Want to be a more productive blogger, online business owner or entrepreneur?
Today I’m sharing my go-to tools I use to be a more productive blogger and online entrepreneur, so I can make sure I’m being efficient with my time while growing my business.
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If there’s one thing we all have in common as bloggers and small businesses is we wear a lot of different hats!
This means that we are:
- Writers
- Content creators
- Designers
- Online marketers
- Strategists
- SEO
- Sellers
What does this mean about us?!
It can be HARD to balance everything! So, today I want to share some valuable tools I use to stay focused, productive and move my blogs and business forward.
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7 Tools To Be a More Productive Blogger & Online Business
Want to be a more productive blogger or online business? Try these 7 tools that dramatically improve your productivity! #bloggingtips #bloggingresources Click To Tweet
Before I go into details on my favourite blogging tools that save me time and help me be a more productive blogger and online business owner, I want to share that I have some amazing freebies for you in this post!
Check each of the tools below and if they aren’t already free I’m sharing with you my referral links so you can get a free trial. Enjoy!
Let’s get started!
My all-time favourite tools to be a more productive blogger & online business owner!
1. SmarterQueue
SmarterQueue is my social media scheduler of choice. I personally use it for Facebook but it also supports Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
There are many free social media schedulers out there, but the reason I pay for Smarterqueue is it saves me loads of time – and time is money.
I love the capability to fully automate your posting schedule and get the customized insights to see what’s resonating with your audience.
I personally set up 6 months worth of Facebook content in just 2 hours!
What’s great is you can quickly add variation text and different images to a post so each time it posts over time it looks like completely new content.
You can quickly :
- Pull images directly from your blog post through the Smarterqueue tool
- Grab related GIFs and images
- Upload video
- and much more
This is a time-saving resource I could not live without when it comes to managing my own Facebook accounts and client accounts.
Check it out for yourself and get a 30 Day FREE Trial with my link. (That’s double the length of the normal free trial which is 14 days)!
2. Social Media Content Calendar
This social media calendar from Angie Gensler saves SO much time!
If you ever get stuck trying to figure out what to post on social media, this detailed content calendar is a massive help.
Some highlights:
- Daily post ideas planned out for you in a proven-to-work system for social media marketing
- 87 unique and easy-to-create post ideas
- 52 questions to increase engagement
- 52 inspiring quotes to increase likes
3. Tailwind
Using Tailwind goes without saying. The reason I will always use Tailwind’s premium features is it literally saves me hours every week.
I can set up pins in my schedule and my content publishes throughout the week which I’m doing other things like working on client projects or getting some much-needed downtime.
I manage my two Pinterest accounts + client accounts with Tailwind and there are so many beneficial features I love…
- Tailwind Tribes so others can constantly repin my content which directly growths my reach/impressions, saves and clicks to my websites
- Tailwind Insights which shares valuable data on my board performance, top performing pins and even top keywords that convert.
- Scheduling pins at the most optimal times based on performance
- Board lists to make scheduling super fast
If you have yet to try Tailwind you can get a free month here!
Have a specific question about Tailwind? Ask me anything in the comments below 🙂
4. Motivational Podcast
Sometimes the best tools for productivity are to step away from your laptop and take a break. When I do this I love listening to the I’m Busy Being Awesome podcast. Paula (the host) is a master of all things productivity but where she really helps me is getting my motivation going.
Paula tackles all kinds of topics (goal setting, mindset, productivity, time management, etc) that help with personal and professional development. She drops a new episode every Monday, so check it out and let me know what you think 🙂
Paula also has an amazing FREE motivation training she just launched. Make sure to sign up here >> Mastering Your Motivation – free training.
5. Trello
I started using Trello earlier this year and I completely fell in love with it! Here is a screenshot of my current boards. As you can see below, I keep track of multiple things in my boards:
- Editorial calendar and content ideas
- Daily plan/to-do list
- Weekly schedule
- Client projects
- Pins to design
- Goals
- Bloggers I’m inspired by
- The best Facebook group threads
- and much more
The possibilities are endless with Trello. It’s actually the first to-do list/project management tool I’ve used that I truly love and have continued with.
If you haven’t tried Trello yet, it’s free so check it out!
