What is a text expander?
A text expander is an application that replaces repetitive typing tasks
with a few
keystrokes. By typing in a custom abbreviation, a text expander quickly inserts snippets of
text, such as
words, emojis, phrases, paragraphs, blocks of code, or templates.
For example, let’s
say you
work in sales and want to send out a number of form letters, like outreach emails. Instead of
typing a
completely new message each time you need to send out an email, you could use a short
abbreviation like
@fname to instantly insert the prospect’s first name, and @email1 to pull in a proven email
message
template. From there, you could edit this email template to tailor the messaging to your
prospect’s needs.
And though this set of snippets might save you a few minutes each day, those few minutes quickly
add up to
hours over the course of a year.
In short: a text expander creates shortcuts that
help you get
through your most boring tasks in a fraction of the time. And as the way we work becomes
increasingly
digital, text expanders are poised to become your secret weapon for productivity.
Why use a text expander?
If you are one of us mere mortals, odds are that you spend a fair amount
of time
behind a screen, which means you probably type a lot. In fact, you probably spend a lot of time
typing the
same things over and over, or copying and pasting the same text to and from different windows.
These items
might be simple, like your name, email address, common phrases, company address, or email
signatures. Or
they might be complex, like a customer support macro or sales outreach.
Each week, we
type thousands
of words and phrases. It might take a few seconds to type out simple items, like your company
address, the
current date, or phone numbers. It might take a few minutes to type out complex items, like a
customer
support macro, other boilerplate email templates, or formatted text. If you are typing on an
iPad, iPhone,
or other mobile device, it may take even longer. Over time, typing each of these items adds up.
By using a
text expander for automation, you can save hundreds of hours of work each year.
In
addition to saving
time when writing emails, typing notes, or entering data, a text expander also allows you to
reduce errors
(no more typos!) and share snippets with colleagues. Common use cases for text expanders include
customer
support macros, recruiting messages, sales outreach, and any workflow that uses email templates.
Many people
also save time with text expanders by setting up autocomplete features or creating new snippets
for custom
auto correct entries. Web developers even use text expanders to save time when typing out
repetitive HTML or
CSS code. Given how versatile text expanders are, the possibilities are endless.
How does Text expander work?
Whether you need a text expander for personal use or for work, Sellia
offers a
free text expander as a Google Chrome extension. This means that, unlike other text expanders,
Text Expander is
not limited to Windows, Mac, Android, or iOS. As for pricing, Text Expander is available for
free.
We’re productivity nerds, and have put a lot of thought into what makes the
best text
expander. In addition to the core functionality of keyboard shortcuts, Text Expander lets you share
and tag
shortcuts with teammates. In case you need help remembering your shortcuts, Text Expander also has
built-in
search. And since we’re also privacy nerds, Text Expander does not collect or store your
keystrokes.
As soon as you start using Text expander, you will be taken through our
user-friendly
onboarding tutorial. Here, you can try out common shortcuts or import some of your own text
expander
snippets. You will also gain automatic access to Text Expander Academy, where you can meet other
members of the
community, learn about how they use Text Expander to work smarter, and gain early access to new
features.
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