The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads for 2020

If you’re considering spending any amount of money on ads to reach your target audience, then you’d better spend it in the right place. That is, somewhere with over 246 million unique visitors, 3.5 billion daily interactions, and an estimated 700% return on investment.

Somewhere like… Google Ads.

Google Ads was launched just two years after what has become the most popular website in the world: Google.com. The advertising platform came on the scene in October 2000 as Google Adwords, but after some rebranding in 2018, it was renamed Google Ads. Given Google’s expansive reach, chances are you’ve seen (and probably clicked on) a Google ad … and so have your potential customers.

In this guide you’ll discover what Google Ads is and what you need to know to begin advertising on Google. We’ll cover features specific to the platform and teach you how to optimize your campaigns to achieve the best results with your ads.


  1. What is Google Ads?


  2. Why Advertise on Google?


  3. Google Ads Terms to Know


  4. How Does Google Ads Work?


  5. How to Set Up Google Ads


  6. Google Ads Bidding Strategies

What is Google Ads?

It’s no secret that, these days, the stronger and more focused your paid campaigns are, the more clicks you generate — leading to a greater probability of obtaining new customers. This is why Google Ads has become increasingly popular among businesses across all industries.

Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that falls under a marketing channel known as pay-per-click (PPC), where you (the advertiser) pays per click or per impression (CPM) on an ad.

Free Guide, Template & Planner: How to Use Google Ads for Business

Google Ads is an effective way to drive qualified traffic, or good-fit customers, to your business while they’re searching for products and services like the ones you offer. With Google Ads, you can boost your website traffic, receive more phone calls, and increase your in-store visits. 

Google Ads allows you to create and share well-timed ads (via both mobile and desktop) among your target audience. This means your business will show up on the search engine results page (SERP) at the moment your ideal customers are looking for products and services like yours via Google Search or Google Maps. This way, you reach your target audience when it makes sense for them to come across your ad. 

Note: Ads from the platform can span across other channels too, including YouTube, Blogger, and Google Display Network.

Over time, Google Ads will also help you analyze and improve those ads to reach more people so your business can hit all of your paid campaign goals

Additionally, no matter the size of your business or your available resources, you can tailor your ads to suit your budget. The Google Ads tool gives you the opportunity to stay within your monthly cap and even pause or stop your ad spending at any point in time.

Discover how HubSpot can help you better manage your Google ads.

Now, onto another important question: Is Google Ads really effective?

Does Google Ads work?

To answer this, let’s consider a few statistics. Google Ads have a click-through rate of nearly 8 percent. Display ads yield 180 million impressions each month. For users who are ready to buy, paid ads on Google get 65% of the clicks. 43% of customers buy something they’ve seen on a YouTube ad. So, yes, Google Ads works. With an optimized ad campaign and lead flow, you can create a high-ROI marketing campaign.

Why advertise on Google?

Google is the most used search engine, receiving 3.5 billion search queries a day. Not to mention, the Google Ads platform has been around for nearly two decades, giving it some seniority in the area of paid advertising. Google is a resource used by people around the world to ask questions that are answered with a combination of paid advertisements and organic results.

And, according to Google, advertisers make $8 for every $1 they spend on Google Ads. So, there are a few reasons why you’d want to consider advertising on Google.

Need another reason? Your competitors are using Google Ads (and they might even be bidding on your branded terms). Thousands of companies use Google Ads to promote their businesses, which means that even if you’re ranking organically for a search term, your results are being pushed down the page, beneath your competitors.

If you’re using PPC to advertise your product or services, Google Ads should be a part of your paid strategy — there’s no way around it (except maybe Facebook Ads, but that’s another article).

Reasons Why Your Google Ads Aren’t Working

If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to advertise on Google, don’t give up. There are many reasons why your Google Ads could be underperforming. Let’s cover some common offenders.

  1. Broad Keyword Terms. You really need to nail it when it comes to your keywords, which is why testing and tweaking should be a part of your strategy. If your keywords are too broad, Google will be placing your ad in front of the wrong audience which means fewer clicks and a higher ad spend. Review what’s working (i.e. which keywords are generating clicks) and adjust them to best match your ads with your target audience. You likely won’t get the mix right the first time but you should keep adding, removing, and tweaking keywords until you do.
    How to fix it: Review the keyword strategies that we cover below.
  2. Irrelevant Ads. If your ad doesn’t match the searcher’s intent, you won’t get enough clicks to justify your ad spend. Your headline and ad copy need to match the keywords you’re bidding on, and the solution your ad is marketing needs to solve whatever pain point that searcher is experiencing. It’s a combination that will yield the results you’re looking for, and it may just be a few tweaks away. You have the option to create multiple ads per campaign — use this feature to split test which ads work best. Or, better yet, us
    e Google’s Responsive Search Ads feature.
    How to fix it: Read our best practices for ad copy.
  3. Low Quality Score. Your Quality Score (QS) is how Google determines how your ad should rank. The higher your rank, the better your placements. If your quality score is low, you’ll have fewer eyeballs on your ad and fewer chances to convert. Google will tell you your Quality Score, but improving it is up to you.
    How to fix it: Keep reading to learn how to improve your QS.
  4. Poor Landing Page. Your efforts shouldn’t stop with your ad — the user experience after a click is equally important. What does your user see once they click your ad? Is your landing page optimized for conversions, meaning does it use the same keywords? Does the page solve your user’s pain point or answer their question? Your user should experience a seamless transition through to the conversion.
    How to fix it: Review landing page best practices and implement them to increase your conversion rate.

Google Ads Terms to Know

  1. AdRank
  2. Bidding
  3. Campaign Type
  4. Click-Through Rate
  5. CPC
  6. CPM
  7. Conversion Rate
  8. Display Network
  9. Ad Extensions
  10. Keywords
  11. PPC
  12. Quality Score

These common terms will help you set up, manage, and optimize your Google Ads. Some of these are specific to Google Ads, while others are related to PPC in general. Either way, you’ll need to know these to run an effective ad campaign.

AdRank

Your AdRank determines your ad placement. The higher the value, the better you’ll rank, the more eyes will fall on your ad, and the higher the probability that users will click your ad. Your AdRank is determined by your maximum bid multiplied by your Quality Score.

Bidding

Google Ads is based on a bidding system, where you as the advertiser selects a maximum bid amount you’re willing to pay for a click on your ad. The higher your bid, the better your placement. You have three options for bidding: CPC, CPM, or CPE.

