Boosting Your Productivity: The Must-Have Google Chrome Extensions

In today’s fast-paced digital world, productivity is the key to success. Whether you’re a professional, a student, or simply someone looking to make the most of your time online, Google Chrome extensions can be your secret weapon. These little add-ons can turn your browser into a productivity powerhouse, helping you work smarter, not harder.

In this article, we will explore a curated list of Google Chrome extensions that have been handpicked based on research and recommendations from various sources. We’ll cover a wide range of extensions that cater to different needs and industries. From tools for online marketers to those for avid readers, we’ve got you covered

1. Built with

• Purpose: Find out which tools a company is using or download lists of companies using a tool.
• Benefits: Gain insights into the technology stack of your competitors or potential clients, helping you make informed business decisions.

2. AuthoredUp

• Purpose: Enhance your LinkedIn experience by formatting posts, generating hook ideas, and repurposing content easily.
• Benefits: Boost your LinkedIn engagement and personal brand with professionally crafted posts.

3. Grammarly

• Purpose: Improve your writing by checking and fixing grammar and language errors.
• Benefits: Enhance your communication skills and create polished content.

4. uBlock

• Purpose: Block ads and improve page loading speed.
• Benefits: Enjoy an ad-free browsing experience, reducing distractions and saving time.

5. Save to Notion

• Purpose: Save web content directly to Notion, a versatile productivity tool.
• Benefits: Organize your online research and ideas efficiently.

6. Favikon

• Purpose: Analyze your personal brand’s success metrics, including ranking, scores, and engagement rates.
• Benefits: Gain valuable insights into your online presence.

7. Momentum

• Purpose: Transform your Chrome homepage into a productivity hub with daily quotes, to-do lists, and relaxing images.
• Benefits: Stay focused and motivated every time you open your browser.

8. Scribe

• Purpose: Create complex how-to guides effortlessly.
• Benefits: Save time and effort when documenting processes or tutorials

9. eesel AI

• Purpose: Turn your Chrome tabs into a productivity tool, enabling quick access to documents, projects, and tabs.
• Benefits: Streamline your workspace and work more efficiently.

10. Cargo (YC S23)

• Purpose: Integrate ChatGPT into Google Sheets, allowing for easy template creation and mass execution.
• Benefits: Automate tasks and make data processing more efficient.

11. Fireflies

• Purpose: Record calls, transcribe conversations, and summarize key topics.
• Benefits: Enhance your online meetings with accurate transcripts and summaries.

12. GoFullPage

• Purpose: Capture full-screen, scrolling screenshots of web pages.
• Benefits: Simplify content research and documentation.

13. Similarweb

• Purpose: Check website statistics and gain insights into your competitors’ online presence.
• Benefits: Make data-driven decisions and improve your web strategy.

14. NordVPN

• Purpose: Ensure online security and privacy by using a reliable VPN service.
• Benefits: Protect your data and browse the web securely.

15. Vidyard

• Purpose: Record videos and screen recordings easily.
• Benefits: Enhance your communication with video content.

16. Apollo

• Purpose: Utilize AI email writing assistance.
• Benefits: Improve your email communication with AI-generated content.

17. WhatFont

• Purpose: Identify fonts used on web pages.
• Benefits: Simplify design and branding research.

18. Toucan

• Purpose: Translate web content without opening a new tab.
• Benefits: Break language barriers and access information more effectively.

19. Manganum

• Purpose: Provides stunning pictures, videos, and motivational quotes on your browser’s new tab page.
• Benefits: Boosts your mood and productivity with inspiring content.

20. LaunchPad

• Purpose: Speed dial for your favorite and most visited sites, including links to popular Google services.
• Benefits: Access your go-to websites quickly, streamlining your online activities.

21. Mozbar

• Purpose: MozBar is a versatile Chrome extension from Moz that provides on-the-fly access to important SEO metrics. It displays domain authority, page authority, and spam score for any website you visit.
• Benefits: Quickly assess the authority of websites, analyze on-page elements, and access valuable SEO data while browsing the web. MozBar is a must-have for SEO managers.

22. Linkclump and Liner

Purpose: Enhance online reading and research by opening multiple links with a single click and saving highlighted articles.

Benefits: Save time when gathering information and referencing articles.

23. MeaVana

• Purpose: Customize your browser’s new tab page, organize tasks, and access multiple search engines.
• Benefits: Stay organized and search efficiently across various platforms.

24. Feedly

• Purpose: Curate and organize your daily reading in one place, follow your favorite outlets and set keyword alerts.
• Benefits: Stay up-to-date with industry news and relevant content.

25. Web Clippers (OneNote, Evernote, Pocket)

• Purpose: Quickly save web content for later reference.
• Benefits: Create a centralized repository of valuable information.

