Essential Blogging Tools Every Blogger Needs
These are the tools I use to run my blog and other businesses, including all of the behind the scenes apps and tech. Free trial bonuses are given to you wherever I can!
This site uses affiliate links which just means that if you decide to purchase anything, I may get a small commission from the company, which is at no cost to you. It’s like a tip you don’t have to pay for, and helps keep this blog running. Thank you for your support! See my disclosures for more info.
1. A Reliable Webhost
The top web hosts are SiteGround and Bluehost. Our preferred web hosting service is SiteGround which is used to host the site you are on now at beautyiscrueltyfree.com.
Read this guide to compare the differences between the two.
2. A Secure, Beautiful Theme
Fantastic source for professional, secure and highly powerful WordPress themes: StudioPress
3. A Strong Automation Tool
I use Tailwind to automate my Pinterest & schedule and plan my Instagram.
It saves me a ton of time and helps bring in a ton of traffic!
4. A Top-Notch Email Service Provider
MailerLite is free up to 1000 subscribers. You can easily create landing pages and opt-in forms to collect subscribers and easily send and track campaigns (newsletters). If you have more subscribers than 1000, plans start at $10. This link gives you a $20 credit for when you upgrade. Our preferred email server provider is MailerLite which we use to support all of our email subscribers and email campaigns for this website.
5. A Spell Check App
Grammarly is a must for any blogger! It is a free tool that catches your spelling and grammar mistakes as you type.
6. An Essential Editing Tool to Improve Your Writing
ProWritingAid is a must have tool for anyone creating copy for your blog or anything else. I use this for every writing project I have and it truly improves the quality of my work. There’s a free trial at no risk to you.
7. A Few Good Affiliate Networks & Programs
Awin is an affiliate marketing network with thousands of high-paying affiliate programs. It costs just $5 to sign up (which you get back once approved), then you join affiliate programs, work with brands, and get paid.
ShareaSale – Once you are a member, you can join the affiliate programs of thousands of brands. I love this one because it makes joining and keeping track of several affiliate programs super easy. They have a handy tool to build collections of products that you can then add to your website as well.
8. A Blog Planner
Get your free copy of my Blog Planner to help you create and market your blog!
9. SmugMug – A Simple Way to Make Money Selling Your Photos Online
Try SmugMug for free and save 15% if you keep the account. I use this site and its a great way to start an online photo business with very little effort.
10. Stock Photos
Check out this list of 37+ Places To Find Free Stock Photos!
16 comments on “Essential Blogging Tools Every Blogger Needs”
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Very useful and extensive list, love it! Thanks!
Hi Chelsea,
These resources are great! I also signed up for a few of them. Thanks again
Woohoo! I hope you get a lot of use out of the, I sure do!!
Awesome post! So many great resources 🙂 I loved buffer but agree that it is a bummer that you can’t re-schedule your older posts. I’m excited to try your other social media scheduling tool!!
Hi Michelle! Thanks for the note!
Excellent list. Some of them I knew, others I have heard about but never tried like Grammarly. Lots of new tools I am learning about for the first time and will definitely check out.
Thanks for the comment, yes Grammarly is a life saver!!
I signed up for Tailwind and have no been able to figure it out. I’ve heard they’re great but they really need to redesign their interface or something. Anyway, thanks for this list. Will come in hand when my tech friends stops being on maternity leave and can’t help me with my blog all the time, haha
Hi Elizabeth, it can be a bit overwhelming at first – have you tried Boardbooster? Its like a simplified version, I love it 1
Great suggestions here! I use Bluehost, but I’m interested in the pinterest key word tool.
these are great tools! I use bluehost myself
This was very helpful! Thank you!
I use some of these tools already but I like that you’ve got a list on one page. Saving this for future reference.
Thanks! This page is updated frequently, so check back again to see new tools added from time to time 🙂
These are all great looking tools. I use several myself and now will be checking out several other ones.
Thanks! There are a few others that I use from time to time but these are the ones I use all the time and find most useful. Hope they are helpful for you too!