  • CPC, or cost-per-click, is the amount you pay for each click on your ad.
  • CPM, or cost per mille, is the amount you pay for one thousand ad impressions, that is when your ad is shown to a thousand people.
  • CPE, or cost per engagement, is the amount you pay when someone takes a predetermined action with your ad.

And, yes, we’ll review bidding strategies below.

Campaign Type

Before you begin a paid campaign on Google Ads, you’ll select between one of three campaign types: search, display, or video.

  • Search ads are text ads that are displayed among search results on a Google results page.
  • Display ads are typically image-based and are shown on web pages within the Google Display Network.
  • Video ads are between six and 15 seconds and appear on YouTube.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Your CTR is the number of clicks you get on your ad as a proportion of the number of views your ad gets. A higher CTR indicates a quality ad that matches search intent and targets relevant keywords.

Conversion Rate (CVR)

CVR is a measure of form submissions as a proportion of total visits to your landing page. Simplistically speaking, a high CVR means that your landing page presents a seamless user experience that matches the promise of the ad.

Display Network

Google ads can be displayed on either search results pages or a web page within Google’s Display Network (GDN). GDN is a network of websites that allow space on their webpages for Google Ads — these ads can be text-based or image ads and are displayed alongside content relevant to your target keywords. The most popular Display Ad options are Google Shopping and app campaigns.

Extensions

Ad Extensions allow you to supplement your ad with additional information at no additional cost. These extensions fall under one of five categories: Sitelink, Call, Location, Offer, or App; we’ll cover each of these ad extensions below.

Keywords

When a Google user types a query into the search field, Google returns a range of results that match the searcher’s intent. Keywords are words or phrases that align with what a searcher wants and will satisfy their query. You select keywords based on which queries you want to display your ad alongside. For example, a searcher that types “how to clean gum off shoes” will see results for advertisers that targeted keywords like “gum on shoes” and “clean shoes.”

  • Negative Keywords are a list of keyword terms that you do not want to rank for. Google will pull you from the bid on these keywords. Typically, these are semi-related to your intended search terms but fall outside of the realm of what you offer or want to rank for.

PPC

Pay-per-click, or PPC, is a type of advertising where the advertiser pays per click on an ad. PPC is not specific to Google Ads, but it is the most common type of paid campaign. It’s important to understand the ins and outs of PPC before launching your first Google Ads campaign.

Quality Score (QS)

Your Quality Score measures the quality of your ad by your click-through rate (CTR), the relevance of your keywords, the quality of your landing page, and your past performance on the SERP. QS is a determining factor in your AdRank.

Click to get our free guide on how to use Google Ads.

How does Google Ads work?

Google Ads displays your ad to potential leads or customers who are interested in your product or service. Advertisers bid on search terms, or keywords, and the winners of that bid are placed at the top of search results pages, on YouTube videos, or on relevant websites, depending on the type of ad campaign selected.

Many factors impact your ability to create effective and high-performing Google Ads. Let’s cover them below.

AdRank and Quality Score

AdRank determines the placement of your ads, and Quality Score is one of the two factors (the other being bid amount) that determines your AdRank. Remember, your Quality Score is based on the quality and relevance of your ad, and Google measures that by how many people click on your ad when it’s displayed — i.e. your CTR. You CTR depends on the how well your ad matches searcher intent, which you can deduce from three areas:

  1. The relevance of your keywords
  2. If your ad copy and CTA deliver what the searcher expects based on their search
  3. The user experience of your landing page

Your QS is where you should focus most of your attention when you first set up your Google Ad campaign — even before you increase your bid amount. The higher your QS, the lower your acquisition costs will be and the better placement you’ll get.

Ad Campaign Types: Search, Display, and Video

You can select from one of three campaign types on Google Ads: search, display, or video. Let’s cover the optimal uses for each and why you might choose one over the other.

Search Ads

Search ads are text ads that are displayed on Google results pages. As an example, a search for “pocket squares” returns sponsored results, or ads, like these:

google ads search ads

The benefit of search ads is that you’re displaying your ad in the place where most searchers look for information first — on Google. And Google shows your ad in the same format as other results (except for denoting it as an “Ad”) so users are accustomed to seeing and clicking on results.

Responsive Search Ads

Responsive search ads allow you to enter multiple versions of headlines and ad copy (15 and four variations, respectively) for Google to select the best performers to display to users. With traditional ads, create one static version of your ad, using the same headline and description each time. Responsive ads allow for a dynamic ad that is auto-tested until you arrive at the version that is best suited for your target audience — for Google, that means until you get the most clicks.

Display Ads

Google has a network of websites in various industries and with an array of audiences that opt in to display Google Ads, known as the Google Display Network. The benefit to the website owner is that they’re paid per click or impression on the ads. The benefit to advertisers is that they can get their content in front of audiences that are aligned with their personas. These are typically image ads that draw users attention away from the content on the webpage.

google ads display adSource

Additional options for Display Ads include shopping campaigns and app campaigns, which are displayed on search engine results pages.

Video Ads

Video ads are displayed before or after (and sometimes in the middle of) YouTube videos. Remember, YouTube is a search engine, too. The right keywords will place you in front of a video, disrupting the user’s behavior just enough to grab their attention.

Location

When you first set up your Google Ad, you’ll select a geographical area where your ad will be shown. If you have a storefront, this should be in a reasonable radius around your physical location. If you have an ecommerce store and a physical product, your location should be set in the places where you ship. If you provide a service or product that is accessible worldwide, then the sky’s the limit.

Your location settings will play a role in placement. For instance, if you own a yoga studio in San Francisco, someone in New York that enters “yoga studio” will not see your result, no matter your AdRank. That’s because Google’s main objective is to display the most relevant results to searchers, even when you’re paying.

Keywords

Keyword research is just as important for paid ads as it is for organic search. Your keywords need to match searcher intent as much as possible. That’s because Google matches your ad with search queries based on the keywords you selected. Each ad group that you create within your campaign will target a small set of keywords (one to five keywords is optimal) and Google will display your ad based on those selections.

