Google has extended far beyond its core search business to provide a variety of new services, including free email, Web hosting, and business applications. It only makes sense to pay attention to what Google has to offer and take advantage of the services that can help you. Google is constantly expanding its services and acquiring new technologies.There is also the important matter of your time and energy. The truth is that if you look through all of the services and utilities made available by Google (a list that seems to grow all the time), you’ll find many more than 20 tools. Learning to make the most of what these services have to offer can make a difference to anyone wanting to get a new online business off the ground or improve the reach and success level of an existing small- to medium-size company. Here is a list of 20 of the tools you’re likely to find most useful:

1. Google’s search service. Google indexes and organizes the contents of the Web in a huge database; it’s this database that you use to search the Web.

2. AdWords. This is a paid search placement program; you create ads and bid on how much you’ll pay for each click the ad attracts. Each time someone
clicks on your ad, you gain a potential customer or client.

3. AdSense. This program enables blog and Web site owners to run targeted ads alongside their content; the content of the ads is intended to complement what you’ve published yourself .

4. Google Apps. This service provides you with a domain name (for a one-time $10 fee) and enables you to use a suite of business applications, which multiple users can access.

5. Google Docs & Spreadsheets. This exciting and easy-to-use service gives you a word processor and a spreadsheet application that you can use and access for free.

6. Google Calendar. A default calendar is created for you when you sign up for Google Apps; you can also create custom calendars and even embed calendars in Web pages.

7. Gmail. Google’s e-mail application comes with lots of storage space and an integrated chat client to boot.

8. Google Talk. Google’s chat application lets you send instant messages and even conduct real-time voice conversations through your computer.

9. Google Page Creator. This Web page editing tool lets you create your own Web site to go along with your Google Apps domain name.

10. Blogger. Google’s popular, and free, blogging services lets you create your own Web-based diary, complete with an index, an archive, and a comments feature.

11. Checkout, Google Product Search, Catalogs. These three Google services help commercial businesses sell products online.

12. Google Base. A growing number of entrepreneurs are posting merchandise, property, services, jobs, and lots of other things for sale in this Web publishing area.

13. Google Gadgets. These easy-to-implement bits of Web content can make your Web site more valuable and attract more repeat visits.

14. Analytics, Trends. These two analytical tools provide you with information about visits to your own Web site and trends in Web searches, respectively.

15. Desktop, Toolbar. These two tools help you search more effectively, both through files on your own computer and your local network (Desktop) as well as the wider Internet (Toolbar).

16. Picasa. This powerful photo viewing and editing tool automatically organizes all the files on your desktop and lets you edit them as well.

17. News, Book Search. These tools provide businesspeople with important up-to the-minute data they need to keep on top of trends and events.

18. Google Apps Premium. This corporate version of Google Apps guarantees nearly 24/7 reliability and gives businesses the ability to write custom programs that interface with Google’s services.

19. Gmail Mobile and SMS. These tools let busy professionals search Google and exchange messages when they’re on the road.

20. Google Pack. This suite of applications will boost the functionality of virtually any workstation.