New to blogging? Need to keep a list of resources handy? Here’s my handy dandy blogger’s toolkit; including resources and links to my favorite blogging tools and services to help both the beginner and the advanced blogger create an amazing blog.
Make sure you join my FREE Facebook group for those interested in learning more about Affiliate Marketing – find resources and support in the group. Click here to request to join.
Hosting and Setup
SiteGround is my FAVORITE for hosting with easy setup, baller customer service, and incredible tutorials. Note: SiteGround will also help transfer your site, in the event that you are looking to better monetize your blog (and use SiteGround’s awesome affiliate program, with payouts of $50-$100 per sale made from your affiliate link). Read more HERE about why I choose SiteGround for all of my web hosting needs.
WordPress self-hosted blogs are the way to go.
EccentricWare (coming soon!) offers basic technical blog setup services. Note: no branding services are included; EccentricWare puts together the skeleton of the blog, installs the theme, puts on the maintenance plug-in, and then hands it to you. You get to make it pretty!
Not sure what plugins to install? HERE are some of my favorites!
Toolkit Resources to Help with Branding
Branding is the look and feel of the blog; the consistent usage of fonts, colors, and designs that helps YOU, the blogger, stand out in your reader’s mind. Whether it be pearls (like me), dogs, or whatever, branding is an important part of helping you be YOU. I have a few resources to share – these may or may not be the correct fit for you – you know your budgets and your personal resources.
All of my branding was done by Nicole over at Saunders Says. I have the privilege of having been one of Nicole’s first (and one of the only FEW) design clients ever, and watching her grow and develop her own business has been exciting. I used her full branding services, which included my logo (and quite a few variations), blog signature graphic, business cards, thank you cards, and more. Poke around my site and see her work – she is brilliant and a DREAM to work with.
Toolkit Resources for Affiliate Marketing
Here are some links to blog posts I have written specifically for affiliate income:
I post income reports occasionally because I believe in pursuing transparency and helping others see that I am a reliable source of valid information.
Toolkit Resources to Help in Content Creation
Podcasts are one of my favorite FREE resources in learning how to blog, so I have definitely created a few posts about them.
Legal Resources
Here’s the only thing that you need in order to legally protect your blog! Lawyer reviewed, this is a bundle of AMAZING resources to help you protect your butt in case anything happens – and friend, you know crazy stuff happens!
Here the bundle HERE.
Search Engine Optimization Resources
MOST of my traffic comes from Google – yep, when people search for key words that I choose to blog about. My study of Search Engine Optimization (or, SEO) has been on my own, and is a lovely hodge-podge of resources. Here are a few things to help you:
Social Media Training Resources Toolkit
The name Nicole Saunders is synonymous with Pinterest, which is why buying her Pinterest course was a no-brainer. Get it here. It is WELL worth the $9 it costs and will help you be prepared to rock your Pinterest game! She has a FREE Pinterest community group on Facebook, which I highly recommend that you join.
Random additional resources: