So, you’re interested in starting your own blog? That’s awesome! Whether you want to blog as a hobby, side hustle, or full-time business, these resources can help! I used all of these along my blogging journey and many of them I still use! Read this post if you’re curious about how much I spent & earned my first year travel blogging!
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the link, I’ll earn a commission at no additional cost to you. These links are marked with an asterisk.
Site Ground Hosting
*Think of domain hosting as the home for your website. It’s absolutely necessary! I suggest starting with a 1-year purchase in case you change your mind about blogging. Most bloggers don’t make it past the first year! After that, you can sign up for a 3-year contract, which is supposedly better for SEO.
Beginner Blog Course
*SuperStar blogging is owned by Nomadic Matt, one of the most popular travel bloggers. His Business of Blogging course is absolutely the best course for beginners.
Intermediate Blog Course
*When you’re ready to take your blog to the next level, I recommend the Blog Like A Boss course by Glo. She shares lots of juicy money-making secrets.
Email Provider
*ConvertKit is the favorite email marketing service amongst travel bloggers. It’s easy to use and promotes simple email designs. There’s a free version as well as a premium version. I still use the free version, so you might as well start with that!
Pinterest Course
*I didn’t commit to using Pinterest my first year of blogging and I regret it. Since implementing the things I learned in this course, my blog traffic has doubled! The course is a bit expensive, but with this advice you’ll qualify for an ad network and pay it off in only a few months!
Pinterest Scheduler
*Tailwind allows you to schedule pins ahead of time and gives you back time in your life. Their fancy algorithm helps optimize pinning times so you don’t have to pin in the middle of the night.
Photo Storage
*Personally, I enjoy storing all my photos on SmugMug online. It gives me a link for my photos, which I use on my website. This way, I don’t have to pay for as much hosting storage!
Web Design Template
*My website design template comes from Theme Forest, which has thousands of designs available. I suggest hand-drawing what you want your website to look like, then finding a theme that can do that on Theme Forest.
Writing Course
*Blogging requires a lot of skills, but it all comes down to your ability to write. I considered myself a good writer before Getaway Girl, but I believe this travel writing course really did elevate my writing. This course may not be necessary, but I think it is helpful.