Also, catch this Trello video below from Jessica Stansberry to see Trello in action!
6. Canva Pro
I personally love Canva Pro as it helps me keep track of my graphics for various pieces of my business. Features I couldn’t live without:
- Premium photos, icons & illustrations with great search filters so you can quickly find exactly what you’re searching for.
- Premium fonts – over 1000 to choose from!
- Brand kit – this is where I have the fonts and hex codes for all of the brands I work on. Doing this saves loads of time!
- Customizable folders where you can keep everything in order for various projects, clients, etc.
Check out this Canva blog post where I walk through the differences of the free version of Canva vs. Canva Pro and share even more details on my favourite features.
If you haven’t used Canva Pro before you can sign up for a free trial here!
7. Toggl
Toggl is a great tool to help you manage your time.
I specifically use Toggl when working on client projects. This way I can see how much time I am putting towards specific tasks.
This helps me determine how to price client work and also lets me see where my time is going.
Toggl is also ideal if you want to take a look at your overall productivity. Understanding where your time is going in general will help you make smart decisions about how to use your time more wisely.
For example: If you discover you’re spending loads of time on Instagram each week, but it’s not generating the results you want, you can then think about how to change your weekly Instagram strategy. This way you can decide how to improve your results or even start focusing on a different social media platform.
Want to save time on all your blogging tasks? Check out my top productivity tools I use to save my time and sanity! #productivity #bloggingtips Click To Tweet
Additional Tips To Be a More Productive Blogger & Business:
- Create a schedule for your week and stick to it! This is where Trello comes in handy.
- Time block. Try time blocking important tasks. Set a timer and get to work.
- Repurpose your content which is a great way to have more content to publish on social media. Here are some great content ideas for Facebook.
- Update older posts. If you’re lacking time to create new blog content update older blog posts instead. This means updating images, copy and making your posts more SEO friendly. You can even change the headline. Once complete make sure to change the publish date so it looks new on your blog! (This is a trick many established bloggers use to keep their content fresh).
- Use Graphic Templates. Either create your own or there are many places to purchase them. Check out these time-saving Pinterest templates in my shop!
What Tools or Tips Do You Use To Help You Be a More Productive Blogger or Online Business?
Share in the comments below!
Related Blogging Resources To Save You Time:
- 100 Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas To Attract Loyal Readers
- 15 Types of Blog Posts to Grow Your Website Traffic
- The Ultimate List of Blogging Resources: Free tools, courses, plugins & more!
- 10 Examples of Facebook Posts to Share on Your Business Page
- Best Free Blogging Courses to Grow Your Blog
- Blogging Tips for Beginners + 8 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
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Thanks! I appreciate every single share 🙂
My top 3 favorites are Tailwind, Canva and Trello. I’m not sure how I would survive as a blogger without them. I’m gonna have to try Toggl to see if it can help me manage my time better.
Thanks for sharing your tips.
Hi Debbie! Let me know what you think of Toggl! It’s pretty interesting to see how much time is spent on certain tasks.
This is a great list! Hadn’t heard of Toggl or your social media scheduler. Pinning this now for the future. Appreciate your hard work! 😀
Thanks Lindsay! I hope you try them – they help out so much. Have a good one!
I am addicted to podcasts as of late. Obviously, there is stuff that needs to be done around the house (laundry, dishes, etc.) and that’s the PERFECT time to work through my latest podcast episodes! It keeps me in the right mindset, ready to tackle whatever work is left when I return to it!
Hey Britt! Agree – listening to podcasts makes the mundane such more doable!
These are awesome recommendations! I’m already using Tailwind and I love it. I will be trying some of these too! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Vanessa – Yes, thank goodness for tailwind – it’s a complete lifesaver!! If you end up trying any of these other tools I’d love to know what you think! Have a good one 🙂
I love Canva. Some of the others are new to me so will definitely check them out. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Natalie – me too! It makes design to much easier and faster 🙂
These are nice tools to try and I use canva. It helps in creating graphics in no time but I tend to rely on my professional graphic designer now. I have never tried toggl but I would like to see how much time I use where and how to optimize my time better. Thanks for a wonderful post.