Match Types

Match Types give you a little wiggle room when it comes to your keyword selections — they tell Google whether you want to match a search query exactly or if your ad should be shown to anyone with a search query that’s semi-related. There are four match types to choose from:

  • Broad Match is the default setting that uses any word within your keyword phrase in any order. For example, “goat yoga in Oakland” will match “goat yoga” or “yoga Oakland.”
  • Modified Broad Match allows you to lock in certain words within a keyword phrase by denoting them with a “+” sign. Your matches will include that locked-in word at the very least. For example, “+goats yoga in Oakland” could yield “goats,” “goats like food,” or “goats and yoga.”
  • Phrase Match will match with queries that include your keyword phrase in the exact order but may include additional words before or after it. For example, “goat yoga” can yield “spotted goat yoga” or “goat yoga with puppies.”
  • Exact Match maintains your keyword phrase as it is written in the exact order. For example, “goat yoga” will not show up if someone types “goats yoga” or “goat yoga class.”

If you’re just starting out and don’t know exactly how your persona will be searching, move from a broad match to a more narrow approach so you can test which queries yield the best results. However, since your ad will be ranking for many queries (some unrelated) you should keep a close eye on your ads and modify them as you can gain new information.

Headline and Description

Your ad copy can be the difference between a click on your ad and a click on your competitor’s ad. It’s important that your ad copy matches the searcher’s intent, is aligned with your target keywords, and addresses the personas pain point with a clear solution.

To illustrate what we mean, let’s review an example.

google ads copy

A search for “baby swim lessons” yielded this result. The copy is concise and uses the limited space wisely to convey their message and connect with their target audience.

The Swim Revolution knew to put the keyword in their headline so we instantly know that this ad matches what we’re looking for. The description tells us why this is the best option for swim lessons because it addresses the concerns of their persona — a parent looking to enroll their baby in a swim class.

They use words like “skills,” “fun,” “confidence,” and “comfort in the water” to ease our nerves about putting a baby in a pool and to prove to us that we will get what we want out of this class — an infant that can swim.

This kind of ad copy will get you clicks, but conversions will result from carrying this level of intention into your landing page copy.

Ad Extensions

If you’re running Google Ads, you should be using Ad Extensions for two reasons: they’re free, and they give users additional information and another reason to interact with your ad. These extensions fall within one of these five categories:

  • Sitelink Extensions extend your add — helping you stand out — and provide additional links to your site that offer users more enticing reasons to click.

    google ads sitelink extensions

  • Call Extensions allow you to incorporate your phone number in your ad so users have an additional (and instant) way to reach out to you. If you have a customer service team that is ready to engage and convert your audience, then include your phone number.

    google ads call extensions

  • Location Extensions include your location and phone number within your ad so Google can offer searchers a map to easily find you. This option is great for businesses with a storefront and it works well for the search query “…near me.”

    google ads location extensions

  • Offer Extensions work if you’re running a current promotion. It can entice users to click your ad over others if they see that your options are discounted compared to your competitors.

    google ads offer extensions

  • App Extensions provide a link to an app download for mobile users. This reduces the friction from having to perform a new search to find and download the app in an AppStore.

    google ads app extensions

Google Ads Retargeting

Retargeting, a.k.a. remarketing, in Google Ads is a way to advertise to users who have previously interacted with you onlin
e but have not yet converted. Tracking cookies will follow users around the web and target these users with your ads. Remarketing is effective since prospects need to see your marketing at least seven times before they become a customer. 

How to Set Up Your Google Ads

Setting up your paid campaigns on Google is relatively easy (and quick), mostly because the platform takes you through the setup and provides helpful hints along the way. Once you visit the Google Ads site and click “Start Now,” you’ll be taken through a series of steps to get your ads up and running. If you have your ad copy and/or images created, set up should take you no more than 10 minutes.

What may be less obvious are all the additional things you need to do to make sure your ads are optimally set up and easily trackable. Let’s cover these together. These are the steps you’ll take once your ads are submitted for review.

Link Google Analytics

You likely have Google Analytics set up on your website so you can track traffic, conversions, goals, and any unique metrics. You also need to link your Analytics account to Google Ads. Linking these accounts will make tracking, analyzing, and reporting between channels and campaigns much easier because you can view these events in one place.

Add UTM Codes

Urchin Tracking Module (UTM) codes are used by Google to track any activity associated with a specific link. You’ve probably seen them before — it’s the part of a URL that follows a question mark (“?”). UTM codes will tell you which offer or ad led to a conversion so you can track the most effective parts of your campaign. UTM codes make it easier to optimize your Google Ads since you know exactly what’s working.

The trick, though, is to add your UTM codes at the campaign level when you set up your Google Ads so you don’t have to do so manually for each ad URL. Otherwise, you can add them manually with Google’s UTM builder.

Set Up Conversion Tracking

Conversion tracking tells you exactly how many customers or leads you’ve acquired from your ad campaigns. It’s not mandatory to set up but, without it, you’ll be guessing the ROI of your ads. Conversion tracking allows you to track sales (or other activities) on your website, app installs, or calls from your ads.

Manage and organize your ads with our free Google Ads Kit and Templates.

Integrate Your Google Ads With Your CRM

There is something to be said about keeping all of your data in one place where you can track, analyze, and report on it. You already use your CRM to track contact data and lead flows. Integrating Google Ads with your CRM gives you the ability to track which ad campaigns are working for your audience so you can continue marketing to them with offers that are relevant.

Google Ads Bidding Strategies

Once you’ve set up your ad campaigns and have tracking in place, it’s time to start bidding. Remember, your ability to rank in Google Ads depends on how you bid. While your bid amount will depend on your budget and goals, there are a few strategies and bid settings you should be aware of when launching your paid campaign.

Automated vs. Manual Bidding

You have two options when it comes to bidding on your keywords — automated and manual. Here’s how they work:

  • Automated Bidding puts Google in the driver’s seat and allows the platform to adjust your bid based on your competitors. You can still set a maximum budget, and Google will work within a range to give you the best chance at winning the bid within those constraints.
  • Manual Bidding let’s you set the bid amounts for your ad groups and keywords, giving you the chance to reduce spending on low-performing ads.

Bidding on Branded Search Terms

Branded terms are those with your company or unique product name in them, like “HubSpot CRM.” There is much debate on whether to bid on your branded terms or not. On one side of the debate, bidding on terms that will likely yield organic results could be seen as a waste of money.

On the other side, bidding on these terms gives you domain over these search results pages and helps you convert prospects that are further along the flywheel. For instance, if I’ve been doing research on live chat tools and am heavily considering HubSpot’s Live Chat, then a simple search for “HubSpot live chat software” will yield exactly the result I’m looking for without the effort of scrolling.

