This & That

5 Blogging tools I can’t do without

I thought I’d share some really interesting and useful info with you on 5 blogging tools that I as a blogger can’t do without. I have had my blog since 2010 and have learn’t some hard lessons, so today I get to give you a headstart to make your blogging life a tad easier. Good news is that I do not earn any affiliate income on any of the links / people mentioned below. I simply cannot do without their expertise and services for lovilee.co.za.

Related: How to start a blog – step by step instructions.

Blogging tools I can't do without

1. SEO by Yoast

SEO by Yoast is an amazing tool that assists you with the checklist you need to ensure that your posts are SEO optimised. It is a tool that I literally cannot do without (note that I am on the free version still). Their tutorials are incredible on-line and these people KNOW SEO. I also make use of a site called Ubersuggest that assists me with getting the best keyword for each article.

What is SEO?
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimisation. Each article or piece of content or image that you add to the internet only adds value to your business if you make it easy for people to find or search for it. I need to write an article in such a way that it stands the best chance to appear on a search engine like Google when you search for a term etc.

A BEEEG note on SEO, I though that I understood SEO until I met the lovilee Imka Webb, I booked an SEO consult with her and after making some changes and actually knowing what I was doing my blog traffic started growing like crazy! Learn more here.

2. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is an email marketing automation platform that I use to send out my RSS feed emails as well as monthly newsletters. It is really easy to use and easy to set up and literally runs behind the scenes with little intervention from your site. All my email contact lists are managed through this tool as well. After 8 years I am still on the FREE version of this tool as well.

Want to see what it is all about? Then sign up for the lovilee newsletter here.

3. Blogstomp

I make use of Blogstomp to resize the images that I use on the blog. With literally a few clicks you can have all your images in the perfect size and / or apply a watermark if needed. This tool saved me loads and loads and loads of time as I was individually adding a watermark on each and every of my images every time.

There is a free trial that you can try before you purchase the software as it is $49 once-off. It was worth every cent for me. Visit www.stompsoftware.com.

4. My iphone

I literally take all my images on my cellphone #iphoneonly. I has an iphone 6s before that had issues with its battery that was not repaireable. I wanted to get an iphone again but on a pay as you go contract. After researching a few options the iphone SE was the winner! It was priced very well and had the exact functions and specs as my 6s with the only exception being the ‘selfie’ camera… Not so great… But its memory is loads bigger than my previous phone. (O, and it comes in rose gold)

Having my phone on hand with me all the time I am able to take images on the go and stay on top of my social media channels. It might not be the best camera phone but for what I need my iphone SE is amazing!!!

5. VSCO

The VSCO image editing app is available for download on both the istore and the google play stores. There is a small cost involved in purchasing the app, but the editing of my images is soooo much better and prettier. There are loads of pre-set filters as well as other options that you can tweak. You can then save your own filters so that you can edit your images in a click! It is literally the easiest way to edit your blog images.

You just have to search the #VSCO hashtag on Instagram to understand how powerful this app is!

Do you have a blog? What are the blogging tools that you cant do without?!

Thumbnail image by Ilya Oreshkov via Shutterstock.

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Karen Kelly is the founder and editor of lovilee.co.za. She is a creative at heart and passionate about all things DIY. Learn more about her here and connect with her on social media on the links below.

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