Useful Apps and Tips for Digital Marketing, Business Proposal, Pitch and Presentation

If you are a student or a freelancer who wants to succeed in the digital marketing field, you need to constantly learn and improve your skills and knowledge. You also need to create captivating and persuasive presentations for your business proposals and pitches. But how can you do that without spending too much time and money? In this article, I will introduce you to some useful apps such as Behance, ADPList, Freepik, Wappalyzer, and Figma, and tips that can help you create stunning and effective presentations for your digital marketing projects. These are not only easy to use but also offer a lot of features and benefits that can make your presentations stand out from the crowd. Let's take a look at each one of them and see how they can help you achieve your goals.

Behance

First of all, Behance is a great platform where creative professionals can showcase their work and discover new projects. It is part of the Adobe family and integrates with tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, which allows you to create online portfolios of your work, upload your projects, and add descriptions, tags, credits, and feedback options. It is also possible to browse through millions of projects by other creatives from different fields and industries and filter your search by location, school, tools, availability, and subscription, including access to some assets, images, prototypes, and streams from the community.

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What are the pros and cons of Behance?

Pros:

• It is free to use and easy to set up.
• It has a large and diverse community of creatives from all over the world.
• It has a sleek and professional design that showcases your work in the best possible way.
• It integrates with other Adobe tools and services, allowing you to sync your projects across devices and platforms.
• It offers various opportunities to learn, network, and grow as a creative.

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Cons:

• It can be competitive and overwhelming to stand out among so many talented artists.
• It can be time-consuming and tedious to upload and update your projects regularly.
• It can be difficult to control who sees your work and how they use it.
• It can be biased toward certain styles, trends, and categories of work.

?How to Use Behance for Your Creative Goals

Depending on your goals, you can use Behance in different ways. Here are some examples:

• If you want to showcase your work and build your online presence, you can create a portfolio that reflects your style, skills, and personality. You can also optimize your profile with keywords, links, and social media accounts to make it easier for people to find you.
• If you want to discover new projects and get inspired, you can browse through the featured galleries, follow the topics and fields that interest you, and explore the collections and mood boards created by other users. You can also use the search function to find specific projects or artists that match your criteria.
• If you want to learn new skills and improve your craft, you can watch live streams and tutorials from experts, join challenges and contests that test your abilities, and access exclusive resources and benefits from Adobe. You can also ask for feedback from other users or give feedback to others.
• If you want to network and collaborate with other creatives, you can comment on their projects, appreciate their work, follow their profiles, and send them messages or invitations. You can also join groups or teams that share your interests or goals.

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My Personal Opinion on Behance

The website allows me to present my projects professionally and attractively. I also like how it connects me with other creatives who inspire me or whom I can collaborate with.

However, I also have some issues. Sometimes it feels like it is too crowded and competitive, where we have to constantly upload new projects or update our profile to get noticed or appreciated. I also feel like some of my work gets overlooked or ignored because it does not fit the popular trends or categories.

Overall, I think Behance is a great platform for creative professionals who want to showcase their work and discover new projects. But I also think it is important to use it wisely and not let it consume too much of your time or energy. You should also have other platforms or channels where you can share your work or connect with your audience

ADPList?

As part of the designing process, we need to look for some guidance, feedback, or inspiration. ADPList stands for Amazing Design People List, and it is a platform that connects designers with mentors from all over the world. It is a global community of mentors and learners who share their knowledge and experience to help each other grow. According to their website, ADPList was born in 2020 to democratize mentorship for all and has since grown to 13,000+ mentors who have mentored more than 10 million minutes in about 141 countries across the globe.

It offers various types of mentorship sessions, such as portfolio reviews, career advice, mock interviews, or leadership advice. You can browse through the list of mentors based on their location, availability, expertise, or industry. You can also filter by the type of session you are looking for, such as free or paid, one-time or recurring, group or individual.

Once you find a mentor that suits your needs, you can book a session with them by clicking on their profile and selecting a time slot. You will then receive a confirmation email with the details of the session and the link to join the video call. It is also possible to message the mentor before or after the session to ask questions or share feedback.

?What are the pros and cons of ADPList?

Pros:

• It is free to join and use for both mentors and learners.
• It provides instant access to a diverse and global network of mentors who have different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives.
• It allows you to learn from real-world practitioners who have relevant and up-to-date industry experience.
• It helps you improve your portfolio, resume, interview skills, and design thinking through constructive feedback and tips.
• It supports your personal and professional growth by providing you with inspiration, motivation, and encouragement.