Hi Ambuj, Thanks for the note! Glad you found the post helpful and I’d love to know if you start to use Toggl and what you think of it 🙂
Some good tips that I need to try. I need to research some of these further.
Hi Susan, Thanks! I hope you get to try some and enjoy how helpful they are.
Love Toggl. I want to try some of the others. Thanks. Will listen to Paula’s podcast.
Hi Tracy! Yes, Toggl is such a great tool Definitely give some of the other resources a try and let me know what you think of Paula’s podcast 🙂
I love Canva pro! And I really need to get better about updating older posts!!! Thanks for all the awesome tips!
Hi Kelly! Thanks for the message 🙂 Yes – Canva Pro is a life saver, especially when you’re time crunched!
I keep hearing great things about Trello but haven’t gotten to try it yet!
Hi Sarah! Try it! I heard about it forever and now I use it for every part of my business. I also love that Trello is visually customization with pretty backgrounds!
What a great list of time saving tools for bloggers! Canva Pro is one I use quite frequently.
I’ll have to check out Toggl. I tend to get distracted while doing some online work, and having a tool like that may help me remember to stay focused!
Hey Lisa! Toggl is a really great tool – especially for client work! Once you start to try it you might be surprised how long some of your tasks are taking!
Thank you for these resources! I’m excited to try SmarterQueue. A friend told me about it and I’ve been meaning to try it! I spend way too much time scheduling facebook. It’s ridiculous.
I also love Paula’s podcast 🙂 Such an inspiration, isn’t it? 🙂
Hi Rina! For sure! Give the 30 day free trial a try and see what you think. I just love that I can set it and forget it – and I can rely on the fact that the scheduling works. Yes – Paula’s podcast is amazing. She’s so positive and uplifting 🙂
Ok, first. Um, yes I had no idea becoming a blogger meant trying to master so many different things! It is exciting to learn so much, but also overwhelming for sure.
Now, I am going to have to check out Smarterqueue and Trello to get more organized! I also invested in Canva Pro and am SO HAPPY I did. The convenience of the extra photos alone make it totally worth it.
Thanks for another excellent post! I will keep all of these great resources in mind!
Hey Jen! Seriously, blogging is way more work than most 9 to 5 jobs! I know you’ll love Trello & Smarterqueue. Trello will help you be that much more organized with all the hats you have to wear, both for work and personal. And Smarterqueue seriously saves you LOADS of time and that’s a win in my books! Thanks for the message xo
I love your suggestions! I am going to look into Smart Queue. It sounds amazing! I also love Canva pro, but haven’t tried Trello! Thanks for the tips!
Hi Sarah! Thanks 🙂 Definitely give Smarterqueue a try. With the free trial I recommend scheduling your content for the full 30 days and then you can just forget it! It feels good to batch this work and know it’s taken care of!
I just got introduced to trello – need to play around with it more! I have to admit – I’m lacking when it comes to tailwind. I had it way back and just never could get the hang of it! haha! Do you have any posts solely on tailwind tips? Thanks!
Hi Nicole! I’m actually working on a Tailwind post now! If you have any questions about it in the meantime feel free to email me 🙂 Tailwind also have some great tutorials on YouTube.
As someone who is newly in the process of a growing a blog/ministry i am so thankful for posts such as this who help me figure out what I am doing! Thank you for the suggestions! I subscribed to that podcast and am excited to check out trello!
Hi Amber! I’m so happy you find this helpful. When you’re starting our as a blogger there are SO MANY things to do and it can get overwhelming fast. So I hope this helps just a little 🙂
This is such a helpful article! Lately, I’ve been focusing on repurposing old content. I did it a lot during lockdown, since taking photos was more challenging, so I made new pins for old posts and got tons of new traffic thanks to utilizing Tailwind to keep my content fresh!
Hi Stephanie! Great strategy – creating fresh pins for old content is one of the best ways to keep traffic up. And yes – Tailwind makes everything easier!
This is a great article. There were quite a few programs that I haven’t heard of before that I can see could be useful. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Lori! Thanks for the note. Yes – these will help you tremendously!
I’m BRAND new to the blog world and trying to take it all in! Thanks for this post!
Hi Beth! There is so much to take in as a new blogger! I hope you’re enjoying the process so far 🙂