The tools listed below are vital to the success of my blog, and I personally use them on a daily basis. If you’re looking for tools to help you in your blogging/social media work, give these a try.
Just a heads up: this page may change every now and then as I update my toolkit, so don’t be surprised if things look a little different than usual. XD
Disclosure: Some of these links may be affiliate links, so if you choose to purchase them I may receive a commission. Don’t worry; you won’t pay any extra money. I use these tools myself, and I wouldn’t be recommending something I didn’t use and love.
Website Basics
Bluehost
I use Bluehost for web hosting, and I love them. They offer lots of options, and their customer service is awesome!
MAMP
This is an app that enables you to run a web development server on your Mac. This is awesome if you want to play around with ideas for your blog without having them appear live.
WordPress
WordPress is open-source software that enables you to create blogs and websites quickly and easily. While there are other options like Wix and Weebly, I strongly recommend WordPress because:
- Organizing is easier. Once you have the basic template of your website all set up, you can simply create content without thinking about how it will look.
- Not hard to get started. Creating pages and blog posts is as simple as typing in text and inserting images. Everything is WYSIWYG.
- It’s customizable. If you like tinkering with the back-end of your site or you like to customize elements, you have that option.
- Plugins help you create anything. If you’re someone who doesn’t like coding, you can usually find a plugin that does what you need.
Social Media Management
Trello
I discovered this app thanks to Peg Fitzpatrick, and it is a life-saver for organizing information (I also use it as part of the Galactic Games startup team). You can organize your content into different boards and lists, and it comes complete with attachments, checklists, labels, and due dates. A big bonus is being able to connect it to Google Calendar to give you phone notifications.
Tailwind
This is my favorite tool for Pinterest. It allows for scheduling of Pinterest pins based on a schedule created off of your analytics. A big feature I love is to schedule the same pin to go out to multiple boards.
I also use Tailwind to schedule my Instagram posts. My favorite feature is that I can type in a hashtag, and it gives me suggested hashtags. Even better, the hashtags are ranked based on their affiliation, so I never have to worry about which ones to use!
TubeBuddy
For those of you managing a Youtube Channel, this a tool you absolutely need. Here’s why:
- Keyword Research and Competition. If you’re wondering whether you should make that Youtube video, you can write up your headline in TubeBuddy and it will give you a ranking on whether it’s a good video idea.
- Tags and Search Rankings. As your video gets found on Youtube search, TubeBuddy will let you know which tags and keywords your video is ranking for.
- Best time to post. TubeBuddy lets you analyze your channel and gives you the best time to upload and post your next Youtube video.
Graphics Tools
Canva
My go-to tool for making graphics. While I use Adobe Spark for most of my social media graphics, I use Canva when I need a robust tool to create more elaborate graphics. Three features I love:
- Custom-built templates. No more staring at a blank page!
- Free elements. Who doesn’t love free images/graphics?
- Cheap stock photos/icons. The paid options only cost you $1, which is small compared to other sites. They also allow you to buy multiple licenses for a cheaper cost.
- Options for almost everything you need. From ebooks to worksheets, blog graphics, album covers, and even Facebook Ads, if you have a particular goal in mind, they probably have a template.
Adobe Spark
This is a product that is similar to Canva, but has some other cool advantages:
- Easy video creation. Using the iPhone app for Spark Post, you can create short 4 second videos. If you want a more robust tool, you can use Spark Video.
- Lightroom integration. If you use Adobe Lightroom to edit photos, you can import those into Adobe Spark.
- Ease of resizing. Unlike Canva, where you have to pay money to resize your images, Adobe Spark enables you to do this for free!
Adobe Lightroom
Whenever I take photos on my iPhone (or sometimes I use different cameras like my point-and-shoot) I use Lightroom to edit them. This is how I get really nice shots for Instagram.
Librestock
This is a free search engine to help you find free photos that you can legally use. This is huge; you don’t want to get into trouble for violating copyright laws.
List-Building/Email Marketing Tools
Convertkit
This is the email service provider that I use. I love it for three reasons:
- Unlike Mailchimp, Convertkit organizes your emails by a single list of tags. This means you won’t get billed for double subscribers.
- Email courses/sequences are very easy to create. While you can create these in Mailchimp, they’re much easier to create in Convertkit because there are fewer options for emails.
- Simple emails let you focus on writing. By reducing the emails to just plain text, you’re able to focus on writing and less on what kind of template you’re going to use.
- Email automations. Convertkit has the best email automation builder I’ve seen. It’s super easy to use and you can edit sequences and tags right from the automation screen – no needing to create tags and email sequences beforehand.
Drip Scripts
This is a great website that offers templates for all sorts of email sequences. Whether you’re trying to re-engage people to know if they’re still interested or creating a free email course, they have it.
All you do is you create an account, select your sequence, add in your details, and download your template.
Content Curation Websites
Pocket’s Recommended Section
Pocket is one of my favorite apps for saving content, but I also like to use their recommendations to find content. You can learn more about how I use this app here.
Video Equipment
I love to make videos, either pre-recorded and edited or live. Here are the tools that I use.
Logitech c270 Webcam
This camera enables me to record video on my computer. It allows me to control the size of the output and to record in Quicktime Player without having to move files from my phone. The best part is that there is a built-in microphone that automatically blocks out background noise.
iMovie
One of the best free tools for editing videos (this is assuming you’re using a Mac). Super easy to use and high-quality output! If you’re using a Windows computer, Windows Movie Maker works great as well.
Digital Products
Thinkific
Thinkific is the way to create courses online. Not only do they offer a self-hosted website where you can create courses, but they also offer sales landing pages and a simple back-end system for uploading your course materials. I love how it integrates directly with Convertkit so I can easily move students into other email sequences.
Another great feature of Thinkific is the ease with which I can manage the financial side of course creation. For example, I can create coupons with just a few clicks, set up different payment methods (including both Stripe and Paypal), and manage affiliates.
Favorite Books
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
The book that got me started with social media marketing. I was fortunate to meet Peg Fitzpatrick at Social Boom 2015, and she and Guy really drill down the basics of how to get started.
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder
This book will show you how to live your life and help you discover what truly matters and how to succeed without burning yourself out. Some things I learned:
- Don’t sleep with your phone near your bed
- Take time to yourself (very hard for an extrovert like me!)
- Trust that life has your back
- Give yourself in service to others
The Art of the Start 2.0: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything
For anybody trying to start any kind of business or project, this book outlines everything you need. While it gears itself towards technology startups, it can work for any project.