WordPress
Want to start your very own blog or website and not sure what site builder to use? Do all the choices have you overwhelmed and not certain where to start?
If I were you (and I was a few years ago…… 😊), you cannot go wrong with choosing WordPress!
How do I know this?
Well for one thing, WordPress powers 43% of all websites globally and has a 65% global market share!
WordPress remains the most popular because it’s powerful, affordable, and versatile.
WordPress has a huge library of themes and plugins that give it a lot of flexibility.
It has a built-in blogging platform, provides support for most languages, and is also especially strong in SEO.
Additionally, you have the rights to your own content and can download it at any time. Plus, you can host your site wherever you want.
WordPress is used for all kinds of websites from big, well-established brands like Microsoft.com and Etsy.com, to smaller blogs (like mine! Lol 😊).
BigScoots
Big Scoots is a hosting platform used to build your website on.
If confused, think of Big Scoots as the “digital land”, your “digital house” (aka website) is built upon.
There is a plethora of choices for choosing who hosts your website and it can be very overwhelming.
I tried a few hosting platforms over the years and the best one I have tried to date is BigScoots!
What I have learned over the years is that the thing that separates the good hosting platforms is price, customer service, and site speed.
While some claim to have 24/7 support, good luck finding one at 10PM on a Sunday night when your site goes down, you’re stuck working with the “B” team who are green as grass, they only read off a script, and then have the gall to tell you they can’t fix your problem & your need to fix it …….. let’s just say I’ve had a couple of bad experiences! 😊
BigScoots price is competitive with the other major hosting platforms AND does not drive a need for the pricey add-ons other hosting platforms charge…… that is where they get you.
For other hosting platform, they may offer a GREAT initial rate but get you on upcharges for add-ons their basic services do not cover AND for very high renewal rates (sometimes 50%+ increases!).
Their customer support is simply outstanding.
You can call and talk to real, live human being NOT an AI chatbot that doesn’t know what to do to fix your problem.
I never have to wait in a queue, can issue a support ticket, and a reply comes back in minutes…. Not hours or even days (if at all) like some of their competitors do.
Lastly, their site speed is outstanding. No matter the time of day, it’s fast and dependable. Site speed is a BIG factor in SEO and ranking in Google Search.
It’s the hosting platform most of the bloggers in my community use and you should too!
Stupid Simple Blogging (formerly Stupid Simple SEO)
As a new blogger, you’ll come across hundreds of people, who claim their course is THE thing to teach you a certain blogging skill or is a comprehensive course to teach you ALL there is to know to have a successful blog….. the reality is most are not worth your time or money (and they charge you a BOATLOAD of money to find this out!).
Until now…….
Mike Futia started by offering a Stupid Simple SEO course (IMO….THE #1 skill any new blogger should learn and the GO-TO course for learning SEO) that is simply outstanding.
It’s a step-by-step guide to teach you about SEO optimization so you rank at the top of the Google search algorithm and draw viewers to your site.
This year, Mike expanded his Stupid Simple SEO course to include an all-in-one solution for learning the basics of blogging: Stupid Simple Blogging.
I’m currently in the middle of this course and am blown away at the quality of content Mike provides. It’s a great step-by-step guide to teach you everything you need to get your blogging career off on the right path.
If there is 1 course you should invest in this year, it’s Stupid Simple Blogging.
Stupid Simple Blogging offers you the tools, strategies, and community support to not just survive, but thrive this year and beyond.
Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your blog into a diversified, profitable online business.
If you want to view a preview of what Stupid Simple Blogging is all about, check out this video HERE.
Ubersuggest
Another big component to mastering SEO are the SEO tools you use. While there are a lot of good tools out there, not all tools are created equal AND not sold at an equal price.
One of the tools I have found to be the best “bang for your buck” is Ubersuggest. For the price you pay and the value you receive, few can compare.
Ubersuggest is loaded with GREAT tools to level up your SEO game AND great articles / information to grow your knowledge both now and in the future.
Plus, the SEO reference tool Mike Futia uses for his Stupid Simple Blogging Course just so happens to be Ubersuggest…….. coincidence?
I think not…… quality knows quality, know what I mean?
Click here to sign up to Ubersuggest TODAY!
RankIQ
Another highly rated SEO tool that you should check out is RankIQ.
It’s a little pricey, but the quality of the tool is worth it!
In fact, it consistently is one of the top-ranked SEO tools on the market!
Why do I think it is SO good?
For one, RankIQ is easy to use and setup.
Second, it has an excellent and extensive keyword library to find the best low-competition, high-traffic, keywords to use in your SEO strategy.
Third, RankIQ’s content optimizer helps you identify what information to include in your blog content to rank higher on Google.
Lastly, RankIQ’s competitor analysis tool helps you dissect your competitor’s strategies to enable you to more efficiently run your blog and beat your competition at their own game! 😊
If you want THE best SEO tool out there, you can’t go wrong with using RankIQ!
Canva
Want a tool that is GREAT at making logos for your blob, digital products to sell, marketing media to promote your blog, AND some great graphics for your Pinterest pins?
Then look no further than Canva!
But that is not all!
Canva also offers thousands of templates to get started.
Users can customize design elements like photos, fonts, and text.
Plus, the Canva app is available for free on mobile devices and includes features like a live camera for creating Instagram and Facebook stories too!
To top it off, you can get a free membership to get started or upgrade to a VERY reasonable monthly membership.
Click HERE to check it our today!
Kit
Do you want a great email marketing platform for creating your subscriber list that is free AND can grow with you as your business grows?
Look for further than Kit!
Kit (formerly Convertkit) is an email marketing platform that lets you grow your email list through sign-up forms and landing pages, create automated campaigns, send broadcasts, and sell digital downloads.
There’s a limited free plan for up to 1,000 subscribers, and paid plans start at $25 per month.
Check it out HERE to learn more!
Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing
Want to learn the basic of affiliate marketing including finding the most popular resources all in one course?
If yes then Michelle Schroeder-Gardner’s text-based, self-paced course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, is for you!
You learn the same strategies and tools that Michelle uses to earn $50,000 in affiliate marketing revenue per month! (Yes, that is NOT a typo!)
In this course, you’ll learn:
- Affiliate marketing basics: what it is, how it works
- Affiliate products (i.e. how to pick the right products to represent while maintaining reader trust)
- How to increase the # of people who buy an affiliate product (aka increase conversions)
- Nitty gritty details (i.e. the required legal disclosures you need, how to request to be an affiliate, etc.)
- Helpful tools and strategies
- More complex concepts to help grow your basic skills geared towards bloggers with intermediate knowledge
This course is right for you if:
- You are an affiliate marketing beginner or intermediate and are keen to start monetizing your site this way.
- You want a course that teaches you the very basics and then builds towards more advanced concepts from there.
- You work well with text-based courses and learn well by connecting with others.
- You have affiliate marketing knowledge, but no clue how to put a strategy together or implement it on your own site.
- You have begun using affiliate links but aren’t making any income, so you want actionable tips on how to make your first dollar.
If you want to learn more about Michelle’s course, click HERE!