The other argument in favor of bidding on your branded terms is that competitors may bid on them if you don’t, thereby taking up valuable real estate that should belong to you.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

If the idea of spending money to convert prospects into leads makes you uneasy, then you can set a CPA instead and only pay when a user converts into a customer. While this bidding strategy could cost more, you can take comfort in knowing that you only pay when you acquire a paying customer. This strategy makes it easy to track and justify your ad spend.

Additional Resources to Optimize Your Google Ads

Your ad copy and headline is not the only component that will make your paid campaign successful. Getting a user to click is only the beginning … they should arrive on a landing page that’s optimized for conversion and then be taken to a Thank You page that tells them what to do next.

If you want your Google Ads to produce qualified leads and customers, then check out these additional resources and use them as guidelines as you set up your Google Ads campaign.

Start Your Campaign

Given its reach and authority, Google Ads should be a part of your paid strategy. Use the tips we covered to get started, and remember to refine and iterate as you go. There’s no such thing as a Google Ads campaign that doesn’t work — there are only ones that need a bit more work. Using the strategy and information provided above, you have what you need to create a successful Google Ad campaign that drives clicks and converts leads.

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Originally published Sep 27, 2019 1:29:00 PM, updated April 27 2020

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What is Digital Marketing Overview Resources

Paid Search

Paid search, or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, typically refers to the “sponsored result” on the top or side of a search engine results page (SERP). You only pay when your ad is clicked. You can tailor your PPC ads to appear when specific search terms are entered, creating ads that are targeted to a particular audience.

PPC ads are flexible, visible, and most importantly, effective for many different types of organizations. They are also contextual advertisements—ads that appear when a person is searching for a particular keyword or term.

Learn More

Search Engine Optimization

Learn More

Simply put, search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing the content, technical set-up, and reach of your website so that your pages appear at the top of a search engine result for a specific set of keyword terms. Ultimately, the goal is to attract visitors to your website when they search for products, services, or information related to your business.

SEO can almost be viewed as a set of best practices for good digital marketing. It enforces the need for a well-constructed and easy-to-use website, valuable and engaging content, and the credibility for other websites and individuals to recommend you by linking to your site or mentioning it in social media posts.

of all the clicks are from the first 5 listings on a search results page

of searches resulted in a page one Google organic click.

Content Marketing

Have you heard the expression, “Content is king?” If not, you have now. Great content is the fuel that drives your digital marketing activities:

  • It is a key pillar of modern SEO
  • It helps you get noticed on social media
  • It gives you something of value to offer customers in emails and paid search ads

Creating clever content that is not promotional in nature, but instead educates and inspires, is tough but well worth the effort. Offering content that is relevant to your audience helps them see you as a valuable source of information. On top of that, resourceful content makes it less likely that they will tune you out.

Learn More

Social Media Marketing

Learn More

People aren’t just watching cat videos and posting selfies on social media these days. Many rely on social networks to discover, research, and educate themselves about a brand before engaging with that organization. For marketers, it’s not enough to just post on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. You must also weave social elements into every aspect of your marketing and create more peer-to-peer sharing opportunities. The more your audience wants to engage with your content, the more likely it is that they will want to share it. This ultimately leads to them becoming a customer. And as an added bonus, they will hopefully influence their friends to become customers, too.

of all Internet users are on Facebook.

of product purchases are Pinterest pinned

Research from jeffbullas.com

Email Marketing

Email has been around for more than two decades, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It’s still the quickest and most direct way to reach customers with critical information. The reason is simple: Consumers are very attached to their emails. Just ask yourself how many times you have checked your email in the past hour…See what we mean?

But great marketers know that not just any email will do. Successful email campaigns must be engaging, relevant, informative, and entertaining. To succeed, your marketing emails should satisfy these five core attributes:

  • Trustworthy
  • Relevant
  • Conversational
  • Be coordinated across channels
  • Strategic 

 

Learn More

Mobile Marketing

As mobile devices become an increasingly integral part of our lives, it’s vital that marketers understand how to effectively communicate on this unique and extremely personal channel. Mobile devices are kept in our pockets, sit next to our beds, and are checked constantly throughout the day. This makes marketing on mobile incredibly important but also very nuanced.

From SMS and MMS to in-app marketing, there are many ways to market on mobile devices, so finding the right method for your particular business is key. Beyond the mechanisms to deliver your message, you also need to think about coordination of your marketing across digital channels and make sure mobile is a part of that mix.

 

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Marketing Automation

Marketing automation is an integral platform that ties all of your digital marketing together. Without it, your campaigns will look like an unfinished puzzle with a crucial missing piece. Marketing automation software streamlines and automates marketing tasks and workflows. Most importantly, it measures the results and ROI of your digital campaigns, helping you to grow revenue faster.

When used effectively, marketing automation will help you gain much-needed insight into which programs are working and which aren’t. It will give you the metrics needed to speak confidently about digital marketing’s impact on the bottom line.

 

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Understanding Managed IT Services The Definitive Guide

What are Managed Services?

Managed IT Services are the practice of augmenting or replacing management of business functions by a third-party contractor. In the last 10+ years, managed services have grown exponentially, particularly within the IT industry. Here, managed services often include the management of technologies such as core network, telephony and data center and, in the case of legacy managed services, usually consist of core IT maintenance responsibilities like break/fix and patch management.

What are Managed Service Providers?

A Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a company that owns and remotely manages a technology or service, and allows the use of said technology or service to any customer through a subscription.

The Growth of the Managed Services Market

MSPs are growing by leaps and bounds. According to Gartner, in 2017, the managed services industry has grown by 2.7% so far. Markets and Markets on the other hand, predicts that the Managed IT sector growth will hit a whopping $257.84 Billion by 2022. With a consistently growing demand for managed services, solutions providers are heavily investing in their infrastructure to ensure cutting-edge technologies and quality services to customers.

