There are a variety of different tools and resources that can help you with sharing killer content and building a successful blog. There are some key essentials that you should definitely be utilising to help develop your blog.
Using these essentials will help you as a starting point especially if you are still new to the blogging community or if you are thinking about starting a blog. I am sharing 5 of the top essentials you should be using to be successful in your blogging journey.
1. A notebook
Having a notebook handy is a great way to brainstorm blog post ideas and jotting down prompts. You have all the ideas saved for when you need some inspiration. You can always write draft blog posts before you type and schedule your content. Ideas come at all times and even when you are on the go, so having a notebook you can carry in your bag will be really helpful to utilise those thoughts.
I like to write blog posts in my notebook first before typing as in an industry that is so technology heavy, I like to put pen to paper. If you are looking for some great notebooks to write your ideas in I have shared Say Nice Things and BusyB notebook reviews.
2. Phone and laptop
When blogging you can use your phone or laptop to upload a blog post or media files. You can use your phone and laptop to market your blog posts, connect with your audience and network with other like-minded people. Although sometimes you see some bloggers with expensive equipment, but that is not the case to get your blog started. Your phone allows you to work on the go and be present on your platforms. If you are thinking you need a fancy camera to take blog photographs, that isn’t true you can take all your photographs with your phone. I am with WordPress and I use the app which makes my blogging work a lot simpler, I would recommend using it.
Photo by Andrijana Bozic on Unsplash
3. Social Media platforms
Setting up social media platforms are a must to help make your blog successful. Having those platforms allow you to share your blog connect, network with other creators and build a following. The most popular platforms to share your content and connect with your audience are Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook. These platforms help you boost your blog traffic and for your blog posts to have a bigger reach. Brands will often use social media to reach out to bloggers, so get set up these platforms and get the chance to pursue these opportunities. If you have these platforms and are wanting to grow your audience I have shared 9 easy steps you can build a bigger following.
4. A planner system
There are plenty of planning systems available that can suit everyone’s needs. Finding a planning system that works for you is a great tool to help you stick to your blogging schedule. Keeping a blogging schedule is important to consistently share content and grow your brand. Planning your schedule and blog posts can help you stay organised and it means you do not become overwhelmed.
I use a calendar schedule for my blog posts as I plan my blog content ahead of time. Having a blogging schedule definitely has helped me stay organised and I have been posting consistently on my blog ever since I created the schedule that works for me.
5. A scheduler
There are many different scheduling apps out there, Buffer is great and the one I use for my blog. Using an app like this is so helpful especially if blogging is not your primary source of income. If you are working scheduling content and promotional tweets are important to stay active on social media to help boost your engagement even when it is not possible to be on social media. If like me you have followers around the world scheduling content or promotional posts at varying times will help reach a wider audience.
These 5 essentials will help you in starting a blog or helping to boost your engagement and your blog traffic. If you are struggling with your engagement, check out where you may be going wrong.
Have you got other essentials that you can recommend to bloggers? I’d love to hear in the comments.
I literally couldn’t live without any of these things that you’ve mentioned in this post! I’d be utterly lost without my laptop, my phone, my notebooks and my schedule!
Definitely me too! They are so important to stay productive. Thank you for reading and commenting Jenny.
These are all my absolute go to’s!
Twitter is now the first social media I site when I wake up, since ditching Facebook!
We are currently away for a few days and I bought 3 notebooks with me 🤣
Yes!! I do that too!
It definitely helps with consistency and blog traffic. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I always write down my posts before typing them! I think it makes it so much easier for myself. I also just started using a planner for my blog to try and keep track of things and it is helping so far!
That’s great! Thank you for reading and commenting.
i actually couldn’t live without any of these. wonderful blog post and topic!
Thank you lovely!
These are all so helpful! I use all but the WP app now.
Thank you! Can you link your blog.
Notebooks are my dearest friends, and I recently picked out a really lovely pink one with roses on it. Something about a cheery cover inspires me to fill up the pages with ideas. And, of course, we need some way to access the magical Internet so we can share what fills those blank pages!
