Affiliate links | Whatever stage of your blogging journey you’re at, we can all benefits from the blogging resources there are available to help us. For newbies, these can be a crucial part of getting your blog off the ground and building a solid foundation. For more experienced folk, these blogging tools and resources are an amazing way to grow our blogs even more, take them to the next level and even help turn your blog into a business.
I personally take all the help I can get. Any apps I can download, websites I can sign up for and resources I can get my hands on, I will if I have the means to. I think that’s one of the great things about the blogging world too, is that there’s always someone with the knowledge than you want and need!
Related reads:
- How To Get More Comments On Your Blog Posts
- Catchy Blog Post Titles: 6 Methods To Boost Your Blog Traffic
- How To Land Your First Collab As a Blogger
- I Didn’t Read Your Blog Post… Here’s Why
And the other great thing about blogging is that there’s ALWAYS something to learn. Although the title of this post states that these blogging resources are for NEW bloggers, that’s absolutely not the case. Because even me, as a blogger of 7+ years, still learns new things all the time from other amazing people within this industry.
So from apps and websites to eBooks and courses, if you’re looking to grow your blog, enhance your content, boost your blog views and more, you’re going to want to keep reading!
Blogging resources you need as a new blogger:
Apps & websites
Canva: Canva is THE PLACE to go for creating blog graphics such as Pinterest pins, Twitter and Facebook graphics and more. Even with the free version, there is so much choice and creative freedom for you to create something that really fits in with your brand. I don’t know what I’d do without Canva – the website or the app!
MailChimp: I know there’s a few different websites bloggers use for creating mailing lists and newsletters but my site of choice is MailChimp. It’s easy to use – which is perfect for someone who isn’t very tech savvy like me! I love the effortless creation of a newsletter and if you’re looking to grow your blog – a newsletter is the perfect next step!
WordPress: I wouldn’t know what to do without the WordPress app. Although I write all of my posts up on the actual website, the app is where I keep tabs on my stats, which posts are doing well and read through all my comments. The app rarely has any problems so if you’re on WordPress, I’d highly recommend downloading!
Pinterest: Pinterest is THE PLACE to be for bloggers. And can give you such incredible results for your blog in terms of views, sales and engagement. Some more incredible Pinterest resources a little later in this post!
VSCO & Lightroom: Again, there’s plenty of photo editing apps, websites and software to use as a blogger but I personally love VSCO and Lightroom. Partially because of it’s ease of use (hello again, technophobe!) and also because I’ve used it so much that I know what my “go-to” settings and presets are for my images now.
Buffer: I didn’t discover Buffer or any scheduling apps until like 5 years after everyone else (literally, am I 90?) but I couldn’t be without it now. I’d HIGHLY recommend scheduling tweets, Instagram and Facebook posts to all bloggers as there’s so many benefits of doing so (which I might get into in another post) but Buffer is definitely one of the best!
Stock image sites: Unsplash and Ivory Mix are the best websites I’ve found for sourcing free, copyright free stock images for my blog. I don’t personally think there’s anything wrong with using stock imagery on your blog for certain topics and niches – particularly blogging tips!
Placeit: is the perfect online tool for bloggers taking their career to the next level. You can either create your own logo or improve all your blogging assets and social media content with beautiful aesthetics. If you run out of ideas, they also offer great resources like a blog for business tips or tutorials on YouTube. Try their Freebies section!
eBooks, courses and templates
Pinterest With Ell
Pinterest is HUGE right now and can generate a LOT of traffic to your blog and sales to your products. But… it has to be used the right way. And if, like me, you’re seriously stuck with how Pinterest actually WORKS, then the Pinterest With Ell course is 100% for you. This course explains simply exactly why Pinterest works the way it does and the things you need to do in order to generate traffic to your blog from the site.
Viral Pinterest Templates
I hate creating pins. I do it because it’s important but I hate it and I know I’m not the only one. For time, ease and efficiency, these viral Pinterest templates are a great blogging resource to invest it to help your Pinterest game grow!
