25 Slack Tips to Make You and Your Team More Effective in 2024

Is your team using Slack to its full potential? With the right knowledge, this popular communication platform can be a productivity powerhouse. We‘ve compiled the ultimate list of Slack tips and tricks to help you work smarter, communicate better, and get more done in less time.

Whether you‘re a Slack novice or a seasoned pro, you‘re guaranteed to discover new ways to streamline your workflow and boost your team‘s efficiency. Let‘s dive in!

1. Master Keyboard Shortcuts

Slack has dozens of built-in keyboard shortcuts that can save you time and speed up navigation. Here are some of the most useful:

• Jump to a specific conversation: ⌘+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows)
• Edit your last message: ↑
• Mark a message as unread: Shift+↑
• Toggle between your last two conversations: Option+← or Option+→ (Mac), Alt+← or Alt+→ (Windows)
• Mark all messages in a channel as read: Shift+Esc

Memorizing just a handful of these shortcuts can shave minutes off your Slack time each day. For the full list, type /keys into any Slack chat.

2. Craft Advanced Searches

Slack‘s search function is powerful, but are you using it to its full potential? By employing advanced search modifiers, you can pinpoint exactly the message or file you‘re looking for in seconds.

Some of the most helpful search operators include:

• in:[channel-name] – Limits your search to a specific channel
• from:[username] – Shows results only from a particular user
• before:[date] and after:[date] – Narrows results to a specific timeframe
• has:star – Surfaces messages you‘ve starred

You can combine multiple modifiers for even more targeted searches. For example, in:#marketing from:@emily after:2022-01-01 will show you messages Emily posted in the #marketing channel after January 1, 2022.

3. Streamline Your Sidebar

By default, Slack shows all your channels in the left sidebar. But as your team grows, that list can get overwhelming fast. Luckily, Slack lets you customize your sidebar to show only the conversations that matter most to you.

To do this, click the + next to "Channels" in your sidebar. From there you can:

• Create new sections to group related channels
• Choose which channels appear under each section
• Reorder your sections and channels
• Star channels or DMs to keep them always visible

According to Slack‘s own research, organizations on its Business+ and Enterprise Grid plans have an average of 175 public channels. Streamlining your sidebar is crucial for staying focused and organized amidst all that chatter.

4. Collaborate on Documents

One of Slack‘s most powerful features is its deep integration with file sharing and collaboration tools like Google Drive, Dropbox and Office 365. You can share files stored in these services by simply pasting a link into Slack. The file will expand inline for easy viewing and commenting.

But the real magic happens when you connect your account to enable even richer integrations. With the Google Drive app installed, for instance, you can:

• Import files shared in Slack back into relevant Google Drive folders
• Automatically grant access to Drive files to anyone in the channel
• Get updates in Slack about comments, shares and edits in Drive
• Attach Google Docs, Sheets and Slides to your Slack messages

These integrations turn Slack into a true hub for collaboration, eliminating the need to constantly switch between apps. Over 65% of Slack users surveyed said integrating other tools into Slack made those tools more valuable.

5. Automate Tasks with Slack Apps

Why waste time on repetitive tasks when you can automate them? Slack‘s App Directory contains thousands of apps that can streamline your common workflows. Some of our favorites:

• Standuply – Runs asynchronous daily standups, prompting team members to share their progress and plans
• Polly – Allows you to quickly gather input through surveys and polls
• Donut – Facilitates virtual coffee chats and peer learning among colleagues
• Statsbot – Pipes in key metrics and data visualizations from analytics tools

Many of these apps offer "no-code" automation builders that allow you to create complex workflows without any programming knowledge. Slack‘s own Workflow Builder is also a powerful tool for stringing together multi-step processes.

According to a 2021 survey, workers save an average of 90 minutes per week by using Slack apps and integrations. Invest a little time up front to set up key automations and reap major productivity gains.

6. Set Smart Notification Preferences

@here @channel @everyone Notifications in Slack can quickly get overwhelming if left unchecked. Fine-tuning your notification preferences is crucial for staying focused without missing important messages.

Some key settings to adjust:

• Mute channels that are noisy but not critical. You can always check in on them when you have time.
• Set notification schedules to only alert you during working hours (and respect your teammates‘ schedules as well).
• Choose specific trigger words and phrases to notify you about, like your name, project keywords, or urgent matters.

