Digital media, as it currently stands, denotes an essential change from traditional media because it is mainly characterized by publicizing content on the Internet. It includes different media content, namely text-based articles and rich audio-visuals. However, the expanse of the digital media profession influences how to prioritize digital media sources and the type of information created for the targeted audience.
Digital media goes beyond using digital tools and includes a profound shift in how professionals work and think. This article highlights and discusses the essential tools for digital media professionals.
Digital Media Tools
The arrival of the digital era led to the invention of different online tools, which outdid the customary typewriter or other writing materials. The following digital media revolutionized the way professionals explore things, confirm facts, obtain information, and improve the reliability and accuracy of information.
Search Engines
Digital media professionals use advanced search methods and search engines such as Mozilla, Opera Mini, Explorer, Edge, Bing, and Google to find web materials. These tools rank and index online web pages through algorithms that depend on relevancy and help them locate the required materials.
Nonetheless, Startpage and DuckDuckGo are new search engines focusing on ensuring user privacy. The search engines enable such professionals to find more precise results from their searches. For example, such professionals can use Boolean operators and specialty search engines like Google Scholar, Google News or Bing News.
Online Archives and Databases
Digital media experts use scholarly websites, including the Directory of Open Access Journals, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ERIC, to search for and access different research works or publications, such as peer-reviewed articles, Newspapers, books, bulletins, Magazines, and journals that aid comprehensive study.
The databases use advanced search features, such as publication years, publisher, writer titles or names, and search words or keywords, to assist scholars and other audiences in finding documents easily.
Fact-Finding Software and Sites
Digital media includes search engines like Google Fact Check Explorer, Wayback Machine, InVID, TinEye, Webqoof, Boom, Altnews, and Vishwas, which help professionals locate information regarding discredited claims. These tools guarantee the trustworthiness and accuracy of the information obtained from online sources.
Writing and Editing Programs
Digital Writing Tools
Digital media professionals use online writing tools such as Grammarly to check and fix delivery faults, engagement, clarity, punctuation, grammar, plagiarism, and spelling mistakes in English documents.
Besides, Google Docs are mainly used for real-time collaboration, as they make it easier for digital media professionals to share feedback instantly, edit in real-time, and collaborate.
File Format Creation and Editing Tools
Digital media professionals use file formats, such as CDR, PNG, and JPG, which are widely supported and compatible with most devices and online platforms. Such file formats can be easily created or converted using online tools such as Canva, Convertjack, GIMP, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere, iMovie, and Wondershare Filmora. Online tools efficiently and accurately convert most file formats, including Jpgtocdr, without downloading and installing them.
Social Media Tools
The emergence of digital media brought about many social media platforms and programs, such as X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, WeChat, Google Trends, YouTube, and Instagram.
Such platforms assist users in producing, collecting, transferring, or sharing digital media content or stories. Social media tools further help professionals network, enhance society’s communications or activities, and advertise products or services.
Data Analysis and Visualization Software
Gathering and interpreting raw data can often be overwhelming and difficult. However, digital media tools like Google Data Studio, Power BI, Tableau, Venngage, Piktochart, Canva, Prezi, Microsoft PowerPoint Online, Excel, and Google Slides help professionals organize their work and simplify tasks.
Audio Tools
Podcasters and transcribers use online tools such as Audacity, GarageBand, Tascam DR-40X, Zoom H5, Descript, Otter.ai, Free Sound, and Audio Jungle, which offer various features, such as music tracks, ambient sound, and sound effects, to aid audio creation.
Tools For Safeguarding Communication
Digital media is vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. However, tools have been invented to help secure communication and information sharing. Examples of safe messaging and emailing programs are Signal App, WhatsApp, and Proton Email, among others. VPNs like Windscribe, Ads Power, or MoreLogin protect and encode networks in minimally protected networks.