Pitching Toolkit by Jenna Farmer
Jenna Farmer’s Pitching Toolkit is another amazing resource that will help you learn how to pitch to brands. Grab the eBook here and use code JENNY10 for 10% off, woohoo! Even after years of pitching to brands, I learned so much from this eBook and Jenna seriously knows her stuff when it comes to pitching so would highly recommend this one!
A Beginners Guide to Blogging eBook by Jenny in Neverland
Am I allowed to give myself a lil self promo here? Regardless, I’m going to anyway because YOLO. I created my first eBook, A Beginners Guide to Blogging which covers all the basics from SEO, promoting your blog, goal setting, disclaimers and contact pages and much more. Ideal for beginners and new bloggers.
A Beginners Guide To Growing Your Blog Following by Jenny in Neverland
My second eBook, A Beginners Guide to Growing Your Blog Following focuses on how to grow your blog following because I gain hundreds of new blog followers every single day. I touched on the information in this eBook briefly in my first book but in this one, I really delve into how to grow your audience, what makes your audience tick and how to be as follow friendly as possible.
A Beginners Guide To Affiliate Marketing
Ready to make money with affiliate marketing but not got a clue where to start? This one is for you! Kayleigh Zara has made a ton of money with affiliate sales over the course of this year and she’s put all her expert advice into one handy eBook for beginners just looking to get in on the action. If you’re going to take advice from anyone about affiliate marketing, Kayleigh is a good one to go with!
You can also get 15% off with the code jenny!
Keyword Research For Bloggers
This is hands down one of the best and most helpful blogging resources I’ve ever invested in and for anyone looking to try and understand more about SEO and how keywords actually work with your blog, I would HIGHLY recommend this eBook. You will no regret it, I promise! Nele’s Keyword Research For Bloggers eBook is perfect for beginners too.
Very helpful post! I’m about 9 months into my blogging journey and already use a few of the things mentioned but will definitely be looking into the others!
It’s just Pinterest that still really confuses me! I’ve heard amazing things about the Pinterest With Ell course though is I’ll have to check it out!
The course will clear things right up, I promise. It’s so easy to follow and I’ve had great results so far 😌
There are some fantastic resources here! I only discovered Canva last year and it kind of blew my mind. I’ve got the free version of Buffer so restricted to only scheduling ten tweets and can’t seem to quite get the balance right, so have been using Tweetdeck as well for when I want to schedule more in advance. It’s not as user friendly though and don’t even know if there is an app. Love the great resources here as well, will definitely be checking out more of these.
You know what, I really need to set up a newsletter as I still haven’t! I think it will be my next step. I have heard of mailchimp so I’ll check it out. So many good tips here. Thanks for sharing! X
Yes would definitely recommend mailchimp! x
Brilliant tips here Jenny. I have scribbled down a list of the ones I want to try and your second ebook just landed in my email box!
So thank you 🙂
Yayyy thank you! x
Read it in one sitting! On it!
These are all great blogging tools to use! I love Canva and use that with Pinterest. I’m going to be looking at those Pinterest guides am I’m desperate to get blog traffic from it! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I’d highly recommend the course! It’s been fab!
such a helpful blog post!!
Just bought Jade-Marie’s Pinterest e-book – I have no clue how it works!
thanks,
Lena
http://www.lenasnotebook.co.uk
Hope you find it helpful! 💛
Wow, so many good resources here! Thanks! I had missed only Ivory Mix, glad to have discovered it thanks to you 🙂
So many excellent resources in here – Canva is honesetly invaluable and I’m so grateful for Buffer haha! Also yesss to VSCO! I need to try out some of the eBooks I think! Your first one is still useful to me but I need to get my hands on your second. Kirsty’s is great but I also need to try Jade’s and Dana’s! Every day’s a school day 🙂
Dana’s resources are amazing and they’re free too! Her SEO course was incredible useful. And her media kit template!
