When I first started even thinking about blogging I had a million questions. As a self-taught blogger I’ve spent countless research hours (articles, videos, tutorials, eBooks, other blogs, and trial and error), and I’ve come across incredible resources that have made a huge impact in what I know today.

Trial and error is a big part of this. I’m hoping to help you get through some “trials” while avoiding some “errors”.

The resources have been broken down into main categories so feel free to jump right into any given one.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you buy from my link I might make a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay. See the full affiliate disclosure here.

BEST BLOGGING RESOURCES

LEARNING BLOGGING RESOURCES

STARTING A BLOG RESOURCES

1. Blogcabulary Plus: The Ultimate Blogging Terminology, Reference, and Resource Book– This blogger's encyclopedia contains 340+ Blogging Terminologies; 200+ Images; 50+ Best Blogging Resources, Tools, and Services; 7 Important Blogging “How-To's” (including “How to Start a Profitable Blog Step-by-Step)”. Blogcabulary Plus is the only blogging book of its kind where blogging terminology, blogging processes, and blogging resources collide in a way that it tells a story in a logical and simple manner.

2. How to Start a Blog in Minutes Using SiteGround– Here is is a step-by-step tutorial on how to start a blog using SiteGround and what steps to take next.

3. How To Start a Blog in 10 Minutes: Step-by-Step Tutorial Using BlueHost– If you are looking to start a blog but have no idea where to begin, I’ve put together a step-by-step tutorial on how to start a blog in 10 minutes using BlueHost.

4. Start a Money Blog- FREE 7-Day email Course– If you are looking to start a blog (and make money from it), but have no idea where to begin, I’ve put together this FREE email course which will walk you through all the important aspects of starting a profitable and thriving blog and how to monetize it.

5. Blog by Number: How to Start a Mom Blog– In one year this mama was able to grow her blog from $0 to over $11,000 per month. From deciding your niche to monetizing your blog, she covers it all in this amazing course . You get so much value and knowledge from this eCourse that it will worth every single penny. Once enrolled, you will get a step-by-step roadmap to how to start a blog, plus full access to all of the great the video tutorials and bonuses.

PINTEREST BLOGGING RESOURCES

6. Pinterest Ninja– If you are new to Pinterest and need someone to guide you by the hand from beginning to end, Pinterest Ninja is for you. This info packed interactive eCourse walks all the way from setting up an account to starting a Pinterest account to implementing account all the way to mastering pinning, SEO, Pinterest algorithm and so much MORE! Check out the sales page an you will see what I mean. As Megan states, “Every single step in this course has taken me from earning less than $100 a month with my blog, to over $10,000 a month with my blog, in just over a year”.

7. Pin Practical Masterclass– And last but not least in the Pinterest Saga is Pinning Practical Masterclass. There isn't much I can say that can do it justice. Believe me you NEED to check out the sales page! If you are a visual learner then this is for you. This robust course comes with 22 video tutorial and 8 written lessons in addition to additional learning material. Monica teaches you the entire Pinterest Customer Journey AND her secret sauce to convert Pinterest traffic into email subscribers! This course will be a great investment if you are planning to generate traffic and income from Pinterest right away.

8. Pinteresting Strategies– You my friend, are going to want to take a look at this! Carly, founder of “Mommy on Purpose” and creator of Pinteresting Strategies eCourse, walks you through how she gets over 200k views a month through Pinterest and earns thousands of dollars in revenue with her pinning method. She teaches you her incredible successful manual pinning method as well as some Tailwind tips. and strategies to maximize results. Check it out for yourself, here.

However, Carly's book works best for intermediate bloggers who have been pinning for more than 3 months or so. If you are brand new to pinning, Pinterest Ninja is a better fit.

These Pinterest Pin Templates are a must-have! I know creating Pins can feel overwhelming and time consuming. Trust me, after running two blogs, I can totally relate. That is why I created this Pinterest Pin Template Bundle Editable in Canva. You are not going to want to miss this!