Top 5 Reasons to Use Managed IT Services

While managed services are not a one-size-fits-all solution, they do offer a clear-cut solution to a number of significant business challenges faced by organizations of all shapes and sizes, including:

managed it services

  1. High Hardware Costs: Technology architectures are incredibly expensive to buy, with no guarantees they won’t be obsolete within two years.
  2. Increasingly Specialized Technologies: Traditionally, companies could hire a handful of IT staff to build, manage, and troubleshoot problems across the entire IT enterprise. Now, in order to ensure high performance and availability, IT teams are built for each IT function (ex. data center, security, etc.).
  3. Cost of Qualified Personnel: IT personnel are in high demand… and they don’t come cheap.
  4. Scarcity of Qualified Personnel: Even if you do have an IT team, do you have enough? Are the people you do have completely up to their ears with maintenance?
  5. Opportunity Cost of Constant Maintenance: If unencumbered by maintenance, members of your IT team could focus on business enhancing projects such as updating your CRM or developing new lead generation analytics, etc.

Top Complaints About Managed Services

Managed Service Providers offer a convenient and affordable way to help businesses run smoothly. Yet, in an effort to maximize profits, while reducing their own resource investment, many MSPs have taken some shortcuts:

  1. Inflexible programs: Some service providers create rigid program specifications, at the customers expense. Flexibility is sometimes why the customer turned to Managed Services in the first place.
  2. Low Touch Customer Service: With stringent communication channels, some MSPs can automate away access to human experts.

Are All MSPs The Same?

Similar to the car industry, there is an MSP for every type of consumer. With different brands, technologies, sizes, performance requirements, there will always be options. Ultimately, choosing the right MSP comes down to the types of services you want and the scope of your project.
However, keep in mind that there are three general types of MSPs: Traditional, Advanced and NextGen depending on what level of engagement you are looking for.

Traditional Managed Services

As the go-to reactive service model, Traditional Managed services can easily help with break/fix support such as network interruptions or failures.

Incident & Problem Management: This is the core framework for restoring normal service as quickly as possible. Please note that Traditional MSPs usually do not include more time-consuming services like root cause analysis, which is critical to determine why things went wrong in the first place. Root Cause Analysis is part of most NextGen Managed Service offerings.

System Administration: System Administration is the complete management and optimization of a customer’s designated technology infrastructure. When employed correctly, System Administration can allow IT staff to focus on key strategic areas within their organization.

Patch Management: Comprehensive planning and execution of updates to software to ensure patches are tested, scheduled and rolled-out in a timely manner, without adversely impacting users.

Advanced Managed Services

Beyond Traditional Managed Services, Advanced Managed Services offer proactive services to anticipate problems before they occur and keep your network from going down in the first place.

Enhanced Monitoring: Enhanced Monitoring is all about identifying potential issues before they escalate into full-blown incidents. Most of the time an appliance is inserted into the network to enable the system to actively listen and report status 24 x 7 x 365.

Service Management: Service Management provides a robust reporting, notification and communication platform to ensure real-time visibility into your covered systems and detailed lifecycle tracking of each incident or service ticket.

NextGen Managed Services

Driven by demand for more customizable programs, better customer service and robust relationships with their MSPs, NextGen Managed Services are the natural evolution of the managed service industry.

Rather than marketing and selling a predefined set of packages, NextGen MSPs seek to understand each client, gain insight on business goals and performance indicators, resources, and of course, core technologies. Only then can they construct a package for that individual client. NextGen Managed Services may include:

NEXT GEN MANAGED SERVICES INFOGRAPHICHigh-Touch Consultative Services: With High-Touch Consultative Services come a more engaged human-to-human partnership. NextGen MSPs offer a range of industry experts who can seamlessly blend themselves into your team. By working hand-in-hand with your own staff, NextGen MSPs gain a clear, common understanding of your business goals, strategies and resources to define optimal standard operating procedures.

Client Success Advocate: The Client Success Advocate (CSA) is a fundamental role in every NextGen MSP. The CSA is ultimately responsible for MSP-Client success. The CSA fully engages with the Client’s IT and business teams to ensure ongoing communications and a collaborative workflow.

Enterprise Lifecycle Management (Lifecycle): A Lifecycle Program is how your NextGen MSP makes your technology roadmap come to life. Essentially, a Lifecycle program helps you understand new and existing technologies and platforms, and how / when they can best serve your
organization. Ultimately, it’s about enabling your business through technology.

Enterprise Adoption Management: Adoption Management is the process of making sure that your organization is getting the most of the technologies you’ve invested in. Whether it is training your staff on the capabilities of a new Contact Center solution, ensuring best practices, or monitoring and reporting, Adoption Management makes sure you are getting the most out of your resources.

Enterprise Security Audit: With an ever-growing number of threats, enterprise security is paramount. Security Audit allows an industry expert to take a holistic view of your security infrastructure. If there are any lapses or organizational blind spots, the audit can identify risks and outline necessary steps to remediate.

A True MSP Partner

There are many MSPs out there offering a variety of services, to be consumed in a variety of ways. Many are genuine Value Added Partners. Some are mere service vendors with whom your relationship goes as far as your check does every month. So how do you distinguish a true partner from a vendor?

An ideal managed IT services partner is one who gives you sound advice, challenges you, offers honest critique even at their own detriment. An ideal partner is one who is transparent in all their dealings with you and, most importantly, treats your sensitive issues, shutdowns or hiccups affecting your business, as their own.

At VOX, we believe that through creating committed partnerships, engaging in our communities and empowering individuals to have a stake in the process, we create a collaborative prosperity that positively affects people, businesses and the world.

For more information about Managed Services, please get in touch with VOX Network Solutions today.

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How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost in 2020

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  • Managed IT Cost 2019

The process of hiring or changing IT providers can be a difficult one, with a lot of unknowns related to prices and services.  At Capital Network Solutions (CNS), one of the first questions we invariably receive from potential customers is:

How much does a managed IT services plan cost and what does it cover?

There is no simple answer to this question.  As with buying a car, there are many variables and add-ons to consider when pricing IT plans.  In this article, we will shed some light on a murky situation by looking at the various costs and services that come with outsourcing your IT department.

At CNS, we have 30 years of experience providing managed IT services and security solutions to businesses throughout the Sacramento area and across the western United States.  We have a unique insight into industry-standard IT costs, as well as the services and support you should expect to receive for your money.

What are “Managed IT Services”?

Most small and medium-sized businesses lack the resources to staff their own IT departments.  At the same time, putting your entire business environment in the hands of a single employee with limited skills and extensive legacy knowledge also presents a dicey situation.

Essentially an outsourced IT department, a managed service provider takes responsibility for your online environment.  Instead of paying out-of-pocket for a break/fix service every time something goes wrong, a managed IT services provider monitors your system comprehensively and deals with problems proactively.

