A few months ago I put together my Blog Resources to help out people who are starting a blog. Over the last few months, I have been using some different resources to help me with my blog so I thought I would make an updated version of my Blog Resources that you can find here

Blog Platform 

A blog platform is very important when you're starting a new blog, This is where you would design your blog and have a template and also write and edit your posts. When I first started my blog a tired out a few different platforms before I found the right one for me. A lot of bloggers eventually move on to be self-hosted but I have not made the plunge yet. 

Blogger: This is the platform that I have been using and loving! Firstly its FREE, other platforms can charge you for different services but Blogger is absolutely free. It is one of the older blogging platforms but I have always been a fan. Blogger does everything you need with editing your posts and blog layout. If you also have an issue you can easily contact Google Forums for the answers. 

Wordpress: This is a platform that a lot of different bloggers use. It allows you to edit your posts easily and also design your template which can make it slightly techier than platforms like blogger. 


Domain Name

When you first sign up to a blog platform you will usually get a specific URL, for example, beautyobsessed.blogspot.com, To make your blog looks more professional you can purchase your own Domain name. This isn't an essential part of your blog if you're just starting out but it is good to get one eventually. 

GoDaddy: I chose to use GoDaddy because I researched a lot beforehand and saw that a lot of different bloggers had chosen to use this site. It was very simple to use and if you need help (which I did) you can contact support 24/7. You can spend as little as 99p for a specific domain name of either .co.uk or .com!


Blog Theme

Having a good theme for your blog that matches your posts can be very important at keeping your readers interested in returning to your blog. 

Etsy: When I first started my blog I looked at different themes and at this time I couldn't afford an expensive one so I had a look at Etsy. They have many different themes form different sellers. You can purchase a responsive theme for your blog for as little as £5. You can also get the seller to apply your theme for you or you can do it yourself with support from the seller. 

Pipdig: A lot of other bloggers that I have been reading have really lovely responsive themes for either Blogger or Wordpress. I will be saving up to get one of these themes in the future!


Photography & Editing

For blogging photography and editing is very important and also one of my favourite parts about blogging. Your images can attract readers straight away and keep them coming back to your blog. 

iPhone 7 (For Photographs): Since I started my blog I have been using my phone for my photographs and have been very pleased as to how my images have come out. At the moment I haven't been able to afford a camera but for a beginner its good to know that you do not need one for your photos to come out great. 

PhotoScape Photo Editor: PhotoScape is a free photo editing programme that you can download onto your computer to edit your images for FREE! It is also a really easy way to add text to images or make collages. I tend to brighten, sharpen and add a filter to my images when I use this programme. Here are some before and after images. 

Before Editing

After Editing

SnapSeed: SnapSeed is a photo editing app that you can get on IOS for free! I have been using this app a lot recently to edit my photos for my Instagram. I tend to use the brightening, contrast and highlighting tools to make my images sharper and more insta ready. You can also add ready-made edits to your images if you're in a rush. 


Canva Blog Designs: Most of my blog graphics have been made using Canva including my blog header. It's a free website that you can create all different graphics for your blog including Pinterest photos. You can also use a lot of their different templates to add your own images and text. With Canva you can use the free version but you can also purchase a premium subscription. 

Abode Spark Post: This is an app that I have recently found on the IOS app store. It's a free app which allows you to make social media graphics like Instagram stories, you can also add some animation to these stories for free! You can get a paid version of this app for no watermarks and more content. You can also use loads of free templates, text and icons for your posts. 

Design Wizard: This is a recent find of mine, Design Wizard is a simple to use graphic design tool which allows you to personalise an image in seconds. The magic resize button is probably the standout tool on Design Wizard; you can change the size of a template easily while you are creating an image! It also features excellent integrations with Hubspot, Marketo, Intercom and Buffer. There is a simple licensing plan and no attribution required.


Photo Props, Items and Backgrounds

For blog photos, it is essential that you have a really good background and props for your photos to make them look professional. You can get all different items to suit your theme for as little as 99p

eBay and Amazon: When looking for props like fake flower petals, fairy lights and sequins I always either look on eBay or Amazon for the best deal. You can get so many different items for very cheap. You can also find anything you need on these sites with loads of variety. 

B&M Stores: In B&M you can literally find anything that you are looking for. I've found some really good gems for my blog props in this shop like a very cute jewellery dish for only £1.99. I have also gotten cute candles and fake flowers from here all under £5!

B&Q: For my backgrounds, I actually discovered on Twitter that you can go into B&Q and take some samples of their wallpapers. All of their wallpapers that they offer have a sample with that you can rip off a certain amount all for FREE! I went into my local store and got 5 different samples all to use for different backgrounds for my photos!