Related Article: Best Pinterest Courses for Bloggers (Beginner to Advanced)

AFFILIATE MARKETING BLOGGING RESOURCES

9. Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing eCourse– To learn all there is to know about affiliate marketing and how to make money while you sleep, I wholeheartedly recommend Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing eCourse by Michelle Schroeder. This is by far the best investment you will make in your blog. It isn't only one of the most reputable blogging courses, but it will give you the knowledge and tools to make your money back almost instantly, and then some.

Michelle currently makes $100,000+ a month from her blog, $50,000+ are strictly from affiliate commissions.

Alongside the info packed course, there are remarkable bonuses such as access to her Facebook Master Mind Group, FREE group couching sessions (2 Saturdays a month within the Facebook Group), her Pinterest Strategy Guide, and much more! Check it out for yourself here and start earning today!

10. Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers: Everything You Are Missing– This affordable affiliate marketing course put together by Carly from Mommy on Purpose helps bloggers monetize their online presence (no matter what your blogging niche is) and get started with affiliate marketing right away. I love her use of videos, images, and files throughout her course. The visual elements help in making the learning experience incredibly valuable.

11. Cracking the Code on the Amazon Associate’s Program-This info packed eBook written by Ashli Sweat walks you through how she makes $5,000/ month with Amazon affiliates and how you can do it too by following her tips and strategies.

EMAIL MARKETING AND LIST GROWTH RESOURCES

12. List Growth– This info packed course created and instructed by Tracie Fobes teaches you everything you need to know about starting your email list from scratch and how to make it profitable. The List Growth eCourse you will not only help you set up your email system but you will learn how to make and share forms and gives you ideas on how to get people to sign up. Once all of the systems that Tracie teaches in her course are in place you can turn your email list into a simple way to generate blog income.

BLOG TRAFFIC AND SEO RESOURCES

13. Stupid Simple SEO– This robust yet incredibly beginner friendly course created by Mike Pearson takes you from the basics of understating SEO, all the way to implementing key strategies that will get your blog thousands of organic page views from search engines. Check out the Table of Contents to that you can see for yourself the incredible value this course provides.

14. Ready Set Blog for Traffic– This is a course for new bloggers or bloggers who are struggling to get more eyes on their blog. The course is based on a proven blog traffic recipe by Elna Cain from Twins Mommy. This video-based course helps set a strong foundation for your blog, provides a solid promotion strategy for using Pinterest, and teaches you how to write highly engaging and converting posts to earn more income. You'll also get bonus guides including 240+ high quality Pinterest groups in 17 niches, a guest blogging guide, and a swipe file filled with emails and templates.

Related Article: 7 Best SEO Courses for Bloggers (Comprehensive-Basic)

PRODUCT CREATION BLOGGING RESOURCES

15. Course by Number– This is the best resource I’ve come across for creating an online course from scratch. This course was created by Suzi Whitford from Start a Mom Blog. She has created and launched nine online courses over the past two years and made over $300,000 in revenue. If anyone knows about successful courses and how to teach others how to create their own, it’s Suzi.

16. eBook Bestseller Bootcamp– Created by Ana Sauvica, this robust course takes you from “not sure what to write about” to creating and launching your ebook in a few weeks. In a short period of time you could be launching an eBook that will bring in recurring passive income for months and even years to come. Whether you are looking to sell an ebook through your blog or simply publish on Amazon, this 25 video course walks you through the entire process. Use this special promo code: EBB20OFF to save $20.

PROFITABLE BLOGGING RESOURCES 

17. Income Journey– This one goes out to all of the Income Report addicts out there. I know I am! (haha). In this eBook Suzi goes into detail of what worked each month and how she earned an income from $o – $17,000 per month in her first year of blogging. An organized month by month compilation of her successes and failures to help you implement the same strategies and avoid the same mistakes.

