Why You Should Be Using Dropbox

Dropbox is a freemium service which creates a backup of files in the cloud and makes them available online and on any number of devices with the Dropbox application installed and your credentials used. As an example, at any one time I have Dropbox installed on up to 3 different computers and a mobile phone. Every single file within Dropbox is available on any of these pieces of hardware and is backed up for 4 – 6 weeks after deletion in case restoration is needed.

Why use Dropbox

The primary benefit of Dropbox is the safety of files. Never before has it been so simple to make regular backups of files! All you have to do is save a file in Dropbox and it will upload it to the server. Any time you modify the file, a revision is saved and hidden which can be restored. So if you’ve overwritten an important document and didn’t realise a week later, it’s easy to head to the Dropbox website, click the file and revert it to a previous version.

Other than the primary benefit there are a wide array of other benefits including the ability to synchronise a group of files on multiple machines, all available to you at any given time. It means that if the internet is ever down, the files will be available on all of the machines that have downloaded the file and as soon as the internet is back on, it’ll be uploaded.

Using Dropbox to improve your business

One of the most difficult things in a business is the intranet and “where to store files” in general. Dropbox completely removes the problem with where to store files, because it gives everyone in the business somewhere to share and distribute files instantly. A quick discussion or brainstorming session allows the company to devise a file structure, then everyone installs Dropbox on their machines and they’re ready.

From experience, one of the most useful things for myself and everyone else working for and with Digital Online Marketing has been the ease of sharing files and folders with Dropbox. If you want to share a file with a client, you can drag it into your Public folder, right-click and press “Copy Public Link”. If you’d like to share an entire folder for any length of time, just right click a folder and press “Share this folder…”, meaning you can share files with a client (and them share with you) seamlessly, improving efficiency massively.

Go get it

Dropbox is essentially a folder on your computer no different to “My Documents”. The ease of use paired with all of the above means there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be using it. You should go to the Dropbox website and start using it right now. If you have any problems, advice or just need a hand please leave a comment on this post or send us a tweet.