A few weeks ago I put out a post where Dropbox actually scored quite highly, and had some of the fastest transfer speeds of all their competitors.
So, we’re all pretty familiar with Dropbox.
It’s been around for ages and I would say is arguably one of the most popular file-hosting platforms in the world.
Today, I wanted to spend a little time looking at not just Dropbox file storage itself, we all know how good that is - but what else does Dropbox have to offer?
Backup
So whether you have Dropbox or some other cloud storage app already, or if you don’t use any cloud storage at all, the first thing that I would highly, highly recommend you take a look at is Backing up your data.
This is SO important because most cloud storage services don’t actually offer you a backup of any form.
In fact, Microsoft specifically states in their terms that they are not responsible for backing up your data. It’s literally there in the T&Cs you sign when you sign up!
Dropbox offers anywhere from 30 to 180 days in terms of backup. So you can delete something on your desktop, and still be able to recover it up to 6 months later.
This allows you to back up everything from your desktop, your documents, your downloads folder, and anything you want to regularly back up from your machine, to the cloud.
And I say to the cloud because I don’t really believe anybody should be backing up their data to a local hard drive anymore - it’s too risky for being dropped, or to be damaged, let alone a flood or house fire.
Given Dropbox’s impressive performance in terms of transfer speeds, it means you also won’t have to wait forever for your files to back up each time.
Backup comes as part of their standard Storage plans, so if you’re already using Dropbox, there’s no extra cost.
Capture
The next feature is surprisingly a free one - and that’s Capture! Capture is something that I only actually discovered once Dropbox asked to sponsor a video on my YouTube channel, but I’ve been using it every day since.
I used to use the built-in Screen Capture in Mac OSX to clip webpages or record what was going on, on my screen. A bit of a lengthy process that involves launching quick time, then starting screen recording, then framing it up, then stopping it again, then starting - and we repeat.
But with Capture, I can do that way more conveniently.
I can also do a screen recording and capture my own video or audio at the same time if I want to record myself explaining how to do something - which would be great if you’re trying to show a friend, customer, or colleague how to do something.
Also, side note - you can create animated Gifs really easily from this too - secretly my favourite feature of this app!
Capture is free, but it’s capped at 1080p, however, you can unlock the 4K option with a paid-for plan.
DocSend
I was put onto DocSend by a friend of mine late last year, and in a nutshell, it allows you to securely share files with other people - with the ability to track and see what they’re doing in real-time.
For me that’s typically when working with a new brand, I can send them my media kit, and I can both control and see who can open or download each file
The analytics tracking is really useful here so that you can see what part of your document has piqued the readers’ interest. When you send a video, you can tailor how your recipient will experience it! Much like YouTube’s analytics page, you can see when they were most engaged, any drop-offs, and how long they spend watching!
This is crucial because if you were say, sending a video pitch, you can then adjust and tweak your next pitch, based on the feedback from your last, to get the best chance of winning a valuable contract!
And those of you who know my background will know that I can’t stress enough the power of video marketing, so DocSend will be absolutely crucial for any business owner, looking to make the most out of video to market their business.
DropBox Sign is just £11.67/month to store up to 5 templates but send unlimited documents for signature each month. You can upgrade to get extras like Forms, branding, single sign-on integration, and a tonne more. I’ve just been using the Essentials plan though and so I’d recommend that if you're a solopreneur.
Sign
One more that I have also been using myself for the last year…
Sending boring legal agreements can become quite a chore if you have to mess around with word templates, exporting to PDF, and getting them signed - then you get that awkward situation where that one guy decides to print it out, sign it and scan it back in again.
Like, seriously!?
HelloSign was recently acquired by DropBox, and simply put, lets you add and request signatures to documents.
These are legally binding e-signatures, and the best thing is that you can use templates, so you don’t have to keep creating the same document over again.
I’ve been using this for over a year now for contracts between brands. It’s simple to use, and once you’ve set up a template, you can use it over and over, which saves me a tonne of time.
So much so that I actually don’t do them myself now, I hired someone else who now takes care of sending them!
Alongside all this, Dropbox is one of the very few that offer Unlimited cloud storage space at a reasonable price. So combine Unlimited Cloud Storage, with fast transfer speeds, market-leading backups, and a tonne of add-ons which when combined, make it a really compelling reason to consider making a switch.
Until next time.
🛒 Get Dropbox HERE: https://geni.us/GET-DROPBOX