BEST BLOGGING BUNDLES

20. Pinterest and Affiliate Marketing Bundle from Blogging Like You Mean It- This is an amazing bundle opportunity for those who would like to invest in Pinteresting Strategies eCourse along with her Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers: Everything you are Missing.  All of the resources in this bundle add up to a total of $141. But if you buy the bundle which includes all 3 resources, all you pay is $85, that is a 40%OFF deal!

21. 5 Course Bundle from Start a Mom Blog– This a great bargain if you are looking to commit to blogging and be successful faster. The five courses included in this offer are Suzi's Blog by Number (Start a Blog), Niche by Number, Theme by Number, List by Number, and eBook by Number. If you would like to learn more about what each course entails, check out the sales page.

Related: 7 Crucial Blogging Tools I Couldn't Do Without (+ See How they All Work Together to Make Me Money).

AFFILIATE PROGRAMS

22. Ultimate Bundles – (40% Commission)- This is one my favorite affiliate program. The Ultimate Bundles Team puts together a HUGE bundle of eBooks and eCourses for a specific subject (Blogging, Parenting, Health, etc.) and then sells that bundle at an enormous discount, usually 90-97% OFF its original price!!! Not only will you receive 40% commission for every bundle you sell, BUT what’s more you also receive 40% off if you choose to buy it for yourself. BUT WAIT, there’s more… if you sell 5 or more of a particular bundle you get that bundle for FREE (if you already purchased it, they will refund you). In addition, once you become an affiliate you will have access to their “affiliate center” where you will have access to your affiliate links, upcoming bundle calendar, banners, and ongoing FREE affiliate marketing training. Sing up for Ultimate Bundle's Affiliate Program here.

23. Shareasale is an affiliate marketing network. You can create a FREE account and join over 4,000 popular companies offering their affiliate programs. They work with very popular brands such as Wayfair, Gymboree, Zulily, Shutterfly, Sears, etc. Whatever your niche, Shareasale has plenty to choose from and you don’t pay a penny. Sing up for Shareasale Affiliate Program here.

24. Awin is one of the largest affiliate networks in the world (with over 6,000 possible affiliate programs to join). No doubt there is something for every blogger to promote using Awin. The Etsy affiliate program is with Awin. You will be asked to pay $5 for account verification, but the money will be returned to your account balance and will be paid back to you on your first check. Sing up for Awin's Affiliate Program here.

25. Viglink is another great option for an affiliate network. Once you put the VigLink tracking ID in your site  they automatically identifying commercial products mentioned within your content. If you visitor clicks ion that link and makes a purchase, VigLink automatically monetizes those terms by transforming them into revenue. You can also opt out of that automatic linking by simply changing your user settings in your VigLink dashboard. Viglink work with popular companies such as Walmart, Macys, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Sing up for Viglink's Affiliate Program here.

WEBSITE SETUP

26. SiteGround– This hosting company has one of the best reputations amongst bloggers today and it is the hosting company of my choice! Having gained enormous popularity in the blogging community in the recent years by their record breaking up-times, latest web hosting speed technology, and excellent 24/7 customer service, SiteGround is a powerful contender. If you are looking to start a blog or would like to switch from your current provider, make sure to take advantage of this 60% OFF discount with SiteGround through my link. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to “Start a Blog Using SiteGround“.

27. Bluehost– Is a another popular hosting company. They have great customer support and their site is very user-friendly. You can get a special discount by signing up under my link. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on “How to Start a Blog in 10 minutes” using BlueHost. Note: Both BlueHost and SiteGround are 2 of the 3 official recommended hosting service providers by WordPress.org. If you dont know the difference between WordPress.org and .com and would like to, check out this thourough article I put together for you.

28. StudioPress Themes– These dozens of clean and crisp themes are exclusively for WordPress. They are made from StudioPress, therefore only run on the Genesis Framework as well.

29. Restored 316– This is the theme (design) I use for my blog. I love their themes and after looking through different ones, they caught my eye. The simplicity and elegance of their theme design speaks for itself. My theme is the Simply Charming Pro. Just as important as the content of your site/blog, so is the appearance.

