Blogging sounds easy. If you’ve followed my step-by-step guides in the past (click here and here to read them), you’ll know by now that I can write around 1000 words in 25 minutes, before editing and uploading them. That sounds like a humble brag, but it’s just an insight into the whole process to show that, actually, it is doable.
Actually, the more that you do it, the more proficient you’ll become.
But what is a blogger without their tools? What do you need to be an effective blogger? Here are the tools that I use every week.
A decent setup
I won’t go on about when I use my various setups, since I’ve done that already in this blog post here, but it pays dividends to have a decent setup for an effective blogging process. I’m not saying that you’ll need to spend hundreds on an iPad *and Magic Keyboard*, or thousands on the most expensive computer that money could buy.
However, you should ensure that, wherever you’re working, you’re comfortable. Get a chair that feels great, a screen you’re not hunched over and at least a laptop that’s not ten years old, and you’ll be good to go.
The apps
I use a number of apps when I’m working on iOS and the website equivalents if on desktop – depending on where I think that I’ll work best at different times of the day.
- Docs/Drive
I love using Google Drive. I find it so much easier than a Word/OneDrive combo – and I’ve now been using Drive for years. Though I’ve not tried any alternatives for quite some time, the seamless editing on the go that Drive offered was the main appeal. I can start a doc on my phone when out and about with ideas popping into my head, write the doc on desktop, and edit on tablet if needed.
This one’s just a website, but it offers a wide range of stock images. This means that any photos you use on you personal website will be free of charge and you won’t have to shell out for a subscription (unless you fancy using the premium version) or a percentage of any earnings on the side hustle.
Now, these images won’t always do – and in which case, you might have to look elsewhere – but I find Pexels to be pretty reliable nine out of ten times.
The thought process
Blogging is 100% a skill to learn, practice and master over thousands of hours of hard work and fun. I’ve found that there are two ideologies that you need to embody as a tool to becoming an effective blogger:
- Creativity
Who wants to read the same recycled garbage over and again? You won’t need to reinvent the wheel, but you also shouldn’t steal other people’s content and refuse it as your own. Before blogging, it helps to have a little brainstorm every now and again to ensure that your content remains fresh and current to your passions and loves.
- Passion
Don’t blog just because you think that you’ll make money or because everyone else is doing it. Do it because you’re passionate about what you’re writing about. If you’re not passionate about it, it’s time to move onto a new niche. Speaking of that, click here if you’re after a new niche.
What tools do you use to blog effectively? Sound off in the comments below to see if I can improve my own process.
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