You didn’t expect this. You knew blogging wasn’t going to be easy. But is it supposed to be this difficult? Are there tools for blogging that can make your writing process faster and easier?
Sometimes you struggle to come up with an idea for your next blog post. Then you get writer’s block while creating content or trying to come up with a good headline for your post.
Not to mention the technical stuff.
How do you set up a website? Or an email list?
Having some resources or tools for blogging might help. But you don’t want to end up with a million different resources, either.
Here are some blogging tools, including resources for new writers and a few hidden gems for bloggers ready to take their content to the next level.
Eleven great tools for blogging include:
1. Ubersuggest
2. Answer the Public
3. Impact+ Headline Generator
4. Unsplash
5. Canva
6. Pexels
7. Wix
8.WordPress
9. Mailchimp
10. ConvertKit
11. Attract.io
By the way, some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission if you do end up purchasing from those links (at no extra cost to you).
Learn from Successful Bloggers
Before taking a closer look at the tools and sites mentioned above, here are five blogging experts that offer lots of great advice for new and experienced bloggers.
1. Jon Morrow: Jon is the founder of Smart Blogger.
This popular blog offers writers free webinars, blog posts, and other content on writing topics such as building audiences and finding paid writing opportunities.
2. Shaunta Grimes: Shaunta is a fiction writer and a popular blogger on Medium.
She also has a great tight-knit online community called Ninja Writers which helps writers and bloggers achieve their writing goals.
3. Pat Flynn: Pat is a popular online marketer/author who helps bloggers and other online content creators grow a successful online business. Pat’s written a number of great books.
My favorite book is Superfans, an easy, interactive read that shows content creators how to create meaningful connections with their readers/audiences.
4. Sophie Lizard: Sophie helps writers live up to the name of her website, Be a Freelance Blogger. This resourceful website serves as a job board, blogging advice site, and supportive online community for bloggers.
5. Jeff Goins: Jeff is a best-selling author and blogger who offers lots of advice and encouragement to help other writers write books, start blogs, and create other types of content.
Tools for Blogging Ideas and Keywords
6. Ubersuggest: Marketing guru Neil Patel’s keyword research site helps you find keywords quickly to use for your blog posts.
7. Answer the Public: This is a good website for finding ideas for your next blog post.
Heads up (some pun intended): When you visit the website, it shows a guy looking at you (and sometimes walking/pacing) while you type in your blog topic. Luckily, you can quickly scroll down away from that guy to see helpful, popular phrases and questions related to your topic.
8. Impact+ Headline Generator: This site quickly gives writers suggestions for blog post headlines.
Finding and Creating Blog Post Images
9. Unsplash: This is a go-to source for amazing images for many bloggers.
Enter your topic and you will usually get a great selection of eye-catching images to choose from. All the images are free for public use. The site even has a simple copy-and-paste feature which makes it even more convenient to give the image’s creator credit on your blog post (which you should do).
10. Canva: Sometimes writers need to create their own images.
Canva is a great site that helps you easily create your own images for blog posts, social media posts, and other online content. The site’s templates (including free templates) make creating and editing images simple, even if you’re “artistically challenged” (I am).
11. Pexels: This is another good source for free stock photos. Free stock videos are also available.
Set Up Your Website
12. Wix: This website builder is a good , free option for new bloggers who want to set up a blog. Your options are limited with Wix, especially for e-commerce and customizing purposes.
13. WordPress: You have two options for building your website with WordPress.
– WordPress.com: You can use WordPress’ free website builder.
– WordPress.org: This is WordPress’ self-hosted website builder.
A self-hosted site builder means that you will have to buy a hosting program, like Bluehost, so your website has somewhere to live.
WordPress.org also gives bloggers more options for different purposes including design, customization, e-commerce, etc. These features are usually managed with themes, which allows bloggers to easily design and structure their websites, without having to know how to code.
Email Tools for Blogging
14. Mailchimp: This email provider service offers a good, free option for setting up your blog’s email list. The free option allows for up to 2,000 subscribers.
15. ConvertKit: You can have an email list of up to 1,000 subscribers, using the free option for this email service.
ConvertKit also has great customer support if you have questions using their platform that’s available to bloggers using the site’s free plan or a paid plan.
16. Attract.io: This is a free, user-friendly site that helps you create lead magnets to grow your blog’s email list.
The Takeaway: Let These Blogging Resources Work For You
Blogging can feel overwhelming and confusing, even if you love writing.
The great news is that there are people, resources, and tools for blogging to help you write faster and create better blog posts.
You can start today by checking out one of the websites or tools previously mentioned above to create your next blog post and connect with more readers.
Then consider adding other resources and tools that will help you take the next step toward growing your blog.
So take your first step with any of these resources. Your path to blogging success is closer than you think.