26. Buffer

• Purpose: Streamline social media sharing and scheduling.
• Benefits: Manage your social media presence efficiently.

27. Gmelius

• Purpose: Enhance Gmail with email tracking, automation, and collaboration tools.
• Benefits: Optimize your email communication and team collaboration.

28. Project Naptha

• Purpose: Extract text from images with ease.
• Benefits: Save time when working with images containing valuable text.

29. Tabwave

• Purpose: Provides a homepage for your browser with task scheduling and shortcuts to all tabs.
• Benefits: Keep your coding projects organized and accessible.

30. Night Eye

• Purpose: Enable dark mode on websites.
• Benefits: Reduce eye strain and enhance your coding experience, especially during late-night sessions.

Best Chrome extensions for SEO managers

In the ever-evolving realm of digital marketing, SEO managers are tasked with staying on top of their game to ensure that websites rank well in search engine results. Fortunately, a suite of powerful Chrome extensions is available to assist SEO managers in their quest for online visibility and success. These extensions not only save time but also provide invaluable insights and tools directly within the web browser, making the job of an SEO manager significantly more efficient and effective.

1. MozBar: When it comes to SEO, domain authority and page authority are crucial metrics to consider. MozBar is a versatile Chrome extension from Moz that offers quick access to these essential metrics. As SEO managers browse the web, MozBar provides real-time data, enabling them to assess the authority of websites they encounter. This information is invaluable for evaluating potential link-building opportunities and gauging the competitive landscape.
2. Keyword Surfer: Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO campaign. Keyword Surfer is a handy Chrome extension that simplifies this process by providing keyword search volume and related keyword suggestions directly within Google’s search results. This feature allows SEO managers to conduct on-the-fly keyword research and assess the popularity and competitiveness of specific keywords without leaving the search page.
3. SEOquake: SEOquake is a comprehensive SEO extension that offers a wide range of features to assist SEO managers in their tasks. From on-page analysis to keyword density measurement and a plethora of SEO metrics, SEOquake provides an in-depth view of a webpage’s SEO health. This extension is particularly useful for SEO managers looking to perform a quick audit of a webpage to identify areas for improvement.
4. Check My Links: Broken links can harm both user experience and SEO efforts. Check My Links is an invaluable Chrome extension that simplifies the process of finding broken links on a webpage. As SEO managers browse websites, this extension scans for both valid and broken links and highlights them in real time. This feature not only helps maintain a clean and error-free website but also ensures that users don’t encounter frustrating dead ends.
5. Redirect Path: Website redirects can be a double-edged sword. While they are sometimes necessary, too many redirects or misconfigured ones can negatively impact SEO and user experience. Redirect Path is an extension designed to flag HTTP status codes for URLs as you browse the web. It aids SEO managers in quickly identifying and troubleshooting any redirect issues, ensuring that they are properly configured and not detrimental to SEO efforts.
6. Page Load Time: Page speed is a critical SEO factor. Slow-loading websites can result in higher bounce rates and lower search engine rankings. Page Load Time is a lightweight Chrome extension that measures the loading time of webpages. SEO managers can use it to monitor and ensure that their websites are fast and responsive, providing a positive user experience and satisfying search engine algorithms.
7. NoFollow: In the world of SEO, understanding link attributes is essential. NoFollow is an extension that highlights nofollow links on web pages. SEO managers can quickly identify whether external links are passing link equity or not. This knowledge is valuable when assessing the impact of specific links on a website’s SEO strategy.
8. META SEO Inspector: Properly optimized meta tags play a significant role in SEO. META SEO Inspector is a Chrome extension that provides a comprehensive analysis of a webpage’s meta tags, including the title, description, and meta keywords. SEO managers can use this extension to check if meta tags are optimized effectively and make adjustments as needed to improve click-through rates in search results.
9. Ayima Page Insights: Technical SEO elements are critical to a website’s performance in search engines. Ayima Page Insights is an extension that offers a range of technical SEO data. It provides insights into factors like canonical tags, hreflang attributes, and more. SEO managers can quickly assess a webpage’s technical SEO health, identify areas for improvement, and take action to enhance overall search engine visibility.

In conclusion, the role of an SEO manager is demanding, requiring a keen eye for detail and an array of tools to navigate the ever-changing landscape of search engine optimization. These Chrome extensions serve as indispensable allies, equipping SEO managers with the capabilities to streamline tasks, conduct in-depth analyses, and maintain websites optimized for search engines. With these extensions in their toolkit, SEO managers can work more efficiently and effectively to achieve better search engine rankings and online visibility for their websites.

