I thought it would be helpful to create a page where I list all the tools and resources, I use to grow my blog. I will continually update this list as I discover more useful and helpful resources that are worth mentioning.
*This page contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase from a link on this page or chose to sign up for a program, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting my blog!
*Some of the tools mentioned have limited features on their free plans and offer more on their paid plans. Please let me know if you have questions about anything listed below!
Free Courses, and Training
How to Start a Money Making Blog:
Ana from the She Approach put together a course that will show you how to start a profitable money-making blog.
You will learn how to write amazing blog posts that bring you, loyal readers, how to design a smart blogging strategy, get an exclusive discount on resources, how to make money, and more! Click on the link below to learn more!
Pinterest for New Bloggers
If you don’t have a clue about how Pinterest works then this is the course for you. You” ll get step-by-step instructions on how to get Pinterest to work for your blog. Plus, you’ll learn how to create pins that convert. Click on the link below to learn more!
Graphic Design for Beginners
In this FREE course, Kimi Kinsey shows you the basics of graphic design. If you want to know how to make better graphics for your blog or biz then check it out.
How to Build Your Own Resource Library
Do you want to start your email list? Or do you want to offer multiple freebies or lead magnets? Then this course is for you. Kimi Kinsey shows you exactly how to create your own resource library for your subscribers.
Skillshare
Skillshare has tons of classes on every subject including blogging, marketing, and business! They vary in length too. Some are an hour or longer while others are only 15 minutes. They have classes for every skill level. You can get your first two months free. Click on the link below to check it out!
Affiliate Networks
ShareASale: Affiliate networks are a great way to monetize your blog and website. I use ShareASale to link to products and services I use and love. I was able to get approved for ShareASale even though my blog is small.
Once approved you can apply to affiliate programs from different retailers like Wayfair, Julep, Stella, and Dot, and more. But you have to make at least $50 in affiliate sales in order to get your earnings. It’s free to sign up.
Click here to sign up for free
Awin: Is similar to ShareASale because it has a variety of programs to join. But you’ll find more of the bigger companies on Awin. For example, you can apply to HP’s affiliate program through Awin. But you will have to pay a fee of $5 to join Awin.
They do refund the money back to you once you’re approved. They do this in order to prevent bots from joining.
Free Writing Tools
Grammarly: I wouldn’t have gotten through college without Grammarly! It is seriously the best FREE grammar tool available. It goes beyond basic spell checking too.
If your sentence structure is off, punctuation, etc. Grammarly will highlight it, and show you how to correct it. Now that I am out of college, I use it for all my blog posts.
Coschedule: Coschedule has a FREE headline analyzer that you can use to test your blog and article headlines. I use this tool all the time to test my blog headlines.
You type in your headline and it will give you a score. The higher the score the better your headline will be. It will tell you if you are using any emotional words or power words.
Free Social Media Scheduling Tools
Tailwind: I absolutely love Tailwind! I use it to schedule all my pins on Pinterest. With Tailwind you can make sure that you always have something being pinned to your account. Now you can use Tailwind to schedule Instagram and Pinterest pins. Plus, you can use Tailwind Create to create social media graphics.
Now Tailwind has a free-forever account! Click here to check it out!
Buffer: I absolutely love Buffer. You can add up to 3 social media accounts on their free plan. Plus you can schedule as many posts as you want. I use Buffer mainly for Twitter but you can use it for Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Buffer even suggests the best times for you to post.
They have an app as well. But Buffer doesn’t automatically post to Instagram. It just sends you a reminder telling you to post. Buffer is free for up to 3 profiles. If you want to add more than 3 then you have to upgrade to the paid plan.
Free Graphic Design Tools and Resources
Canva: I love Canva! I use it to create all of my blog images, Pinterest pins, Instagram graphics, and printables for my Etsy shop. I’ve tried a lot of different programs. Canva is the best one by far. It’s completely free to use! Try the Canva Pro plan for free for 30 days. You’ll get access to more templates, features, and stock photos. Plus get 40% cashback with Rakuten when you sign up!
Creative Market: Creative Market has tons of fonts, templates, clip art and more! I bought my blogger template from Creative Market and love it! Whatever type of graphic design resource you need they have it.
Free resources for your blog or biz
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Blogging: I wrote a 7-page guide about what you need to know as a beginner blogger. I go over blog traffic tips, how to figure out what to write about, and more. Download my free guide here.
Free Canva ebook template: If you would like to sell your own ebook or give one away as a freebie then this template is for you. It’s completely customizable and ready for you to add your own content. Ana@TheSheApproach created it for anyone looking to write an ebook!
Online Biz Tools
Weebly: If you want to start your own online store or website for your business I definitely recommend Weebly. With Weebly, you do not need to know any code in order to create an amazing website.
It has a drag and drop editor that lets you drag and drop the features you want anywhere on your site. Unlike WordPress, there are no plugins to install.
With Weebly’s eCommerce features built-in you don’t have to install additional software to get a shopping cart or track inventory. You can even sell digital products and services too!
If you already have a store on Etsy or Shopify you can import your CSV file into Weebly. Making it easy to switch!
Weebly has a free plan if you want to start a website or blog. But no free plan if you want to open up a store.
Create Your Own Course
Teachable: Many bloggers use teachable to create their own courses. Teachable handles everything. They handle the sales page, hosting, collecting payments, and your affiliate program.
They do have free resources that teach you what you need to know in order to create and price your own course. You just have to sign up for their email list to get them. too. The basic plan is $39.
CourseCraft: If you are just starting out with course creation, don’t have any students yet, CourseCraft might be a better option for you. CourseCraft actually has a free plan! You can create as many courses you want, add up to 100 participants per course, use promo codes, plus integrate with your email for free!
Click here to sign-up!
Start Your Email List for Free
You can start your email list for free today with Mailerlite! Their free plan includes:
- Send out up to 12,000 emails per month
- You can have up to 1,0000 subscribers
- 24/7 email support
- Video tutorials
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Rich text editor
- File manager
- Photo editor
- Mobile-friendly newsletters
- Landing pages
- Pop-up forms
- Embedded forms
- Email automation
and more! For more detail on what their free pricing plan includes click here! If you get more than 1000 subscribers the next plan is only $10 a month! That’s really cheap compared to ConvertKit which charges $40 a month. With ConvertKit you only get 1 month for free.