I love that your blogging essentials are not bogged down with a dozen different apps; these five tools really are the bare bones of sharing out writing with the world.
You definitely don’t need all these expensive apps etc to put together a great blog for sure! Thank you for reading and commenting Jaya x
You bet!
Great post. I love having a notebook to write down all my ideas!
Me too! Thank you for reading.
This is really useful 😇
Thank you for sharing 😇
JENISH | https://knowafactfromj.blogspot.com
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’ve struggled to find the right planner to suit me, but I also use a small white board. It’s great for reminding me of those back logged tasks that I tend to lose when I turn the planner page!
That’s great that you have found something that works for you. Planner based planner systems aren’t always for everyone.
Great recommendations, I need to start writing stuff down to avoid the jumbled mess that is every blog post I start, lol.
It really helps. Can you link your blog.
These are great ideas!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you! Can you link your blog.
Loved reading this post so much! I definitely need to work on using a planner and planning out and organizing everything that I need to do! 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Social Media is a definite must for driving views and traffic to a blog, meeting and discovering other blogs and getting your blog out there in the world. Thank you for the post!
Thank you for these. It will really help me a lot since I’m new in the world of blogging 😊
Anyways, I also love to outline and draft first my blog content in a paper. That would serve as another copy for my posts and I found it really effective.
That’s great! That’s what I do, write them down first. I hope you are enjoying blogging so far’
Yes! I’m really enjoying it😁
Wonderful article & so helpful! I need Hootsuite…was just thinking I need a scheduler & then read this! Probably will increase my productivity more than I know! Thank you so much.
It is so helpful!! I definitely recommend it!
A short video maker to help advertise your blog on social media. It’s a great way to catch peoples attention. I use Werble but I’m sure there are other great ones people use.
Such a useful article for bloggers. Very informative, thanks for sharing this article.
Thank you. Can you link your blog.
A planner system is something i never thought off.. Thanks for letting me know.. Great tips…
Thank you. Can you link your blog.
Is that your planner journal? I’m completely in love with that. I love working on scheduled journals, though sometimes I ease up on it. Still, I find it way more effective. Thanks for sharing.
Yes
Great post. I definitely agree. I’ve only recently started blogging but as a writer I carry my notebook with me everywhere I go for random spots of inspiration.
Literally don’t know where I’d be without my digital planner and schedulers! Fab post lovely 🙂 xxx
Your planner is so cute! Love the Llamas! I also like to have a proof reader (i.e: my best friend) because those grammar and spelling mistake pop out of no where! 😅
I use all of these, so right now I’m feeling pretty accomplished 😉 This is such a great list, especially for bloggers who are just starting out! Fantastic recommendations.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog
I fill up so many random notebooks with ideas! I need more. That being said, I need to crack down on a schedule!
Tonyalee
I totally agree! All of these are essentials for me. And while you don’t necessarily need a camera for the blog, I do find having mine does help. Great post!
Yeah I have a camera too.
These are really great tips thank you! I’m really just getting my blog off the ground so this is very helpful!
I am glad they have been helpful.
One thing that I don’t use for blogging is a planner system, it’s honestly something I have never thought of before! I loved this post!x
It definitely helps!
Great tips! We have recently started using Hootsuite and it is really useful, especially as we both work full time.
A planner is one of the most underrated tools! I don’t know what I would do without a planner system to keep all my tasks outlined and ensure I don’t forget any
In the past I used a notebook. I would write blog posts ideas and designs in it. I would even write blog posts. I think I start doing it again!
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog?
For me, I use a notebook to plan what I’m doing today, but nothing related to what I actually write. I use Asana heavily across my phone and computer to plan my posts and keep everything organised. Any new ideas go in the appropriate place in there straight away and I can then schedule when I’m going to work on each one etc. I never thought I’d use it the way I do, but it’s proven absolutely essential to me.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I don’t actually keep a notebook. I used a whiteboard and index cards to keep track of my thoughts. I am trying to get myself on a fixed schedule but it’s harder than I thought. Great tips though.