21+ Free Tools for Edmonton Entrepreneurs to Save Time and Money

Running a small business in Edmonton? 

Yeah, you know the drill – hustling 24/7, wearing a million hats, and stretching every dollar further than a Whyte Ave pub crawl on a Friday night. But hey, that's the entrepreneurial spirit, right? 

The fire in your belly, the dream you're chasing... it's all worth it.

But what if I told you there's a way to reclaim some of your time, boost your productivity, and even save money while you're at it? Sounds too good to be true? Well, get this: there's a whole world of free tools out there specifically designed to help entrepreneurs like you thrive. 

And trust me, I've dug through the digital toolbox to bring you the best of the best.

In this guide, we'll explore 21+ free tools that can revolutionise everything from your marketing and design to your productivity and finances. 

Let's get busy.

Design & Visuals: Making Your Edmonton Business Shine Online

You know what they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words." And in Edmonton, where we've got everything from the stunning river valley to the vibrant arts scene, visuals are everything. 

Think about it: whether you're showcasing mouthwatering dishes from your restaurant, the intricate details of your handcrafted jewelry, or the cozy atmosphere of your coffee shop, eye-catching visuals are crucial for capturing attention and telling your brand story.

But hey, not all of us are design wizards (and hiring a professional can get pricey!). The good news? There are awesome free tools that can help you create stunning graphics without breaking the bank (or needing a design degree).

Canva

Canva is like having a graphic design team at your fingertips. Seriously, this tool is a game-changer and has been used by hundreds of thousands of businesses and freelancers worldwide. 

Whether you need to whip up a social media post, create a professional presentation, or design marketing materials that pop, Canva has got you covered.

• Drag-and-drop simplicity: Even if you're a tech newbie, you'll create like a pro in no time.
• Tons of templates: Say goodbye to staring at a blank canvas! Canva has pre-designed templates for everything from Instagram stories to business cards.
• Free stock photos and elements: No need to shell out for expensive stock images – Canva has a huge library of free visuals. And if you want more, premium options are available on-demand or via the subscription model.
• Brand kit: Keep your branding consistent by saving your colours, fonts, and logos.

Pro tip: Use Canva to create visuals that resonate with Edmonton's unique vibe. Think images of the river valley, the High-Level Bridge, or festivals like K-Days and the Fringe.

Pixabay, Pexels, and Unsplash

You'll need high-quality images at some point, whether you're writing a blog post, creating social media posts, adding graphics to your website, and so on. The best place to find them comes down to three main websites that I use all the time:

• Pixabay
• Pexels
• Unsplash

These are free stock photo giants. They have a vast collection of high-quality images that are freely licensed for you to do pretty much whatever you want with (just check the individual site to make sure you can), but generally, you can use them for commercial purposes however you need.

Pixabay even has sound effects, music, and video content to explore!

LogoMakr

Your logo is the face of your business. It's what people will remember, so it needs to be memorable and impactful. With LogoMakr, you can create a professional-looking logo without any design experience, used by over 10,000,000 people worldwide.

LogoMakr is great because

• Simple interface: Choose from various icons, fonts, and colours to create a unique logo.
• Customization options: Tweak your design until it's perfect.
• Downloadable files: Get high-resolution files that you can use anywhere.

Pro tip: Think about what makes your Edmonton business unique. Does your logo reflect the local spirit? Does it capture the essence of your brand?

Other honourable mentions include:

• Adobe Express: A free online tool for creating web graphics. Similar to Canva, but from Adobe.
• Gimp: A free, open-source image manipulation tool, similar to PhotoShop.
• Snappa: Free, quick and easy design and graphics tool
• VistaCreate: A graphic design tool, great for social media graphics 

Marketing & Social Media: Spreading the Word in YEG

Alright, you've got the visuals down, but how do you actually get your amazing Edmonton business in front of the right people? 

That's where marketing and social media come in. Of course, the social media profiles themselves are free (unless you're signing up for X and FaceBook premium and so on), but the tools you use to manage these accounts, and the rest, typically aren't.

Unless you know where to look.

Mailchimp

Email marketing and the process of building a newsletter are everything these days. Statistically, it has the best ROI and is worth doing. 

Mailchimp is a powerful platform that lets you create eye-catching newsletters, send out promotions, and build relationships with your customers.

