Tools and Resources for Bloggers

If you are a blogger yourself or would like to become one, there are some tools and resources for bloggers, specifically that you should know about. Blogging is a great hobby and for some, a great way to help earn an income. I love blogging, but I know that I would not be as consistent or as focused or successful (if you can call me successful) without these great resources.

These tools can be found online or you probably already have them at your reach. For this post, I am going to list some of my favorite blogs on blogging and business, different social media tools and other resources for bloggers that can help your blogging journey.

Blogs for Blogging and Biz

Melyssa Griffin-Melyssa’s website was the first blog that I ever read about blogging, and it was the first blog to really get me excited about blogging and to improve. Until that point, I had been blogging about whatever, and I had no focus. Since finding her blog, I have grown much more attentive to the kind of content I produce, and I cannot get enough of blogging.

Blog Beautifully-Krista has created such an awesome website and blog that is meant to help other bloggers succeed and promote their content on social media. She focuses on Pinterest as well as writing good blog content in the first place.

Other bloggers I like:
Sarah Morgan & Regina Anaejionu

Physical Products

iPhone-I love using my iPhone for working on my blog on the go. I can make quick changes to blog posts, post on social media (and schedule posts, too), interact with other bloggers and more. Also, I like to take pictures on my phone when I need to and then upload them to my computer. I don’t really use pictures enough at this point to justify a separate camera, so I do what I can.

iPad mini-my iPad mini is great for when I want to read other blog posts either by way of Pinterest or a blogger’s website. As much as I love my phone, I don’t want to spend a ton of time reading on its small screen. I also like to use certain apps to help with blogging that work a little better with more screen space.

Laptop-I personally have a Windows laptop, because I don’t have the money for a Mac yet. But, it gets the job done. I do most of my blog writing and a lot of image creating on my computer. It’s a lot easier with the bigger screen and the physical keyboard.

Planner-I love my Erin Condren Planner. I have used the Life Planner for almost two years. Soon, I will be switching to a different version, their Deluxe Monthly Planner, because I never really use the weeks. I like having a physical planner so I can write things down and plan out stuff like my editorial calendar. A paper planner is amazing.

Apps/Websites

WordPress-Since I use WordPress for my blog (affiliate-hosted by SiteGround), I have the WordPress app. I use it to check my stats and respond to comments. It’s great because I don’t have to worry about logging into my site, because I am always logged in on the app. You can also write posts in the app, but I don’t know if I trust that feature. I tried that once and lost a draft, so proceed with caution.

Canva-I only have the app on my iPad, and I use the website on my laptop. This free tool is perfect for designing graphics for your blog posts. To be seen on Pinterest and other websites, you need an image to grab in readers. Canva is perfect for newbies, because you can use premade templates or you can create your own. There is a small learning curve, but after you learn, it gets super easy. I can crank out blog images in no time at all.

Social Media

Hootsuite-This is the scheduling tool that I use for my Twitter account. I have the free plan, but since I only use it for one Twitter account, it does all I need. I can schedule tweets really easily, and it just makes having a good social presence that much easier.

Twitter-Obviously, I like to keep up with my own tweets as well as that of the people I follow. Twitter is a great way to connect with other bloggers, and you can even participate in Twitter chats. With chats, everyone uses the same hashtags to discuss a certain topic. There’s usually a host who asks questions to which participants respond.

Facebook-Now, I know you’re probably thinking that Facebook is dead, but it is a great way to interact with other bloggers and online peeps. There are dozens of Facebook groups for bloggers where you can ask questions, answer questions and even promote your latest post.

Pinterest-Ah, Pinterest. If you are a blogger, you need to be on Pinterest. Pinterest is a gold mine of blog posts, and it is the place where people go to find good information about a topic. It is sometimes thought of as a social network, but really it is more of a search engine. You just have the benefit of being able to share your posts there. Having the app makes it easy to pin my latest blog post and to repin content that is relevant to my niche.

Final Thoughts

So, if you want to start blogging or to get better at it, use these tools and websites to help you. I would not be blogging, or at least not as much, without these resources. Blogging has become such an important part of my life, and I have these resources to thank for that.

So, did I miss any great resources for bloggers? Let me know in the comments. Also, be sure to catch up with my latest post and follow me on Twitter (@HannahHaefele) so you don’t miss out on future posts!

Thanks for reading!