I use Canva in work a lot. Makes me feel like a designer ha
Haha – it’s a great website x
I’m currently in the process of trying to get my head around Pinterest. It’s a long process apparently. I was looking at Kirsty’s ebook the other day, seriously thinking about the investment because I’m a complete wimp when it comes to pitching x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
I still haven’t fully got my head around Pinterest either – it’s a bit of a minefield! x
so many great tips – even though I’ve been blogging for almost four years, I’m yet to work out how to use Pinterest as a better traffic source so that’s my day planned!
Rosie
Jade’s eBook would be perfect for you!
This is such a useful post and I’ve got it saved to keep coming back to.
Thanks for sharing.
https://littlemissmelanie.com/
You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful!
This was a great post! As someone who is trying to make something of their new blog I know I’ll be referring back to this. I definitely learned about a few new resources (like MailChimp and VSCO); I’ll be sure to check them out. So thank you!
You’re most welcome! Glad you found it helpful!
Lightroom is a must have for me!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
I’m yet to really play about with Lightroom!
Great suggestions! I use some of these but I’ve yet to try Buffer! With my new 9-5 creeping up, I will need something to schedule all my posts with and Buffer sounds like exactly what I need.
Mariam
bossbabechroniclesblog.com
Buffer is really helpful!
This was such an awesome post! I’m definitely going to be bookmarking this page and referring back to it. I just started using Canva and I love it, but even though I’ve been blogging for a while, all of this information still helps, so thank you!
Emily | https://www.thatweirdgirllife.com
So glad you found it helpful! 😌
These are incredibly helpful! I’ve been trying to build up my blog-this is awesome! Also, Canva is my go-to source!
So glad you found it helpful!
OMG!! This post was super helpful considering I posted my first post yesterday! 😂🙈 thank you so much!!! ✨ I had never even heard of Unsplash! 🤯 … Kate xx
All of these resources are excellent!
Because I mostly just use Twitter, I do my social media scheduling on Tweetdeck instead of Buffer as I can get more planned ahead, but Buffer is great across platforms.
And Canva is a life saver for images and banners!.
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk
I’ve heard great things about Tweetdeck too!
I need to start using Buffer again x
I wouldn’t be without it, it helps so much x
I recently discovered Canva and it is great. Have used it for my Pinterest site. Great tips! Will definitely look at the free photo stock sites you have mentioned 😊
Glad you found Canva! It’s an amazing website x
Brilliant thanks for this! I’m using some of these but haven’t heard of some of the others so will definitely be checking them out!
Hope you find the others useful!
Thanks for sharing your favorite blogging tools and resources. I also regularly use some of the same including Canva, Buffer and WordPress.
They’re so helpful!
So excited to look into some of these resources as I went self-hosted as of last week, and I’m learning so much in that regard–especially about SEO! And a big fat yes to Buffer & VSCO, I couldn’t agree more on those two; they’re amazing x
brineandbooks.com
I’d highly recommend Dana’s free SEO course!
Fab post Jenny, all the resources sound great, definitely saving this one to my blogging tips board on Pinterest… speaking of, I’ve really been slacking with Pinterest recently but reading this has inspired me to get back on it. x
Awh I’m glad! I’m SO into Pinterest at the moment x
Thank you for making this list! There’s a lot of valuable resources definitely. Really helpful and you’ve organised all information in such a coherent manner.
Laura / https://www.laustworld.com
Thanks so much – I’m so glad! x
I’m definitely saving this post for future reference, there’s quite a few sources in this post I haven’t heard of before and will certainly be looking into the ones I haven’t heard of! xx
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Hope you find them helpful lovely! x
Thank you for sharing such great knowledge
You’re welcome.
Buffer has always been a favourite for me it makes scheduling so easy! X
Kayleigh Zara 🌿 http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
It sure does, I bloody love it!
I love Canva for creating many an image and I just peeked at Ivory Mix. Am loving what I am seeing and am also seeing many of your blog colors mixed in there!
I cannot say how much I love Unsplash. That the images are free and beautiful and so willingly shared is just beautiful.
Agreed – Unsplash is without a doubt my favourite stock site!
This is so helpful! Thank you so much 😊