*This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions represented here are my own.
Think about how much effort you put into creating and maintaining your blogging business. Just to publish one post, you’ve got to write the post, pick an attention-grabbing headline, proofread it, create shareable social images, promote your post to social media…. the list goes on and on!
With so many things that need your attention, you need to find ways to work smarter, not harder. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of my nine favorite tech tools that save you time and effort when working
9 fantastic tech tools to revolutionize your blogging business
1. Grammarly
You didn’t become a blogger because you hate writing, but you probably don’t want to spend hours carefully proofreading each post for little spelling and grammar mistakes, either. That’s where Grammarly comes into play.
This free desktop app also has a plugin for Google Chrome that will automatically check your spelling and grammar as you write, saving you time writing your blog posts, emails, social media captions, and everything in between!
Check it out here: Grammarly
2. Coschedule Headline Analyzer Tool
When I first started blogging, I was told that I needed to spend just as much time creating my headline as I did writing the actual post. It’s true! Even if you have the most interesting, value-packed blog posts in your niche, potential readers will never know if you don’t use headlines that grab their attention.
Enter the Coschedule Headline Analyzer too. This free desktop app/Chrome extension combo proofreads your writing for spelling and grammar errors in real time as you write, making it a must for bloggers to save you valuable time.
Check it out here: Coschedule Headline Analyzer Tool
3. Trello
Every blogger has their own routine for publishing blog posts and completing regular business tasks. Hopefully, you have your routine written down somewhere instead of relying on your memory to carry you through, but it can be tough finding each list and keeping your business processes organized.
This is where Trello comes into play. Trello boards allow you to organize and edit your business routines, share them with team members, and get your processes out of your head and down on paper where they can be tested and refined. Trello has been a lifesaver for me as I improve my web development process with clients!
Check it out here: Trello
4. LastPass
An unfortunate downside to the world of digital marketing is having to keep up with so many different logins and passwords for different accounts (and all of your passwords are different… aren’t they?).
Make your life much easier by using LastPass to store your logins to all of your social media, website, and hosting logins. As a bonus, if you work with a virtual assistant, you can use LastPass to securely give them access to accounts of your choice without actually having to tell them the passwords!
Check it out here: LastPass
5. Canva
Writing fabulous content is only half of the blogging game – the rest is making sure your content gets noticed online, and that’s almost impossible to do without clean, professional graphics.
If you’re not already using Canva to make graphics for your blog, what are you waiting for? Canva is free to use and is incredibly easy to learn. Canva provides free templates for all kinds of graphics including social media posts, social media headers, flyers, business cards, and so much more. There’s also a paid version of Canva that allows you to instantly resize an image to fit any other template. I highly recommend you spring for the paid version if you can afford it – the time it saves me making three different images for each blog post is totally worth it!
Check it out here: Canva
6. Colorpick Eyedropper
While you’re using Canva, you’ll probably want to stick to one set of colors to make your brand cohesive. If you come across a color you particularly want to use on the web, how do you make sure that exact color ends up in your branding palette?
By using the Colorpick Eyedropper Chrome extension, of course! With this handy tool in your back pocket, you can grab the hex code of any color you find on the web and use that exact shade in any graphics you create. This is a must-have especially if you’re still figuring out what color pallets work best for you!
Check it out here: Colorpick Eyedropper
7. OneNote
As a traveling student, business owner, and virtual assistant, I am all about keeping my notes, files, and plans organized and available on multiple devices.
That’s why I absolutely adore OneNote from Microsoft Office! OneNote is a free Microsoft application available for download on computer, phone, or tablet. OneNote works by creating digital “binders” for each subject that can be organized page by page with tabs. I keep one binder for my business, one binder for my personal projects each year, and one binder per semester when I’m taking classes. My business binder is organized with tabs for Finances, Business Plan, Courses, Blog Posts, References, and Brainstorming. OneNote syncs to all of your devices, so my business information is always at my fingertips no matter where I am.
Check it out here: OneNote
8. LinkedIn Sales Navigator
LinkedIn can be crucial for making and keeping up with professional contacts, especially if your income as a blogger depends on collaborative posts or working with brands.
The LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a Chrome extension that works with your Gmail account to show you the LinkedIn profile of the person you’re emailing. Think of it like a Rolodex for your email, letting you see your contact’s current work info as well as any mutual connections you might have. LinkedIn Sales Navigator also lets you send LinkedIn requests right from your inbox, making it a breeze to widen your professional sphere.
Check it out here: LinkedIn Sales Navigator
9. Adblock Plus
This tool is geared more towards general Internet users rather than bloggers, but since bloggers spend so much time on the web, I couldn’t write this list of tech tools without including my favorite Chrome extension – Adblock Plus.
Adblock Plus is a Chrome extension that does exactly what the name suggests – it blocks ads! Keep your browsing clean, secure, and free of those incredibly annoying popups with this amazing plugin. There’s also a paid feature that will let you change the location of your IP address if that’s something important to you and your internet habits.
Check it out here: Adblock Plus
So there you have it!
With these blogging tech tools at your fingertips, you’re ready to save yourself time and effort in your blogging business. Have any questions? Know of any tech tools you’d add to this list? I’d love to hear it in the comments below!
