Resource Library: Best Blogging Resources

Welcome to my Library of Blogging Resources!

On this page, you will find a collection of recommendations and resources I find inspiring otherwise worthwhile. I’ve included blogging resources and tools, dating and relationship resources, and some of my favorite books and beauty products to use.

All resources will be divided into sections for easier navigation.

I hope you find this page useful! I’ll be adding to it from time to time so make sure to check back often.

* Disclaimer: Please note that this page may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase using any of these links, I may earn a small percentage. This goes a long way to helping me PLUS it’s at no additional cost to you! So, you know, win-win. Also, rest assured that I only ever recommend products I love. Thanks for supporting me!

Blogging Resources

Blogging Basics

Dreamhost

Free blog sites are totally fine for hobby bloggers or those just starting out, but if you’re wanting to make money at some point (or even just have a cleaner, more recognized blog), you need to have a self-hosted domain.

Since a hosting platform is of the most important blogging resources you’ll use, make sure to choose the right one.

I use Dreamhost as my host provider and I’ve been really impressed by them. Since I know almost nothing about technology, I asked a friend of mine in IT to help me when setting up my site and he suggested Dreamhost. They have great rates and incredible customer service. (I actually tweeted an issue once and within an hour, one of their customer service reps actually emailed me to fix the issue.)

WordPress.org

When I started my blog, I used the free Wix platform because, unlike many others, I didn’t love the .com version of WordPress. Trust me, though, the .org version is different. After I chose to go the self-hosted route, I went with WordPress.org for my website platform. It’s really easy to navigate and I love the free themes offered.

Mailchimp

I use the free version of Mailchimp for my newsletters and I’ve been really happy with it. Their free version doesn’t have all the features, but for my needs, it’s been more than enough. If you have more than 2,000 email subscribers, though, you’ll need to get one of their paid plans.

Canva

I absolutely adore Canva. I create all my social media graphics, newsletters, and printables using the platform. They have both a free and Pro version, but personally, I use the Pro version because of all the premium features.

Stock Photos

• Pexels – This is my top choice for finding quality stock photos to use on my blog posts.

• Unsplash – My second favorite photo site.

• Pixabay – I don’t use this site unless I haven’t found the perfect image on Pexels or Unsplash, but that’s just a personal preference. They also have a ton of great images so you may want to give them a try.

Site Auditing Tools

If you have your own domain, you have what’s known as Domain Authority. Your DA score is a number between 1 and 100. The higher your number, the higher your site will rank on search engines such as google. DA depends on a variety of factors including on-page SEO and backlinks.

• Moz – Moz is the official Domain Authority website. You can sign up for free which lets you check your DA 10 times a month.

• Domain Authority Checker – Another DA score website, this one allows you to check as often as you want.

• Broken Link Checker – In order to improve your DA, you need to have high quality backlinks. Broken links, then, will hurt your score, so you can use this site to check that your links are working.

• Pingdom – A free online tool that can test your website speed

• Gift of Speed – Another free website with a ton of helpful tools, including one that lets you check whether or not your Gzip compression is working.

Gumroad Account

If you want to start generating passive income from blogging, you’ll want to sell your own products (like e-books or templates.) Gumroad is free to set-up and use and you can easily start selling your own products.

PayHip Store

Payhip is another e-commerce platform that allows you to sell digital downloads, E-books, memberships, and coaching services. Like Gumroad, Payhip is free to set-up and easy to use (I actually have both, but so far, I prefer Payhip.)

WordPress Plugins

When using a self-hosted WordPress site, you’re going to need to add some plugins. Remember those old Apple commercials where they’d always say, “There’s an app for that”? Yeah, plugins are kind of like that. Whatever you need, there’s a plugin you can get.

• Popular Plugins – A few helpful plugins I recommend are: Jetpack, Yoast SEO, Akismet Spam Protection, Hummingbird, and Imagify

• AmLinks Pro – If you use the Amazon affiliate program, this is a good plugin for you to consider. It’s a really easy way to add Amazon links and products to your site in a more visually appealing way.

Extra Resources for Bloggers

Media Kit and Rate Card

Media Kit Template - Resources page — Purchase **Here**

If you’re a blogger and you want to start landing paid collaborations and brand sponsored blog posts, you need a Media Kit and Rate Card.

Think of a Media kit like a resume, only for bloggers, influencers, and other content creators. It gives brands a snapshot of who you are as a creator and shows potential clients what you can offer them. Your Rate Card, then, tells them your specific prices and services.

You can either make your own or purchase a pre-made template. If you’re going to buy a Media Kit template, of course, I have to suggest my own!

I have a few different Media Kit templates for sale on my Payhip shop – all fully customizable in Canva and selling for just $5.

*I also have eBook and Newsletter templates available – see all my products here

Travel Blog Media Kit Template

Media Kit Resources for Bloggers - The Travel Blog Media Kit from Travel Addicted Unicorn — Purchase **Here**

Here’s another great Media Kit option you might want to consider.

I love this template from Travel Addicted Unicorn – it’s geared towards travel bloggers, but it’s honestly perfect for any blogger.

This one comes with 6 pages so for bloggers who have a lot of past collaborations, testimonials, or services to offer, it might be good to have a more in-depth kit. (Plus it’s only $7!)

eBook Template for Lead Magnet

eBook template resources for bloggers — Purchase **Here**

If you’re a blogger who wants to grow their email list – or even start developing ways of generating passive income – creating a workbook or guide is a great option.

You can create your own or use a template. Along with my Media Kit templates, I have an eBook template available for fellow content creators who want to create their own workbook or content guide.

(See all my templates in my Shop)

Shop My Favorites

I wasn’t entirely sure what to title this section – Lifestyle Resources was what came to mind first, but that seemed a little too Goop-y to me. (For those of you who aren’t as well-versed in celebrity culture as me, Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow’s Lifestyle brand.)

So, instead, I went simple. Here, you’ll find a selection of my favorite beauty products and book recommendations. Enjoy!

Beauty & Style

Luxury Skincare

These products have a painful price tag, I know, but they’re the big skincare splurges I absolutely adore! I personally believe in investing in your skin with quality, well-researched products which is why I continue to buy these high-end products no matter what.

While I use all of these myself, I recognize that not everyone can afford to do so. Of all the recommendations here, my number one is the Skinmedica Advanced Serum.