Blogging is amazing!
I’m guessing you feel the same if you’re here. What can be a bit tricky are the costs associated, especially if you have dreams of building it into something bigger someday. You want to do it on a budget, BUT also set yourself up for success if you decide, “Hey, I can make this something really awesome!”.
Yep, I’ve been there. I’ve made both good and bad decisions early on. Leaning and growing pains, I’ve had them all. What I’ve discovered is that there is nothing you can do that would hold you back or stop you from your future (or current) dreams, only slow you down. In an effort to help eliminate some of YOUR future speed bumps, I’ve put together my blogging toolbox with all of my go-to resources.
In my toolbox, you’ll find where I held off or chose the budget version, as well as the areas I believe, are worth investing in. Your personal goals will determine the right formula for you, but this will get your wheels turning and show you some great options that are available.
Hosting
Right out of the gate, Bluehost is budget-friendly and has everything you need to get the job done. I did stay with them until I made the commitment to grow and really could have continued if I had not already been introduced to Agathon.
Agathon blows any other provider out of the water! They are small enough to be personable and big enough to offer everything you could possibly need. When an issue happens, I have an answer the same day and always from a face I’m familiar with. That alone is worth the price. Yes, it is more costly than Bluehost, but it’s like comparing apples to oranges. If you want to have a team you can trust to keep you running and help with any hiccups that may pop up, Agathon is the place for you! A bonus for me, they are Michigan-based. ♥
Design
Must have for design work. Free is entirely acceptable, to begin with; you’ll want the paid version if you stick with it, as the photos and clipart selections are much better.
Content
For anything that requires writing, Grammarly is a must! There is a free version that is fabulous, but if you are able, the premium option has so many more useful features. This is one of those splurges that can be used in many areas of your life. We use it for homeschool and have the app connected to all of our devices. It helps make the cost less of a burden when you know it has many purposes.
Social Media
A must-have if you want to grow your Pinterest reach and drive traffic to your site. Consistency is vital, and it is not humanly possible to keep up with this manually at the pace required for growth.
Email Marketing
I’ve gone through a couple of different email providers and have to say, had I done my homework initially, it would have been far less painful. Convertkit, while it will eventually cost you, does start out free through your first 1000 subscribers. The first hurdle is that initial 1000 so if you are serious about growing, it’s the way to go.
I sadly did not do this and made more jumps than I care to admit. But, you can learn from my mistakes on this one and save a little sanity.
SEO
This is one of those that I see as a splurge in the early days. But, if you use us right, you can really cut your cost down. The first tip, the trial period is seven days; when you signup, be ready to use it right away. Second, if seven days is not long enough, it wasn’t for me; purchase a month or two and then cancel. This will get you set up for success until you have the budget to make it a permanent figure in your toolbox.
I could probably go on and on about the different options but will leave you here to stew on these for now. I’m always curious to hear other’s thoughts so hit me in the comments!
