Our lives have been forever changed by the internet. Doing business has never been more convenient – everything we need is at our fingertips! But so are the distractions. How many times have you sat down to do some work and been pulled away by a GIF or a blog that captured your attention? Social media updates can be especially tempting, as well as news pop ups. Google Chrome browser extensions can help here with a variety of tools that help you work smarter and safer, as well as more productively. With help in the areas of security, social media, SEO, content sourcing, and blogging, we feel sure you will find Chrome extensions to be powerful assets to your small business. These tools are all free, but please note that some of the services they work with will have paid features or subscriptions.
HTTPS Everywhere. This is a website protocol that makes sure a site is secure before you even visit it. This extension rewrites the request you send to any website you will be visiting in Chrome, ensuring that your browser produces the secure version of that site, keeping your personal information safe and keep malware from affecting your computer.
Click&Clean. If searching and downloading material is a big part of your work day, it can be tedious to clear your browser history. This extension allows you to clear your cache and URL searches, cookies, and download history with a click of a button. It will also scan your computer for any viruses or get rid of unused applications, which will enable your computer to run faster.
LastPass. Password security is a huge issue with the numerous leaks of personal data from companies around the world. Every site and app requires a password and it should be as secure as possible. The problem becomes how to remember all these Fort Knox-like number and letter combinations. Let LastPass manage it for you.
Disconnect. This is a sophisticated extension that blocks ads that distract or interrupt you while you are viewing website content. It also disguises your browsing data so that ad-trackers can’t collect your personal information.
Checkbot. This extension combines technical SEO with very modern security, helping you to analyze how safe and optimized a website is for search engines. Since Google prioritizes website security as well as quality of content in their rankings, this Chrome extension is a handy tool for web developers and content creators alike. It tests page speed and SEO in addition to overall security to improve in these three categories, protecting both you and your visitors from any unsafe material.
When it comes to the safety and productivity of your small business, the Piccolo team has your best interests top of mind. Call us today!