If you’re a blogger then you already know that it goes beyond having good SEO and creative content. You need the tools to make your blog function as a competitor. Because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of people in the blogosphere and you have to give the best presentation you can while working with the tools at your disposal. If your blog is a business then having good programs is as fundamental as a reverse phone lookup for a phone company. You need the instruments of your field and here are a few essential tools that every blogger needs.
Content management Systems:
Having a good Content Management System (CMS) is really important to have once you’ve already set up your web host. You’ll need a publishing engine, or content management system as it’s also known, that your blog will run from. There are some free and paid options.
A lot of people use Google Blogger but you usually get what you pay for. If you use this site you’ll find that there’s little or no support. If your blog goes down then you’re left without recourse and your blog disappears over night. WordPress is a popular option and it’s also free. It’s powerful and customizable to meet the needs of any blogger. There are many other options though so look online for free other CMS options.
Google Analytics:
It’s most essential to understand the traffic coming in and out of your site. You need to know where it’s coming from, what they find of interest, and how long they’re staying. It’s these questions that make Google Analytics essential to every blogger. If you want the information about what’s working and what’s not then this is the product for you. This is just one option though.
Google Analytics is free and there is many other versions. You don’t have to go with this one but it’s essential to have a similar program that will tell you more information about the users using your blog.
Pingdom:
Knowing if your site’s working or not is probably the most important thing. It really takes a lot of the guesswork out of your efforts. If you don’t have reliable hosting then it doesn’t matter what you’re putting on your blog, because no one will be able to see it. Using monitors like Pingdom, you’ll be able to monitor if something happens to your site. This is especially useful if you’re using your blog for business/marketing purposes. You need a warning system in place that will notify you if anything goes wrong so you can take the necessary steps to minimize or bypass any damage.
If your blog is your business then you need tools like these to get the job done. It doesn’t always have to cost you a fortune and you can find many alternatives to these options that are free or really cheap. Don’t put your blog’s success in jeopardy by not using all of the tools available.