Best Chrome Extensions for Product Managers

Apart from the ones already mentioned there are several other Chrome extensions that can be highly beneficial for product managers. Here are a few more that can enhance your productivity and help you manage tasks effectively:

1. Asana for Chrome: If you use Asana for project management, this extension allows you to quickly add tasks and projects from your browser, making it easier to keep track of your to-do list.
2. Trello: Similar to Asana, Trello has a Chrome extension that enables you to create and manage cards on your boards directly from your browser, streamlining project management.
3. Panda 5: This extension acts as a newsfeed for all your favorite websites, allowing you to stay up-to-date with industry news, competitor updates, and product-related information without leaving your browser.
4. Momentum: Though initially mentioned, Momentum deserves another nod for its role as a daily productivity dashboard. It provides a clean interface with to-dos, inspirational quotes, and the option to set your main focus for the day.
5. Clockify: If you need to track your time spent on tasks, Clockify’s Chrome extension allows you to start and stop timers, making time tracking effortless.
6. Hunter: Hunter is excellent for finding email addresses associated with a website or domain. It’s useful when you need to contact potential partners or clients.
7. Zapier: Zapier’s Chrome extension makes it simple to create automated workflows, connecting various apps and services to streamline tasks and data management.
8. StayFocusd: For those who struggle with online distractions, StayFocusd helps you limit your time on time-wasting websites, helping you stay focused on important tasks.

These Chrome extensions cater to different aspects of product management, from task organization to time tracking and communication. Depending on your specific needs and preferences, you can explore and integrate these extensions into your workflow to enhance your productivity and efficiency as a product manager.

Best Chrome extensions for Content Creators

Some Chrome extensions that we have already mentioned and are very useful for content creators include Grammarly for improving writing quality, Mozbar and SimilarWeb for accessing keyword insights and engagement metrics, Buffer to streamline social media sharing, Feedly for curating and organizing daily reading, and Save to Notion to efficiently save and organize web content for future reference. These extensions collectively enhance content creation, marketing strategies, and productivity, ensuring that content creators produce high-quality, error-free, and well-informed content while effectively managing their online presence.

There are several other Chrome extensions that can be highly beneficial for content creators and marketers. These tools can help streamline content creation, research, and promotion efforts. Here are a few additional extensions that can enhance your productivity and effectiveness in content marketing:

1. BuzzSumo: BuzzSumo’s Chrome extension allows you to quickly analyze the social engagement and popularity of content on any webpage. It provides insights into what type of content is performing well in your niche, helping you identify trends and content opportunities.
2. TubeBuddy: For YouTube content creators, TubeBuddy offers a Chrome extension that provides valuable insights and optimization tools for your videos. It helps with keyword research, tags, and more to improve your video’s visibility.
3. Liner: Liner’s Chrome extension lets you highlight and save text from web pages, making it a handy tool for research and content curation. You can store and access your highlighted content for future reference.
4. SEO Minion: SEO Minion provides a suite of on-page SEO tools within your browser. It can help with tasks like checking broken links, analyzing SERP previews, and checking hreflang tags.
5. Check My Links: Similar to SEO Minion, Check My Links is a tool that scans web pages for broken links. It’s particularly useful for ensuring that the links you include in your content are working correctly.
6. Awesome Screenshot: This extension lets you take screenshots of web pages and annotate them. It’s handy for creating visual content or for capturing important information during research.
7. Trello: Trello’s Chrome extension allows you to create Trello cards from web pages, making it easy to organize content ideas, tasks, and projects within Trello boards.
8. Pinterest Save Button: If Pinterest is part of your content distribution strategy, this extension lets you save images and content directly to your Pinterest boards, helping you curate and share content with your audience.

These Chrome extensions can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of content creators and marketers. Whether you’re looking to improve your social media strategy, optimize SEO, or streamline your content research and curation, these tools can be valuable additions to your toolkit.

Best Chrome Extensions for Software Developers

Software developers rely on a range of tools to enhance their coding efficiency and problem-solving abilities, and these Chrome extensions are indispensable for those looking to boost their productivity.

1. eesel AI transforms Chrome tabs into a productivity hub, facilitating quick access to documents, projects, and tabs, thereby streamlining the workspace and expediting the coding process.
2. WhatFont simplifies design research by identifying fonts on web pages, facilitating informed font selection for development projects.
3. Project Naptha empowers developers by effortlessly extracting text from images, saving valuable time when working with images containing essential text.
4. Tabwave offers a personalized homepage for the browser, featuring task scheduling and shortcuts to all tabs, aiding developers in keeping their coding projects organized and readily accessible.
5. Night Eye enhances the coding experience by enabling dark mode on websites, reducing eye strain during late-night coding sessions.

These extensions are tailored to the specific needs of software developers, assisting them in optimizing their workflows and achieving superior results in their coding endeavors.

