You’ve got ideas to share with the world.
We need your brilliance to shine a light in this world.
Deep inside you are one boss ass witch and just need a little help getting your broom pointed in the right direction. This is a round-up of all the tools and resources I use for my business.
I know you are crafty and smart, so do your own research into this whole blogging biz. This page will evolve as my own business evolves. Keep checking back, take what you need, leave the rest.
Please note that some of these links may be affiliate links.
Blogger Toolkit
The free 5-day email crash course is the first step you should take if you are interested in starting a blog that will become a steady source of income for you.
You need your own self-hosted website. A place that you own and control and that isn’t at the mercy of mysterious, greedy, soul-sucking & privacy-invading corporations.
The easiest domain and web hosting provider out there is SiteGround. They are faster, safer and provide better customer support than all the others.
Once you have successfully installed WordPress spend time playing around with the Dashboard and learn how to navigate it. Install your theme that matches the vibe you want to create. If you don’t like the free templates then check ThemeForest for inspiration. I’m using the Juliet Pro theme and love it!
Email subscribers are the people who love what you are offering and want to keep hearing from you. They are your tribe, your customers, the lifeblood of your business. ConvertKit is a true investment in your dream but it is simply the best. It is an email marketing company that was developed for bloggers, by bloggers.
Intuitive and easy to use, packed with tutorials and support, it’s hands down the winner.
Top Plugins
While most of WordPress is fairly intuitive, there are some plug-ins and apps you will need in your blogger toolkit to make life easier. You can install the following for your WordPress site by doing a quick search to “add new” Plugins:
- Ad Inserter (if you are planning on placing ad codes)
- Akismet Anti-Spam (a must-have)
- MonsterInsights (for Google Analytics)
- jQuery Pin It Button for Images (self-explanatory)
- Pretty Link (to shrink, track or share a URL)
- SG Optimizer (performance optimizations by SiteGround)
- Social Warfare (to maximize social shares)
- Yoast SEO (all-in-one SEO solution)
- Revive Old Post (helps re-share your articles to social media)
Blog Content
I don’t know about you, but it’s been a hot minute since I was last writing essays for a teacher. Where the hell are commas supposed to go anyway? I have no idea and with this little sucker on my browser, I don’t have to. Grammarly is brilliant and makes your writing look LEGIT.
You can install this free app on your desktop or laptop and it will automatically proofread everything that you write.
Images are *everything* online and PicMonkey makes it super easy to upgrade your blogging game to pro status. From photo editing to graphic design, they have a suite of creative tools that help you create your own unique style and branding for your blog.
CreativeMarket is my go-to site for all things graphic design related. It’s like a strictly digital Etsy for creatives. Plus, they give away 6 free downloads EVERY.SINGLE.MONDAY – no catch. And the best part? You are supporting other small business owners and artists.
If you need more ideas on resources to create stunning graphics, check out my blog post about it over >>HERE<<
Pinterest is the driving force in traffic for bloggers and online sellers. Over 80% of my traffic to the blog and Etsy are from my Pinterest boards. There is no way in hell I could keep up with daily pinning though, so I let Tailwind do the work for me. You spend an hour at the beginning of the week and BOOM – you get fresh pins on autopilot all week long.
And, because backing up your blog is one of the most important things you can do, check out this fantastic article on How to Backup & Restore WordPress
I would love to hear from you as you start your solopreneur journey! Be sure to join us in the Wayward Inspiration Tribe and leave a comment below.
