The Top 6 web tools that improve my productivity

To state the obvious - things happen and change very quickly on the web. To keep up and access information that’s relevant to you it’s essential to manage the process and focus your attention otherwise you run the risk of investigating everything, yet learning nothing. Investigate new applications and sites to fill different needs until you find out what suits you and what your basic requirements are.

For example; on a daily basis the two mimimum essential needs that I have are:

1. I need the latest information / stories / news / updates that I am interested in delivered to me.

2. I need to be able to contact various people quickly and easily. I have an issue in that I hate the telephone - if you know me well you know not to call me on the phone too often as I honestly don’t come across very well (perhaps it’s the easily distracted thing, I tend to sound bored sometimes when I’m not - it runs in my family.) Get me face to face however and that’s a different story

For point 2, I use various forms of instant messaging (IM) in addition to e-mail, I am on skype, GTalk and msn - I run them all through one chat client called AdiumX.

Point 1 requires a few more tools and this is what I’ll focus on.

These are the 6 tools I use everyday to ensure I manage my information flow and time, (this is what works for me, your needs may be different it’s a process of trial and error.)

1. Google Reader:

This is my RSS reader of choice. I’ve used it for a long time to have the latest blog posts delivered to me, it allows me to categorise information easily, share posts and now it makes recommendations of blogs to read based on my existing subscriptions. It’s a web based RSS reader and all that’s required is a Gmail e-mail address (which I think everyone should have as it gives you access to more Google services.) It’s an easy application to use but there are a few Google Reader tutorials available should you need more info. Take a look at my shared items also as a starter if you’re interested in anything web 2.0.

2. Google Alerts:

I always say ’somewhere, someone has something to say about your brand’ - you should know what is being ’said’ about you and your brand on the web. Google alerts offer you a service where you stipulate search terms and every time that search term is mentioned on the web an alert is delivered to your e-mail inbox. A simple service that gives you a quick ‘heads up’ and means that you’ll pick up on positive or negative publicity as and when it happens, a great free online reputation management tool. Also include a mention of your own name - you’re a brand after all and if someone is talking trash about you on the web you need to know - it’s not vain or stupid to Google yourself, it’s essential.

3. twitter:

I’ve really grown to love this application - a quick micro-blogging tool that answers the question ‘what am you doing?.’ As I’ve said before it’s a way for me to chat to industry opinion leaders and I learn at least 5 - 10 new things every day through twitter by picking up on people’s links and alerts. I like to use a desktop application but after trying four methods I still haven’t found the one that suits me best. Follow me on twitter here.

4. Facebook

I know some folk think it’s a productivity destroying monstrosity of a website but for me I use it daily to monitor feedback for some of my clients and now with the Facebook chat app it means that I have contact with people who ordinarily may not use a ‘chat’ service. It’s a popular site in South Africa and it’s allowing brands to connect with customers in an informal, honest way.

5.del.icio.us

del.icio.us is a social bookmarking service which means that if I read an article of interest I can virtually bookmark or clip that article, this is added to my list of bookmarks and I can then share it with others. It’s a great way of cataloguing relevant info using subject tags, it also is a great learning starting point as you hook up with like-minded individuals and have an opportunity to read what they’re reading - there’s no better way to get yourself up to speed. Check out my del.icio.us account and my network.

6. Slideshare

I may not use this every day but it is a site that I feel deserves a mention. Slideshare is an online slide show sharing site - it allows me to upload power point presentations I’ve done as well as browse other presentations on topics I’m interested in. It’s a learning opportunity for me and a place of research when it comes to preparing talks.

That’s my top 6, it’s not a definitive list but I’ve narrowed it down as much as possible and it may be a good start for you.

That being said I also LOVE stumbleupon for discovering new websites based on my areas of interest and WordPress naturally hosts my blog so I use it daily - think it’s the most user-friendly, professional blogging software available. Investigate what’s out there then manage the process and find out what works for you.