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Cons:

• It can be challenging to find a mentor who matches your specific needs, goals, and availability.
• It can be difficult to establish a long-term relationship with a mentor due to the high demand and limited availability of some mentors.
• It can be inconsistent in terms of the quality and frequency of the mentorship sessions depending on the mentor's style, communication skills, and commitment.
• It can be overwhelming to choose from a large number of mentors and sessions available on the platform.
• It can be time-consuming to schedule and attend multiple sessions with different mentors.

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How can you use ADPList effectively?

To make the most out of ADPList, here are some tips that you can follow:

• Be clear about your expectations and goals before booking a session. Know what you want to learn, what questions you want to ask, and what feedback you want to receive from the mentor.
• Be respectful and courteous to the mentor. Show up on time, prepare your materials beforehand, listen attentively, ask relevant questions, and thank them for their time and advice.
• Be open-minded and willing to learn. Don't be afraid to ask for help, admit your mistakes, or try new things. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and apply it to your work.
• Be proactive and follow up. After the session, review your notes, reflect on your learnings, and take action on your next steps. Message the mentor if you have any questions or feedback. Keep in touch with them if you want to continue the relationship.
• Be selective and strategic. Don't book sessions with every mentor you see on the platform. Choose wisely based on your needs, goals, and availability. Focus on quality over quantity.

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My personal opinion on using ADPList

Booking sessions with different mentors will give you valuable insights and advice on your portfolio, resume, interview skills, and design thinking, including learning experiences from their stories and knowledge in the design industry.

I think ADPList is a great resource for those who want to learn from others and improve their skills. It is also a great way to network with other professionals, freelancers, and mentors who share your passion and interests. However, I also think that ADPList is not a substitute for formal education or professional experience. It is a supplement that can enhance your learning journey and career development.

I would recommend ADPList to anyone interested in learning different aspects of marketing, content writing, design, data science, etc., and who wants to grow. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level, you can find a mentor who can help you achieve your goals and aspirations. However, I would also advise you to be realistic and responsible when using it. Don't expect the mentor to do everything for you or solve all your problems. You have to do your work and take your actions. Moreover, you can also demonstrate your abilities and competencies to the community and receive endorsements from mentors. ADPList is a tool that can help you, but you are the one who has to use it wisely and effectively.

Freepik

Next, the realization for your project is by finding the best graphic and images for your presentation, company profile, website, and articles. You want to make sure that your visuals are relevant, high-quality, and royalty-free. One of the platforms that I recommend for this is Freepik, which offers over 10 million photos, Photoshop Documents (PSD), illustrations, and vectors for different projects and allows you to browse through different categories and themes, or use the search function to find what you need. It is also possible to filter the results by color, orientation, size, and license type. Freepik offers both free and premium resources, but you need to attribute the author if you use the free ones. Premium users can access more exclusive content and download without attribution.?

Some of the pros of using Freepik are:

• It has a huge collection of graphic resources in different formats and styles.
• It is easy to use and navigate.
• It updates its content regularly and adds new trends and designs.
• It offers a variety of licenses for different purposes and needs.
• It has a blog and a tutorial section where you can learn tips and tricks on how to use the resources.

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Some of the cons of using Freepik are:

• It can be overwhelming to choose from so many options.
• It can be hard to find original and unique graphics that suit your brand or project.
• It can be risky to use free resources without proper attribution or permission from the author.
• It can be expensive to subscribe to the premium plan if you need a lot of downloads per month.

?How can you use Freepik effectively?

Freepik is a useful tool for creating stunning visuals for your website, blog, social media, presentation, or any other project. You can use it to enhance your design skills, save time and money, and impress your audience. However, you should also be careful about the quality, originality, and legality of the resources you use. You should always respect the work of the authors and follow the license terms. You can use Freepik for various purposes or use cases, such as:

• Creating stunning presentations, flyers, posters, brochures, or infographics for your work or school projects.
• Enhancing your website, blog, social media, or online store with eye-catching visuals and graphics.
• Designing your logo, business card, letterhead, or branding identity.
• Finding inspiration and ideas for your next design project or challenge.
• Learning new skills and techniques from tutorials and courses on Freepik.

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I have used Freepik for some of my projects and I found it very helpful and convenient. I liked the variety and quality of the resources, and I appreciated the ease of use and download. However, I also encountered some challenges and limitations when using it. For example, sometimes it creates quite an effort to find graphics that matched my style and vision. I also had to pay attention to the attribution requirements and the license types. Overall, I think Freepik is a good tool for graphic design, but it is not perfect or flawless.

