive your emails forever, you should definitely be using Gmail.
4. Blogger. There’s no doubt that setting up WordPress on your Website is a better blogging option, but there’s no reason not to use Blogger if you’re just getting started.
5. Calendar. The ultimate personal to-do list. I use it to run every aspect of my business, and my personal life. Without Calendar working through my mobile phone, I’d get nothing done.

Of course Google has a lot more to offer, but these 5 tools are the best of the lot. To get them all you’ll need to sign up for a Google account. To do so, follow these easy steps:

• Visit https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount
• Complete the sign up form and choose your new Gmail address
• Click the ‘I accept. Create my account’ button
• That’s it.

There you go. You’ve just saved your micro business at least £400. Simple, wasn’t it?