Different tiers of services, support and software get supplied for a monthly fee, maximizing uptime and productivity while allowing you to focus on your core business goals.  Not only does a managed IT services plan provide a comprehensive IT solution that mitigates risks of internal and external threats, but the flat monthly fees also make it easier to budget for IT-related costs.

However, every business has slightly different needs, which is why there are different types of managed IT subscription plans on the market, usually with customization options to ensure an ideal fit for your organization.

Contact CNS to Learn More

What questions should you ask before hiring a managed service provider?

When it comes to managed IT support, one size does not fit all.  The goal should not be to cram your organization into a glass slipper, but rather to find a managed services plan that makes the most sense for your business needs.

Here are some questions that every business should ask itself before signing up for a managed IT services plan:

  1. How many people do you employ?
  2. Do you have dedicated IT personnel on staff?
  3. Does the business have an on-premises server and how much data is in use?
  4. Do you handle sensitive data or need to meet any regulatory compliance requirements (e.g., PCI, HIPAA or SOC)?
  5. Would you prefer to pay a flat monthly amount for an all-you-can-eat plan, or would you prefer a lower monthly fee with unpredictable charges?

The answers to these questions will help determine which type of managed IT subscription plans, if any, works best for your business.

You should also insist on transparency from any managed service provider that you consider.  For example, here are some questions you should ask your potential managed service provider:

  1. Do they have a local office?
  2. Will they provide onsite and offsite support?
  3. Do they offer multiple types of plans with customization options, or is it one-size-fits-all?
  4. Did they outline your prices and services in full in a service level agreement?
  5. Do they provide 24/7 help desk support?

If you want reliable and affordable IT security and support for your Sacramento business, call CNS at (916) 366-6566.

What managed IT plan works best for your business?

Most managed IT services plans fall into one of two buckets: partially managed or fully managed.

Think of it as the difference between an a la carte menu and an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Partially Managed = A La Carte Support

Managed IT Cost

  • Generally intended for medium-sized to large businesses with some dedicated IT personnel on staff.
  • This type of plan usually gets priced per device.
  • There is a lower monthly minimum charge, but under this type of plan, you pay an additional hourly rate for help desk and onsite support.
  • Because support is a billable charge, help desk calls usually need to be approved by an authorized gatekeeper. Every call to the help desk becomes a mini “business decision,” which prevents problems from getting fixed and elongates downtime.

Fully Managed = All-You-Can-Eat Support

  • Generally intended for small to medium-sized businesses with no dedicated IT personnel on staff.
  • This type of plan usually gets priced per end user.
  • There is typically a higher monthly minimum charge, but under this type of plan, you get unlimited 24X7 help desk and onsite support for a flat rate.
  • Because support is free, any of your employees can call the help desk at any time to have their issue resolved, which severely minimizes downtime.

What maintenance services get included in managed IT plans?

Of course, not every managed service provider perfectly fits this two-tier mold.  For example, some providers may include unlimited help desk support while charging an hourly rate for onsite support.

In general, though, there is one main difference between the a la carte costs of most partially managed plans and the all-you-can-eat fees of most fully managed plans. That difference is the price of help desk support.

Both types of plans tend to include these services:

  • Managed workstations and servers
  • System administration
  • User and device administration
  • Windows security patching
  • Antivirus subscription and monitoring
  • Around-the-clock server and network monitoring
  • Data protection, including onsite and offsite backup

While businesses on partially managed plans pay by the hour for support, an all-you-can-eat plan includes free help desk support for the following issues:

  • Workstation hardware issues
  • Workstation slowness
  • Application issues
  • Network or internet service issues
  • Software upgrades and patching
  • Installation of desktop printers and scanners, monitors, external drives and other USB devices
  • Onsite support
  • Unlimited 24/7 help desk support calls

What other IT factors affect pricing?

In addition to everything listed above, some services may require an additional charge, even for businesses on a fully managed IT services plan.  These include such servi
ces as:

  • New hardware and software installations
  • Work on a personal computing system
  • Moving employees’ computers
  • Reassigning computers to new or other employees
  • Installation of network-enabled printers
  • Upgrade or installation of major line-of-business applications
  • Installation of new servers, networking devices and wireless access points
  • Advanced endpoint and network security
  • Annual security audits

How does the cost of outsourcing IT services compare to the cost of hiring an in-house “IT guy”?

Most small and medium-sized businesses cannot justify the cost of hiring an IT professional to maintain their network security and provide help desk support.  Full-time IT professionals usually make $40,000 to $60,000 per year, with an additional 10 percent going toward payroll taxes and benefits.

By contrast, the average all-you-can-eat managed IT services plan costs less than $30,000 a year.

For that money, you get a fully staffed and trained IT department.

Additionally, when your business goes through a significant upgrade or inevitably stumbles upon an unsolvable problem, you will incur additional costs by contracting with an outside IT services provider.

In other words, subscribing to a managed IT services plan ultimately reduces out-of-pocket expenses, expands security and support and cuts out the middlemen.

What is involved in the initial setup process?

At Capital Network Solutions, these are the first things we do when a new client signs up for one of our managed IT services plans:

  • Install CNS management software
  • Install antivirus software
  • Set up and configure data backup hardware
  • Perform basic site assessment and needs analysis
  • Perform information gathering and documentation

Call Capital Network Solutions at (916) 366-6566 to set up a free consultation.  Whether you sign up for one of our managed IT services plans or not, we can answer your questions and help guide you through the process.

By Daniel Barnes|2020-03-19T09:49:06-07:00March 1st, 2020|IT Support and Managed Services|Comments Off on How Much Do Managed IT Services Cost in 2020?

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What Information Technology Professionals Do for Their Work and Career

The terms “information technology” and “IT” are widely used in business and the field of computing. People use the terms generically when referring to various kinds of computer-related work, which sometimes confuses their meaning.

A 1958 article in Harvard Business Review referred to information technology as consisting of three basic parts: computational data processing, decision support, and business software. This time period marked the beginning of IT as an officially defined area of business; in fact, this article probably coined the term.

Over the ensuing decades, many corporations created so-called “IT departments” to manage the computer technologies related to their business. Whatever these departments worked on became the de facto definition of Information Technology, one that has evolved over time. Today, IT departments have responsibilities in areas like computer tech support, business computer network and database administration, business software deployment, and information security.

Especially during the dot-com boom of the 1990s, Information Technology also became associated with aspects of computing beyond those owned by IT departments. This broader definition of IT includes areas like software development, computer systems architecture, and project management.