Other alternatives to Freepik are Vecteezy, Vectorstock, Flaticon, etc. They have similar features and functions, but they may have different pricing plans and licenses. You can compare them and see which one suits your needs better.

Wappalyzer?

Furthermore, as commonly practiced nowadays, the website is an essential part of business, institutions, and portfolios in the current digital era. People prefer to search our profile online rather than visit offices and stores. The fastest way is to find the benchmark of related theme businesses or profiles for our website. This means that you look at other websites that have similar goals, audiences, or niches as yours and see what they are doing well or poorly. This can help you get some ideas and insights on how to improve your website.

Wappalyzer is a tool that allows you to identify the technologies used by any website. It can detect the web server, content management system, analytics, frameworks, e-commerce platforms, and more.

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Pros and cons

Some of the benefits of using a Wappalyzer are:

• Easy to use. You can install it as a browser extension or a command-line tool, and it will automatically scan any website you visit or enter.
• You can get detailed information about each technology detected and get more information about it, such as its description, category, and popularity.
• You can compare different websites and see how they differ in terms of technology.
• It has a large database of over 2000 technologies, covering various aspects of web development and design
• It has a community of contributors who submit new technologies and updates to the database.
• Constantly updated with new technologies and categories.

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Some of the drawbacks of using a Wappalyzer are:

• It may not be able to detect some technologies that are hidden or obfuscated by the website owner.
• You cannot see the source code or the design elements of a website.
• You cannot modify or customize the technologies detected.
• You cannot use Wappalyzer for malicious purposes or violate the privacy of other websites.
• Some websites may also use multiple technologies for different parts of their site, which may confuse Wappalyzer.
• Some technologies may have similar icons or names, which may cause Wappalyzer to misidentify them.
• Some technologies may also change their versions frequently, which may make Wappalyzer outdated or incorrect.
• Some technologies may not have enough information or documentation available online, which may limit Wappalyzer's ability to provide useful details about them.

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Use cases for Wappalyzer

Wappalyzer can be used for various purposes and scenarios by different types of users. Here are some examples:

• Web developers and designers can use Wappalyzer to learn from other websites and get inspiration for their projects. They can see what technologies are popular or trending in their field, what features or functionalities they offer, and how they are implemented. They can also compare different websites and see how they differ in terms of performance, security, accessibility, and user experience.
• Web analysts and marketers can use Wappalyzer to understand their competitors and target audience better. They can see what technologies are used by their competitors and how they affect their ranking, traffic, conversion, and retention. They can also see what technologies are preferred by their potential customers and how they influence their behavior, preferences, and expectations.
• Web researchers and educators can use Wappalyzer to study the evolution and trends of web technologies over time. They can see how web technologies have changed and improved over the years, what challenges and opportunities they face, and what impact they have on society and culture. They can also use Wappalyzer to teach and demonstrate web technologies to students and learners.

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Personal opinion when using Wappalyzer?

I like how it gives me a quick and easy way to discover the technologies behind any website I visit. I also like how it provides me with additional information and resources about each technology I encounter.

However, I also realize that Wappalyzer is not perfect or comprehensive. Sometimes it fails to detect some technologies or gives me wrong or outdated information. Sometimes it does not give me enough information or context about technology or its purpose. Therefore, I always try to verify and supplement the information I get from Wappalyzer with other sources and tools.

Overall, I think Wappalyzer is a great tool for anyone curious or passionate about web technologies. It can help you learn new things, explore new possibilities, and improve your skills and knowledge.

Other alternatives to Wappalyzer are BuiltWith, SimilarWeb, WhatRuns, etc. They have similar features and functions, but they may have different accuracy levels and data sources. You can compare them and see which one gives you more reliable and relevant information.?

Figma

After you have done some research and analysis on other websites, you need to prepare the prototype of your website to be shown for further discussion and testing, especially related to the user interfaces (UI) and user experiences (UX). A prototype is a mockup or a simulation of how your website will look and work before it is built.

One of the tools that I use for this is Figma, a cloud-based design tool that allows users to create, collaborate and share interactive prototypes of websites, apps, and other digital products. Figma has a variety of features that make it a powerful and versatile tool for designers of all levels. It allows users to create vector graphics, prototypes, and design systems using various editing and sharing features. It offers desktop apps for Windows and macOS that enable offline work. It also has a mobile app version for Android and iOS that lets users view and interact with prototypes on their smartphone and tablet devices.

