I’ve been blogging for almost five years (well, five years in August, but close enough). I like to think I know what I’m doing; sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. A lot of my blogging is trial and error: What works? What doesn’t work?
One thing I have learned is that blogging–good blogging–requires a lot of effort. There’s a lot of work that goes into planning and creating content, going to events and keeping your audience and readers engaged and interested. Most of the time, it’s fun work, so it’s not draining or exhausting. Or at least it shouldn’t be that way.
One thing that does work: having a set of essential blogging tools to make blogging a smoother process. Finding the right tools is absolutely game-changing.
Here are 9 essential blogging tools to help you blog like a pro.
Most of these are super accessible, and you can choose what you think will work best for you and your blog.
Notebook or journal // Absolutely essential! I use my blogging journal for planning posts, brainstorming content, jotting down ideas and so much more. I actually don’t think I could be a successful blogger without a journal or notebook to keep all my thoughts, ideas and plans organized.
Pens, pencils, highlighters // And whichever other writing utensils you prefer. Whether you’re a color-coder or a write-in-whatever-color-I’m-feeling-today kind of person, having a system that works for you makes planning and note-taking much easier and more efficient. While I’m all for keeping it colorful, I usually just got for black or purple. Why purple? I don’t know. It’s not as intimidating as red?
Camera + necessary accessories // iPhone cameras are great, but they can only do so much. Sure, a good amount of my photos on my blog are taken on my iPhone, but my Sony camera never fails me. It’s nothing fancy, and it does the job just fine. High-quality photos can really make your blog stand out, and having a solid camera on hand will make that happen. And no, you do not need a DSLR or anything crazy fancy like that to have good photos.
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Portable phone charger // I don’t know how I went so long without one of these. There’s (almost) nothing worse than being at an event or meet-up and wanting to post on Twitter or Instagram, and your phone dying. I’ve been there plenty of times. I grabbed my portable phone charger for $5 at Target and it works perfectly.
Social media scheduler // Seriously, these are absolute lifesavers. I’m a huge fan of Buffer; Hootsuite is another great choice. It takes 10-15 minutes for me to schedule my blog post for the day and its accompany social media posts (Twitter and Facebook), and those are 10-15 minutes very well spent. It’s so nice to schedule everything in advance and just let ’em go live so I don’t have to worry about them for the rest of the day.
Take your #blogging game to the next level with these 9 essential tools! Click To TweetPhoto props // Even the smallest items make your blog photos pop. Props don’t have to be fancy or complicated: grab some nail polish, sequins, pretty pencils, or even a little figurine. Hello $1 bins at Target and Michaels! Seriously there are some real treasures in there. Don’t forget a good, dependable backdrop, too! My fuzzy white blanket is my go-to, but my coffee table does the trick, too.
Coffee mugs // These may fall under the “photo props” category, but for me they’re in their own group. They’re such an easy, cute and versatile prop that can really make any photo extra special. I’m a sucker for the $4.99 mugs at Target; seriously, I at least look every time I’m in the store. But they make for awesome photo props. And you kind of need them for drinking coffee.
Coffee and/or tea and/or hot chocolate // Or whichever beverages fuel your long blogging sessions. I’m a coffee-in-the-morning, tea-in-the-afternoon person. But sometimes, I just really want a nice cup of hot chocolate. Whatever I choose, I like having a hot beverage while I’m on a blog-work binge. It’s a comfort thing.
Wine // Okay, so maybe this isn’t an essential blogging “tool,” but it certainly doesn’t hurt. There’s a joke that bloggers are fueled by coffee and wine, and I don’t think it’s that far off. I prefer white over red, and lately I’ve been on a Chardanooga kick since my visit to DeBarge Winery here in Nooga.
What are your essential #blogging tools? Click To TweetBlogging isn’t always easy, but there are tools out there to make it less stressful and keep you organized, and keep the fun part of blogging alive. Having any or all of these tools on hand will make a huge difference in your blogging routine. They really took my blogging game to the next level, that’s for sure.
Except maybe the wine. Or maybe not.
What are your favorite blogging tools? What do you use to stay organized in your blogging?