Job posting sites commonly use IT as a category in their databases. The category includes a wide range of jobs across architecture, engineering and administration functions. People with jobs in these areas typically have college degrees in computer science and/or information systems. They may also possess related industry certifications. Short courses in IT basics can be also be found online and are especially useful for those who want to get some exposure to the field before committing to it as a career.

A career in Information Technology can involve working in or leading IT departments, product development teams, or research groups. Having success in this job field requires a combination of both technical and business skills.

Network Cables in Server Room Network Cables in Server Room. Michael Bocchieri / Getty Images

  • As computing systems and capabilities continue expanding worldwide, “data overload” has become an increasingly critical issue for many IT professionals. Efficiently processing huge amounts of data to produce useful business intelligence requires large amounts of processing power, sophisticated software, and human analytic skills.
  • Teamwork and communication skills have also become essential for most businesses to manage the complexity of IT systems. Many IT professionals are responsible for providing service to business users who are not trained in computer networking or other information technologies but who are instead interested in simply using IT as a tool to get their work done efficiently.
  • System and network security issues are a primary concern for many business executives, as any security incident can potentially damage a company’s reputation and cost large sums of money.

Because networks play a central role in the operation of many companies, business computer networking topics tend to be closely associated with Information Technology. Networking trends that play a key role in IT include:

  • Network capacity and performance: The popularity of online video has greatly increased the demand for network bandwidth both on the Internet and on IT networks. New types of software applications that support richer graphics and deeper interaction with computers also tend to generate larger amounts of data and hence network traffic. Information technology teams must plan appropriately not just for their company’s current needs but also this future growth.
  • Mobile and wireless usages: IT network administrators must now support a wide array of smartphones and tablets in addition to traditional PCs and workstations. IT environments tend to require high-performance wireless hotspots with roaming capability. In larger office buildings, deployments are carefully planned and tested to eliminate dead spots and signal interference.
  • Cloud services: Whereas IT shops in the past maintained their own server farms for hosting email and business databases, some have migrated to cloud computing environments where third-party hosting providers maintain the data. This change in computing model dramatically changes the patterns of traffic on a company network, but it also requires significant effort in training employees on this new breed of applications.

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Microsoft Office 2019 Microsoft 365


Microsoft Office 2019 | Microsoft 365

For customers who aren’t ready for the cloud, Office 2019 is the next on-premises version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, Visio, Access, and Publisher.1

Photograph of a group of coworkers in a conference room on a video call

Create presentations, data models, and reports with tools and capabilities like PowerPoint Morph, new chart types in Excel, and improved inking across apps.

A tablet displaying a presentation in Microsoft PowerPointA tablet or laptop screen displaying Focus mode in Microsoft Word

Manage your time, email, and contacts more easily with features like Focused Inbox, travel and delivery summary cards in Outlook, and Focus Mode in Word.

Microsoft Teams brings all your groups and resources together in one place.

Learn more

Stay connected to what’s important–like your files and projects–anywhere, on any device.

Learn more

Need help? Get access to call or chat support around the clock with Microsoft 365 experts.

Learn more

  • $249.99

    (one-time purchase)

    Buy now

    Partial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartially includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedIncluded

      • Fully-installed and always up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for Windows or Mac

        Included

      • Devices per license2

        1 PC or Mac

      • Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote

      • Real-time coauthoring so multiple users can work in the same document, simultaneously

      • Fully installed and always up-to-date versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote for iOS, Android, or Windows mobile devices

      • Each user can install the Office apps on up to 5 phones and 5 tablets2

      • 1 TB of OneDrive storage for file storage and sharing

      • Work on a file and save it directly to OneDrive or SharePoint; your changes are updated across your synched devices.

      • Share files with external contacts by providing access or guest links

      • Securely share documents and send emails so only those with the right permissions can access the information

      • Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices

      • Meets key international, regional, and industry-specific standards and terms, with more than 1,000 security and privacy controls

      • Control who and when someone has access to your business information with security groups and custom permissions

      • Create password policies that require users to reset their passwords after a specified number of days.

      • Around the clock phone and online support

      • 99.9% financially backed service uptime guarantee

      • Maximum number of users

        1 PC/Mac

      • Email hosting with 50 GB mailbox

      • Use your own custom domain name (e.g. [email protected])

      • Business-class email on phones, tablets, desktops, and the web with Exchange

      • Manage your calendar, share available meeting times, schedule meetings, and get reminders

      • Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars

      • Host online meetings and video calls for up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams3

      • Chat with your team from your desktop or on the go with Microsoft Teams

      • Bring together all your team’s chats, meetings, files, and apps so you can easily connect and collaborate from one place with Microsoft Teams

      • Create team sites to share information, content, and files throughout your intranet using SharePoint

      • Plan schedules and daily tasks with Microsoft Teams

      • Make it easier for your customers to schedule and manage appointments with Microsoft Bookings

      • Have real-time, accurate mileage tracking and reporting in the palm of your hand with MileIQ

  • $8.25 user/month

    (annual commitment)

    Buy now

    Partial checkmark
 icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartially includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedIncluded

      • Fully-installed and always up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for Windows or Mac

        Included

        Plus Access and Publisher (for PC only)

      • Devices per license2

        5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 mobile devices

      • Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote

        Included

      • Real-time coauthoring so multiple users can work in the same document, simultaneously

        Included

      • Fully installed and always up-to-date versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote for iOS, Android, or Windows mobile devices

        Included

      • Each user can install the Office apps on up to 5 phones and 5 tablets2

        Included

      • 1 TB of OneDrive storage for file storage and sharing

        Included

      • Work on a file and save it directly to OneDrive or SharePoint; your changes are updated across your synched devices.

        Included

      • Share files with external contacts by providing access or guest links

        Included

      • Securely share documents and send emails so only those with the right permissions can access the information

        Included

      • Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices

        Included

      • Meets key international, regional, and industry-specific standards and terms, with more than 1,000 security and privacy controls

        Included

      • Control who and when someone has access to your business information with security groups and custom permissions

        Included

      • Create password policies that require users to reset their passwords after a specified number of days.

        Included

      • Around the clock phone and online support

        Included

      • 99.9% financially backed service uptime guarantee

        Included

      • Maximum number of users

      • Email hosting with 50 GB mailbox

      • Use your own custom domain name (e.g. [email protected])

      • Business-class email on phones, tablets, desktops, and the web with Exchange

      • Manage your calendar, share available meeting times, schedule meetings, and get reminders

      • Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars

      • Host online meetings and video calls for up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams3

      • Chat with your team from your desktop or on the go with Microsoft Teams

      • Bring together all your team’s chats, meetings, files, and apps so you can easily connect and collaborate from one place with Microsoft Teams

      • Create team sites to share information, content, and files throughout your intranet using SharePoint

      • Plan schedules and daily tasks with Microsoft Teams

      • Make it easier for your customers to schedule and manage appointments with Microsoft Bookings

      • Have real-time, accurate mileage tracking and reporting in the palm of your hand with MileIQ

  • $12.50 user/month

    (annual commitment)

    Buy now

    Partial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartially includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedIncluded

      • Fully-installed and always up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPo
        int for Windows or Mac

        Included

        Plus Access and Publisher (for PC only)

      • Devices per license2

        5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 mobile devices

      • Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote

        Included

        Plus a web version of Outlook

      • Real-time coauthoring so multiple users can work in the same document, simultaneously

        Included

      • Fully installed and always up-to-date versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote for iOS, Android, or Windows mobile devices

        Included

      • Each user can install the Office apps on up to 5 phones and 5 tablets2

        Included

      • 1 TB of OneDrive storage for file storage and sharing

        Included

      • Work on a file and save it directly to OneDrive or SharePoint; your changes are updated across your synched devices.

        Included

      • Share files with external contacts by providing access or guest links

        Included

      • Securely share documents and send emails so only those with the right permissions can access the information

        Included

      • Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices

        Included

      • Meets key international, regional, and industry-specific standards and terms, with more than 1,000 security and privacy controls

        Included

      • Control who and when someone has access to your business information with security groups and custom permissions

        Included

      • Create password policies that require users to reset their passwords after a specified number of days.

        Included

      • Around the clock phone and online support

        Included

      • 99.9% financially backed service uptime guarantee

        Included

      • Maximum number of users

      • Email hosting with 50 GB mailbox

        Included

      • Use your own custom domain name (e.g. [email protected])

        Included

      • Business-class email on phones, tablets, desktops, and the web with Exchange

        Included

      • Manage your calendar, share available meeting times, schedule meetings, and get reminders

        Included

      • Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars

        Included

      • Host online meetings and video calls for up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams3

        Included

      • Chat with your team from your desktop or on the go with Microsoft Teams

        Included

      • Bring together all your team’s chats, meetings, files, and apps so you can easily connect and collaborate from one place with Microsoft Teams

        Included

      • Create team sites to share information, content, and files throughout your intranet using SharePoint

        Included

      • Plan schedules and daily tasks with Microsoft Teams

        Included

      • Make it easier for your customers to schedule and manage appointments with Microsoft Bookings

        Included

      • Have real-time, accurate mileage tracking and reporting in the palm of your hand with MileIQ

        Included

 

Office Home & Business 2019 Microsoft 365 Apps for business Microsoft 365 Business Standard
 

$249.99

(one-time purchase)

$8.25 user/month

(annual commitment)

$12.50 user/month

(annual commitment)

Partial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartial checkmark icons indicate a feature is partially includedPartially includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedCheckmark icons indicate a feature is includedIncluded

Buy now

Buy now

Buy now

Included

Included

Included

Fully-installed and always up-to-date versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint for Windows or Mac

Included

Included

Plus Access and Publisher (for PC only)

Included

Plus Access and Publisher (for PC only)

Devices per license2

1 PC or Mac

5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 mobile devices

5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets and 5 mobile devices

Included

Included

Included

Included

Included

Included

Included

Web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote

Included

Included

Plus a web version of Outlook

Real-time coauthoring so multiple users can work in the same document, simultaneously

Included

Included

Included

Included

Fully installed and always up-to-date versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote for iOS, Android, or Windows mobile devices

Included

Included

Each user can install the Office apps on up to 5 phones and 5 tablets2

Included

Included

Included

Included

1 TB of OneDrive storage for file storage and sharing

Included

Included

Work on a file and save it directly to OneDrive or SharePoint; your changes are updated across your synched devices.

Included

Included

Share files with external contacts by providing access or guest links

Included

Included

Securely share documents and send emails so only those with the right permissions can access the information

Included

Included

Access and sync files on PC or Mac and mobile devices

Included

Included

Included

Included

Meets key international, regional, and industry-specific standards and terms, with more than 1,000 security and privacy controls

Included

Included

Control who and when someone has access to your business information with security groups and custom permissions

Included

Included

Create password policies that require users to reset their passwords after a specified number of days.

Included

Included

This feature is partially included

Included

Included

Around the clock phone and online support

Included

Included

99.9% financially backed service uptime guarantee

Included

Included

Maximum number of users

1 PC/Mac

Included

Email hosting with 50 GB mailbox

Included

Use your own custom domain name (e.g. [email protected])

Included

Business-class email on phones, tablets, desktops, and the web with Exchange

Included

Manage your calendar, share available meeting times, schedule meetings, and get reminders

Included

Schedule meetings and respond to invitations with ease using shared calendars

Included

Included

Host online meetings and video calls for up to 250 people with Microsoft Teams3

Included

Chat with your team from your desktop or on the go with Microsoft Teams

Included

Bring together all your team’s chats, meetings, files, and apps so you can easily connect and collaborate from one place with Microsoft Teams

Included

Create team sites to share information, content, and files throughout your intranet using SharePoint

Included

Included

Plan schedules and daily tasks with Microsoft Teams

Included

Make it easier for your customers to schedule and manage appointments with Microsoft Bookings

Included

Have real-time, accurate mileage tracking and reporting in the palm of your hand with MileIQ

Included

1. Project 2019, Visio 2019, Access 2019, and Publisher 2019 are for Windows only. Office 2019 customers will get access to OneNote. For more details, see here.
2. Compatible with Windows 10 or later. For complete requirements for PC and Mac, see system requirements.
3. This plan works with Office 2019, Office 2016, and Office 2013. Previous versions of Office, such as Office 2010, may work with Office 365 with reduced functionality. This compatibility with Office does not include the Office 365 F3 plans.
4. After your 1-month free trial, you will be charged the applicable subscription fee. Credit card required. Cancel any time to stop future charges.

 

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