Some of the main features of Figma are:?

• Vector editing: Figma supports vector graphics, which means you can create shapes, paths, curves, and gradients with precision and flexibility. You can also import and export vector files from other tools like Sketch or Adobe Illustrator.
• Layout grids: Figma lets you create and customize layout grids to align and arrange your elements on the canvas. You can use columns, rows, margins, and gutters to create responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes and devices.
• Components and styles: Figma enables you to create reusable components and styles that you can apply across your designs. Components are elements that can be used multiple times, such as buttons, icons, or headers. Styles are sets of properties that define the appearance of your components, such as colors, fonts, or shadows. You can also create variants of your components and styles to account for different states or interactions.
• Team library: Figma allows you to share your components and styles with your team members in a team library. This way, you can ensure consistency and collaboration across your projects. You can also access components and styles from other teams or third-party sources in the community library.
• Prototyping and animation: Figma lets you turn your designs into interactive prototypes that you can test and share with others. You can add transitions, animations, and interactions to your elements using triggers, actions, and smart animate. You can also create overlays, modals, and fixed elements to enhance your prototypes.
• Feedback and collaboration: Figma makes it easy to get feedback and collaborate with your stakeholders in real-time. You can invite others to view or edit your designs using a link or an email. You can also comment, chat and co-edit on the same file simultaneously. You can also use the presentation mode to showcase your designs in full-screen or device frames.

Some of the pros are:

• Accessibility: Figma is accessible from any browser or device, which means you don't need to install any software or worry about compatibility issues. You can also access your files from anywhere and work offline if needed.
• Scalability: Figma is scalable for any size of project or team, whether you are working on a personal project or a large enterprise. You can also manage your projects and teams using folders, projects, and teams.
• Integration: Figma integrates with many other tools and platforms that you may use for your design workflows, such as Slack, Jira, GitHub, Dropbox, and more. You can also use plugins to extend the functionality of Figma or create your own using the Figma API.
• Affordability: Figma offers a free plan for up to three projects and two editors, which is great for beginners or small teams. You can also upgrade to a paid plan for more features and storage space.

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Some of the cons are:

• Performance: Figma may experience some lag or glitches when working with large files or complex animations. You may also encounter some bugs or errors that may affect your work.
• Customization: Figma may not offer as much customization as some other tools, especially when it comes to exporting your designs. You may not be able to adjust the resolution, format, or quality of your exports as much as you would like.
• Learning curve: Figma may have a steep learning curve for some users who are not familiar with its interface or features. You may need to spend some time exploring its capabilities and best practices.

Figma is a great tool for designing digital products requiring collaboration and multiple stakeholders' feedback. It is especially useful for creating user interfaces, user experiences, and web design. Some examples of use cases for Figma are:

• Landing pages: You can use Figma to create attractive and responsive landing pages that showcase your product or service. You can also prototype different landing page versions and test them with users or clients.
• Mobile apps: You can use Figma to design mobile apps that are intuitive and engaging. You can also use device frames to preview how your app will look on different devices and platforms.
• Dashboards: You can use Figma to design dashboards that display data and information in a clear and organized way. You can also use charts, graphs, and icons to visualize your data.

I have enjoyed its features, and functionality, including the ease of use and collaboration with others on my designs. I also like how it can create interactive prototypes that I can share with my users or clients. I think Figma is a great tool for anyone who wants to create beautiful and functional digital products.?

Figma is great for designing and prototyping your website collaboratively. You can work with other people on the same project in real time or asynchronously. You can also get feedback from stakeholders or users through comments or annotations. And if you need some inspiration or guidance, you can browse through their community or resources for examples and tutorials.?

Other alternatives to Figma are Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, etc. They have similar features and functions but they may have different compatibility issues or learning curves. You can compare them and see which one fits your workflow better.

In conclusion, we have explored some useful apps and tips for digital marketing, business proposal, pitch, and presentation. We have seen how Behance can help you showcase your creative work and get feedback from other professionals, learned how ADPlist can connect you with mentors and peers in the design industry, discovered how Freepik can provide you with free and premium resources for your projects, and checked out how Wappalyzer can reveal the technologies used by any website. Finally, we have introduced Figma, a powerful and collaborative tool for designing and prototyping.

I hope that this article has given you some inspiration and guidance for your digital marketing and business endeavors. Whether you are a freelancer, a student, a startup founder, or a seasoned marketer, these apps and tips can help you create engaging and effective proposals, pitches, and presentations.

Thank you for reading and feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.

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