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Blogging can be very time-consuming. Perfection is difficult, right? I, for one, am always looking for tools that will streamline the process, and make my life easier. I compiled this list of free blogging tools that help me make the most of my time, and can help you too.
Free Blogging Tools that will make your life easier
WordPress Editorial Calendar
Yes, there are paid versions that have more bells and whistles, but the WordPress Editorial Calendar does the job with ease. It offers drag and drop, quick edit, and many other options that will help you plan and schedule posts and update your blog.
Hoot Suite
Hootsuite is a social media management tool that will allow you to manage your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts from one dashboard. You can use it to share your blog post links, as well as to build relationships with other bloggers, which can help you grow your blog.
Canva
Canva makes it easy to design and edit your photos, infographics, flyers, emails, and more. There are thousands of templates plus tutorials to get you started.
PicMonkey
PicMonkey is another photo editing site. Try them both out to see which one you prefer. I myself stick with PicMonkey mostly because I haven’t taken the time to learn the ins and outs of Canva.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a must for any blogger who wants or needs to keep track of their statistics. With this free tool you not only see how many visitors come to you site, you can also find out where they came from, where they live, their age, gender, how long they stayed, and much, much more. Google Analytics is the standard for most networks and companies that need to know your blog statistics.
Google AdWords Keyword Tool
Google Adwords Keyword Planner can help you find what keywords readers use in searches. Using keywords properly will help you improve your search engine optimization (SEO). You need to sign up for an Adwords account, but the planner is free.
Google Alerts
You can set up alerts with Google Alerts and get an email whenever Google finds content using the keyword phrases that you choose. In addition to setting keywords that apply to your niche, you can choose the frequency of the emails to fit with your schedule.
Flickr
Not only can you use Flickr to store your own images online, you have the ability to find free images with Creative Common licenses that you can use on your own blog.
Evernote
One of the best things about Evernote is its ability to sync across all your devices. If you are struck with a great idea while standing in line at the grocery store, you can jot it down on your phone and it will be waiting for you on your computer when you get home. I have used it to quickly write down ingredients for a recipe I’m working on, start a blog post when I’m killing time at the doctor’s office, and, I admit it, make my grocery store lists. You can even use it to dictate random thought that can later be copied and pasted into your blog post.
MailChimp
If you want to build your subscription list (and you should), MailChimp is an easy way to create personalized, automated, and targeted newsletters. You can also use the tools to track analytics and grow your email list. It is free for the first 2,000. subscribers.
Dropbox
With Dropbox you can backup, store and share your files, photos, and other data safely online, where it is accessible from any device. The first 2GB are free.
Google Docs
With Google Docs you can create and share online documents, collaborate on projects, edit in real time, and access all your files from any device. You can also make online surveys, forms, and slides.
Gravatar
Have you ever commented on a blog and you notice that your “photo” is one of those crazy cartoon monster or other generic drawing while other commenters have nice looking pictures of themselves? The difference is that the other commenters created a Gravatar, a globally recognized avatar that will follow you from site to site when you comment or post on a blog. It’s a fun little tool that also can help you look professional and dedicated.
Co-Schedule Headline Analyzer
With the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer you can, simply put, write better headlines. For example, using the free tool, I entered my working title Free Blogging Tools, and received a score of 17, which is quite low (a C-). When I’d finished my post, I reentered my headline 15 Free Blogging Tools that will make your life easier, and my score jumped up to 77, an A+. The tool ranks your headline based on length, structure, grammar, emotion, and originality.
Grammarly
Grammarly can find more than 100 different types of grammar errors (250 in the paid version), help you find the best word with synonym suggestions, learn about your mistakes so that you can write better, and have your back not only in blog posts, but in emails, essays, and on social media.
I am confident that these free blogging tools will not only make your life easier, they will help you be a better blogger.
I’m sure that I missed some of your favorite free blogging tools. Share with me in the comments!
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Sunday Blog Hop with Jenn
Meatless Monday with Tina and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Anything Goes with Marilyn
Bonnie, the Pin Junkie
Tip Tuesday with Debbie in Shape
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Michelle, Sarah, and Angelena Marie
Wednesday Wisdom with Nanna’s Wisdom
The Blog Booster Party with Kathleen
Friday Fitness with Jill
HootSuite, Mail Chimp & PicMonkey have been amazing for me! I also love this app called BeFunky – it makes all my photos just POP!!! 😀
Google Docs & Drop Box kinda confuse me though! I love WeTransfer to send big docs to others!
I love dropbox because I have access to everything I put there from anywhere. I even put my edited photos there for convenience. I need to check out BeFunky!
Great tips!! I use Dropbox and google docs a lot.. I need to start using some of these others though
I think you’ll find them really useful.
I think I use almost all of these. So helpful in organizing posts and the social media frenzy of blogging.
Yes. I need all the help I can get. 🙂
I love Grammarly.
I started using it recently and the paid version is totally worth, mainly for a non-native speaker.
Great tips, Debbie!
#TipTuesday
I wish more bloggers would use Grammarly. Even (especially?) native English speakers. 🙂
I always get lost in Google Adwords. Maybe I should try the Coschedule headline analyzer instead.
They kind of work differently. But the headline analyzer is much easier to figure out.
Great list! For whatever reason, I was not aware of Google Alerts. Thanks for sharing this awesome info!!
