I created this page as a simple blogging reference guide with blog and website recommendations.
Listed are some of the blogging tools I use and think are great.
Also included in this guide are favorite books, podcasts, and more for both online business and creative inspiration. I think you’ll find this guide helpful and easy to reference.
*Updated 09/18/24.
*This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you for products you purchase via this website. For more information click here.
Blog and Website Recommendations
Web host:
If you are just getting started blogging and want to spend as little as possible to begin, Bluehost is a good option. You can register your domain name and sign up for web hosting for around $3.95/month. Includes WordPress.org One-click installation straight from Bluehost.
If you have been blogging for a while and are looking for superior website speed, customer service, and security, I highly suggest Rocket web hosting. I recently switched and cannot say enough good things about them. Fast, secure, affordable, and helpful.
Website theme:
I use the Kadence theme. It’s fast, and it includes an author bio box which is good for SEO.
Blogging courses:
Fantastic beginner blogging course: Kickstart Your Blog.
SEO course: Stupid Simple SEO. This course is expensive but helpful. I took this course in November 2021 and started seeing my traffic grow by implementing the techniques it teaches. Because of this course, I now have my own super simple keyword research method I invented.
Free entrepreneur planner:
This free planner printable will help organize all your blog and business ideas!
Blog marketing:
In addition to using SEO for ranking in Google, I use Pinterest to market my blog.
I love Pinterest, and using it to market and research is tons of fun. Pinterest can drive massive traffic to your blog.
Pinterest marketing tool:
Tailwind– This app will help you spread your pins far and wide by pinning for you at automated set times throughout the day.
It’s a great supplement to manual pinning, because there’s often no time to pin throughout the day.
I’ve stopped using this because my Pinterest account is huge, but it’s still great for those with smaller Pinterest accounts.
Email list:
I like ConvertKit because I can offer multiple free opt-ins to collect emails- an essential feature that Mailchimp and other free email collection services lack.
Graphic Design
Canva- Create your logo, Pinterest pins, and other images. The basic version is free and includes a selection of free stock photos, vectors, etc. Canva is perfect for blogging. I use the pro version.
For paid graphics, I like Creative Fabrica. Sign up at Black Friday for a sweet deal.
I also just got an iPad, and the Procreate app, and am learning to use Photoshop. All for my Etsy shop though, rather than my blog.
Stock photos:
I use stock photos from Canva Premium or Unsplash. My pins do well on Pinterest these days without needing extra paid stock photography. I make graphics for certain articles sometimes using Canva Pro.
More website recommendations:
Plugins:
I try to keep it minimal but some notable plugins I enjoy include:
- Rank Math
- WP Rocket
- Imagfy
- Link Whisperer
Writing tools:
- Ahrefs for Keyword Research.
- Spell checker: Grammarly- The basic version is free and awesome.
- Word finder: Thesaurus.com- A valuable tool.
Books for business:
- Get Rich Lucky Bitch by Denise Duffield Thomas.
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris. *I am currently living the 4-hour work week with this blog and it’s awesome.
- You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero.
- She Means Business by Carrie Green.
- Everything by Bob Proctor.
Books for creativity:
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
- The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
- Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper by Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, (SARK).
- Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK.
- Real Magic by Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Inspiring Business-Related Podcasts:
Monetizing your blog:
My favorite ways to monetize blogging include:
- Make money with ads. Ezoic is good for blogs with less traffic, and Mediavine is great for blogs with 50k sessions a month or more. I’m with Mediavine and grateful for it.
- Sell or market your own products. I’m workin’ on it!
- Affiliate marketing. I do very little of this because of my niche.
Every website is different, these are just my preferred ways of making money blogging.
Concluding thoughts:
I hope you enjoy these blog and website recommendations! They do tend to evolve with time. I just love talking blog. Start your blog here if you’re ready!
You may also enjoy:
How to Write Your First Blog Post in 9 Steps- Including a Snack Break!
The Weirdest Thing about Selling Printables on Etsy (That No One Ever Talks About)
How to Start Journaling for Beginners {With Free PDF Printable Journal Prompts}
25 Journal Prompts for Personal Development With Free PDF Printable