BLOGGING LEGALITIES 

31. Legal Bundle Templates (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, CCPA, and Disclaimer)- Because your blog is now open to the public, you MUST protect yourself from a legal standpoint. Specially now with the new GDPR regulations. Ensuring you have legal policies and agreements in place will give you a peace of mind by protecting you from possible lawsuits (sadly, in today's world, that is something we all have to prepare ourselves for). These templates were written by Mariam herself, a licensed practicing attorney in the United States. I opted for the Website Policies: Legal Bundle (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, CCPA, and Disclaimer). Hands down one of the best investments I have made for my blogs. The templates are 100% customizable and legally compliant.* If you live in Canada, contact her directly. I believe she will include Canadian regulations to your templates as well.

EMAIL MARKETING 

32. ConverKit– It's a powerhouse email marketing company, specifically built by bloggers, for bloggers. With the powerful and user friendly tools they've created, it gives you the power to earn more from your email list while keeping the human element in something as personal as email. ConvertKit is my email marketing company and it's worth every single penny. The minute I decided to take my email marketing seriously, I switched from a free, limited, and confusing service provider to ConvertKit and it's made all the difference in the world. You can receive a free 30-day trial here.

33. OptinMonster–  “Optinmonster is the best lead-generation plug-in for WordPress that allows you to create and integrate highly effective email sign-up forms for your website”. They offer multiple form types (floating bars, mobile responsive forms, sliding, sidebars, etc.), A/B Split Testing, exit intent technology, built-in analytics, and more. I also use OptinMonster in conjunction with ConvertKit to maximize results.

SERVICES

34. Tailwind– This is a pin scheduling service for Pinterest and Instagram. Taiwind is a “Pinterest approved” scheduler which allows for automatic pin scheduling throughout the day (or weeks), depending how far ahead you want to schedule. Tailwind’s detailed analytics allow for smarter pinning, and their recommended “pinning time slots” based on your daily peak traffic is simply genius. It saves you valuable time and frustration. You can sign up today through my link and receive a free one month trial.

35. SendOwl– allows you to sell digital goods online. It connects with the payment provider so you get paid and it automatically delivers the files to the buyers once payment has completed. It has great integrations such as ConvertKit and PayPal, and it allows for easy affiliate program sign-up from both the seller and the buyer.

WORDPRESS PLUGINS

36. Shortpixel Image Optimizer– We all know that images can slow down your site and affect your SEO. This great WordPress plugin improves website performance by reducing the image size which results in smaller images that are no different in quality from the original. ShortPixel Image Optimizer plugin gets you up and running in seconds, optimizing all your past images with a push of a button and all your new images automatically. I opted for the one-time fee of $9.99 for 10,000 credits.

37. Yoast SEO– I’m loving this plug-in. Allows you to edit your content’s meta data to increase your SEO. It also provides you with an analysis check list of each post regarding the readability and SEO of your content. It is a very user-friendly and powerful plug-in.

38. Akismet anti-spam– Protects your blog against spam and malicious log-in. *Note: You can download all of these plug-ins and many more from your WordPress dashboard

GRAPHIC DESIGN

39. Canva-If you aren’t using Canva yet you are probably missing out. It’s a FREE app for image editing and graphic creation. It provides you with ready-to-use templates depending on the social media platform you want to use them for.

40. DepositPhotos– This is the paid stock photo membership of my choice. They have beautiful options for bloggers of all niches. There has been a lot of talk recently about legal issues revolving around the use of free images on your blog. In addition high quality images are imperative for website optimization and Pinterest Pin creation and long term success.

41. Creative Market– is an online marketplace which sells graphics, WordPress themes, stock photography, media kits, and other digital goods for use by web creatives. By creating a FREE account with Creative Market you get 6 FREE goodies a week which is great. Most of my pins have a beautiful background stock image from a “15 Free Stock image bundle” I downloaded. Creative Market is my new addiction and I can’t get enough. When you have time take a look around so you can see all of the amazing products they carry.

I hope this was helpful to you!