You can access granular notification controls by clicking the gear icon at the top of any channel. For global settings, go to Preferences > Notifications from your profile menu.

7. Hone Your Slack Writing Style

Just like email, Slack has its own unspoken etiquette and style norms. Mastering this shorthand will help you communicate more clearly and fit in with your team‘s culture.

Some tips for better Slack communication:

• Be concise. Slack is designed for quick back-and-forth, not lengthy missives. Keep messages short and to the point.
• Use rich formatting. Slack supports bold, italics, ~strike-through~, and code blocks to add emphasis and clarity. Use them!
• Leverage emoji reactions. Sometimes a well-placed 👍🏽 or 😅 says more than words. Reactions are also great for lightweight polls.
• Tag thoughtfully. Mention individuals sparingly to avoid notification overload. For group announcements, consider creating an opt-in @user-group.

Of course, the key is to read the room and match the prevailing communication style on your team. When in doubt, aim for a balance of friendliness and professionalism.

8. Take Advantage of Reminders

Slacks‘ /remind command is an incredibly versatile tool for jogging your memory and keeping tasks on track. You can use it to:

• Set a reminder for yourself to do something at a future date or time
• Set a reminder for another user or an entire channel
• Create recurring reminders that repeat at specified intervals

For example, typing /remind #content-team to publish the weekly blog post every Monday at 9am will automatically nag your team to get that post out on time each week.

You can manage your reminders and see upcoming ones by clicking the Reminders button in the top right of Slack. According to Slack, users have set over 8 million reminders to date — a testament to the feature‘s usefulness.

9. Create Reusable Snippets

Do you find yourself typing out the same information over and over in Slack? Save yourself time by creating reusable "snippets."

To create a snippet:

1. Click the lightning bolt icon in the message composer
2. Select Create new snippet
3. Give your snippet a title and fill in the content
4. Choose whether to add the snippet to your personal collection or share it with your workspace

You can access your snippets at any time by clicking the same lightning bolt icon and selecting View your snippets. Shared snippets are also searchable by your entire team.

Some common uses for snippets include:

• Quick reference information like phone numbers, addresses, or Wi-Fi passwords
• Templated responses to frequently asked questions
• Code blocks or command line snippets for developers
• Onboarding checklists for new hires

With a little upfront effort, snippets can save you endless typing in the long run.

10. Bonus: Fun & Unique Slack Ideas

Slack isn‘t all business — it can be a powerful tool for building team culture and camaraderie as well. Here are a few fun ideas to try with your team:

• 🎥 Movie/TV channels: Create channels dedicated to discussing your team‘s favorite shows or films. Great for blowing off steam and finding common interests.
• 👪 Family channels: Give working parents a place to bond over the joys and challenges of parenting. Can be a great resource for childcare recommendations, activity ideas, etc.
• 🎮 Gaming channels: Into video games? Create a channel to organize multiplayer sessions or discuss the latest releases.
• 🐶 Pet pictures: Dedicate a channel to showing off your team‘s furry friends. Instant morale booster!
• 🍳 Recipe swap: Encourage your team to share their favorite recipes in a dedicated channel. You could even do a regular team cook-along over Zoom.
• ✈️ Travel tips: Tap your well-travelled colleagues for insider tips on their favorite destinations around the globe.

The possibilities are endless — don‘t be afraid to get creative and let your team‘s unique personality shine through your Slack workspace.

We‘ve found these types of casual, non-work conversations are crucial for building empathy and rapport on remote teams. In a 2021 survey, over 90% of Slack users agreed that the platform helps them feel more connected to their colleagues.

Slack On!

Congratulations — you‘re now equipped to be a true Slack power user! But don‘t stop here. Keep exploring and experimenting with new features and workflows to find what works best for you and your team.

One final tip: Pay it forward by sharing your Slack knowledge with your colleagues. The more Slack-savvy your entire team becomes, the more you‘ll all benefit from the platform‘s potential for productivity and connection.

What‘s your favorite Slack tip? Let us know by tweeting us @Company. And for more game-changing productivity advice, check out our complete Guide to Doing Your Best Work.

Happy Slacking! 🚀