As a content marketer working hard to carve out some space in the busy digital marketplace, you always want your blog to stand out from the others.
From video to cool images to infographics, you should seek out great resources that help set your blog apart from everyone else. Whether you’ve just started writing your blog or have been maintaining one for some time, there are free resources available that can give your blog a little boost or a complete overhaul.
Disclaimer: We use or subscribe to some of these resources, but even for those we haven’t tested personally, we know folks who have and recommend you check them out, too.
1. Creative Writing Blogs, Inspiration, Etc.
There are literally thousands of blogs for writers out there, but a select few stand out:
- The Creative Penn (thecreativepenn.com)
Author and writing coach Joanna Penn shares much of the advice she’s learned on the craft of writing over the years at her excellent blog. Besides offering writing advice for fiction writers, Penn provides insight into the worlds of publishing and book promotion. If you’re plugging away at your Great American Novel in your off-hours with the goal of becoming a published author and looking for an online writing community to help you stay motivated, this blog is a great resource.
- Jane Friedman (janefriedman.com/blog)
Similarly, Jane Friedman examines how technology is transforming the book publishing industry on her blog. She also shares her wealth of knowledge on the industry from an insider’s perspective and tips and tricks to writers at all levels.
- Jeff Goins (GoinsWriter.com)
A writer who consistently makes it to Top 20 blog lists across the digital landscape, bestselling author Jeff Goins muses about “writing, life, and creative work” at his excellent creative writing blog. Goins is the author of five books and a regular contributor to Copyblogger, among other well-known sites. (If you like his blog, check out his New York Times bestselling books, The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve).
2. Grammar, Mechanics, And All That Nitpicky Stuff.
Freelance writing, hard-hitting journalism, digital marketing…whether you have several bylines to your name or are still toiling away in literary obscurity, it’s important to grasp the basics of writing—mechanics, usage, grammar, and spelling (MUGS). The most compelling plotline or in-depth white paper or e-book will fall flat if your manuscript is riddled with typos.
Grammarly.com has a downloadable app with tons of cool features, including a plagiarism checker, a tone detector (which assures the user “your reader will react the way you expect based on your intended tone”), and checks for all kinds of errors.
3. Resources For The Craft Of Blogging.
Whether you’re new to blogging or just looking for some new ways to liven up your current blog’s content or layout, we have a few suggestions.
First, you need a host platform for your blog. WordPress is still one of the best and has evolved into a more user-friendly format over the years.
Medium.com is a repository of some of the most compelling and unique voices on the Internet, so if you’d like to share a blog post but perhaps not commit to a regular schedule, this site may be the best option for you. There is a subscription fee for readers. Writers are paid, but there is no cost for submitting your work.
Keywords are still a major driver for SEO, so keep this in mind when creating blog content. There are some free online tools to assist you with keyword research, namely Wordtracker.com and WordStream’s Keyword Tool.
For those new to the world of digital marketing or if you just want to keep your skills sharp, Copyblogger(copyblogger.com) is an excellent site focused on digital marketing, copywriting, and yes, working creativity into the mix.
4. Images and Graphic Design Elements.
Are you responsible for creating online graphics for social media, blogs, vlogs, or other digital marketing purposes? Canva is an excellent tool for the novice graphic designer.
Although subscribers have access to the full library of graphics and other features, the site has plenty of free images and templates available to meet just about any design need.
5. Stock Photography.
It can be difficult to find good, high-quality stock photos without watermarks, copyright information, or other proprietary marks stamped across them, but not impossible.
NegativeSpace.com has a wide collection of free, high-quality images, and no attribution is required. Unsplash is another great site for beautiful, high-res images and photos, as well as wallpaper and screen savers.
6. Scheduling/Project Management.
If you dedicate a significant amount of time and resources to blogging, or if you are responsible for creating and maintaining more than one blog, consider using one of the many project management software programs on the market.
HubSpot continues to be one of the best programs for managing inbound marketing, sales, and customer service, including blog posts. Most blog platforms, such as WordPress, also contain scheduling tools so your posts will go live at a set time.
7. Competitive Analysis Tools.
One important element of marketing (and doing business in general) is to always keep an eye on what others are doing. There are a few competitive analysis tools and apps available that can help you monitor how your blog is faring against your competitors.
QuickSprout is a free website analyzer that points out what you’re doing right and wrong, SEO- and social media-wise. WooRank is another helpful SEO checker and digital marketing tool—you can not only audit your own digital marketing efforts, but you can check out your competitors’, as well.
There are countless resources available for digital marketing, creative writing, or just about any other type of writing or marketing you can imagine.
What resources do you use to keep your blog layout and content fresh?
