One of the best things about Google Chrome is the ever-growing list of available extensions and plugins. If you use Chrome as your browser of choice, chances are you’ve already got a few firm favourites that you just can’t live without.
I’ve always been a fan of anything that can make my life easier, and find myself using a whole host of different Chrome extensions on a daily basis. Here are 7 I think every content marketer should have in their arsenal.
1) Save to Pocket
Save to Pocket is perfect for anyone who finds themselves with an ever-growing reading list. At the click of a button, whatever web page you’re currently browsing will be saved to your Pocket account, for you to continue reading at a later date on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. Pocket allows you to read your saved articles offline, and even features a tagging system to allow you to organise all of your content.
2) OneTab
On an average day, I can have any number of different tabs running on my browser at the same time – blogs, news articles, client and competitor websites, social dashboards, analytics tools - the numbers soon start adding up. Not only can having all those tabs open be distracting, it can also slow your browser down by using up all of your memory.
With OneTab, you can combine all of the tabs you currently have open into one single tab, with the individual URLs stored in a list. Then you can open individual tabs as and when you need them, rather than running them all at once.
3) Nimbus Screenshot
Nimbus Screenshot is basically a much better version of the print screen function on your keyboard. Instead of just copying your entire screen, you get a range of different capture options. The fact that you can scroll through a page while screenshotting makes it particularly useful. You then get the choice of saving your screenshot to your computer or direct to Google Drive.
4) MozBar
I couldn’t write a list of essential Chrome extensions without mentioning MozBar. This extension offers a whole host of different useful features, with the main being the ability to display the domain and page authority of whatever site you’re currently on. If you have a Moz Pro account, you can access the Premium version, which offers even more functionality.
5) Buzzstream Buzzmarker
While it’s a vital part of content marketing and SEO, outreach can be quite a time consuming task. That’s why I’ve always found Buzzstream to be a great tool. The Buzzstream Buzzmarker extension brings many of the tool’s features direct to your browser. Clicking it will instantly pull together all of the key information for whatever site you’re currently on and add it to your contact list. It also lets you send emails, use templates, set reminders and schedule sending, all without leaving the site you’re currently on.
6) Grammarly
Nobody likes finding typos in their work, but even the best writer can sometimes let mistakes slip through the cracks. This is where Grammarly comes in handy. This extension works like a souped-up spellchecker. Whenever you type something online, Grammarly will underline any errors, suggest ways to correct your typos and even offer synonyms to improve your writing. It’s not 100% accurate and is no replacement for a human editor, but it’s still a useful tool to have at your disposal.
7) Momentum
While it doesn’t really have any marketing functionality, Momentum is easily one of my favourite Chrome extensions. It replaces your standard home page with a personalised dashboard, featuring a to-do list, the local weather, your focus for the day and an inspirational quote. And all of this is set against a beautiful landscape photo, which changes on a daily basis. It’s much better than a boring browser home page and a great way to brighten up your day.