9 Amazing Blogging Tools, Resources & Links

This week I’ve decided to give you the links to some of the best blogging tips and resources I’ve discovered recently – these are definitely worth sharing!

I often find great things to read (either interesting articles or blog posts about the blogosphere or social media) that include tips and tricks for how to do things you never even knew you could do, or some updates or ways to keep on top of all things blogging.

I usually email these links to my fellow Over40Collective members as I find them, but I thought it only fair you see some of the ones I’ve shared recently – I generally always pin them to my Blogging Tips and Social Media Pinterest boards, but in case you’ve missed them here are 9 of the best that have really helped (or interested) me lately!

 

1. Streamlined image resizing for social media

OMG I wish I’d had this years ago – this is the best tool ever. A quick and easy way to create correctly formatted images for all the different social media platforms (AND it’s free and saving me so much time, Pinterest especially).

 

2. Social media guidelines – being transparent with your followers*

Guidelines for UK bloggers on exactly how and exactly what you need to disclose with regards to sponsored content, ads and affiliate links. Good to have a guide straight from the horse’s mouth.

*Updated for 2019

 

3. How to remove referral spam in your Google Analytics

Spam traffic is a nightmare on Google Analytics and clogs up your report. Use this to clear it as soon as you can.

 

4. How to set the image on Bloglovin

Like to have a landscape image as a lead image on your blog? Worried that it has less impact on your followers’ Bloglovin feed than a portrait image would? This tutorial shows you how to set whatever image you like as the Bloglovin image without affecting your blog post.

 

5. Consistency is key: 59% of digitally savvy women say sponsored posts feel fake/inauthentic when the content is inconsistent with an influencer’s feed

(And the award for the longest post title goes to…) If you’ve been offered dog food to blog about and you’re a fashion blogger who doesn’t own a dog (that was me until recently!), this post offers a download that explains exactly how you should be approaching sponsored posts to avoid alienating your audience. Very helpful, insightful and interesting research.

 

6. How to pitch brands and convince them to partner with you

Is there a brand you desperately want to work with? Don’t approach them by email without reading this first. I used it recently and I felt like I’d produced something really powerful.

 

7. 6 Myths about social media brands shouldn’t believe

If you think your social media isn’t “good enough”, this should make you feel better – there is some very interesting information and facts here about how brands see bloggers with relation to social media.

 

8. 30 Fresh Ideas For Instagram Stories

I’m often stuck for things to put on Stories, so this was an abundance of ideas that really helped.

 

9. Five ingenious marketing tricks to drive more people to your website

Although not aimed directly at bloggers, this article had a lot of relevant tips for increasing traffic – the section under the heading ‘Write the main content’ is especially good.

Pin for later!

So all that’s left to say is – I’ve shared my thoughts/stories/tuppence-worth this week, now it’s time to share yours… LET’S GET THIS [LINK UP] PARTY STARTED!

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Thank you for joining the #SaturdayShareLinkUp! Designed to allow you to share anything you like on ANY topic, it goes live every Friday at 8pm UK time and will stay open for a week. You can share blog posts or Instagram posts, old posts or new posts, and link up as many as you like.

 

PLEASE be kind and leave a link somewhere on your post, and share your post using the hashtag #SaturdayShareLinkUp – if you tweet your link with the hashtag and tag me in @notlamb I’ll even retweet it to my followers for you 🙂

A hot tip for linking up:

Use clear, bright images (crop in close if necessary) and add a relevant, descriptive title (you’ve got 75 characters to use). These sorts of thumbnails and text always get the most clicks, so don’t waste the opportunity to increase traffic and engagement on your best work!

An InLinkz Link-up

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SHARE THIS WEEK? WILL YOU FIND THESE RESOURCES USEFUL? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS OR TWEET ME @NOTLAMB!