Conclusion

In today’s digital age, productivity is essential, and Google Chrome extensions can be your greatest allies. From enhancing your LinkedIn presence to improving your writing, blocking ads, and streamlining your online research, these extensions offer a wide array of benefits. Whether you’re a marketer, reader, or professional in any field, there’s an extension that can help you work smarter and achieve more. Explore these extensions, experiment with them, and transform your online experience into a more productive and efficient one. Remember, the key to success is not working harder; it’s working smarter with the right tools at your disposal.

The post Which Google Chrome extensions do you find most productive for you? appeared first on AYALR.

Why choose Bluehost for your WordPress hosting migration?

My blog started its life on a very humble IT infrastructure. For about two years I hosted the blog in my own apartment running on salvaged hardware. Being an IT geek this is all too possible, and it can initially save you important funds that can be used elsewhere.  This implied putting in more time and effort to keep up with uptime, stability, security, and of course scalability in face of constantly increasing traffic. 

However, there comes a time when a blog owner needs to upgrade and outsource to a trusted supplier. In my case, the blog grew beyond a certain stage and it made sense financially and infrastructural point of view to upgrading my hosting. Alternatively, you might want to migrate, to host it in a place that ensures quick access to your main traffic source, uptime, scalability, security, and support. If you made your choice, now it’s time to migrate!

There are WordPress hosting companies around every corner. You can also create your own setup on some cloud like Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud. It took me considerable effort to compare and decide on my WordPress host. After investigating different pricing models and applying performance tests using tools like GTMetrix, I chose Bluehost. Apart from my research, Bluehost has been a recommended host by WordPress itself since 2005. There are various plans to choose from, but for the price of 2 cappuccinos a month, I purchased a plan that gives me unlimited storage, websites, databases, and bandwidth. They also throw in a free domain for a year, and a very good tried and tested customer support. 

The WordPress Hosting Migration steps

From this first step till the last one, make sure you don’t change any blog content, as such changes will likely be lost. Viewers will still be viewing content from the original WordPress until the last step is completed.

Backing Up Your WordPress Site

1. Using FTP, or SSH download a copy of the wp-content directory of your original blog. 
2. Login to your Bluehost admin and create a new WordPress site. Take note of the chosen directory name. Take note of the temporary website URL. Also, take note of the name of the newly created database. We will be using them in future steps.
3. Using a MySQL client tool, or phpMyAdmin, take a database dump of the original blog. This creates a file with a .sql extension. Open it in a good text editor and remove the highlighted create database command. Also, replace the existing database name (‘wordpress’ in this example) with the name discovered in step 2.

Uploading your WordPress Site to BlueHost

4. Using the Bluehost admin, create an FTP account so that it will allow you to upload the wp-content folder downloaded in step 1. You can also ask Bluehost customer support to enable SSH access to your server and do this step via SSH.
5. Open the phpMyAdmin from Bluehost admin. Select the database identified in step 2. Select all tables, and drop them. After dropping the original tables, use the import function using the .sql file from step 3. Take note of the prefix for the imported table names. Usually, the prefix is ‘wp_’, but this might differ.
6. With the database imported, always using phpMyAdmin, open the contents of the wp_options table. Replace the values for keys ‘siteUrl’, and ‘home’ with the temporary URL discovered in step 2.
7. Go to the website management in Bluehost, and log in to the WordPress admin. Go to Settings > Permalinks, and just press save without making any changes.
8. Using the FTP file access, open the wp-config.php file. Search for the key ‘$table_prefix’, and set the value discovered in step 5.
9. At this point, you should be able to open your browser, point it to the URL value used in step 6, and the site should appear.You have now just finished your WordPress Hosting Migration!

Testing your WordPress Site on BlueHost

9. You can now test the temporary site being hosted by Bluehost. Test navigation, make sure all your images and articles load correctly. Once you’re happy with the testing, you need to revert the change in step 6. This time use your proper site address as value.
10. It is time to make your domain point to Bluehost. This final set of steps might take a number of days, as it all depends on DNS propagation which is out of everyone’s control.
11. Using your domain provider settings, change the DNS values to:

13. Using the ‘Assign’ functionality on Bluehost, type in your domain name. Bluehost will verify that you own the domain by checking its DNS configuration. Once verified, continue to assign it to the directory discovered in step 2.

14. From now onwards you need to wait for DNS propagation to be over. Until this is complete, some viewers will still be getting content from your original host. In our case we stopped seeing traffic on the old host after 2 days. 

The above guide allows you to move your WordPress from an old hosting provider to bluehost. With some minor modifications, it can be used to transfer WordPress to any other hosting provider. From my personal experience with my blogs, I strongly recommend bluehost.com. This post contains affiliate links.

The post How To Make WordPress Hosting Migration To Bluehost Now appeared first on AYALR.