I actually need to edit mine a little (I have alerts for things like running info, plus social media tips). Also, set up an alert for your own name and your blog. That way you see if anybody’s talking ’bout ya 🙂
Great tools!! I’m just starting to blog so I’m always on the lookout of free blogging resources
Even after many years I still us a lot of free resources. Otherwise, all those small payments add up quickly!
Great post, as usual! I’ve started using Grammarly (I wish a lot of other bloggers would…I’m kind of a grammar and spelling nazi) and that has helped with a lot of unseen errors in my posts! I do use Google analytics, but man, it is confusing. I think I’ve finally got it figured out, and I’m getting more accurate stats. Over the winter, I plan on testing out Hootsuite and some of the other tools you’ve mentioned. Thanks for this!
I’m a grammar nazi too (I wrote a post about it a while back), so I think Grammarly should be a requirement 🙂
These are awesome tools!! I had never heard of google alerts, but it sounds like an amazing tool!!
Google alerts are cool. Make sure to set an alert for your own name and your blog name!
I used to find most of my pictures of flickr but I have had more success with Pixabay lately. You should check it out!
Thanks for the tip! Checking out Pixabay right now!
Thank you!!!! I wasn’t sure I’d find anything new on your list, but I did! Evernote, google alerts, and the headliner scheduler are exactly what I need!
I just downloaded grammarly and it’s amazing!
I hadn’t heard of that coschedule headline analyzer though, I definitely need help in that department.
You are always so helpful Debbie – thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG, that headline analyzer is amazing! Where was that when I worked for About.com?
It probably isn’t saving me time, but we’ll see if it helps with page views.
Thank you!
oh wow so much info in this one! I haven’t tried hootsuite yet and didn’t realize it was free. Evernote sounds interesting too. Thanks saving this one
thank you!!
Google Ad Words…how the heck do you use it? I’ve never been able to figure that one out & would love some help in that area!
Here’s a handy guide to show you how to use the keyword planner. You need to set up an adwords account, but you don’t have to create an ad or spend any money to use the planner. https://blog.serps.com/how-to/use-google-keyword-planner-to-find-new-seo-keywords/
[ Smiles ] A nice choice of blogging tools!
These are awesome tips! I’ve already bookmarked this page. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for the post! Canva and Hootsuite make my life SO much easier and I can’t wait to check out the apps I haven’t tried yet.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison Jones
I’ve used Atomic Reach to optimize my post titles and body text. Great list!
Yes to all of these!! Thanks for compiling this list; I am always looking for ways to simplify my blogging and social media life. Pinned and bookmarked and embedded in the brain for later reference 😉
YES to the google alerts and so so so few people do them.
Ive learned some interesting stuff 🙂
Good tips and reading Debbie. I love Drop Box. I went to the Google Ad Words to start to figure it out, I need to dig a bit deeper to totally understand.
Great list! I’ll be bookmarking a few of these – Grammarly especially! 😀
I hadn’t heard of Grammarly – will definitely be checking that one out! Another one I like is MadMimi for newsletters; it’s much more simplified than MailChimp!
I have not been able to do an editorial calendar as I don’t have enough ideas.
Great tips- I use most of these but have to try the keyword tool because I always struggle with that. I need 6 keywords!
Another most helpful post full of nice helps that we need to keep up with blogging. So nice to have the free ones.
Kathleen
Fridays Blog Booster Party #23
Thanks for these great rescources! I need them in my life! I feel like I am always doing everything the hard way when there are so many things out there to make blogging easier. Linking up with you at #Saturdaysharefest 🙂
I bookmarked this post, thank you! For free photos I love Wikicommons! Stopping by from the Sharefest.
So many to choose from Debbie and thank you for again writing such an informative post. There are a number I use now but certainly a lot more I don’t so I’ll have fun looking and learning about them. Thanks for linking up with us at #WednesdaysWisdom
I use the majority of these tools, love them, love free! LOL I need to focus more on Google Adwords and Google Alerts, these are two that I have not done anything with! Pinning to remind myself and share with others! Thanks!
Debbie, I’m here to let you know that this post was the most viewed from last week’s Tip Tuesday and it’ll be featured this week.
Congrats!
This post was in the TOP SIX most clicked on Fridays Blog Booster Party #23 Woot. It will be featured on Friday.
Kathleen
Always looking for things to make blogging easier! I didn’t know about the WP calendar.
But I am using Gravatar! woo hoo! 1 for 14, go me! lol
Here from Inspire ME Monday.
Such great tips! Thanks so much for sharing, I am pinning to look at closer later!
Hi Debbie! Stopping by from the Sunday Blog Hop linky on BecauseImCheap.com Thank you for linking up! This is a great list of tools! I really need to utilize Google Alerts more. I used to, before I understood the importance of keywords. Gotta step up the game 😉 Hope to see you again!
What a great list! I found you on the Sunday Blog Hop.
I am saving this one! Pinned!
Thank you for this resourceful post.
Blessings,
Brandy
Weird! I have a Gravatar…… yet I am a monster on here! 🙂
Hi!
I was not familiar with Grammarly or Google Alerts. Now I want to try them, and free? Cool? Thank you!
Janice
HI,
I will be linking to you in my Sunday post.
Janice
I’ve pinned this Debbie as it is so informative. I think the Pit Stop idea is fabulous and appreciate you all giving your knowledge so generously. Have a lovely weekend. #PitStop
Before you start your blog, it is always good to do Keyword Research! And one of the best tools to do that is SmartSERP.com! Give it a try today!