• Easy-to-use interface: Creating professional-looking emails is a breeze, even if you're not a tech whiz.
• Free plan for small businesses: Perfect for startups and those just starting to build their email list.
• Automation features: Set up welcome emails, birthday messages, and more to keep your audience engaged.
• Analytics tracking: See who's opening your emails and clicking on your links so you can refine your strategy.

Pro tip: Use Mailchimp to share local events, highlight Edmonton-specific promotions, or even partner with other businesses in the area for cross-promotional campaigns.

Buffer

Buffer is a handy tool that lets you schedule your social media posts in advance so you can maintain a consistent online presence without being glued to your phone.

• Schedule across multiple platforms: Connect your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts and manage them all from one place.
• Optimal timing: Buffer can suggest the best times to post based on your audience's activity.
• Content curation: Find relevant articles and share them with your followers to keep your feed fresh.

Pro tip: Use Buffer to share stunning visuals of your products or services (remember those Canva skills we talked about?). Edmonton loves a good photo op!

Google Business Profile

If you want Edmonton customers to find you online, you need to have and have optimized your Google Business Profile, formerly your Google My Business (GMB). 

This free tool lets you show up in local search results and gives potential customers all the essential info about your business, like your location, hours, and contact details.

• Complete your profile: Fill out every section with accurate and detailed information. Here’s a guide on how to optimise this for the best results.
• Add photos: Showcase your business, your products, and your team.
• Encourage reviews: Positive reviews can boost your local ranking and build trust with potential customers.
• Post updates: Share news, events, and promotions to keep your listing fresh.

We actually wrote a dedicated guide on this here, which is well worth checking out.

Later

Instagram is all about the visuals, and Later can help you create a cohesive and engaging feed that'll have Edmonton followers double-tapping like crazy. This tool lets you visually plan your Instagram posts, schedule them in advance, and even track your analytics.

Basically, it helps your entire profile look beautiful, which is great for impressing new visitors to your page.

• Visual planning: See how your feed will look before you post.
• Hashtag suggestions: Find relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience in Edmonton.
• Linkin.bio: Drive traffic to your website from your Instagram bio.

Pro tip: Use Later to schedule Instagram posts that highlight the local flavour of your business. Think Edmonton-themed hashtags, collaborations with other local businesses, or photoshoots in iconic Edmonton locations.

Other honourable mentions include:

• Hootsuite: For social media management
• Answer the Public: For finding keywords of what people are searching for

Productivity & Collaboration: Working Smarter, Not Harder (Edmonton Edition)

As entrepreneurs, the greatest resource we wish we had more of is time. Something money can't buy. But when you take the time to work smarter, not harder, you'll be amazed at how many hours you gain back, all while staying on top of everything.

Some statistics show that an average worker will waste 5.5 hours out of an eight-hour day, so there are certainly improvements to be made.

Trello

Imagine a virtual whiteboard where you can organize all your projects, tasks, and ideas in a way that actually makes sense. That's Trello in a nutshell. This tool uses boards, lists, and cards to help you visualize your workflow and keep everything on track.

• Project visualization: See the big picture and break down projects into manageable tasks.
• Collaboration made easy: Share boards with your team (or your virtual assistant!) and assign tasks, deadlines, and comments.
• Progress tracking: Move cards through different lists as you complete tasks and see your progress at a glance.

Pro tip: Use Trello to plan your next Edmonton event, whether it's a customer appreciation day, a holiday sale, or a community fundraiser.

Slack

Slack is an excellent replacement for emails that are notorious for getting lost, confusing, and overwhelming. A free communication tool, you can instantly message your team, share files, and collaborate in real time.

• Instant communication: Get quick answers to questions and avoid email delays.
• Organized conversations: Create channels for different projects or teams to keep discussions focused.
• File sharing: Easily share documents, images, and videos without clogging up your inbox.

Pro tip: Use Slack to connect with other Edmonton entrepreneurs, share ideas, and build your local network.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a suite of cloud-based tools that includes everything from document creation and spreadsheets to file storage and video conferencing. 

And the best part? Many of these tools have free versions that are perfect for small businesses.

• Collaboration: Work on documents and spreadsheets simultaneously with your team in real time.
• Accessibility: Access your files from anywhere with an internet connection, whether at your desk, at a coffee shop in Garneau, or even on the LRT. 🚈
• Efficiency: Streamline your workflow with integrated tools that work seamlessly together.

