Often, I’m asked what tools I use for blogging, so here are the six main ones I use on a daily basis:
- TypePad Pro: For a blogging platform, I like TypePad Pro
because I can create as many blogs as I want and have CSS capability so I can create a prettier, less cookie cutter template looking blog (I cut & paste what I find online in quick tips). I don’t do code, don’t have any code savvy friends, and can’t afford a web person but that’s okay because the TypePad customer service is awesome at helping me with what I need. I also love the TypePad posting interface of all the blog platforms I’ve ever tried. And when it comes to putting in advertising codes, affiliate codes, or network codes, it's so easy to do on TypePad.
- Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator: I do all my own graphic design on my blogs. On my food blog Noshtopia, 90% of the pictures are taken by me. I am not a trained web or graphic designer, nor photographer. I just took a couple of classes and go online for tips & tricks. I found it was worth getting over the fear of learning these robust programs because my desire for good graphics outweighed the fear factor. My blogs are known for the style and high quality visuals I create.
- Nikon D50: I got this camera when it first came out as I wanted an easy to use entry level Digital SLR camera. I commonly use an 18-200mm lens. I love my Nikon and cannot live without it. Picture posts are the best kind because they are easy and people love to link to pictures especially good food shots and cute animals.
- Microsoft Word: For any posts over 300 words, I use Word for my drafts. I’m very basic here. I’ve tried the desktop blog editors like LiveWriter, and they don’t do anything for me. Many Pro level bloggers will swear by their desktop blog editors, and more power to them. I’m fine with cut & paste from Word. I don’t need instant upload. Often I find too, that I end up re-tweaking what the desktop app uploads because it’s never a smooth exact transition.
- Twitter: After my blogs, the second place you'll find me most often is on Twitter as skinnyjeans. I love to use Twitter as a complement to my blogging efforts, and to meet other kindred spirits. Here I explain in more detail the benefits I've gained using Twitter.
- YouTube: I post all my videos on YouTube as backinskinnyjeans because it’s easy, and you have access to loads of traffic. There are many other video players and sites out there which are really wonderful too and allow you more features than YouTube, so I recommend trying different ones out and finding one that fits your needs and likes. I stick with YouTube more for the access to their ginormous traffic.
There are many other tools I use, but on a daily basis, these are the primary ones I use. See, nothing complex. What blogging tools do you use on a daily basis?
