Resources & Recommendations
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Resources for Starting a Blog
Resources and recommendations from Tiffer Time. What you needed to start and maintain a successful blog. Everything you need from a website platform, hosting, growing your audience and everything in between.
After getting my domain, hosting and WordPress pieced together and looking somewhat okay. I decided it was time to invest in more resources for my future in blogging. This is when I found Alex and Lauren from Create & Go they have a ton of free blogging resources and paid courses.
I had finished their free 7 day course to set up your blog and loved how real they were. So, I thought why not use their paid course to get my blog up and running.
I have learned so much from basics in strategy, ad revenue, affiliate marketing and email strategy. Even the ins and outs of utilizing social media! I highly recommend this course and cannot wait to take another one.
WORDPRESS.org Blogging Platform
No surprise here, I use WordPress (website content management tool). AKA you can maintain, organize and manage all the beautiful content you write. After all the research I did this was the perfect site for my blog. It was self hosted which is why I need Bluehost.
They go hand in hand like wine and cheese!
What is hosting? and what does it have to do with blogging?
When you are starting your blog you will need to decide if having your OWN site is important or if you want a company to own your site?
If you are just hobby blogging and do not ever see yourself trying to make money, go ahead and let another company own your site. But, if there is a part of you thinking that ONE DAY you will want your blog to be more than a hobby, you NEED to be self-hosted.
For another resource and to answer your blogging questions see my post on starting your blog in 10 minutes!
Why I love Bluehost!
Bluehost, is the best hosting company! When I first started my blogging journey, almost EVERY resource I read and, ‘How to Start a Blog’ post that I read said BLUEHOST was the way to go!
I have been using and partnered with Bluehost since the summer of 2017 when I started my blog. Their 24/7 customer service is impeccable and a lifesaver if you ever need it. An issue came up with one of my pages at 3am one night. With Bluehost I was able to chat with a live person to get my problem resolved.
Bluehost is super easy to use, and affordable costing less than one coffee a month. Yes only a $3.95 a month to OWN and HOST your own blog. You can either pay month to month or save and pay for a year or up to three years.
I suggest going for three years. Yes I am an affiliate and if you use my link you will get this great price and I will receive a small commission. BUT I also promise I would not promote something I have not used and do not like.
Bluehost has been a saving grace, helpful and easy. I also, encourage you to sign up for three years, so you have time to truly be successful and to not give up when you hit the first bump in the road.
PLUS a free domain name ($15 save instantly)
Check out my ‘How to Start a Blog’ page for more details.
Tip: works well with WordPress
ALL TIME FAV!
Having a life, a job, a family and starting a blog can seem overwhelming. And honestly having the time to do it all can make you give up on a blog before you start.
Insert TAILWIND aka your time saver.
Driving traffic to your blog is essential and Pinterest is the best resource for most of us.
I underestimated the amount of traffic I could get by using Tailwind as one of my resource. So, take the plunge and learn as much as you can ASAP.
FREE TRIAL: Tailwind gives you 100 schedules
This has literally been a game changer by taking my Pinterest views from 1,000 to 20,000.
Content: Proofreader
Grammarly has saved my life in the writing world.
Before I became a blogger I worked at a start up. My job was with the sales team and part of what I was responsible for was writing email templates and corresponding back and forth with professionals. At this company I was introduced to Grammarly for the first time.
I fell in love and have not gone back since.
Grammarly catches the simplest mistakes and even the tougher ones like their, there, and they’re or than and then. If these are not problems for you, Grammarly does so much more than fix your simple mistakes. You can receive improvement reports, it checks plagiarism, grammar, punctuation, clarifies your message and so much more!
The extension has been added to all of my devices because when you are starting a new job, career or company, you can not risk looking incompetent with new clients.
Have you ever received and email or text and someone used they’re when it should have been their? Our minds our used to auto correcting and we all have our own ‘Grammar Pet Peeves’.
Don’t let grammar keep you from advancing. Grammarly is FREE or you can UPGRADE for advanced writing feedback. I promise you won’t regret this investment.
Website Design Resources
This is the first theme I used on my WordPress blog. I have gotten multiple complements from Bluehost, Constant Contact, and WordPress support on it because it gives a clean and elegant look.
If you are looking to purchase a theme, this is a great site to find themes for WordPress, Blogger and Blogspot. I am planning to get my next theme here!
You can get your hosting and theme all in one here. I am covered for my hosting but I love their girly sleek, flat lay looks for a back drop on my website.
Stock Images and Graphic Design Tools
Blogging 101 you need permission in order to post pictures on your site OR they need to be YOUR originals. But lets face it you don’t always get the best shot or there are a ton of people blocking your visual dreams. ENTER these amazing sites.
The photographers on this site have given permission so no need to worry about legal mumbo jumbo. Pexels and Pixabay should be in your que at all times. Literal life savers for some of my images, especially my pins.
Speaking of pins, before blogging I never thought I would create a pin for Pinterest. Now I am OBSESSED with using Canva, not only can you swipe some sweet images but you can add an overlay, color and text!
