Blogging Tools That Can Help You Save Time & Make Money

Must-have blogging tools and resources

What are blogging tools?

Blogging tools are various resources or software that will help you create a blog. The blogging tools and resources that you use can help you become a successful blogger.

What if I don’t have time to start a blog?

Blogging does take money and time. If you want to start a successful blog, you will need to commit to putting in the time to create your site. Another option is to pay someone to help you set up your site.

What if I don’t have money to start a blog?

Blogging is a business and it does take money to start your site. Of course, you can first tap out any free resources available, but I have found that it may take longer when you try to piece together information you find online versus paying for a reputable course that will walk you through the simplest steps. Don’t sabotage your business by not using the tools you need.

What basic equipment do you use for blogging?

These are the basic necessities you need to start a blog. You will need other equipment as you build you business, but it’s best to wait to see what you will really use before spending money on unnecessary products.

Computer
Smart phone or camera

What other equipment can be used for blogging?

Depending on the type of blog you start, you may need the following equipment. Determine whether you will be taking your own photos or using stock photos.

Tripod
Lighting equipment
Backdrops

Blogging tools and resources for beginners and beyond

WordPress or other publishing software, which is where you write your blog posts
Hosting, which is what makes your blog accessible online- Siteground
Backup services so that you don’t lose all of your work
Technical help in case you run into issues you can’t figure out- IMark Interactve
Courses- Don’t feel like you have to take all the classes, but you do need to learn the basics. Choose a few courses to focus on each year to improve your skills.
Stock photos- deposit photos is one of my favorite, unless of course you’ll be taking your own photos.
Email Automation- I am currently using Mailerlite, but make sure you compare options to decide what works best for you.
Editorial Calendar- Asana
Software to sell your own courses. Such as, Send Owl

What are Plugins?

Plugins add options to the software that you are using and help customize your site. There are plugins for just about everything, but make sure that you are selective with the plugins you use. Plugins can slow down your site, which is bad for SEO. Make sure that you are selective when adding plugins and only add what you really need.

Here are a few of my favorites, but please make sure they are compatible with your software before using them:

Spam Blocker: Askimet Anti Spam
Backup: UpdraftPlus
Optimize Images: Short Pixel
SEO: Yoast SEO
Social Sharing: Grow Social by Mediavine
Drag & drop Page Builder (use on pages only- not posts): Elementor
Cookie add on (make sure you’re GDPR compliant): Cookie Notice
Resource library: One option is Essential Grid

Time saving blogging tools

If you decide to promote your blog on Pinterest, my friend Carly’s Pinterest templates are a great way to make amazing pins while saving money. Another option would be to pay a VA to help you do anything that you don’t love to do.

Favorite blogging courses and resources

Don’t make the same mistake I made, I was trying so hard to save money that I wasn’t using the tools that I needed to progress. At the same time, don’t only follow one person or get stuck on one concept. Make sure you always keep progressing and learning.

Setting up your blog:

Elite Blog Academy by Ruth Soukup
Niche Site Academy by Mike Pearson

SEO (Search Engine Optimizations)

Once you know the very basics of setting up your blog, SEO is one of the main things you need to learn to rank on Google, Bing, Pinterest, etc:

Stupid Simple SEO by Mike Pearson
Sticky Blogging SEO by Kelly Holmes
Easy On Page SEO by Debbie Gartner
Easy Backlinks for SEO by Debbie Gartner
Adventures in SEO by Lena Gott

More helpful blogging courses:

Ultimate Bundles: a package of blogging courses where you’ll save money, but need to be selective in where you spend your time.
Traffic Transformation by Lena Gott
Blog Simple Framework by Scrivs
Title Traffic Hacks by Carly
Google Analytics by Debbie Gartner
Blogging Hacks by Debbie Gartner
How to Create Printables in Illustrator by Sarah Titus