With so many resources on the web to help bloggers out I’m trying to keep a running list of some of my favorite go-to sites and tools. This list helps me keep my favorites in one place and, in sharing this list, I hope you can find some new resources to help you too! (Please note that this page may contain affiliate links which means I may get credit or a small commission -at no extra cost to you- should you decide to join some of the programs listed.)
This list is updated from time to time and is always a work in progress. 🙂
Web Design / Theme / Hosting
- Wordpress.org
- Dreamhost – coupon for $25 off your first year
- When I first started a blog it was difficult to pick a hosting company. All the reviews sound more like ads then genuine experience based feedback. I finally found some major companies I trust (like PC World) who recommended DreamHost. It’s not the cheapest hosting option but sometimes you get what you pay for and I believe this is one of those times. I’ve been very happy with this hosting service since starting GermanPearls and have never experienced any downtime. I’ve also enjoyed the unlimited number of sub-domains I can register. If you’re interested in signing up for Dreamhost here’s a $25 coupon for your first year.
- Genesis Framework by StudioPress
- Restored 316 Designs – Genesis Child Themes
Blogging Resources
- Books
- How to Blog for Profit without Selling your Soul by Abby Lawson
- Blog Post Toolkit by Gina Luker
- Training / Courses
- Blog Goals
- Websites
Wordpress Help
Plugins / Tools
- SumoMe
- social share buttons, welcome mats, pop ups, heat maps and more
- Hello Bar
- Social Warfare Plugin
- My favorite part about this plugin is that it lets you specify an image to be used for Pinterest shares so you can make sure your Pinterest optimized image is the one pinned.
Marketing / Social Media
- Boardbooster – Easy to use, inexpensive Pinterest scheduler, my favorite 🙂
- HubSpot
Photo Editing
- PicMonkey
- Canva
- Paint.net – a free photoshop alternative
- Photoshop Elements – a less expensive, more user-friendly alternative to photoshop
Free Stock Photos
Thank you to all the generous photographers on the following websites who offer their stock photos for free:
Software and Apps
- Microsoft Excel – who could live without this? 🙂
- Evernote
- Dropbox
- Scrivener
- I picked up Scrivener on a great sale at Stack Social.
Forums / Q&A
- Yahoo Answers – a great place to get your questions answered or help others out
- Quora – another great place to get your questions answered or help others out
Advertising / Affiliate Networks
- ShareASale
- CJ (formerly Commission Junction)
- Amazon Affiliate Program
- Google Adsense
Other Resources
You may also be interested in our post which lists 15 powerful free computer programs.