Other honourable and much-needed mentions include:

• Asana: For task and project management
• Monday.com: An Asana alternative
• Akiflow: A personal calendar and to-do list manager
• Google Calendar: A calendar for managing all your appointments, to-do lists, and so on.
• Zapier: For automating so many of your app integrations so you don't have to do anything manually

Website & Analytics: Building Your Online Empire in YEG

How much time do you spend managing your website and diving into your analytics, looking at your stats, and making sure everything is ticking over smoothly?

Well, save time and get better results when you implement the right tools in the right place, all for free.

Google Analytics

By far the best app (you don't need a fancy dashboard) to see who's visiting your website, what they're looking at, and how they found you. Google Analytics is like having a detective on your digital team, providing valuable insights into your website traffic and user behaviour.

• Track your visitors: See where your visitors are coming from, what devices they're using, and how long they're staying on your site.
• Understand user behaviour: Discover which pages are most popular, where visitors are dropping off, and what actions they're taking on your site.
• Measure your marketing efforts: Track the effectiveness of your online campaigns and see what's driving traffic to your site.

Ignite Web Design Audit

When working on your website or your web presence in general, it can be difficult to know what you need to be focusing on. We know this (it's what we do every day), so our team here at Ignite Web Design decided to make the process a lot easier with our free website audit reports.

In the report, you'll find:

• A total summary score for the quality of your web presence
• A breakdown of your listings, reviews, and social media status
• Website speed ranks, e-commerce condition, and SEO
• A full breakdown of the details of each section
• A full list of business resources to help upgrade your business

And a whole lot more. Worth checking out here.

Hotjar

Want to know what really grabs your visitors' attention on your website? Hotjar provides heatmaps and user recordings that show you exactly how people are interacting with your site. It's like having X-ray vision for your website!

• Heatmaps: See where visitors are clicking, scrolling, and hovering their mouse to understand what's catching their eye.
• Recordings: Watch actual recordings of user sessions to see how they navigate your site and identify any pain points.
• Feedback polls: Gather direct feedback from your visitors to understand their needs and preferences.

Pro tip: Use Hotjar to see how Edmonton visitors interact with your website. Are they finding what they're looking for? Are they getting stuck on certain pages?

Other honourable mentions include:

• Screaming Frog: Crawls your website for missing pages and metadata, broken links, and so on
• Google Keyword Planner: A free official Google tool for finding the best keywords and their search volumes
• Yoast: A free SEO plugin for WordPress websites to help improve the quality of your on-page SEO

Finance & Legal: Keeping Your Business Finances Squeaky Clean (and Legal!)

Let's talk about the not-so-glamorous but oh-so-important side of running a business: finances and legal stuff. I know, I know, it's not exactly as exciting as brainstorming your next marketing campaign or designing a killer website. 

But trust me, keeping your financial ducks in a row and staying on top of legal matters is crucial for any Edmonton business, big or small.

Wave Accounting

Wave Accounting is a lifesaver for small businesses and freelancers in Edmonton. This free software takes the headache out of managing your finances with features like invoicing, expense tracking, and basic financial reports.

• Free and easy to use: No more complicated spreadsheets or expensive accounting software! Wave Accounting is free and user-friendly, even for those who aren't numbers-savvy.
• Invoicing made easy: Create professional invoices and track payments with ease.
• Expense tracking: Keep track of your business expenses and categorize them for tax purposes.
• Financial reports: Get a clear overview of your income and expenses with basic financial reports.

Pro tip: Connect your bank account to Wave Accounting for automatic transaction imports and reconciliation.

DocuSign

With DocuSign, you can say goodbye to paper contracts and the time suck they are and hello to electronic signatures. This tool allows you to sign and send documents electronically, saving you time and hassle.

• Efficiency: Sign and send documents in minutes, not days.
• Security: DocuSign uses advanced encryption to protect your documents and signatures.
• Convenience: Sign documents from anywhere, anytime, on any device.

Pro tip: Use DocuSign's free trial to test out the features and see how it can streamline your contract signing process.

Over to You

From design and marketing to productivity and finances, we've explored a whole arsenal of free tools to help you level up your Edmonton business.

Now, it's time to take action! Explore these tools, experiment with them, and find the ones that fit your unique needs. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, these free resources can make a world of difference.