Social Media

Social media is very key when having a blog, it helps you to connect with other blogger and get more of an audience to read your posts. It also helps you gain a following and comments on your posts. I have linked my social media profiles below.

Twitter: Twitter is probably my favourite social media platform, I like to advertise my latest posts and also find new blog posts to read. Twitter is also a great way to get comments onto your posts by participating in comment threads, you add your latest post and comment on other peoples posts and they may comment back, ones I like doing are Bloggers Tribe, Tea Cup Club and also Glow Steady does a comment thread on Tuesdays. 


Instagram: Instagram has been slightly hard for me to get a hang of but I am finally getting it. I add my blog photos and link my latest post to get more traffic to my blog. I also get a lot of inspiration for blog photos and flat lays on Instagram.


Pinterest: I have had a Pinterest for a long time even before I started my blog and now it has helped a lot. You can repin other peoples photos and that will help different people find your blog. You also get a lot of inspiration for blog posts (I also have a makeup wish list which I will go back when I can afford it!)


Blog'lovin: Blog'lovin is a specific social media platform for blogs. You can link your blog to your blog'lovin page so when you upload onto your blog it will automatically upload to blog'lovin this will help you reach a wider audience. 


Facebook: I don't actually have a Facebook page but a lot of bloggers swear by it. You can have groups of different bloggers to share your posts and get support with your blog. You can also make a specific page for your blog for others to follow. 


Affiliate Links & Ad Clicks

To make money from your blog you will eventually need to sign up to different affiliate websites to gain money from clicks and buys on ads placed on your site. 

Amazon Affiliate Links: Affiliate links can be a really good way to make some money on your blog especially if you talk about different products a lot. What's good about the Amazon Affiliate links is that with Amazon will probably have any product that you need a link for and the site is so simple to start. You will need to fill out a small section before starting but then you're ready to go.  

Media.net: For the adds that I have on my blog at the moment I use media.net, it's very easy to use and you don't have to have a specific amount of page views before you can use them so it's very good for new bloggers like me! 

Pin For Later...

Starting a blog can be hard so I hope my guide helped you or can help you to create a blog that you love and that you are proud of. What services do you use on your blog?

Aaliyah xo

16 comments:

  1. I use Canva for all my blog header/Pinterest pins/graphics needs, as well! For editing my blog post photos, I use ColorStory which is an iOS app (it might be available on other phones, I'm not sure) but I love it. It's great and allows you to make and save presets for later ☺️

    Beka | www.bekadaisies.com

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    1. Canva is the best you can make graphics so quickly! I’ve never tried ColorStory will have to give that a try, I love trying new editing apps! X

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  2. This is such a great comprehensive guide! So many good resources here. I swear by snapseed, vscocam, facetune and unum for instagram! I'm also hoping to make the move from blogger to wordpress soon but kind of scared - it seems like such a huge task!

    http://www.whatevawears.co.uk

    http://www.whatevawears.co.uk

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    1. Thank you! I’ve heard good things about vsco I’ll need to give that one a try, I always like trying new editing apps. I’ve seen loads of bloggers switch over but I’m scared too! Xx

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  3. This is a brilliant post! I haven't been blogging for very long, so these tips are super helpful. Thank you for writing this! �� Also, your photo editing game is AMAZING.

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    1. Thank you! I’m glad this post will help you, thank you so much I’ve been trying to impoved my editing skills! X

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  4. Great post! I love using Canva! It's so easy to use, and the designs always turn out great!

    ~ Paige

    https://currentlylately.com

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    1. Thank you! Canva is great, its so easy to create different graphics that look professionally made x

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  5. What a brilliant post! I love going to B&Q for wallpaper samples, make a huge difference. I like using canva its easy to use and can be used for many things like blog photos, twitter headers etc

    Melissa 🌙🔮 | Moonlight Mel

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    1. Thank you! I make so many different things in Canva it’s really easy to use and everything looks so professional x

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  6. This is really helpful to me and people starting out in blogging, so detailed!

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  7. Even though I've been blogging for a while, I've only just got into the social media side of it and this post is so helpful! x

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  8. I LOVE Canva for my Pinterest graphics but I'm defo gonna have to check out PhotoScape - that edit is amazing!!

    Naomi xo
    tralisty.com

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  9. Some really useful tools on here for sure! I have been thinking about getting a custom theme for my site and will definitely keep your suggestions in mind!

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  10. I wish I knew this before I first started blogging. It would've saved me so much time because I have literally tried every platform there is out there. I'm definitely going to use some of your tips and tricks xx

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