10 Must-Have Tools for Entrepreneurs With an Online PresenceWith these tools, the sky is the limit.

ByMike Templeman

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Nicole Leach | Entrpreneur

Some people think that if you have a smoking hot product, a honking computer and an ultrafast Internet connection, you can be online entrepreneur. These people are wrong.

You are not prepared to be an Internet entrepreneur until you have access to powerful tools. And to maximize ROI, these tools should be free or at a very low cost.

Here are ten must-have tools every Internet entrepreneur should have.

1. WordPress

WordPressis a popular platform for creating a blog or website. It is free and very easy to use, requiring only the most basic computer skills to create and maintain. Plus, it allows you to add pictures, photos and content to make your website look like you hired an expensive webmaster.

Related:18 Effective Social-Media Tools That Will Save You Time

2. Dropbox

Have you always wanted to tell people that your company is "in the cloud" but you weren't really even sure what that means? Great news! Now you can have your own little place in the cloud withDropbox, a platform that allows you to store information on the Internet rather than on your own computer. By doing so, you can transfer and backup large files in one place and allow certain employees, associates or clients to access them. Dropbox is free (for a fixed storage level), so you can save a bundle on data storage and transfers.

3. Google Analytics

Google Analyticstracks the traffic to your website or blog for free You can learn where traffic is coming from, what keywords they used to find you, demographics and other interesting information you can use to provide a more personalized website experience or product.

4. Skype

Skypeallows you to use your computer and Internet connection to talk to anyone in the world for as long as you want free of charge. Hook an inexpensive camera up to your computer and you can hold videoconferences with colleagues and clients..

5. Bright Journey

Do you want insider information on how to succeed from some of the world's most famous entrepreneurs but never seem to run into them at the laundromat or grocery?

Bright Journeyis the website for you. The platform warehouses a vast collection of startup knowledge from some of the most successful entrepreneurs you will never meet in real life. The website offers you a chance to post questions to a big group of top-notch business minds. Users vote for the best answers, which then appear at the top of the page.

6. Microsoft Office

Regardless of the type of business you own, you need a good word processer and spreadsheet program.Microsoft Officeis, by far, the most widely recognized suite of programs. Microsoft Office includes the word processor Word and the spreadsheet Excel, a mail program, task scheduling features and more.

7. OpenOffice

If you need to save a buck or just cannot bring yourself to purchase another Microsoft product, you can useOpenOffice.org. The site lets you create documents, presentations and spreadsheets without having to shell out money.

8. Google AdWords

Keyword planning is the most thrilling boring job any entrepreneur will ever undertake. Keywords are like gold for Internet entrepreneurs, as magic keywords make paying website visitors appear out of nowhere. Coming up with these keywords, however, is a horrible task.

Related Book:Ultimate Guide to Google AdWordsby Perry Marshall, Mike Rhodes, and Bryan Todd

Google AdWordstakes the pain out of keyword planning. The tool allows you to search for keyword and ad group ideas, get historical statistics for keywords and even see how a list of keywords might perform. This little freebie can also help you choose competitive bids and budgets for your campaign.

9. Grasshopper

Grasshopperlets you get an 800 telephone number that gives your company a professional and legitimate image. You can forward as many phones and cell phones to the 800 number as you like, which will be great for your minions working in the office or on the road.

10. Shopify

As an entrepreneur, you probably like money but hate the idea of figuring out the complicated code for adding a shopping cart to your website.Shopifyis a secure shopping cart system that allows you to accept credit card and PayPal payments over an encrypted server.

Wavy Line
Mike Templeman

Writer and Entrepreneur

Mike Templeman is the CEO ofFoxtail Marketing, a digital-content marketing firm specializing in B2B SaaS. He is passionate about tech, marketing and small business. When not tapping away at his keyboard, he can be found spending time with his kids.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

What Is a 'Lazy Girl Job'? New TikTok Trend Empowers Women to Work However They Want

The trend began as a way for women to find more free time during their days.

Business Process

The Strategy You Need to Make Sure Your Company Can Keep Up in Today's Business World

Discover a superior alternative to a traditional business strategy that prioritizes adaptability, innovation and speed in execution, explores its benefits for entrepreneurs, see real-world scenarios and learn core principles and rules to propel organizations forward with clarity, simplicity and action.

Devices

This Versatile MacBook Is Only $299.97 During the Back-to-School Sale

Fid out how to get a MacBook Air that's sleek, portable, and reliable for a great price.

Business Ideas

The Top 10 Home Business Ideas for 2023

Can't figure out which enterprise you should launch in 2023? Check out 10 stellar home business ideas to get inspiration.

Thought Leaders

I Pitched 300 People a Day For 1 Year — and Learned This Impactful Entrepreneurial Lesson

After working myself to the bone pitching 300 people each day for one year, I came out of that experience as a new man — but surprisingly, an unhappier one. Here's what I learned.